Veggie-Loaded Blueberry Pie Smoothie Bowl (Gluten Free, Vegan)

I have a confession. My favorite berry is blueberries - yet, I haven't bought fresh blueberries in months. I love winter, but I hate the high price of produce...so I try to shop seasonally, no matter how much I may crave the tart flavor of my favorite blue fruit.

As spring gets closer, though, so are cheap berries. And when I saw that this coming Saturday is National Blueberry Pie day (who knew that was a thing!?!), I couldn't resist finally sharing my recipe for a blue (purple?) smoothie bowl that tastes like dessert, but is healthy enough to eat for breakfast. And, not to toot my own horn, but I'd say this is one of the prettier healthy smoothies out on the blogosphere too!

Just picture this: a deep purple blueberry shake, thick and creamy thanks to frozen fruit and zucchini, and sweet with a hint of tartness. Add some extra berries on top, crunchy granola and chewy dried fruit, and you're eating the Spring-iest "ice cream" you've ever tasted! 

Ready to get blueberry-ing? Then gather the ingredients for this simple smoothie bowl recipe:

1 medium zucchini, chopped and frozen

1 handful of blueberries, frozen or fresh 

1/2 small banana, chopped and frozen 

1/4 beet (optional for extra veggies and a boost of color) 

1 tbsp of chia seeds (for an even thicker smoothie)

Enough liquid to blend (water, milk of choice, tea, etc) 

Liberal shake of cinnamon and turmeric 

Dash of vanilla extract 

Optional: a small handful of leafy greens. For the brightest purple-ish color, leave the greens out this time or use sparingly! 

*Pro tip: before you actually make your smoothie, store your serving bowl in the freezer. This will keep your blueberry smoothie from melting as quickly when you pour it inside!*  

Now, load up your blender, putting the fresh ingredients on the bottom and the frozen on top (for upright blenders like the Vitamix). If you have a less powerful blender or like a more drinkable smoothie, you'll want to add more liquid. You can also swap out frozen ingredients for fresh: the smoothie just won't be as thick and cold. 

Next, pour your blueberry shake in your bowl (or cup) or choice and let it chill (pun intended) in the freezer as you gather your toppings. You can choose whatever toppings meet your fancy. However, for a blueberry-pie-esque feel, add some crunchy elements like homemade granola, cereal (I love this puffed rice), trail mix (I prefer Enjoy Life Foods' or my personalized mix from Nuts.com), broken up protein bars (I bet a blueberry bar would taste InSaNe!!), etc. 

I also like to add some fresh berries for some extra natural sweetness and dried fruit for a chewy texture. And, of course, no smoothie bowl is complete without nut butter! If you need even more topping ideas, check out my post here. I've even used leftover pieces of a mug cake or mini pancakes on my smoothies, so there's really no wrong choice. 

My favorite part about having a healthy smoothie bowl for breakfast is being able to start my day on a sweet note - but get plenty of nutrition too. For instance, blueberries offer high levels of fiber, Vitamin C and K and Manganese; bananas have been shown to improve heart health, aid digestion and serve as excellent pre or post-workout fuel; and the zucchini comes with plenty of Vitamin C, B and potassium (despite being low in carbs, calories and sugar). Add the healthy fat and vegan protein from granola, chia seeds and nut butter, and you have one deliciously well-rounded breakfast! 

I'll always be a berry lover, and I'll always celebrate when temperates start rising and berry prices start falling. Thanks to this Blueberry Pie Smoothie Bowl, though, I have a feeling that this year's celebration will be especially delicious.  

Correction: berry delicious! 

Show everyone the recipe you're drooling over by clicking: Tweet: Eat #healthy pie for #breakfast w/ this #glutenfree & #vegan Blueberry Pie #SmoothieBowl via @collegeceliackc! http://bit.ly/2qqVpso

*Also found at What'd You Do This Weekend, Melt in My Mouth, Made By You, Terrific Tuesday, Create Link Inspire, Tasty Tuesday, What's Cookin', RunningWithSpoons, Pretty Pintastic, Share Fest, Snickerdoodle Sunday, Vegan Potluck*

What's your favorite fruit? Do you try to shop seasonally? What would you top this smoothie bowl with?

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