Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie Bowl with Chia Seeds

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I love smoothie bowls! Smoothie bowls give you the opportunity to pack in tons of nutrition while still giving you that awesome dessert vibe. They’re also so easy to prepare, making them terrific snack options when you’re on the go! There’s no excuse not to have a nutritious breakfast for a busy weekday morning when you can throw a bunch of tasty goodies in the blender!

Unfortunately, back when I went to school and headed off to the office early, I had to pretty much chug these things. When I make smoothie bowls for desserts, however, I like that I can sit down with the bowl, eat with a spoon, and relax with a good TV show. You can have these bowls at any time of day, but I have to admit that I can appreciate the bowl and all its goodness more when I’m sitting down and eating from the bowl with a spoon. That just makes the experience so much more fun! Adding frozen berries and some ice to make it really cold forces me to eat slowly too!

Bursting with Berries!

I love the combination of berries and chocolate. I’m just a huge chocolate lover in general, but I have to admit that having a hint of cocoa really enhances berries for me and just makes eating them much more fun! In this smoothie bowl, I just used blueberries because that’s what I had on hand. To get lots of antioxidants from berries and a variety of benefits, you could use a 4-berry blend! I’m sure that would taste absolutely fantastic! Try out your favorite berries alone or in different combinations and discover what you enjoy!

Blueberries are called “superfoods” for a reason! Adding blueberries to your daily diet has a variety of health benefits, such as:

• Aid in digestion: This is thanks to the high fiber content in blueberries. I love having a fibrous breakfast to keep me full till lunch!
• Contribute to bone health: Blueberries are a rich source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamin K, which are essential nutrients to maintain bone structure and strengthen them.
• Assists in clearing your skin: Blueberries are packed with vitamin C that helps the collagen in your skin to prevent skin damage.
• Stabilize blood pressure: Blueberries have a low glycemic index, which means they are less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar. This is a great snack for diabetics.
• Boost your brain function: We know that blueberries are loaded with antioxidants. These antioxidants help the brain to improve memory and improve overall cognitive functioning.
• Protects against heart disease and cancer: Research suggests that the antioxidants found in blueberries can help to prevent tumors, lower inflammation, and prevent several types of cancers. The vitamin folate helps in DNA synthesis and repair, and this vitamin can help to prevent the formation of cancer cells.

Source: Shape.com

Chilling with Some Chia Seeds

The magic in this chocolate blueberry protein smoothie bowl is not only in the pretty and healthy blueberries, but with the chia seeds! I love adding chia seeds in my oatmeal recipes! For other great ways to enjoy blueberries and chia seeds, check out my warm Blueberry Oatmeal with Honey and Chia Seeds, or for a chilled breakfast you can try my Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats! In this smoothie bowl recipe, I’m going to top it with chia seeds because I actually quite enjoy the taste of the chia seeds! Also, aesthetically speaking, I do find it really adds some character to this bowl!

Tools Needed

• Blender
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Ramekin

Ingredients for Blueberry Chocolate Smoothie Bowl with Chia Seeds

You won’t need much for this healthy protein-packed chocolate and blueberry smoothie bowl with chia seeds! Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE so that you can see all measurements, and save this yummy recipe when it’s time to make breakfast tomorrow morning!

Here’s what you’re going to need.

For the Smoothie Bowl

• Fresh or frozen blueberries
• Chocolate protein powder
• Cocoa powder
• Milk
• Ice cubes

For the Toppings

• Honey
• Chia seeds
• Smooth peanut butter

Yes, I actually ran out of chocolate protein powder when I made this, so thank goodness I had a sample packet!

Making the Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie Bowl

This smoothie bowl is designed to be prepared almost effortlessly, so you can get some yumminess and lots of health benefits in a pinch!

Begin by adding the milk, cocoa powder, and chocolate protein powder into your blender.

Then, add the blueberries.

Finally, add the ice cubes.

Blend at a high speed until smooth.

If necessary, open the lid and scrape the sides of the blender. Resume until you have a smooth texture.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with chia seeds, honey and peanut butter. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

No Banana, No Dates, No Vanilla: What Is Not in This Smoothie Bowl

Almost every chocolate smoothie bowl you will find online is built on a frozen banana. This one is not. Five things go into the blender here: blueberries, chocolate protein powder, cocoa powder, milk and ice cubes. There is no banana, no medjool dates, no vanilla extract, no coconut, no oats and no hidden handful of spinach. The thickness comes from frozen fruit and ice, not from fruit puree. A frozen banana only enters the picture if you decide to skip the protein powder altogether, and then it is there to replace the body the powder was giving you.

The sweetness works the same way. There are no added sugars in the blender at all. What you taste is the natural sweetness of the berries and the single tablespoon of honey that goes on top at the end, which means you can see exactly how sweet the bowl is and adjust it with a spoon rather than guessing before you blend.

Fresh or Frozen Blueberries, and How Many Ice Cubes

The card asks for 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, and which one you reach for changes one other number. With frozen blueberries you want 4 ice cubes. With fresh blueberries you double that, because fresh fruit brings none of the chill that makes the bowl scoopable. Keep the milk at 1/4 cup either way. That small amount of liquid is what separates a bowl you eat with a spoon from a smoothie you drink through a straw.

Everything goes into a high-speed blender together and gets blended until smooth. If it stalls, stop, open the lid and scrape the sides down, then blend again rather than adding more milk. Prep time is about 2 minutes and the whole thing is done in 5.

Easy Swaps for the Blender and the Toppings

Out of chocolate protein powder? Cocoa powder with a spoonful of Greek yogurt gets you protein and thickness without the powder, and a chocolate meal replacement powder has a similar macro profile. The 1/4 cup of milk can be any milk you keep in the fridge. Almond milk keeps the bowl light, dairy milk makes it creamier. The 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder can be swapped for raw cacao powder measure for measure, which is less processed and more bitter.

The toppings swap just as easily. Chia seeds can become ground flaxseed at the same ratio, mixed with a little water first, or hemp seeds, which will not gel but bring similar nutrition. The tablespoon of smooth peanut butter can be almond butter for a milder flavor, or sunflower seed butter if you need it nut free. If you want more crunch than the chia seeds give you, cacao nibs, granola or chopped almonds all work on top.

Healthy Fats, Fiber and Why It Eats Like Dessert

The toppings are doing real nutritional work, not just decoration. Chia seeds and peanut butter bring healthy fats and fiber, which is what keeps a bowl this size from wearing off an hour later, and the blueberries bring the antioxidants, vitamin C and other nutrients that get talked about above. The protein powder is what turns a fruit smoothie into something that actually holds you until lunch.