Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie Bowl

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Smoothie Bowl is a refreshing and healthy version of a classic summer dessert. Made with frozen strawberries, rhubarb and banana, it is blended with almond butter, vanilla and cinnamon which makes it taste like a strawberry rhubarb crisp, but served cold and with no butter or sugar.

If you’re looking for creative but easy ways to use up rhubarb from your garden or farmer’s market, this recipe is for you. This smoothie bowl comes together in no time and unlike with most rhubarb desserts, you do not need to cook the rhubarb to make it.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love rhubarb in baked goods. This Easy Rhubarb Cake is one I make most often because it’s super quick, no-fuss and absolutely delicious.

I also LOVE the rhubarb strawberry combo, especially in a crisp or a crumble. The tart rhubarb goes wonderfully with sweet strawberries. A strawberry rhubarb crisp is like the essence of early summer in a dessert, in my opinion.

Sadly, my love for summer fruit cakes, crisps and crumbles does not translate well to a balanced and healthy weekly meal plan so I try not to bake anything more than once a week. With that, there is still rhubarb to be used up and one day a couple weeks ago I looked at the stalks in my fridge and it dawned on me – a smoothie bowl! I wasn’t sure about using raw rhubarb but I blended it with some strawberries and almond butter and I was amazed at how much it tastes like a strawberry rhubarb crisp, especially when you top it with some almond honey granola!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Rhubarb: use fresh or frozen sliced rhubarb stalks. I picked fresh rhubarb from my garden, cleaned it, removed the leaves, sliced the stalks and froze them on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes. See my note below on using frozen fruit in smoothie bowls.

Strawberries: frozen whole or sliced strawberries will work best.

Bananas: frozen banana chunks will give the smoothie bowl its perfect creamy texture.

Almond Milk: it is the only liquid ingredient that helps all the frozen fruit blend. I use unsweetened almond milk but pick whatever plant or dairy milk you like.

Cinnamon: its flavor goes really well with rhubarb.

Vanilla: use real vanilla extract for best results.

Almond Butter: it adds protein, healthy fat and a hint of nutty flavor to the bowl.

Medjool Dates or Maple Syrup (optional): to add extra sweetness to the smoothie bowl.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP SMOOTHIE BOWL

Making a smoothie bowl is quick and easy, especially if you have a good blender:

• Start by pouring 1/3 cup of almond milk (or other milk of choice) into a bowl of a standup blender
• Add all the frozen fruit, vanilla extract, cinnamon, almond butter and dates or maple syrup (if using)
• Blend until smooth and creamy. It may require a little patience and if you have a blender with a tamper, definitely use it to help break down the ingredients. If your blender model doesn’t come with a tamper, stop the blender in the middle of blending and scrape the sides with a spatula. You may need to repeat that process a couple times to achieve smooth texture.
• If your smoothie is too thick and the blender is having a hard time breaking the fruit down, add a tablespoon more milk at a time and keep blending until thick and creamy. 

TIPS FOR MAKING A PERFECT SMOOTHIE BOWL

Making a perfect smoothie bowl can be a little tricky. You want it quite thick but also ultra smooth and creamy, almost the texture of ice-cream. Oftentimes though the smoothie bowl gets too thin or not creamy enough. Here are my smoothie bowl tricks that will bring you best results.

• Use only frozen fruit. This will prevent the smoothie to get too think. If any of your fruit is fresh, my tip is to cut it up, spread it on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes before blending,
• Use at least one creamy fruit. This is crucial for the right texture. “Creamy” fruit include bananas, peaches or mangos.
• Use plant or regular milk and start with a small amount. Less is always better when it comes to smoothie bowls. For 3 cups of fruit, start with 1/3 cup of liquid and see how it goes. If the blender is having trouble making the contents smooth and blended well, add a little more, one tablespoon at a time. Milk or plant milk is always better than water because of the creamy factor it provides.
• Use a good blender. I recommend a high speed standup blender, such as Vitamix. For a more economical version, try this Ninja smoothie bowl blender. In my experience, less powerful blenders such as a bullet style blender are not the best for thick smoothie bowls made with minimal liquid ingredients but it is still possible to make one in it, just be patient and keep adding tiny amounts of liquid until you reach the right consistency. 

CAN I MAKE THIS SMOOTHIE BOWL WITHOUT BANANA?

It depends on how creamy you want your bowl to be. Personally, I like using frozen bananas in my smoothies and smoothie bowls because they act as a natural sweetener and are unparalleled in creating luscious creamy texture without adding any cream or yogurt.

If you don’t want to use bananas, you can certainly still make this bowl without them. If you don’t mind dairy, use a cup of thick Greek yogurt in place of frozen bananas. Another decent banana replacer is a cup of frozen peaches. While it will noticeably change the flavor of the smoothie bowl, peaches are also considered a “creamy” fruit and their flavor will work well with strawberries and rhubarb.

CAN I MAKE A SMOOTHIE BOWL AHEAD OF TIME?

Smoothie bowls are best when served immediately after blending. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 24 hours (without toppings). Let it thaw slightly and stir until soft and creamy (but still thick) if it gets frozen solid. 

TOPPINGS & SERVING SUGGESTIONS

The best part about a good smoothie bowl is the toppings! To make it truly resemble a strawberry rhubarb crisp, top it with your favorite granola. I like Purely Elizabeth Honey Almond probiotic granola.

Other good toppings include:

• fresh strawberry slices
• fresh banana slices
• a swirl of almond butter (or other nut butter)
• chopped or sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans
• toasted unsweetened coconut shreds
• hemp seeds or chia seeds

If you tried making this Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Smoothie Bowl, let me know if you liked it in a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

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