Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl

This Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl is packed with nutrients from fruit, veggies, nut butter and spirulina. If you’re in for a nutritious and beautiful breakfast, snack or treat, this mesmerizing blue bowl is for you. It is vegan, paleo and gluten-free.

If you’re into smoothie bowls, make sure to also check out my recipe for an ultra creamy Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl (vegan vanilla ice-cream) or my summary Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Smoothie Bowl. Or, try my refreshing green Spinach Cucumber Smoothie.

What is blue spirulina

Blue spirulina is a blue green algae that lives in ponds and lakes and is known for its super bright blue color (thanks to the blue pigment called Phycocyanin that’s extracted and isolated). Unlike green spirulina, the blue kind does not have a fishy taste. In fact, it has virtually no flavor at all. In other words, the blue and green spirulina come from the same species of algae but through the process of extracting and isolating the blue pigment, blue spirulina powder loses the oceanic (fishy) flavor, while maintaining the same nutritional value.

Spirulina is a superfood believed to have many health benefits, some of which include:

• Increase energy and performance
• Lower high blood pressure
• Improve digestion
• Good source of protein
• High in antioxidants (may help fight cancer)

There is a major difference between a smoothie bowl and a regular smoothie. Unlike a smoothie, smoothie bowls are NOT meant to be drunk but eaten with a spoon and therefore must be thick and creamy. The best kind of a smoothie bowl resembles the texture of ice-cream but if you’ve ever tried making one, you may have ended up with a thick smoothie that’s nonetheless still liquid. Been there, done that!

For a lusciously thick and creamy smoothie, follow a couple of golden smoothie bowl rules:

• All fruit and veggies should be frozen solid in slices or small chunks.
• Use creamy fruit. That’s essential for achieving a creamy texture. Bananas are always my number 1 but other “creamy” fruit include peaches or mangoes.
• Use a high-speed blender - I love my Vitamix for this!
• Be patient when blending. You may need to stop the blender a couple times and move any frozen bits that get stuck under the blades.
• Don't add additional liquid unless absolutely necessary.

Learn more tips in the article on How to Make a Thick Smoothie Bowl.

Serving suggestions

Serve your smoothie bowl in a bowl of your choice. My favorite smoothie bowl vessel is this nifty bowl made of natural coconut shell.

To make your smoothie bowl fun, top it with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds or chocolate. Here are some suggestions for a Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl toppings:

• Fresh berries: sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
• Sliced banana
• Chocolate chips or cacao nibs
• Nuts: chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds or cashews
• A drizzle of nut butter
• Shredded unsweetened coconut
• Hemp hearts or chia seeds

Substitutions and special diets

This blue smoothie bowl is naturally vegan and gluten free. For a paleo version, use almond or cashew butter as your nut butter choice. If you don't have plant-based milk, feel free to use dairy milk, though the bowl won't be vegan anymore.

Bananas and zucchini are my go to fruit & veg combo for a neutral tasting smoothie bowl. If you prefer, you can use other fruit and vegetables as long as they are white or light-colored so the blue of the spirulina still stands out. Frozen cauliflower is a fine substitution for zucchini though you may be able to taste it a little bit. I find that frozen zucchini blended into smoothies and smoothie bowls has no taste at all. Frozen avocado would also work great in this bowl and make it extra creamy.