St. Patrick’s Day is coming up! Are you doing anything fun? I’m hosting a get together on Tuesday, so I’ve been planning a green themed menu to serve on the big day.

Smoothie bowls have been quite the sensation for a long time now, but I think this might be only the second smoothie bowl I’ve made. The truth is, I just love the efficiency of throwing things into a blender and guzzling it down in a glass – a few minutes seems to be all the time I have in the morning. I don’t want to fuss with smoothie bowls. But I figured it would be nice for a special themed breakfast! Plus, sometimes I need to remind myself not to inhale my food and sitting down to a bowl helps me slooooow down a bit. So instead of taking me 20 seconds to inhale it now takes me 60 (breastfeeding hunger is no joke). Anyway, this bowl is a nutritious way to kick off the day, especially if you plan on indulging later on!

The flavour is inspired by the popular Key Lime Pie, but with a green tea twist. Get it – TEA lime pie instead of KEY? I truly outdid myself with this title, I know. Imagine what I could do on a full night’s sleep?!

Ok joking aside, Matcha Green Tea Powder happens to pair lovely with banana and avocado, but it’s an optional booster ingredient so not to worry if you don’t have any on hand. The smoothie is still amazing without it. However, if you do stock Matcha it adds a wonderful energizing element to smoothies and a nice antioxidant boost. Since it’s fairly bitter, a little bit goes a long way; I only used 1/4 teaspoon in this smoothie. If you don’t think you will consume a whole tin, you might want to try out the single serving packs that are available in many grocery stores now. I store my opened tin in the fridge for maximum freshness.

The hydrating base is made up with coconut water which might be a great way to start the day if you plan on indulging in drinks later on. A frozen banana and avocado make it ultra creamy and lightly sweet, while lime juice and lots of zest give it a tangy, aromatic kick. It’s basically all of my favourite flavours wrapped into one kick butt smoothie bowl! We all know that smoothie bowls are so fun because of all the toppings you get to add, so I topped my bowl with melted coconut butter (which solidifies upon hitting the cold smoothie), granola, hemp hearts, and large flake coconut. I purposely made the smoothie on the thicker side so the toppings would sit nicely on the top and not sink through – that’s key!

3-Layer Nut-Free Dream Cups

These dream cups are free of nuts, but you'd never know it! The bottom layer is made up with pure coconut butter. It adds a firm, snappy texture contrast to the naturally sweetened sunflower seed butter and homemade chocolate layers. Try these cups as a nut-free alternative to my popular Raw Almond Butter Cups.

Yield
8 mini cups

Freeze time
25 minutes

Prep Time
15 Minutes

Cook time
0 Minutes

Total Time
15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the base layer:

• 3 tablespoons melted coconut butter (from a packed 1/4 cup solid coconut butter)

For the middle layer:

• 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter
• 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
• pinch fine sea salt

For the top layer:

• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• pinch fine sea salt
• 2 1/2-3 tablespoons unsweetened large flake coconut

Directions:

1. If necessary, melt the coconut butter over the lowest heat in a saucepan until liquid.
2. Spoon a scant teaspoon of melted coconut butter into a mini silicone cupcake mold and spread out evenly. You can probably use mini paper liners if you don't have silicone. Repeat for the rest (I made 8 mini cups). Place in the freezer.
3. Prepare the middle layer: In a small bowl, stir together the sunflower butter, maple syrup, oil, vanilla (if using), and salt until smooth. Add a scant tablespoon of filling on top of each coconut butter layer. Smooth out and place in the freezer.
4. Prepare the top layer: Add the coconut oil into a small saucepan and melt over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt until smooth.
5. Add a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each cup. Top with a teaspoon of large flake coconut and gently press down.
6. Freeze for about 25 minutes until solid. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before enjoying. Store leftovers in the fridge, or for longer storage, the freezer.

Tip: To make homemade coconut butter, process 3-4 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut in a heavy-duty food processor for 7-10 minutes, until smooth and liquid. Make sure the coconut you are using isn't stale or it won't turn into butter. Leftovers will keep in the fridge in an air tight container for at least a month, but often much longer. You can also use store-bought coconut butter.