I don’t know about you, but after all of the snow, the cold, and the gray clouds, I know that what I’m missing is the sun, warmth, and overall beauty of summer. Since summer is unfortunately still a few months away, I thought that I could try bringing it to me with this healthy, colorful, yummy Summer’s Kiss Smoothie Bowl bursting with mangoes, pineapples, papayas and so many other delicious and nutritious ingredients that will make you forget about how far away those relaxing beach days truly are.
This week, I didn’t feel like breaking out the mixing blows, the rolling pins, or the baking sheets. I didn’t want to boil, bake, fry, flambé, sauté, or do anything that required copious amounts of time in front of the stove. And after recently discovering that one of my favorite summer dresses couldn’t zip all the way up anymore due to the fact that since starting this blog I’ve been introduced to a whole new carb-filled world full of the most delicious breads and pastries that are good for the soul, but not for the waistline (and even worse taught me how to make them in my own home!), I wanted to keep this recipe light and healthy, and thus the smoothie bowl idea was born!
I’m not one for trends, but smoothie bowls are great ways to incorporate nutrient-rich ingredients into your diet in a fast and fun way. The April 2015 Food Network Magazine issue also writes about this growing phenomenon, also known as breakfast or açaí bowls, and with almost 68,000 #smoothiebowl photos on Instagram, I’d say this trend is here to stay. What I loved about this recipe was just how easy it all came together. You can essentially use whatever frozen fruit you have on hand and you’re ready to go. I’m a sucker for mangoes, so of course they made an appearance in this bowl, and the freezer at home was already stocked with papaya and pineapple, which, to me, are also synonymous with summer.
To help kick this smoothie bowl into even more healthy territory, I incorporated maca root powder, chia seeds, and coconut water which all added an amazing boost of nutrients. Maca is a root vegetable grown in the Peruvian Andes that is said to help boost energy as well as supply vitamins B, C, and E, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and amino acids.
Chia seeds, which, although while growing up were mostly used to cover ceramic Homer Simpson heads or cute little kitties to make them grow chia “hair”, are now being consumed in large amounts due to the fact that they contain large amounts of antioxidants, are high in quality protein and fiber, and have nutrients great for bone health such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. And coconut water is wonderful for the body being that it contains a great amount of electrolytes including potassium and sodium.
So whip one of these up any time of day to battle those hunger cravings and you’ll be enjoying the summer sun in no time!
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Summer's Kiss Smoothie Bowl
- 2 Mangoes, cubed
- 2 cups Pineapples
- 1 1/2 cups Papaya
- 2 cups Coconut Water or Regular Water
- 1 tablespoon Maca Root Powder, optional
- 2 teaspoons Chia Seeds, optional
- 1/2 cup Strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Blueberries
- 1 Banana, sliced
Preparation
- Place the mango, pineapple, and papaya in the freezer and allow to freeze overnight.
- Remove fruit from freezer and allow to thaw for just a little before adding to blender with 2 cups of coconut water and 2 tablespoons of maca root powder.
- Blend until a smooth consistency is achieved, ensuring that you don’t over blend.
- Remove from blender and pour into a bowl topping with the sliced strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and chia seeds.

25 Comments
apuginthekitchen
March 27, 2015 at 5:08 pmLove it Justine, it’s so pretty and light and healthful. I’m ready for this for sure. I’ve been hearing a lot about smoothies in a bowl and love the idea.
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:36 pmThank you! I am trying smoothie bowls out to see if they’d be something I’d like and now I’m hooked! They’re so easy to put together and I’m definitely happy to have found something new for breakfast. Definitely give them a try one day 😀
Giramuk's Kitchen
March 27, 2015 at 7:21 pmI’m going to have to eat this more! 🙂 It looks so beautiful and sounds delicious! plus with summer coming, I might have to shed those extra pounds too!! hahaha! I wouldn’t miss anything if I could eat like this 😀
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:31 pmHaha thank you! I am trying to find new ways to get more fruits and veggies into my diet and I think smoothie bowls are the way to go. Definitely give them a try, you won’t be disappointed 😀
Sinfully Tempting
March 27, 2015 at 10:13 pmWonderful recipe, love the addition of maca! Beautiful photos, too. So happy I found your blog at Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:23 pmThanks so much! I’m new to trying maca, but know that it’s supposed to have great benefits. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
spiceinthecity
March 28, 2015 at 12:56 pmHow utterly gorgeous! Love the name of the dish 🙂
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:01 pmHaha thank you!! I was trying to figure out a name of the dish and thought this would be great. Thanks so much for stopping by! 😀
Selma's Table
March 28, 2015 at 4:53 pmJustine, what a wonderful way to start the day – I hadn’t heard of smoothie bowls but I can certainly see their attraction especially if they look like yours do! Thanks so much for sharing this with us – Happy Fiesta Friday!
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 12:59 pmThanks so much, Selma! Smoothie bowls are the new “thing” and they’re such a great way to get your fruits and veggies for the day in. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Fiesta Friday to you as well! 😀
lapetitepaniere
March 29, 2015 at 7:00 amJustine, it looks delicious, bright and very healthy 🙂
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 12:53 pmThank you, Linda! 😀
GFLife247
March 29, 2015 at 12:22 pmWhat interesting ingredients! I love the bright colors and beautiful presentation. Happy FF, and have a fantastic weekend. 🙂
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 12:57 pmThank you! I love tropical/summer ingredients and knew they’d make the perfect smoothie. Happy FF to you as well! 😉
Ginger
March 29, 2015 at 1:02 pmThis looks so appetising – I absolutely love it!
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:28 pmThanks, Ginger! It will be a great way to cool down once the hot summer months are upon us 😀
Ginger
March 29, 2015 at 1:28 pmHow I wish they were already upon us!!
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 29, 2015 at 1:29 pmHaha me too! 😉
Julie is Hostess At Heart
March 29, 2015 at 3:17 pmThe Freshman 15 is more like the bloggers 20! This dish looks delicious. I’m ready to shred off the heavy winter food and enjoy the delicious spring fruit and veggies!
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 30, 2015 at 12:33 pmHaha that’s such a good way to put it! I’m on the path to the bloggers 20, but if I continue eating more meals like this one I should be fine 😉
lapetitecasserole
March 29, 2015 at 9:57 pmI have to make this smoothie after my work out session in the morning! Love the decorations you made, it makes the smooth even tastier! Thanks for bringing it to FF!
Justine @ Born and Bred in Brooklyn
March 30, 2015 at 12:14 pmAbsolutely! It’s a great treat to have after a workout and it’s really so delicious. Thank for stopping by! 😀
Lydia
March 30, 2015 at 1:08 pmAhh a lovely burst of color, just what we need 🙂 These look delish!
Very Berry Yogurt Breakfast Parfait | Born and Bred in Brooklyn
April 17, 2015 at 11:28 am[…] side. It may be a simple egg on toast (or avocado toast, as that is all the rage) or maybe a yummy smoothie bowl, but usually in my case I like to keep it simple with a bowl of cereal, as I find it hard to resist […]
Hari Qhuang
May 5, 2015 at 4:27 pmOoooh, I can’t find chia seed here. We only have poppy seed! LOL