Green Energy Smoothie Bowl with Fresh Figs

Spirulina does have a bad rap for tasting fishy or embodying the essence of pond scum in your mouth.  Sounds appetizing right?  Don’t be put off by a recipe with spirulina. When combined with the creamy sweetness of frozen banana ice cream and topped with fresh jelly black mission figs, your  tastebuds are dazzled by so much sweetness that the  spirulina is a subtle afterthought.

During those low-energy weeks, when I am off my game, I slip into eating (gasp) white flour and sugar. Okay, okay, you may be thinking how this guru gets so off track, honestly, we all will have weeks like these. And that’s okay! The biggest thing is how are you going to get back on track? For me, it’s with high oxygen foods and complex carbohydrates.  The Green Energy Smoothie Bowl with Fresh Figs has much to offer: instead of a habitual coffee and the ensuing crash from dehydration, bananas and spirulina will change up your routine.

My Top 5 Tricks for Staying on Track with Better Success

1. It starts in the pantry: My pantry is stocked with things I can eat and not with things I can’t. I have a special cabinet for my husband’s junk food and lunch items he likes for work (still working on that battle). You’ll find beans, butters, brown rice cakes, backup nut milk, cacao, a box full of smoothie superfood powders, dates and other dried fruits, backup veggie stock, and flours and sugars that are complex carbs.
2. Always bring something to a party: Guess where I went rogue this week? I went to a birthday party and was compelled to binge on pizza and cake. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. But I probably would’ve been able to enjoy it more if I didn’t have to feel the low energy lag from my indulgence.
3. Understand your cravings, then give into them: If you crave chocolate, it’s important to know what nutrients are in chocolate that you’re craving. Are you craving magnesium? Eating fruits or veggies will meet that craving. Calcium? Try a chopped kale and raisin salad. Sweets? Not sure? I always have homemade chocolate in the freezer ready to go if I just need some quick energy carbs. But sometimes you aren’t craving chocolate for chocolate. Sometimes you are craving the caffeine and the high. When I’m craving caffeine because I need more oxygen, I reach for a green juice or a lemon ginger shot, even better, the Green Energy Smoothie Bowl.  The bottom line is to identify the why behind a craving before you eat what’s in front of you. What have you been missing in your diet?
4. Keep fresh fruit on the kitchen table: When it’s easier to reach for a peach than candy, you’ll be more likely to do it.
5. Keep veggie sticks in the fridge: When you get home from the grocery store this week, try peeling and chopping your carrots with a little lemon juice on them right away. Then bag them in snack bags for the week. It’s like a packaged veggie snack!! But so much better. I like to vary this with broccoli/snap peas. I never eat enough broccoli florets and they are so easy chop (or buy a pre-chopped bag) and eat like popcorn…you can even dip them into hummus or add some seasoning. ;p

Why Blue-Green Algae is da’bomb

Spirulina: As long as you are getting a brand that is free from contamination of heavy metals and the toxic changes is our ocean, spirulina is a wonderful addition to your green vegetables rotation. Not only is 1 tablespoon of spirulina worth your entire day’s worth of vegetables (6-9 servings), but it is also high in GLAs, aka omega-6, which is great for healthy hair/skin/nails,  brain function and growth, inflammation, anxiety and PMS. It is also high in iron, protein, amino acids and a surprising plant-based source of vitamin B12.

Although most sources I’ve read seem to be in agreement that pure spirulina is safe, all reliable sources I’ve read report that contaminated spirulina is not safe for children. Even still, if you are trying to get away from dairy, I think it’s worth giving spirulina a try since it is worth 12% of your daily calcium in 100 grams of spirulina.

I’m still researching “safe” spirulina, but I really liked what Mercola had to say about why their product is good and how you should shop for a spirulina powder, or start exploring blue-green algae as a new food and find your favorite, maybe you’ll prefer other blue-green algae such as chlorella!

I understand that a lot of people conscious of their weight might say, “What!? 3 bananas?” But I want you to remember that bananas are not bad, and this Green Energy Bowl with Fresh Figs will give you so much energy! I don’t eat this at the end of the day. I eat this at the beginning of the day because I want to feel good without needing coffee. At 30 years old, I consider it an accomplishment not to be addicted to caffeine. And I never have! I drink coffee when I don’t have the energy for anything, or when I have time to enjoy it on my balcony, not when I have enough energy to create a delicious make-me-feel-alive breakfast. Seriously…I just finished this bowl and I am already bouncing off the walls. Take that, coffee! Soon you’ll be bouncing off the walls with your kids too.

Welcome to happy energy in a bowl.