AIP Tiger Nut Smoothie Bowl
Give yourself a blast of high-antioxidant and gut-supporting nourishment with this berry-filled breakfast.
In this AIP Tiger Nut Smoothie Bowl, fresh berries, bananas, and baby greens get a prebiotic boost from Tiger Nut flour. This tuber (nope, it's not a nut) can be ground to make a gluten and grain-free flour. In this perfectly spoonable smoothie bowl, it also provides a touch of natural sweetness and acts as a natural thickener.
One of the main health benefits of tiger nut is that it's high in gut-supporting resistant starch. Resistant starch, which is a form of fiber, supports healthy gut flora, immunity, and blood sugar balance.
This recipe happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, AIP, and vegan-friendly. Feel free to add toppings or ingredients to fit your tastes and current dietary needs.
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Whole tiger nuts, tiger nut flour, and tiger nut milk.
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Chef's Notes:
This recipe comes to us by way of AIP expert and cookbook author, Kate Jay of Healing Family Eats. Here's what she has to say about this scrumptious recipe:
While I mainly eat a breakfast of sautéed veggies with a piece protein, every so often I'll make a smoothie bowl. I still like to balance my macronutrients though, in order to keep my blood sugar levels in check and enable me to go that bit longer so I don't resort to grazing.
Why Chewing Your Smoothie Can be Helpful
The great thing about adding toppings to your smoothie bowl is that it forces you to chew the smoothie. It sounds a bit odd to talk about chewing a smoothie but it's that mechanical action that releases the gastric juices needed to start the digestive process. If you just swallow it down, you're going to miss out.
Thyroid-healthy Recipe Highlights:
- Tiger Nut (a tuber, despite the name), is a great pantry ingredient. It's my favourite gluten free flour that makes delicious cakes, as well as being a resistant starch. Resistant starches are useful to the microbiome, since they bypass the small intestine and feed beneficial flora in the colon.
- Banana: The banana is there to add flavour, as well as a perfect smoothie texture. If you don't do well with banana, add extra avocado instead - which is here to add creaminess and serve as a very healthy fat.
- Coconut milk is another healthy fat in your bowl, which is going to keep you going for longer. It will also help to regulate your blood sugar levels.
- Berries, whatever you have on hand, are a low sugar, high antioxidant fruit option.
- Lime juice gives the smoothie a nice little pep, not to mention it will stop any discolouration if you need this to-go.
- Salad greens are a fine excuse to get some greens into the your early morning, and choosing baby leaves means they'll have all the nutrients but with a milder taste.
- Collagen is the ultimate gut-healing, joint-soothing protein (though it's not a complete protein) and finally, adding a pinch of sea salt (or Himalayan pink) is always a good idea to bring out the sweetness of the fruits, as well as adding in some essential minerals.
More AIP Breakfast Ideas:
- AIP Zucchini Basil Breakfast Soup
- AIP Lamb Hash with Carrot & Celery Root
- Hearty AIP Breakfast Bowl
- AIP Lamb Sausage (and 4 Ways to Use It)
- Banana Orange Creamsicle Collagen Smoothie
