Fig and Banana Smoothie Bowl (OR How I Eat Dessert for Breakfast)

I know you want this in your belly, right?  I KNOW.  But for real, besides being the most decadent smoothie bowl you will ever eat, it's also packed full of nutrients, protein, healthy fats, and fiber to start your day in the best way possible!  Imma tell you all about it, so keep readin'.

Figgy-licious health benefits comin' at you.  Who else LOVES fig season?  I mean they are just so dang pretty and soooo delish.  But besides being mouth-watering they're also:

• FIBER-RICH.  As in, they help you stay feeling full for longer.  A diet rich in fiber also keep things (ahem) "moving" through the digestive system, and helps with regular elimination.
• High in PREBIOTICS, which support the pre-existing good bacteria in the gut.  High fives for gut health, people.  Who doesn't want a healthy gut???
• A good source of CALCIUM.  Heeeeey vegans, I'm lookin' at you. 
• High in POTASSIUM, which helps to control blood pressure.  Also (Bonus!) their high potassium content can counteract urinary excretion of calcium caused by high salt diets (and a lot of folks eat too much salt).  So your calcium stays in your bones where it belongs.

Lots of other health benefits in this smoothie, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet for ya so you can get on with having your dessert.  (I mean breakfast.)

• Almond milk and almond butter keep your skin glowing with loads of Vitamin E.
• Bananas are high in resistant starch and pectin, which keep blood sugar stable after eating.  They're also full of essential nutrients and support healthy digestion.
• Dates and cacao are both high in Magnesium, which is anti-inflammatory, stress busting, and beneficial to blood pressure control.
• Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity.  It's also packed with antioxidants to keep your bod's immune system strong.

There you have it, Lovelies!  You CAN have dessert for breakfast.

Recipe (makes 2 servings):
Banana Fig Smoothie Bowl

For the Smoothie:

• 2 cups UNSWEETENED vanilla almond milk (Trust me on this one, you do not want to use a sweetened milk for this.  This smoothie is very sweet on it's own.) 
• 1 and 1/2 bananas, frozen (they don't really HAVE to be frozen, but your bowl will stay cold much longer if they are, and who likes a warm smoothie bowl??)
• 4 fresh figs (de-stemmed)
• 2 dates
• 2 Tbsp raw almond butter (I like raw for it's digestability and flavor, but roasted almond butter will work here as well)
• 2 servings protein powder of choice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the toppings:

• Sliced fresh figs
• Sliced banana
• Raw cacao nibs
• Shredded coconut

Throw the smoothie ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  The pour into your fave pretty bowl, add toppings, and devour.  Obvi.

X's and O's,
Nikole