Life, why are you so ____? (insert any adjective ever)
And carrot cake smoothie bowl, why are you so yummy? 👅
I mean, seriously, why? and how? This is nothing more than a few carrots, some pineapple, a dusting of cinnamon and a splash of vanilla, and a handful of greens whirred up in a blender for a minute or two — and yet, it’s sososo much more. It’s CARROT CAKE in healthy bowl form. It’s vegetables. It’s yourself feeling really awesome sitting around on the couch watching your binge show of the month and getting your inner rawkstar glow on. WHILE EATING CARROT CAKE. Topped with pistachios and toasted coconut because that’s how we doooo.
Totally, I hear you. There is a time and place for real carrot cake.
There is also a time and place for figuring out how to get life’s chaos under control. For me lately, that’s coming in the form of late night carrot cake smoothies instead of cookies and more cookies, and really really reeeeally trying not to take on every project, every day (HA HA says my fingers as they type YES I WOULD LOVE TO to yet another email about something) (HA HA says my brain as it does a manual override on the urge to do to0 much). Never mind. I just literally wrote that out loud. Please kick me off the internet already.
Is this too much? Am I just always talking about the mystical art of balance that seems just always barely out of reach? Is this just me? I’m… I don’t know. I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve been a broken record about this, like, forever, and the irony of it is that I’m my own boss. What am I even doing?
(Carrot cake smoothie bowl posts are as good as any for a come-to-Jesus moment, right?)
Today I’m sharing this recipe from my friends’ new cookbook called Simple Green Smoothies. I love this book and this concept so much. This is the kind of cookbook that was made for anyone who feels like they want to be eating healthier but is drowning in Life with a capital L. So, um, all of us?
It’s healthy eating at its easiest, at its most forgiving and most approachable. You know when you get a cookbook and the recipes look so delicious buuut you’d probably never make any of them in real life? This is the opposite of that. It includes a ten-day green smoothie kickstart plan and 100+ simple recipes for weight loss and glowing skin, including but not limited to smoothies – give yourself one trip to the grocery store and five minutes with your blender and you can work any of these into your real life.
So how’s this for serendipitous? Right after I drafted this post, I bopped over to Facebook and saw a post from Jadah, co-author of the book I’m sharing with you today. In addition to being authors of this beautiful cookbook, Jen and Jadah are awesome, focused, intentional people. Her post is too beautiful and too true not to share with you. Jadah says:
The days are going by so fast.
I woke up this morning and just paused to reflect on all the things I’m grateful for. As I keep moving forward and chasing bigger dreams, it’s important to slow down in those quiet in-between moments.
Sometimes I get hard on myself for being distracted. Squirrel! Or for wanting to talk on the phone with a friend. Or have a long 3-hour lunch with my husband. Or watch an episode of Saturday Night Live. Or take a break and go swim with my daughter.
I have so much to do and everything is due NOW.
But NOW is such a gift.
And some NOWs will be filled with hustle.
And some NOWs will be filled with stillness.
And some NOWs will be filled with my wandering mind.
But all of my NOWs are filled with me and that’s enough.
I’m shedding all the judgement of how I’m being or not doing enough in any given moment.
And trusting that what I’m doing right NOW is enough.
Trust that whatever you are doing right now is enough too.
Jadah Sellner
I can just feel it: SO MANY OF US are in a season of NOWs that are filled with busy-busy-go-go-go. About the time we start to feel ragged around the edges is also about the time we need gratitude the most.
Really, I don’t say it enough: thank you for reading my blog. I just… I can’t even. My heart is so big for all of you who read, comment, email, share, pin, and silently stalk (you think I don’t see you BUT I SEE YOU). This probably breaks all rules of blogging: never tell your readers your heart is big for them bc they will be weirded out bc you’re getting inappropriately serious in posts about carrot cake smoothie bowls. 😳 But I don’t know, I need to break the rules for this one.
Here’s to your NOW moments being a gift to you and the people around you. ♡ And may it please pretty please with coconut on top include a carrot cake smoothie bowl!
Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 large smoothie bowls 1x
Description
Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl – an easy, nutrition-packed dessert or snack recipe with a secret super-healthy ingredient! Guilt-free snack!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped romaine (I didn’t have romaine so I used spinach)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups chopped raw carrots
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 banana
- 2 clementines, peeled (also didn’t have so I used mango)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg
Instructions
- Blend the romaine (or spinach) and coconut milk until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth.
- Top with pistachios and toasted coconut! My fave.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: carrot cake smoothie, smoothie bowl, carrot smoothie
Can you just stop? Seriously. You’re too good. Carrot cake smoothie?! This is why I love breakfast!
Can’t stop won’t stop! 🙂
I love trying new smoothie recipes. It is one of the main ways I sneak veggies into my kids (and lets be honest) and my diet. Will definitely be giving this a try!
Thanks Leesa! Hope you like it!
I love a good smoothie bowl, although I mostly eat them in the summer. But this one can easily find its way in my winter morning routine, it sounds delicious!
Thanks Kristina!
I always say, carrot cake is the BEST cake…hands down!
Wow, Lindsay, you got me thinking in this post, some deep insights imbedded in here.
Anyhow, I’m with Rebecca, carrot cake is wonderful. And I think the original version explains why I keep reading about how corsets, yes, I used the word corsets are making a huuuuuuuuge comeback.
And for when I don’t want to fly to NYC to spend $80 on a corset, there’s always a carrot cake smoothie bowl.
Agreed Rebecca! 🙂 Love me some carrot cake – real OR smoothie bowl form.
Aw. I can’t even imagine how hard being your own boss must be like. (balance? what is this balance?) I’m glad you have this awesome smoothie bowl to give you a little boost. <3
Thanks Annie! It’s the best and the worst, and the best. 🙂 It’s everything.
You are too funny 🙂 I love the way you write and the things you choose to share – I feel like you echo my own thoughts, and it’s nice to know I’m not the only one having them! If saying thank you to your readers is wrong, then I vote for never being right 🙂
haha thanks Michelle! 🙂 Appreciate that.
Being present and in the NOW is something I definitely need to work on. Loved this post and love YOU!! That smoothie looks sooo delicious.
Thank you Lucia! that means a lot! xo
Now this is a smoothie bowl I’ll need to try! Love carrot cake 🙂
Enjoy!!
It matters not to me if I drink my smoothies or eat them with a spoon, I’m a smoothie lover for life ♥ This recipe looks like it will be super tasty and energizing! I’m all in for making this Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl this weekend.
Me too! Spoon, smoothie, it all works!
I am stepping up my smoothie game this year!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
2016: Year of the Smoothie!
Thanks to you, Lindsay I went from silent stalker (<– LOL) to outing myself to the world as a stalker! I've always loved food but your blog made me an avid food blog reader (really, stalker). Mostly yours 🙂 THANK YOU (and Bjork!) (wait, and Sage!) for ALL you do and your hard work. You are appreciated! Also, I just ate a piece of cake for breakfast, I'm really wishing it was this smoothie bowl instead – YUM!!
Thank you Senika! You’re amazing. As in – I talk to my real life people about you because you’re so amazing. Also: cake, smoothie bowl, it’s almost all the same.
Lindsay thanks so much for the intro to Simple Green Smoothies! With carrots and pineapples and cinnamon, this carrot cake smoothie bowl sounds absolutely delicious!
Their smoothie game is on point!
Thank you for always being so open and honest and willing to share your thoughts with us! It’s truly inspirational 🙂
Thank you Jaenell! Appreciate that!
It’s so hard to find balance, because we’re rewarded for saying yes. I always feel guilty for saying no, like I’m missing out and letting people down. But we need to say no- we need to long lunches and naps and quiet moments with a book when it’s raining. It’s so good to have those reminders. Also, this smoothie looks beautiful.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment Allyson! <3
Can’t wait to try this – it sounds delicious! Quick question – when you say “unsweetened coconut milk” are you meaning the refrigerated kind, similar to almond milk, or the thicker, canned coconut milk typically used in curries? The nutritional analysis leads me to believe it is the refrigerated coconut milk, as the canned coconut milk would have a higher fat content (the ones in my pantry average about 19g per 1/2-cup), and it typically isn’t referred to as ‘unsweetened’ anyway. I’m not particularly hung up on the fat content per se and either way sounds wonderful, but just wanted to clarify.
I made it with regular, like the non-canned kind. But I guess I don’t know what the nutritional analysis is pulling… I’m guessing it’s pulling the regular non-canned kind as well, like you said, because otherwise the fat would be higher. I’m not a HUGE fan of canned coconut milk in smoothies – something about the taste is weird to me, but in terms of texture it would be amazing. 🙂
First: This carrot cake smoothie sounds divine!
Second: I love the Now poem. I have a tendency to want to do everything at once. A reminder that what I am doing right now is enough is just what I needed, thank you for that :).
Third: I look forward to reading your blog posts every week, they are relatable, and make me laugh. Keep up the good work Lindsay! 🙂
Thank you Emily! Glad you resonated with Jadah’s post, too.
OMG! I have all of this leftover romaine and have been trying to do searches on how to use it. Thanks for the idea. I love a good smoothie. In a bowl… even better.
(P.S. I tried the romaine in my basic smoothie I make using spinach and it didn’t really work. So I’m looking forward to this one!)
Sa-weeeeet! I have yet to try the romaine – is it weird that I’m scared to do it?
Oh my gosh, Lindsay, this looks beyond amazing!! I think this will definitely be a breakfast this week, and I may even make it to take to my grandma who is in rehab facility and hating the food (the food is truly awful and she loves her some yummy, healthy food). Also, I am totally cool with you breaking all the blogging rules, if it means getting more personal, ’cause I love feeling like we’re friends. Thank you for writing this blog…you are almost my favorite blogger EVER, and I know I keep saying this, but I hope I get to meet you IRL someday!!
thanks Hannah! 🙂 Appreciate that! And I hope we can meet someday IRL too!
Glad to see more and more healthy food recipe on the internet. Hope my hubby will like it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Chika!
This smoothie looks absolutely divine! Waking up to eat this would definitely make my day a little brighter. Thanks for the healthy recipe! I definitely need it! Haha.
Healthy mornings = healthy days!
I always love coming to your blog every day to read what you write–it’s like you’re talking to your best friend! I feel like I can really get your personality through your writing. Oh, and this smoothie bowl is amazeballs!!!! Like I want it now and I just ate
Thanks Emilie! That means a lot to me! 🙂
What a great idea! Carrot cake smoothie bowl. IT must be good:) The book is probably packed with many yummy smoothies. I have to check it out! Pinning:)
It is – and more! Not just smoothies. It’s a great healthy eating resource.
Carrot cake smoothie?!? Sounds fantastic and super healthy!
Thanks Kelley!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful reflection! It was exactly what I needed to read tonight. Here’s to living and being grateful for NOW. I raise you a carrot cake smoothie bowl and say, cheers!
Cheers, friend! From one corner of the internet to another. 🙂 XO
Please don ‘t shoot me but would it be nice hot ?
Hahah – honestly it’s a little weird for me to think of a smoothie served hot, but you go for it! Rules were made to be broken. 😉