Perfect to get you going in the morning as a quick and healthy breakfast.
Ideal as a light lunch or energy boosting post-workout top up.
Protein bowls are great any time of day.
Is there an ingredient more fabulous than the humble banana?
This nutrient-rich fruit contains decent amounts of Vitamins B6 and C, as well as Potassium, Magnesium and Manganese. Although bananas are sweet, they score favourably on the glycemic index (a low GI of 51, even when ripe) and their carbohydrate content is considered a resistant starch, which means it works in a similar way to dietary fibre. And let’s not forget the hit of protein.
But best of all, if you like to cook, bananas add a creaminess to all sorts of dishes when you mash or blend them. And if you freeze them first, you can even achieve an ice cream texture without all that diary and sugar. Fantastic!
The 4 best protein bowls to make at home
Our rainbow of protein bowls all have frozen banana as their base, which gives them a think and creamy consistency, lots of nutrients and a great flavour.
Do you want all the goodness of our protein bowls, but in a drink? Take a look at our Best Protein Shake Recipe.
Green Machine Protein Bowl
The first of our protein bowls recipes packs a green punch worthy of the Incredible Hulk!
Avocado, spinach, matcha and spirulina are blitzed with banana and protein powder for an easy to digest, healthy smoothie bowl.
Ingredients
2 Ripe Bananas, frozen
1/2 Ripe Avocado
Handful of Baby Spinach Leaves
1/2 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (or if you’d prefer a best-selling unflavoured collagen protein powder)
1/2 tsp Green Matcha Powder (for antioxidants)
1/2 Fresh Lime Juice
Optional – 1/2 tsp Spirulina Powder (to boost your immune system)
If you’d like to expand your breakfast menu with a quick and easy, but oh so versatile, Best Protein Powder Overnight Oats Recipe, see here.
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a powerful blender or a food processor and mix until combined and creamy.
- Scrape into a bowl and top with garnishes of your choice – kiwi fruit slices, strawberries, seeds and nuts all work well.
Strawberries & Cream Protein Bowl
The next of our protein bowls take a classic combination and supercharges it with additional protein.
Ingredients
1 Ripe Banana, frozen
1 cup Strawberries, frozen
1/2 cup Vanilla Protein Powder (we like to keep it plant-based, but if you prefer a whey-based protein powder, see here)
Optional – 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yoghurt, or Vanilla Flavoured Yoghurt (Use Coconut if you want to keep it plant-based), to add extra protein.
Fancy a tasty, but nutritious snack? Our Best Bliss Balls Recipe is a cinch to make and totally delicious.
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a powerful blender or a food processor and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and garnish as you like – slices of fresh strawberry, coconut flakes, kiwi fruit and pink dragonfruit all work well.
Vivid Acai & Chia Seed Protein Bowl
If you have any kind of interest in superfoods, you will be will aware of the buzz around acai (pronounced a-sigh-ee), so we feel we have to include it in at least one of our protein bowls recipes.
The fruit of a palm tree native to Central and South America, acai is a great source of nutrients, including plenty of antioxidants, and is generally sold as either a frozen pulp or as a powder. With a tart but slightly chocolatey flavour, it marries well with berries.
And then there’s chia seeds. Wow. What can we say about them, except that these tiny little oval seeds are a genuine powerhouse of nutrients. If you’d like to know more about chia seeds, see here.
Ingredients
1 Ripe Banana, frozen
1 cup Mixed Berries, frozen
1 sachet Acai Puree, frozen – or 1 tbsp Acai Powder
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (we like to keep it vegan, but if you don’t feel the same, here’s a Whey Protein Powder)
3 tbsp *Chia Gel – this is simply 1/4 cup Chia Seeds combined with 1 cup water, allowed to sit for 30 minutes until a gelatinous jelly-like mixture flecked with chia seeds forms.
Optional – 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yoghurt, or Vanilla Flavoured Yoghurt (Use Coconut if you want to keep it plant-based), to add extra protein.
Do you have a sweet tooth but struggle to find healthy treats? Have a look at our Irresistible Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Brownie – it ticks all the boxes!
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a powerful blender or a food processor and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and garnish as you like – fresh berries (blueberries and strawberries look pretty), slices of banana and a handful of chopped nuts work well.
*Chia Gel – Chia Seeds may be small, but they are loaded with valuable nutrients. We’ve only recommended adding a few spoons of chia gel to a couple of these protein bowls, but if you want to increase the good things in the other bowls as well, simply include this chia seed mix. It has no flavour and really adds to the pluses in your diet.
Tropical Breeze Chia Seed Protein Bowl
The last of our protein bowls tastes divine and provides lots of vitamins, minerals and the added bonus of plenty of dietary fibre and anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the inclusion of pineapple.
Ingredients
1 Ripe Banana, frozen
1/2 cup Ripe Mango, frozen
1/2 cup Ripe Pineapple
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (we like to stay plant-based, but if you’d prefer a Whey-Based Protein Powder)
3 tbsp *Chia Gel – this is simply 1/4 cup Chia Seeds combined with 1 cup water, allowed to sit for 30 minutes until a gelatinous jelly-like mixture flecked with chia seeds forms.
Squeeze of Fresh Lime Juice
Optional – 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yoghurt, or Vanilla Flavoured Yoghurt (Use Coconut if you want to keep it plant-based), to add extra protein.
Are you on the look out for a gooey, chocolatey, but guilt-free, pudding? Then you should try making our Luscious Reindeer Jaffa Protein Mousse.
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a powerful blender or a food processor and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and garnish as you like – slices of fresh mango, pineapple and banana work well, as does a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.
As you can see once you’ve mastered a basic protein bowl recipe, the variations are almost endless. Have fun experimenting with the flavours that you love.
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