2016 seemed to be all about the smoothie bowl. Just do a search on google or Pinterest and you’ll see a ton of photos and recipes pop up! I’m a huge fan of smoothies so when I was challenged by Walmart Canada to take on a 2017 food trend, I decided to take them up on it!  With the weather as chilly as it’s been, I’m all about a warm breakfast or dessert; so here are two warm smoothie bowls I decided to try out.

{Warm Smoothie Bowls}

Smoothies are great because you can get really creative and throw in many of your favourite ingredients into one delicious drink. I’m not sure about you, but when the cold weather hits, the last thing I want to do is have something cold for breakfast (or any time of day for that matter). This is why I love the idea of warm smoothie bowls. Plus, there’s the added bonus of topping the bowls with even more delicious ingredients! I love adding fresh fruit, granola and sweeteners like honey.

For both of these warm smoothie bowls I started by soaking rolled oats in almond milk overnight in the refrigerator. Feel free to use any smoothie liquid you want such as milk, soy milk, coconut milk etc.

Apple Pie Warm Smoothie Bowls

To create the apple pie smoothie bowl I threw into a blender:

• soaked rolled oats;
• chopped, cooked apples;
• cinnamon;
• a banana for thickness and creaminess;
• a bit of vanilla extract; and
• some applesauce to boost the apple flavour

I added more almond milk to get the texture I wanted and added some honey for a bit of sweetness.

Another thing I love about smoothies is the fact that you can taste as you go and adjust accordingly. Once you’re happy with the taste and consistency just warm up the mixture in a pot or the microwave and top with your favourite ingredients!

I topped mine with

• fresh blueberries and apples;
• granola;
• cinnamon;
• honey

It was truly like an apple pie in a bowl with healthy and fresh ingredients, all from Walmart. Other ways to boost the healthiness of this warm smoothie bowl would be to top it with some nuts, chia seeds or a dollop of greek yogurt.

Hot Chocolate Warm Smoothie Bowl

One of my favourite smoothies to make in the summer is a chocolate banana smoothie. It was really easy to turn this one into a yummy warm smoothie bowl! In a blender add:

• Soaked rolled oats;
• Cocoa powder;
• Banana;
• Almond milk;
• Maple syrup; and
• Vanilla extract

Once everything is blended and you’ve adjusted the smoothie to your taste and consistency preferences, heat the smoothie in a pot and add some chocolate chips to amp up the chocolate flavor. Then top with your favourite toppings!

I finished off my hot chocolate smoothie bowl with:

• Chocolate chips;
• Coconut flakes; and
• Bananas

To add more protein to this warm smoothie bowl try adding your favourite protein powder or a nut butter like almond butter. Other delicious toppings:

• Berries;
• Cinnamon;
• Extra cocoa powder; and
• Coconut whipped cream

There are so many options for creating warm smoothie bowls in the winter months. It’s a great way to add some variety to breakfast and brunch and even as a great dessert!

Head to your local Walmart Supercentre this month, and start the year off on a healthy note.

Have you tried out warm smoothie bowls before? I’d love to hear your favourites!

This post is sponsored by Walmart Canada, as part of the #NewYearMealChallenge program. In exchange for this review, I have received special perks in the form of products and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own.