Green Breakfast Bowl

I had planned to start the year with a post about cleansing. But since I just shoved down two of David’s Almond Butter Cookies, that somehow wouldn’t feel completely honest. Although if you don’t count those cookies, I have actually started the new year pretty clean and healthy. Obviously I’m not on a juice cleanse, but I have tried to minimize my intake of sugar, gluten and dairy products even more. This week we have therefore had some delicious and light dinners. We will share a few of them with you soon, but today we focus on the first meal of the day.

I have started every morning this year with warm lemon water. It is probably the quickest and easiest way to cleanse your system, improve digestion and boost the immune system. And when followed by this nutrition packed green breakfast bowl, you have a pretty great kick start of the day. This blend is actually a kind of smoothie, but we eat it as a substitution for yogurt, served in bowls and often topped with some muesli, granola or seeds. It can probably sound a bit extreme to have spinach, avocado and fennel in a breakfast smoothie, but combined with the rest of the ingredients it really has a fresh and delicious taste.

We will be back in just a few days with a nice soup recipe, but until then we hope to have you hooked on our breakfast bowl.
2013, here we go!

Warm Lemon Water
Serves 2

2 cups warm water
2-4 slices organic lemon

Heat the water as though to make tea, it doesn’t have to boil. Pour into tea cups and add the lemon slices. (I usually squeeze the lemons as well). Serve.

Green Breakfast Bowl
Serves 2

You need a pretty good blender or food processor to get it completely smooth. Our Vitamix does the job easily. But if you have a juice machine you can start by running the fennel, ginger, apple and pineapple through it and then blend the juice together with the rest of the ingredients.

1/2 avocado
1/4 fennel
1/2 handful spinach or kale
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1 apple (or banana if you prefer it sweeter)
2-inch slice pineapple
1 tbsp physsilium, hemp, flax or chia seeds
1 cup almond milk or ice cold water

Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. Pour in bowls and top with seeds, nuts or granola.

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61 Comments

Kabrina
9 Jan ’13 at 15:13
I had the lemon water when I woke up (I did a homemade BPC a couple of months ago and never could remember to do the lemon water thing so hopefully I can get in the habit) and am having the green breakfast bowl right now and it's amazing!! I used both spinach and kale. Seriously delicious. I really LOVE the smell of fennel after juicing it. Thanks for this recipe! Your site never ceases to be informative and your photos are always stunning. =)
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Eva @FoodVegetarisch
9 Jan ’13 at 07:33
Indeed, before having read your post I would not have thought about the idea to have fennel, avocado and spinach for breakfast. But now I really think to give this recipe a try :) It looks already very delicious on the photo!
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amy
8 Jan ’13 at 18:06
Hi there! I just made the delicious smoothie bowl and it was so good! I am not a long time vegan, less than a year. Your site has been so inspiring, so thank you!! amy
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Laura Cooper
8 Jan ’13 at 11:53
I have just moved house and have been eating awful foods as I had no kitchen to cook properly. I am going to start afresh tomorrow with this. Thank you for the inspiration!
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Kajsa
7 Jan ’13 at 11:24
Wow. Just bought the last ingredients so I can try it tomorrow!
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Sarah
7 Jan ’13 at 00:01
People never believe me when I tell them how great a hot lemon water each morning is. Aside from the health and diet benefits, I love the meditative time that it gives me. A beautiful photo, as always.
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Katie
6 Jan ’13 at 23:47
Excited to try this out - love the pic - thanks for sharing!
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wholesome kids
6 Jan ’13 at 23:01
What a novel idea to add fennel to this beverage!
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Maria
6 Jan ’13 at 22:38
Thank you for this blog! I am a vegan who recently turned gluten free from health problems. Your recipes have helped me so much in this and given so much inspiration. I am really looking forward to more of them. Happy 2013!
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Nicola Galloway
6 Jan ’13 at 22:21
What an awesome start to the day :) The fennel must give it such a refreshing boost. All the best for 2013, looking forward to your book. Nicola
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Alicia Cumming
6 Jan ’13 at 22:06
Ah! I must inform you that almond butter cookies are my diet staple. I have this crazy memory in which I recall EVERYTHING and I'm sure my almond butter addiction has played a part in this. Almond butter is healthy as healthy gets--full of good fats and Omega 6s for the brain and skin and nerves and all of that. Jealous that you have almond butter cookies in your house.
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kaktusfink
6 Jan ’13 at 20:14
Hi Hannah, I'm not David or Luise, but I have some thoughts on supplements. Although a supplementation with B12 might be a good idea when you are mostly vegan, it is not necessary when you eat some animal products. I work indirectly for a huge chemical company (although I wish I wouldn't) which happens to be one of the largest producers of nutritional products(also making pesticides and other "nice" stuff). Supplements are a chemical product after all. I get the impression that the whole supplemets-market is a huge marketing thing. There are "fashionable" supplements (like Vitamn D and Omega 3s) which are promoted with tons of money. I think that the supplement marketing tends to search for its victims in people like us, western, health-interested people. Especially parents and women are targeted aggressively. I think that a healthy diet gives you all you need (except maybe for the B12). Happy new year!
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Hannah
7 Jan ’13 at 03:50
Thank you very much for your response. I appreciate it. Your perspective is extremely interesting. Happy New Year to you too!
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Kankana
6 Jan ’13 at 19:44
happy new year! :) The green basket sounds fantastic and that lemon water is my fav too, although I add a tad bit of honey in it just to cut down the tartness!
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Erica
6 Jan ’13 at 16:44
Love this post! Going to try making both!!! Happy new year:)
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Maegan
6 Jan ’13 at 16:27
Yum! My husband and I are making green smoothies today! We decided to rotate some our favorites to not get burnt out in 2013. Today is Spirulina, tomorrow we will try yours!
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Meera@olivenginger
6 Jan ’13 at 16:27
Such a beautiful beverage to start the day and new year. Will surely give it a try:)
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Hannah
6 Jan ’13 at 15:52
Hello David, Luise and Elsa, Thank you for another wonderful recipe! I have been read your blog for a couple of years and have so enjoyed watching it grow. I can't wait for your book to come out! I wanted to ask you a question about your views on supplements and vitamins. I've just recently become vegetarian and am intolerent to dairy so I'm practically vegan. I've read a lot of conflicting views on whether or not one needs to take supplements/vitamins on a vegetarian/vegan diet. My husband thinks that vitamins are a bit of a con but other people insist that you have to take certain vitamins, like B6 and B12, on a vegan diet. I would really appreciate knowing your views on this subject (and any reader views too). Especially as you have a child who is thriving on a vegetarian diet!
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Jennifer
7 Jan ’13 at 16:46
Hi Hannah! This article by Jess Ainscough gives the answers to the question "Where do vegans get their..?": http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2012/04/where-do-vegans-get-their/?doing_wp_cron=1357573412.4221680164337158203125. She only recommends taking vit B12 supplements, as it comes from animal sources. Hope this helps!
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Rachel
8 Jan ’13 at 17:39
Wow, if the book features photos as gorgeous as the one above, I'm buying for sure. When is it expected to be published?
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Green Kitchen Stories
8 Jan ’13 at 20:56
Hi Rachel, the book is published in april :-)
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Green Kitchen Stories
14 Jan ’13 at 15:43
Dear Hannah, thank you for your comment. I'm absolutely pro vitamin & mineral supplement. But which you should take depends on a lot. Where you live, your age, your health, your diet, your work, your activity (sports) and so on. I would recommend seeing a nutritional therapist or go to a health store with educated staff who can help you. I live in Stockholm, which means I hardly see the sun for about 6 month so I take vitamin D3. I have a fragile body and weak joints so I take high qualify omega 3 and MSM powder. I have a small kid in child care which means a lot of virus and bacterias so both elsa and I takes multi vitamin & mineral supplement. I use good qualify probiotic as a 10 day cure if needed from time to time. David doesn't 'believe' in supplements... but with that said he do take B12. He just started taking omega 3 to prevent injuries, he exercise 5 times a week. Take a look at this: http://kriscarr.com/vlog/nutritional-supplements-which-ones-should-i-take/ Hope this helped. All the best Luise
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Sophie
6 Jan ’13 at 14:29
A thick smoothie to replace yogourt : what a great idea! Can't wait to try this recipe.
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Fran@BCDC
6 Jan ’13 at 14:20
I've gotten out of the habit of the lemon water and I need to get back to it. Thanks for the nudge!
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Matilda
6 Jan ’13 at 13:14
Sounds like a good way to start the new year!Do you make the almond milk by yourself or have you found a store in Sweden? I can't seem to find it around here. Thanks!
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Green Kitchen Stories
10 Jan ’13 at 11:31
Hi Matilda, I usually make it my self. Alpro (coop stores) just launched an almond milk but it contains sugar. Health food stores has a sugar free almond milk but it is very expensive. You can also use oat milk, which is cheaper and sugar free. /Luise
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Kellie@foodtoglow
6 Jan ’13 at 11:48
This looks like a step up from my kale-berry smoothie. Fennel is certainly a fabulous cleansing vegetable, with a wake-up flavour too. Lots of breakfast posts at this time of year as I have a almond, carrot & date-sweetened porridge up just now. Must add this green bowl to my must try list. All best for 2013. Looking forward to another year of green & pleasant posts
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Sherilyn @ Wholeprom
6 Jan ’13 at 11:05
Your words sound familiar. That is my resolve as well. I love the idea of this breakfast bowl. Its colour alone is enticing. Beautiful photos as per usual
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Valeria
6 Jan ’13 at 10:53
i always start my day with hot lemon water --it makes me feel very good. luckily i didn't indulge all that much during the holidays except for maybe a few more drinks than usual, so i won't need to diet, but i agree that a couple of days to clean our system are quite a positive idea. i love this morning idea a lot, I'll make it for sure!
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Alexia @ NamasteYOGA
6 Jan ’13 at 10:47
green breakfast bowls, yummieee!!! it somehow sounds a bit more attractive than green smoothie too. I have been hooked on them and having lots of green smoothies in the summer but more juices in the winter. will definitely give this one a try.
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leaf
6 Jan ’13 at 10:47
Happy new year! I do the lemon water thing every now and then. The breakfast bowl is such a great follow-up! Love the photograph, too, it just looks so effortlessly natural.
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Jennifer
6 Jan ’13 at 10:45
What a lovely idea to eat this 'green smoothie' like a bowl of yoghurt! Perfect for the colder winter months when you're longing for a more substantial breakfast. Thank you for all the healthy & delicious recipes!
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Sneh | Cook Republic
6 Jan ’13 at 08:01
Happy New Year! To evolving resolutions!! I love the sound of the green breakfast bowl. Eating sensibly, sustainably and lighter is my resolve too.Thank you for sharing!
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Ketmala Phoumalavong
6 Jan ’13 at 04:30
Looks like a good combination to me Luise! It probably tastes yummie and refreshing too. I have everything handy except for the fresh fennel, maybe I'll add some jicama + a few fennel seeds for now, what do you think? I will give it a try tomorrow morning in lieu of my usual green smoothie. Thanks about the tip for the warm lemon water, this is the second time I am reading about it this week, it must be a sign for me to follow through. Wishing you three a happy and peaceful 2013 too! ps: David's Almond Butter Cookies must be hard to resist. :-)
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emily
6 Jan ’13 at 00:38
Love that all those vegetables actually can be used in a breakfast. It looks so good! I'm gonna try it Monday morning. Happy 2013!
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Katrina
5 Jan ’13 at 23:48
I love the idea of starting fresh with this bowl - it's gorgeous! Happy 2013 :)
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Michelle
6 Jan ’13 at 15:38
Hi Katrina, It's Michelle in Colorado. Thanks for introducing me to this blog. Happy new year!
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