The difference is primarily between the consistency of the smoothie. The base of a smoothie bowl needs to be thick, more like a soft-serve ice-cream consistency. The amount of liquid that goes into a smoothie bowl is minimal, you only need enough liquid to allow blending of the key ingredients. This is the opposite of a smoothie, where you will add a large amount of liquid into the blender so it forms a drink.

A smoothie bowl is a bit more of a meal then. Think of it like a bowl of oats that you can add toppings to all thanks to its super-thick consistency.

So if you’re new to the smoothie bowl game, or a seasoned pro, here’s a guide to making picture-perfect and delicious smoothie bowls every breakfast time.

6 Top Tips For Making The Perfect Smoothie Bowl

Add Your Liquid A Bit At A Time

There is nothing worse than removing your blender lid and looking down at a watery smoothie. It’s hard to turn back from this point unless you add a lot more frozen fruit, by which time you’ll end with a whole lot more smoothie than you anticipated. So, add just enough liquid to allow the blending process to start. Then if it looks too thick add a drop more and so on until you have the consistency you are looking for.

Frozen Bananas Are A Great Base

As we all know, bananas can turn from ripe to extremely overripe in a blink of an eye. So rather than wasting any bananas that are on the turn, put them into a sealed container and freeze them. My advice would be to slice them into chunks before freezing too. This way they will blend that much easier, rather than trying to blend a whole frozen banana, that depending on your blender, you may struggle with.

Don’t Over Sweeten

Don’t be too quick to glug in any syrups to sweeten up the smoothie. The addition of frozen fruits like banana, mango, pineapple and kiwi will add sweetness to the smoothie without the need for anything extra. Try a little first, and then add your maple, agave, coconut or date syrup at the end, if you need it.

Think Thick

Like I have already mentioned, the thickness is key to a good smoothie bowl. Frozen bananas are always a good base as it will provide a creamy texture to your smoothie bowl. Other frozen fruits such as mango, pineapple and berries will also help.

Another good thickener is grated frozen cauliflower. You can either purchase this or simply do it your self. Grate a cauliflower so it resembles rice and freeze in a sealed container. Then add a handful or so into your smoothie mix when blending to add thickness.

Silken tofu is also a great way to thicken, and gives the smoothie bowl a silky texture while increasing the protein content. Add the silken tofu in first, so it sits closest to the blades of your blender; this way it will blend easier.

Sneak Your Greens In

Smoothie bowls are a great way to add an abundance of micronutrients with ease. If you are making a green smoothie bowl, ingredients such as spinach, kale and avocado can be added without adding any of the flavour. When making a berry-based bowl, adding beetroot can be a great way to increase your nutrient content. The other stronger flavours of the smoothie will mask the taste of the beetroot but the vibrant colour will turn your smoothie into a winner.

Be Prepared

The great thing about smoothie bowls is that the ingredients can be prepared in advance. Chop up the ingredients that you need per smoothie bowl, place them into a suitable freezer bag or container and freeze. This way, all you need to do is pull out the bag, place the ingredients into the blender and blitz. A smoothie bowl ready in minutes.

If you cut the fruit quite chunky, get them out of the freezer 10 minutes before blending to allow them to soften ever so slightly. This will make blending them easier. If your fruit is still very hard when placing into the blender, place your liquid in over the frozen fruit, this will start softening the fruit instantly and help with the blending.

The Most Common Smoothie Bowl Mistakes

All In One

I have already mentioned liquid content. Just make sure not to add it all in one go. A watery smoothie means, no bowl, no spoon and no toppings.

A Feast For The Eyes

Although the main focus should be flavour, let us not forget that we still eat with our eyes. A funky looking smoothie bowl is never a good look. Mixing complementary colours like red and green will end up giving you a wishy-washy brown looking colour, which is never very appealing.

Try to group similar colours together to avoid strange outcomes in colour. Don’t add berries to your green smoothie bowl for example, because while you think it will taste nice, it will end up becoming a browny grey splodge.

Blend Well

Always check that the ingredients are well blended. When you are using frozen ingredients like fruit and ice to thicken your bowl, it is very easy for them not to blend well. Add these items first, so they are close to the blade and will blend quickly and easily. Use a tamper if your machine has one, to make sure the ingredients are well combined and blended completely.

If your machine does not have a tamper, remove the lid and scrape down the sides and give it a little mix, to ensure that all ingredients are blended. You may well need to repeat this process several times whilst blending.

Toppings, Toppings And More Toppings

Think about your toppings. Don’t add items like granola and quinoa puffs first so they get soft and chewy. Add items like seeds and nuts first, then add your seeds and granola on top of this. That way they will remain crunchy and bring a pleasant texture to the bowl. Also chop up your fruit into bite-size pieces when placing on top.

Remember that although the smoothie bowl will be thick, it will still be soft, so there will be no cutting through large pieces of fruit. Try to make all the toppings easily fit on your spoon then.

Watch Your Ingredients Don’t Defrost

Don’t allow your frozen ingredients to defrost. This may sound obvious, but if you leave them for too long on the side whilst you prepare or chop other ingredients, or get your toppings ready, they will start to defrost pretty rapidly. This will end up with a thin smoothie, rather than a thick smoothie bowl.

The Best Smoothie Bowl Flavours To Serve Up

When it comes to flavour I love creating contrasting tastes. So, if the bowl has a good level of sweetness, add something like lime zest to bring some zing. Always keep the zest to the end and sprinkle it over the top. This way you’ll get some with every bite.

If you fancy something with a bit more of a dessert-like feel to it, then try frozen sweet potato. Using sweet potato with some cacao powder, banana and a nut butter gives you a really creamy but fudge-like bowl, great for a post-workout meal.

Frozen mango is another favourite as it brings a sweetness that helps with the thickness and doesn’t affect the colour of a smoothie bowl, so is always worth having some tucked away in the freezer. I’m all about the toppings too, so I love shaved dark chocolate, shaved fresh coconut, pomegranate, quinoa puffs for some crunch.

To Protein Powder, Or Not To Protein Powder?

There is never any problem getting enough carbohydrates into a smoothie bowl due to the very ingredients that make up the vast majority of the dish. Using nut butter, avocado, and seeds like hemp, flax, pumpkin, sunflower and chia ensure we are getting some much needed healthy fats into the mix too. But how about protein?

Protein is one of the main macronutrients that most people overlook, especially when it comes to smoothie bowls. Protein not only helps our body repair and recover from our daily activities and exercise, but it also helps with satiating hunger. Making sure you get a sufficient amount of protein in your smoothie bowl will certainly help to keep you fuller for longer, helping take it from a snack to a meal.

On the flip side, it can be hard to get the required level of protein into your daily plan without feeling uncomfortably full. Adding protein powder to your smoothie bowls in the morning then not only helps you hit your daily required amounts of protein but does it in a way with minimal impact on the rest of your eating habits for the day.

I have already talked about adding silken tofu to your smoothie bowl to help with thickness and to increase the protein content. But another convenient way is to incorporate a scoop of your favourite protein powder into the mix.

By using an unflavoured powder (like Form’s Pureblend) ensures you don’t alter the flavour of your favourite tasting bowl, but using a flavour such as vanilla can help elevate your bowl to heavenly dimensions. Trust me when I say, adding a scoop of vanilla protein to your smoothie bowl will add another level of creaminess to it.

How To Make Paul’s Key Lime & Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup of frozen mango⁠
• ½ cup of diced cucumber⁠
• ½ avocado⁠
• 1 kiwi ⁠
• ½ green apple⁠⁠
• 1 handful of baby spinach⁠
• 1 lime – juice and zest⁠
• 1 tbsp Performance vanilla protein powder

Toppings⁠

• ½ cup of plant based coconut yoghurt⁠
• Some shaved fresh coconut⁠
• ½ kiwi sliced⁠
• Any other of your favourite toppings if you wish e.g. quinoa puffs, chia seeds, berries, etc⁠

Method

1. Once all the fruit is cut, throw it in a blender along with the Form protein and blitz.
2. When it has been blended to a smooth consistency pour into a bowl and top with a selection of your favourite toppings.

How To Make Form’s Banoffee Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

• 3 ripe frozen bananas (300g)
• 50g medjool dates (2-3)
• 1 tbsp cashew butter
• 3 tbsp Performance Banoffee
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings

• Banoffee granola

Method

1. Blend the bananas and dates in a powerful food processor until creamy and smooth.
2. In a small bowl mix the protein, water and vanilla extract until smooth. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Pour the mixture into the food processor and then add the cashew butter and blend it all. Top with granola and enjoy!

Paul Coonan has been a chef for over 20 years, working in restaurants and hotels for the first half of his career after becoming a head chef position at 24, before making the switch to contact catering. He now also runs The Urban Canteen, a site dedicated to healthy, tasty food recipes and is a qualified nutrition coach.

The post Here’s How to Blitz Yourself an Insta-Perfect Smoothie Bowl Each and Every Time appeared first on Form.

“The proteins in flour are related to the wheat used and how it is milled,” explains Paul Coonan, a chef of 20 years and founder of healthy food blog, The Urban Canteen. “It is also directly related to the gluten, as these are gluten forming proteins. Typically the higher the protein content, the higher the gluten content.

“So strong flours that are used for bread making have a high gluten and protein content, while softer flours like plain flour and self-raising, which are used for cakes, biscuits, and pastry, will have a lower protein and gluten content.”

Here Coonan goes deeper into seven of the main baking flours, from plain standards to gluten-free alternatives, along with some handy tips on storage.

Breaking Down the Main Baking Flours

Plain flour

Plain flour is an all-purpose flour with a lower protein and gluten content. This makes the flour softer and ideal for cakes, pastries, thickening sauces, and biscuits.

Wholemeal Flour

Wholemeal flour is a great all-purpose flour to use in all types of baking from biscuits and cakes to breads. Despite it being higher in protein, the bran can affect the glutens elasticity capabilities, which can lead to denser bread, so avoid using this flour if you are looking for something “airy and light”.

It is a great way to incorporate more whole grain and fibre into your diet. When baking rather than simply substituting a plain flour for a wholemeal, use 1/3 whole to 2/3 plain, or 1/2 wholemeal to 1/2 plain. This will give you the benefits of plain flour as well as the benefits and nutrients of wholemeal, along with a better flavour. Do also be aware of the shelf life when buying wholemeal flour, as it tends to be shorter because of the natural oils turning rancid.

Self-Raising Flour

Self-raising flour is perfect for when you’re after those light and airy cakes, batters, muffins, and sponges. Self-raising is basically a plain flour with raising agents mixed in, but because raising agents have a limited shelf life be careful not to leave your self-raising flour in the back of your cupboard for too long before using it — you may find your cake falling flat. In contrast, plain flour has a longer shelf life because it doesn’t include these raising agents.

Bread Flour

Bread flour is a strong flour which means it has a higher protein and gluten content than the flours used for cakes like plain flour. This makes strong flour ideal for breads and bagels as gluten is what gives you an elastic structure in your baking so you get that chewy texture in your bread.

When kneading the dough during bread making, this is what develops the gluten and gives you that elasticity. If you over-knead the dough or leave it too long in your mixer, the gluten will overdevelop and this will result in a tough loaf that is hard to tear or chew.

Rye Flour

Rye flour is typically used in bread making or more savoury baking, but can be used and incorporated with plain flour in pastry or cakes. It will give your bakes a strong, rich, tangy flavour, and is low in gluten but not free from it. This will result in a dense bread, so it is usually best to mix with a higher protein and gluten flour when baking, to achieve the results you wish for.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour does not contain gluten or wheat — but do read the label to make sure it is made in a facility that does not handle other flours — which makes this a favourite within the gluten free and paleo world. Although it can be used in pancakes, muffins breads, cookies, it typically requires a great deal of experimentation to get it right.

Coconut flour is extremely absorbent and will take on a lot of liquid you see, which is why it can be challenging to work with for anyone, and can lead to dry tasting bakes which continue to absorb moisture after the bake.

You may need to mix it with other flours then to get the benefits from them like raising agents and elasticity. Rely on well established recipes rather than just trying to substitute it yourself, or like I mentioned, at least be prepared to experiment and get it wrong a couple of times.

Spelt Flour

Used in breads, pastas, crackers, and cookies, spelt flour brings a lovely nutty like taste to the table. It is similar to wholemeal because it is high in protein due to the grains, but low in gluten. However you do not get that elasticity, so it will lead to a denser bake.

Again, it is good practice to incorporate it with other flours for better bakes, so rather than swap it out and replace an all-purpose flour for spelt, for example, use a mix of both flours in the recipe. Although it is wheat technically, many people with an intolerance to wheat find spelt flour easier to digest.

Storing Your Flour

Flour will absorb odours and moisture very easily, so airtight containers are absolutely vital. You obviously want your flour to stay as fresh as possible too, so the environment also needs to be cold or at the very least cool.

Keeping your flour in an airtight container in the freezer would be perfect, however, not many of us have large freezers big enough to accommodate bags of flour, especially if you are a keen baker with several types of flour, so your next port of call would be the fridge. But again, if you have multiple containers of flour, using your fridge may not be realistic either.

So if you have a pantry or cupboard that is away from heaters and generally stays cool, then this is where you should store it. You also want the space to be dark. Light usually brings heat, which we have already established is something we want to stay away from, and light in itself can cause oxidation which will cause the flour to spoil. If your pantry is quite a bright space or has no doors then try to use opaque containers rather than clear.

The post Get To Know Your Rye From Your Spelt With This Comprehensive Guide To Baking Flours appeared first on Form.

Here Coonan explains everything you need to know about making protein balls, from finding the perfect flavour balance to his favourite protein balls recipe.

What Exactly Is A Protein Ball?

A protein ball is usually made up of your favourite vegan protein powder, and a combination of nut butter, oats, and dried fruits. They are so simple to make, easily adaptable, and can be tailored to your personal likes.

You can hold them at an ambient temperature, which makes them perfect for popping into a container and throwing in your gym bag or handbag, ready for a mid-afternoon pick me up or post-workout fuel up. Because there is no cooking involved, they are also a snack that can be made quickly.

9 Proven Tips For Making Delicious Protein Balls

Keep It Simple

There are a few things to remember in order to make a good protein ball, the first being to not overcomplicate things. Don’t try to add too many flavours; think chocolate, vanilla, or even chocolate orange or tiramisu. If you start adding lots of contrasting flavours, chances are that when they all get mixed together, they won’t taste great.

Remember that the protein powder can also help elevate the flavour, by using a chocolate peanut or vanilla they can bring some serious flavour to the party without the need for adding a whole list of other ingredients.

Easy On The Sweetener

Secondly, don’t over sweeten. If you are adding ingredients like dates, mashed banana, apple puree, or dried fruits (all of which are great to bring sweetness as well as help combine the balls), you may not even need to add a sweetener like maple syrup.

Taste, Taste, Taste

Thirdly, because it doesn’t need to be cooked, you can taste it as you mix, so if you feel it does need sweetener then add this towards the end. If you feel it needs some more spice like cinnamon or more cocoa powder (depending on what flavour you are making) then you can also add as you go.

Finding A Dry-Wet Balance

Remember that it needs to bind well to form a ball, so don’t use too many wet or sticky ingredients like nut butter, syrups, and fruit purees. Also take it easy on dry ingredients like oats, nuts, and chickpea flour. You need the right balance, so if you add more cocoa powder for example to flavour the ball, you may need to counter that with a bit more liquid or wet ingredients such as nut butter or plant milk so the balls will bind well.

No Need For A Blender

You really don’t need any specialist equipment to make your own protein balls. A good food processor will be a huge advantage as you can pretty much add all the ingredients and blitz. But if you don’t own a food processor, fear not, all you really need is a mixing bowl and an ambition to get your hands dirty.

Keeping Them Fresh

A good airtight container is always ideal to store your protein balls. This way they will last up to five days (as long as you haven’t polished them all off sooner).

Wet Your Hands

Another top tip when rolling balls with lots of dried fruit, (which can make the balls sticky and difficult to roll) is to wet your hands with cold water then take a spoonful and roll, then wet your hands again, and so on.

Chickpeas Are The Secret Sauce

Oats are a great base for protein balls as they can be blended easily, take on flavours well, and are extremely nutritious. But for me, my go-to base for protein balls is chickpeas.

This might sound strange if you have never tried it before, but trust me it is so good and can taste like raw cookie dough when done right. They also blend really well, set nicely to be rolled into balls well, and increase the protein content as chickpeas are a great source of protein.

Get Fruity

Dates are another great addition to protein balls, as they add a great level of sweetness, help bind the mix well, and are high in fibre. Dried fruits like cranberries, apricots, and sultanas, are also a great addition to the mix as they blend well and bring just the right level of sweetness.

How To Make Paul’s Tiramisu Protein Balls

Ingredients

• 1 tin of drained chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon of chocolate and hazelnut spread
• 2 tablespoons tiramisu performance protein
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons plant based milk
• Grated dark chocolate (optional)

Method

1. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blitz well, until you have a smooth dough formed.
2. Roll into around 10 balls, then roll them through some grated dark chocolate if you so wish (would totally recommend doing this).
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then enjoy at your next coffee break.

How To Make Form’s Choc Hazelnut Protein Balls

Ingredients

• 200g roasted blanched hazelnuts
• 40g Performance Choc Hazelnut
• 1 tsp raw cacao powder
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan salt
• 150g pitted medjool dates
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. In a powerful food processor, blend the hazelnuts together with all the other dry ingredients until they’re broken down into smaller pieces.
2. Add the dates, coconut oil and vanilla into the mix and blend until it has a sticky crumble-like consistency.
3. Place the mix into the freezer for about 10 minutes, then squeeze it into small balls. Store them in the freezer or fridge.

The post Perfect Your Protein Balls With This Guide To the Post-Workout Staple appeared first on Form.

You see, no proud home cook would be without one, and likewise with their gardening counterparts. If you’ve just grown one (or you’ve had one even before lockdown was a thing) then perhaps you just want to make sure that your greenery is reaching the right dish at the end of all that toil. Maybe (if you’re anything like us) you’ve been mixing up your herbs the wrong way.

Well, to help you differentiate between all those unique flavours, we asked chef of 20 years and founder of healthy food blog, The Urban Canteen, Paul Coonan, to guide us through all the wonderful smells and tastes of the herb garden.

What Can Herbs Bring To Your Cooking?

Fresh herbs can completely transform the most simplest of dishes. We don’t always have lots of time for cooking, especially after a long day at work or after exercise. Using fresh herbs then is a great way to inject flavour into a dish without having to use other flavour enhancing methods, such as sauces or stocks, which can be high in sugar or salt.

Using fresh herbs in recipes is also a great way to boost nutrient intake, especially with their amazing source of plant compounds which include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

How Do You Store Fresh Herbs?

The best way to store fresh herbs is either with a damp kitchen towel or a new clean j-cloth. Make it a little damp and ring out the excess water. Then roll your herbs in the cloth and store in the fridge.

The 10 Main Herbs To Know

Coriander

Coriander (or cilantro depending on where you’re from) is a super-fresh tasting herb that works so well in hot and spicy dishes such as curries and chilli. It’s quite a unique flavour that people usually love or hate, but if you want a cooling, fresh taste brought to a spicy meal, this is your guy.

Mint

Mint is an extremely versatile herb that is as equally at home in a sweet dish as it a savoury one, as well as cold or hot drinks. Strong tasting, fresh mint works well in salads, summery soups like pea or asparagus, homemade pesto and sprinkled on crushed new potatoes or with pasta. Alternatively, use it in hot water for a herbal tea, or throw it in some cold water with citrus fruits and cucumber for a lovely refreshing drink.

Parsley

A popular herb in European and Middle Eastern cooking, parsley is a mild herb that brings a lovely subtle, fresh taste to all dishes. Add to salads, especially mixed beans, lentils with a little grated lemon zest and you’re on to a winner.

Dill

Dill is quite a unique flavour; not overpowering while still bringing something punchy to the table. The mild aniseed taste is commonly used with fish and seafood, but can be used in many other ways. A great accompaniment with parsley in salads as well as with citrus fruits, if you like to keep your vegetables raw & crunchy, add some dill to a pickling liquor and it will add some real depth to the flavour.

Basil

Commonly used in salads and paired with tomatoes, basil is a favourite with many. The herb also goes well in many salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, soups. Because basil has a strong bold flavour, blending it with some olive oil and using it as a dressing is a great way to use it sparingly but to great effect. For a cheeky curveball, try using them in a dessert, like macerated strawberries.

Oregano

Another versatile herb that can help enhance all of your sauces. Commonly used in flavourful Italian cuisine, oregano brings a lovely earthy flavour to your dishes. Like parsley, because it’s not too overpowering, it can be used in salad dressings and marinades, as well as salads and stews. Pro tip: pair it with chillies and make a chimichurri dressing you’ll want to drizzle over everything.

Chives

Chives have a very similar flavour to spring onions. A very mild taste, they work extremely well as a garnish on a wide variety of dishes but are perhaps best used sprinkled over the finished meal to add a final flavourful flourish. Also, add into salads for a lovely mild taste when you might not want the harshness of raw onion.

Thyme

Another woody herb similar to oregano, that packs a lovely flavour. A great herb to use to flavour sauces and wet dishes; simply drop it in as is, stalk and all, then take out at the end so you are left with nothing but flavour. Use in marinades, rubs, dressings, and sauces to enhance the taste. Strip the small leaves off the stalk and use it in salads with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Tarragon

Tarragon is quite a bold flavour. Very much like aniseed, the same compound is found in fennel, which is why they both have a similar flavour. Sprinkle over roasted root vegetables or even some grilled asparagus for added flavour.

Rosemary

Another woody herb like thyme, that can be used in sauces and stocks to bring a lovely fragrant depth. Strip the leaves off the stalks and add to most dishes such as salads, grains, or soups. You could even think about blending it with some salt to make your very own rosemary salt, an amazing seasoning that works on just about anything.

The post Rosemary or Thyme? Here’s How To Spot (And Use) Every Herb in the Garden appeared first on Form.