Do you love all things fall? Then this cinnamon apple smoothie bowl with crunchy pumpkin seed granola is the recipe for you!
It is packed with nutritious ingredients and cozy fall flavors, thanks to the apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin granola.
Why Are Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Bowls Good for You?
Smoothies and smoothie bowls are an excellent way to add more nutrition to your day since they allow you to consume good-for-you-ingredients without the muss or fuss of cooking.
And these cinnamon apple smoothie bowls are no exception. They are made using nutritious ingredients, including apples, oats, Greek yogurt, and cinnamon, to form a smoothie that is high in protein, soluble fiber, and antioxidants.
In particular, apples are a nutritional powerhouse and are a good source of soluble fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin B6. Apples also contain antioxidants known as flavonoids, which may have health benefits.
Research has shown that higher intakes of flavonoids may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol, and protecting against free radical damage.
Current studies have also found that apples may be beneficial for weight loss when combined with healthy lifestyle choices.
For example, in one study among healthy women, participants were assigned to eat apples, pears, or oat cookies, all of which had similar fiber and calorie contents. After 12 weeks, the apple and pear groups lost an average of 2.7 pounds while the oat cookies group showed no significant weight changes (1).
A different study that assigned participants to consume 3 apples, 3 pears, or 3 oat cookies per day for ten weeks found that those who ate apples lost an average of 2 pounds (2). Additionally, the apple group reduced overall calorie intake by 25 calories per day, while the oat group ate slightly more calories (2).
Based on these results, it may be beneficial to include apples as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
How to Make Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Bowls
One of the significant advantages of smoothie bowls is that they are easy to prepare. In general, making a smoothie is as simple as throwing all the ingredients into a blender.
All you need to make these cinnamon apple smoothie bowls are:
- Unsweetened almond milk: Alternatively, you could use the milk of your choice, such as soy, oat, or low-fat dairy milk
- 1 medium apple: Any variety of apple will work for this recipe, but I recommend using a sweet apple variety to add extra sweetness to this smoothie without added sugar. In particular, Gala, Fuji, and Honey Crisp apples are naturally sweet and make a great addition to this apple smoothie bowl.
- Oats: Oats add texture and creaminess to a smoothie bowl. Plus, they are an excellent source of soluble fiber, which helps you feel fuller for longer. Both old-fashioned oats and instant oats will work for this recipe.
- Low-fat Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt provides creaminess and protein to a smoothie. To make this recipe vegan, you can omit the Greek yogurt and add more almond milk.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon: Since it wouldn’t be a cinnamon apple smoothie bowl without this cozy spice.
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional): Adding a bit of nutmeg is optional for this recipe but will add extra fall flavor to your apple smoothie bowl.
- Optional toppings, including the pumpkin seed granola: Check out the sections below for more information on the pumpkin seed granola + topping ideas.
- A high powered blender
Pumpkin Seed Granola
Pumpkin seed granola makes a great addition to these cinnamon apple smoothie bowls. Plus, this fall-inspired granola is versatile and can be used as a topping for other recipes.
Check out this blog article for the full Pumpkin Seed Granola Recipe.
Additional Apple Smoothie Bowl Toppings
One of the things that make smoothie bowls so versatile is the toppings. While this recipe tastes great on its own, adding toppings allows you to customize the apple smoothie bowl to your taste.
Some additional toppings that pair well with this cinnamon apple smoothie bowl include:
- Pumpkin seed granola – Full recipe here
- Apple slices
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Dark chocolate chips
- Honey
- Pecans
- Shelled pistachios
- Chia seeds
- A dollop of whipped cream
- A pinch of cinnamon
What toppings do you enjoy on your smoothie bowls? Tell me in the comment section below.
There you have it! Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Bowls with Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Granola!
Cinnamon Apple Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- ½ cup oatmeal
- ¼ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup pumpkin seed granola (optional)
Instructions
- Place the almond milk, apple, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg (optional) in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. You may want to add more or less almond milk depending on how thick you like your smoothie.
- Pour cinnamon apple smoothies into bowls and sprinkle with pumpkin seed granola (optional) or other optional toppings.
Notes:
To make this recipe vegan, you can omit the Greek yogurt and add more almond milk.
Calories
198.51Fat (grams)
6.01Sat. Fat (grams)
1.26Carbs (grams)
30.21Fiber (grams)
6.64Net carbs
23.57Sugar (grams)
10.81Protein (grams)
8.07Sodium (milligrams)
17.06Cholesterol (grams)
2.83References
- Conceição de Oliveira M, Sichieri R, Sanchez Moura A. Weight loss associated with a daily intake of three apples or three pears among overweight women. Nutrition. 2003;19(3):253-256. doi:10.1016/s0899-9007(02)00850-x
- de Oliveira MC, Sichieri R, Venturim Mozzer R. A low-energy-dense diet adding fruit reduces weight and energy intake in women. Appetite. 2008;51(2):291-295. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2008.03.001