Everlasting Joy Smoothie Bowl

What brings you joy?

Once again I find myself writing a post that I didn’t intend to post today but swapping it out for something I’m feeling or really wanting to post. I’m actually sitting at A’s gymnastics trying to get this written and giggled because she just stole the last mini Everlasting Joy Go Macro Bar I had in my bag. I had planned on posting a smoothie bowl today, just not this Everlasting Joy Smoothie Bowl. It was a really good one too but it will be worth the wait and I think you’ll love this one. I’m posting a photo of something that brings me joy in the new year over on Instagram today for Go Macro. I love Go Macro Bars and have for years, before the fancy packaging and new flavors, but just became an ambassador for them last summer. Loving them so much and always sharing my love for them it was just a perfect fit for me. Which is just a small part of being an Ambassador. I don’t make any money off the sale of the bars or being an ambassador but I do receive some bars to share with others helping spread the love for them. I knew right away what I wanted to share for my Instagram photo of what brings me joy, it’s my newest fitness obsession! If you’re curious go check it out, if it isn’t up yet it will be soon. I also can’t wait to share my favorite Everlasting Go Bars with the girls at class today, I know they’re going to love them as much as do! I wanted to share more as there are so many things in life that bring me joy so I will be sharing some of those on Instagram Stories today.

So what brings me joy? So many things, first and foremost family! Family is the most important thing in my life and part of the reason why I have such a passion for healthy food. Healthy food (and a few “unhealthy” foods) is also something that brings me joy and I’m passionate about and goes with number one in that I want my family and I to live our healthiest so we can get the most out of life living longer and doing everything we can hope and dream. I believe in all things in moderation and thought about sharing my top 10 favorite foods that bring me joy coffee, beets, avocado, chocolate, wine, peanut butter, kombucha, kimchi, sweet potatoes, fruit, Brussels sprouts, smoothies, smoothie bowls, Go Macro Bars, pizza… yeah as you can see there is no way I would get that to 10! Something else that brings me joy is fitness. This also goes into the whole overall healthy living and family as I want to be able to experience so much in life with my kids and keep up with them.

People often ask what I’m training for and honestly I’m training for life. So I can keep up with my kids, go on adventures, do anything I want, and live a long life full of happiness and joy. It’s also one of my biggest ways to deal with stress, and keep all the delicious eats in balance. So wrapping all these together and thinking about my favorite bar which just happens to be the Go Macro Everlasting Joy Bar (second so closely to Protein Pleasure, which is the very first Go Macro Bar I ever had over 4 years ago, maybe 5 now and was actually called Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip) and taking a photo while eating a smoothie bowl (the one I was going to share today) I decided to whip up and share an Everlasting Joy Smoothie Bowl! Yes a smoothie bowl made after an Everlasting Joy Go Macro Bar so coconut, almond butter, and chocolate chip! I’ve made a couple versions and had planned on sharing one next month after narrowing things down and tweaking based on a new love in my smoothie bowls but hey there’s no better time than the present and smoothie bowls also bring me so much joy!

Funny thing is when it comes to pre or post workout fuel or fuel for the girls before or after soccer, gymnastics, ect we go for smoothies, smoothie bowls, or Go Macro Bars so this just one of those ahhh moments where they were meant to be together.

There are three different times of the day we typical enjoy a smoothie bowl and for that reason this bowl is easily adaptable. Adaptable to when you enjoy it and your nutritional needs at the time and your dietary needs/restrictions. We enjoy our smoothie bowls for breakfast, post exercise or activities/sports for the girls, or an afternoon snack/treat. Usually it’s one of the first two reasons, especially with a bigger bowl like this. For breakfast I look for a more filling smoothie bowl and carbs as it’s also usually a before working out so I need fuel to get through that as well as my morning. For post workout it’s more recovery and I add in my favorite Vega protein powder. If smoothies are your thing and not smoothie bowls you can easily adapt this leaving off the toppings and leaving out or using less frozen banana and or frozen chickpeas. Oh yeah forgot to tell you my thing for thickening smoothie bowls lately besides soaked chia seeds or oats is chickpeas, and frozen at that because they make it extra thick and creamy! If you’re looking to cut down on the sugar or up the fiber and or protein try chickpeas. You can also do a combination of both. This smoothie bowl isn’t one I would normally have as a snack.

Food is fuel yes but I also think it should bring you joy or you should at least enjoy it. Life is too short. Now that doesn’t mean just sit and eat pizza, chocolate, and wine and skip the veggies if you aren’t a fan. Everything in balance and finding the joy in everything in life. Finding your balance to life a healthy life full of happiness and joy!

Other things that bring me joy are cooking or spending time in the kitchen with my girls, going out and making memories, experiencing new things, and traveling. Funny when I think about it because I was never one who liked to travel until after I had kids. Now I love taking them places and experiencing new things. Now that the girls are older I also travel more with my husband, still not too often as I always miss my girls and find it hard to leave them.

Everlasting Joy Smoothie Bowl
Makes 1 serving
1c coconut milk (So Delicious Unsweetened Vanilla Coconut Milk)
1 TBSP chia seeds, OR 2 TBSP gluten free oats
2 TBSP toasted shredded/flaked coconut, divided*
1 TBSP almond butter
1 TBSP sweet cacao nibs or chocolate chips (Navitas Naturals Sweet Cacao Nibs or Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips)
1/4c frozen canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained**
1/2 banana, frozen**
1 pitted Medjool date
1 tsp vanilla
1/2- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, optional (Vega Clean Protein, Vanilla or Sport Protein)
1 tsp maca, optional (Navitas Naturals Gelatinized Maca Powder)

Notes:
For a protein smoothie you can omit chickpeas and dates and add ice.
If you want to top with chopped Everlasting Joy Bar pieces we add in almond butter and about 1/2 tablespoon of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of toasted coconut and use a mini Go Macro Bar for topping.
*You can use untoasted coconut but I prefer the extra taste it gives. Just sprinkle flaked coconut on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes watching closely.
** This is my personal favorite combo of chickpeas and banana. You can reduce sugar using just the chickpeas (increasing to 1/3c) and add in more coconut to taste if desired or omit chickpeas and use a whole frozen banana but the banana flavor will be more pronounced. I rinse and drain chickpeas and than lay them out flat on a plate to freeze and place in a bag after frozen so they aren’t all stuck together.

Start by soaking your chia seeds or oats in coconut milk the night before or at least 30 minutes in advance. Blend soaked chia seeds/oat with milk with date and protein powder if using in a Vitamix until smooth. Add in frozen chickpeas and or bananas, 1 TBSP of the toasted coconut, and part of the almond butter if desired reserving some for topping, until blended well using your tamper tool. Pulse in all or some of the cacao nibs and or chocolate chips, reserving what you want for topping. Pour into a bowl and top with remaining toasted coconut, almond butter, and cacao nibs/chocolate chips. Enjoy!
What brings you joy? Everlasting Joy Smoothie Bowl @GoMacro #GoMacro #FitFluential Share on X
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