10-Minute Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie Bowl

What could be better than a delicious and refreshing strawberry lemonade smoothie bowl? This recipe takes only 10 minutes in a high-speed blender, is nourishing and has no added sugar. Smoothie bowls make the ideal quick and easy breakfast since they provide a solid source of nutrition — quickly. This strawberry smoothie bowl is vegan, heart-healthy and provides 18 grams of protein.

I love the sweet flavours of summer and plan to savour every last bit before the season ends. The beet berry smoothie bowl I made recently was so well-received that I decided to mix up the flavours and try something new.

Inspired by the Instagram strawberry lemonade craze, this smoothie bowl is my nutritious spin to help my community of health seekers enjoy all the summer feels. Of course, being a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, the question of how to make a smoothie bowl that is both delicious and nutritious often comes up.

This recipe delivers! I can say with confidence that it’s the best strawberry lemonade smoothie recipe. It’s 9-year-old approved!

The natural sugars in the strawberries and banana provide ample sweetness, while the addition of chia seeds and hemp hearts helps to thicken the smoothie while adding some extra protein, dietary fibre and healthy omega-3 fats.

Let’s not forget lemon which exudes classic tart and tangy notes we love in a traditional strawberry lemonade recipe. Both lemon juice and zest help to cut through the sweetness, making it a perfect balance of flavours.

A delicious protein smoothie bowl

I’ve been making this easy strawberry lemonade recipe a lot lately. Not to mention, strawberries are currently in season so they’re budget-friendly as well. I usually buy them in bulk and then freeze them for later. That way, I have them on hand to create summery recipes. 🙂

What I love most about this smoothie, though, is how it incorporates tofu (yes, tofu!) to amp up the protein and the best consistency — without the need for dairy. If you have a hard time adding tofu to your diet, then I suggest giving this recipe a try. Trust me, you won’t be able to taste it!

Not only does tofu render a lovely smooth and creamy consistency, but it’s also vegan friendly and promotes a whole food plant-based (WFP) diet, which is an added perk in my opinion.

Are smoothie bowls actually healthy?

Labelling food as “healthy” is something I avoid as a dietitian. That’s because such judgements only foster negative thoughts and feelings about food. We end up thinking that we “should” or “should not” eat certain foods based on whether they are deemed as healthy. And oftentimes, this creates an unhealthy relationship with food.

Healthy eating is more than just the food on your plate. It’s also how you feel about the food you’re eating. Not to mention, how you eat the food (i.e. mindfully or not).

That being said, I would argue that smoothie bowls are nourishing since they typically contain a variety of nutrient-rich ingredients. This includes fruits, vegetables, plant-based proteins and healthy fats. Plus, they’re an easy way to add more fruits and veggies into your diet – especially if you struggle with eating them in their whole form.

I also like to think of smoothie bowls as a blank canvas. You can get creative with the ingredients you use and make them as nutrient-rich or simple as you want.

The bottom line is that there are no “good” or “bad” foods.

To make this recipe diabetes-friendly, I’ve used a banana for sweetness, and low GI fruit – strawberries. All of which help limit the amount of sugar in this recipe. You could reduce the sweetness (and carbs) further by using half a banana instead.

Ingredients

Following is a breakdown of the ingredients I’ve used in this strawberry lemonade smoothie bowl recipe:

• Strawberries: frozen strawberries make this recipe quick and easy to whip up, plus they help keep the smoothie bowl nice and cold.
• Lemon: both the juice and zest from one lemon help to balance the sweetness and adds a lovely tart flavour.
• Tofu: I like to use smooth tofu in this recipe, but silken would work too. Tofu is a great plant-based protein source that is also low in calories and carbs (for my diabetes community counting carbs). Plus, it’s a good source of iron and calcium.
• Banana: a frozen banana adds natural sweetness and creaminess to the smoothie bowl, while also helping to thicken it up.
• Chia seeds: these little seeds are packed with nutrients! They’re a good source of healthy omega-3 fats, fibre and protein. Plus, they help to thicken the smoothie and add some extra creaminess.
• Hemp seeds: Besides the nice nutty flavour of the smoothie, hemp hearts boost the protein value. They’re also a good source of healthy fats and dietary fibre.

How to make a strawberry lemonade smoothie without yogurt

It literally takes minutes to make this recipe. Here’s how:

1. Add all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend for a minute (Step 1).
2. You will need to use the tamper to push the ingredients down as you blend, to help the blender along (Step 2).
3. Then, turn off the blender and let the ingredients sit for two minutes to melt for easier blending. Next, resume blending (using the tamper) for another minute. You should end up with a beautiful thick and creamy smoothie (Step 3).

Finish by pouring into a bowl and adding your favourite toppings. I like to use fresh strawberries, hemp hearts and chia seeds. Enjoy immediately!

Tips for how to make the perfect strawberry smoothie every time

Below, I’ve included some tips to keep in mind when making this smoothie bowl:

• Use frozen fruit: Frozen fruit will help keep your smoothie nice and thick. Plus, it eliminates the need for ice cubes, which can water down the flavour of your smoothie.
• Use a high-speed blender: I highly recommend using a high-speed blender for this recipe. This will help to ensure that the smoothie is nice and creamy.
• Be sure to use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. The bottled stuff just doesn’t compare in terms of flavour. And remember to zest the lemon before juicing it.
• Other toppings you could use include fresh fruit, nut butter, granola, and shredded coconut.

My go-to blender – Vitamix

Strawberries nutrition

Strawberries are known to be nutritious; they’re an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Plus, they contain a decent amount of dietary fibre.

Calories in a cup of strawberries

Considered to be a low-calorie fruit, strawberries contain approximately 50 calories per cup. While strawberries do contain sugar (natural sugar), they’re also a source of dietary fibre which might help to offset the impact on blood sugar levels.

Below, you’ll find the full nutrition facts for one cup of whole raw strawberries – including other vitamins in strawberries:

What antioxidants are in strawberries?

The main antioxidants found in strawberries are anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. These nutrients give strawberries their red colour and are also responsible for many of their health benefits.

Some of the most important compounds in strawberries are ellagic acid and flavonoids like anthocyanin, catechin, quercetin, and kaempferol. These antioxidants help protect your heart by preventing LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, improving blood vessel function, and decreasing the chance of a blood clot.

Oxidized LDL means that the cholesterol has been damaged by free radicals. This type of cholesterol is more likely to stick to the walls of your arteries, which can block blood flow and lead to a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, blood clots are a serious problem because they can block blood flow to vital organs, like your heart or brain.

What are the benefits of eating strawberries?

A recent study found that consuming strawberries – two and a half servings every day for four weeks – improved insulin resistance and cholesterol levels, especially in folks of higher weights with a high LDL cholesterol profile.

A second randomized controlled trial lends further evidence to this.

Not only are strawberries good for cardiovascular and metabolic health, but they may also have other benefits.

For example, other reported health merits associated with eating strawberries include:

Nutrition information per serving

One serving of this strawberry lemonade smoothie bowl is:

• An excellent source of vitamin C (250% DV). Hello, skin glowing smoothie!
• An excellent source of dietary fibre (56% DV)
• A decent source of calcium (17% DV)
• An excellent source of iron (33% DV)
• A decent source of plant-powered protein (18 grams)

*Nutrient claims are based on a 2000-calorie diet

What are your favourite ways to enjoy seasonal fruits?

If you try this easy strawberry lemonade smoothie recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can’t wait to see your photos.

Desi~liciously Yours, Shahzadi