Kale Breakfast Bowl

Everyone knows how important breakfast is and it doesn't really take long to make a good healthy one. So here's an energizing recipe from our friends from Pulsin.

This nutrient-packed breakfast is quick to whizz up, will keep you full and full of energy throughout the day. It has the freshness of a smoothie bowl and the comfort of a bowl of porridge.

This recipe uses avocado and frozen banana as the base which imparts a creamy almost ice-cream like texture.

Avocados are nutrient dense containing healthy fats and over 20 different vitamins and minerals, including folate, manganese, potassium (more than that found in bananas!), vitamin A, Bs, C, E, K, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Most of the fat in avocado is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which helps reduce inflammation, reducing the risk of certain cancers and arthritis.

Avocados are also high in fibre, so important in digestive health. Avocados may lower blood cholesterol levels and hence important in preventing heart disease. In a similar vein (oops sorry), the high potassium content helps lower blood pressure.

Avocados eaten with vegetables can help the absorption of antioxidants as well as being rich 2 antioxidants themselves, (lutein and zexanthin), which have been associated with reduced risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Lastly, avocados are a flexible ingredient, e.g. they can be mashed up in dips, used instead of fat in cookies, as a healthy chocolate mousse and cheesecake topping, in smoothie bowls and now in this kale breakfast bowl. What’s not to like?!

Ingredients

• 1 sliced frozen banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 cups of kale (you can substitute for spinach if you prefer)
• 1 tbsp soya protein powder (or any protein powder)
• 1/2 cup rice, coconut or almond milk
• 1/3 apple
• 1/3 pear
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• Optional: 1 tsp spirulina powder

Toppings

• Cacao nibs
• Chia seeds
• Dried fruit (e.g. goji berries, goldenberries, figs, dates, cranberries) or fresh fruit (such as sliced banana)
• Drizzled almond butter (or any nut butter)
• Ground flaxseed
• Granola
• Maple Syrup
• Walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans
• Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds

Directions 

1. Place all the base ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz.
2. Serve with toppings of choice. I have chosen walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped figs and a drizzle of maple syrup in the one pictured.