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Smoothies

16 Great Garnishes for Smoothies

March 1, 2015 · By Monica Shaw

Smoothie Bowl

One of the reasons I like smoothies is for their garnish potential! Garnish also helps turn a smoothie from a snack into a complete meal. And I always keep extra smoothie garnishes handy so that I can garnish as I go. Come on, you know your kitchen table has totally been missing a garnish station.

Breakfast of #Imbolc champions. Chia pudding smoothie bowls. All of the garnishes. And tea. #froothie #jumpstart15

My favorite smoothie garnishes are as follows – what would you add to the list?

  1. Pumpkin Seeds – Let’s face it, pumpkin seeds are a great garnish for everything.
  2. Coconut Flakes – What’s not to love? They are crispy tasty fantastic. For some reason most grocery stores don’t seem to stock this (don’t try to substitute with desiccated coconut) but Amazon has quite a few options and it’s not very expensive.
  3. Sea Salt – Salt actually brings out the flavour and sweetness of the ingredients used in the smoothie. You could even get fancy and rim your smoothie glass with salt!
  4. Jumbo Oats – Classic, also good blended INTO the smoothie itself.
  5. Swiss Muesli – A little fancier than straight up oats and usually brings with it other tasty garnishes like seeds and dried fruit. Don’t spend lots of money buying this stuff; make your own custom Homemade Muesli Blend.
  6. Goji Berries – The most overhyped dried fruit in the universe, but they’re pretty and look so nice on green smoothies! Hefty tip: soak the goji berries ahead of time; they can be discouragingly chewy. Goji berries are sold all over the place now, alas, for a hefty price tag; if it’s only the color your after, dried cranberries make a nice substitute.
  7. Bee Pollen – Little crunchy morsels of honey sweetness. I’ve been a little obsessed with this stuff since I discovered it in France last year. I try to stock up whenever I go back, but for those of you who aren’t France-bounce, you CAN buy bee pollen elsewhere (after all it’s not like bees are a strictly French thing!) – there are lots of options on Amazon.
  8. Acai Powder – Allegedly increases energy and “vitality”; I just like it for its bitter berry tastiness. I use Naturya Organic  Acai Powder.
  9. Maca Powder – Malty sweet goodness originating from a tuberous root grown in the highlands of Peru. I’ve been using Naturya Organic Maca however I’ve recently cut back my usage when the company (very responsibly) informed me of unethical business practices and biopiracy which have made maca a bit taboo and difficult (i.e. expensive) to source. Use your best judgement here!
  10. Spirulina – Most people blend this happy protein into their smoothie but I have actually developed quite a taste for the stuff and prefer it as a garnish so that I really know it’s there! I use this stuff a LOT and have been getting my Organic Spirulina in bulk from myprotein.com.
  11. Cacao Nibs – I like these in banana-based smoothies, or in a mint chocolate chip blend. I use Naturya Organic Cocoa Nibs.
  12. Grated beetroot – I use a  Kuhn Rikon Grater & Julienne Mandoline to make cool little beetroot matchsticks (see the picture below, made with golden beetroot).
  13. Puffed Grains – Rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa… I’ve been enjoying Biona Organic Amaranth Pops lately.
  14. Freeze-Dried Raspberries – I discovered these little morsels of crispy tart goodness at Waitrose; they’re kind of expensive, but they look so pretty! You can also buy them on Amazon.
  15. Granola – Try Mardi’s Maple Walnut Granola or go crazy with savory granola.
  16. Fresh fruit – Especially raspberries and blueberries.

Today's #smoothiebowl.

 

About Monica Shaw

Veg lover, dog owner, hill walker, wild camper, avocado addict, nerd. I write about how to be awesome through a "smarter fitter" approach to eating, drinking, living and working.
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  1. Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.) says

    March 1, 2015 at 12:13 pm

    Monica I LOVE this so much 🙂 SO many great ideas!

    Reply
  2. Nadia says

    March 1, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    I love making thick smoothies and always have to garnish them. Like you said, they look incomplete without! My favourite toppings are pumpkin seeds, milled flaxseed, goji berries and cacao nibs 😀 x

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 2, 2015 at 10:28 am

      Milled flaxseed! I must add that to the list!

      Reply
  3. Sally - My Custard Pie says

    March 1, 2015 at 6:23 pm

    I love your realistic take on the ‘superfood’ items like goji berries etc. People’s slavish devotion to the latest fad annoys me so much – I’m sure you get more vitamin C from a fresh orange than some dried camu camu! The pics are so gorgeous – really inspired to set up my own garnish station now 🙂

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 2, 2015 at 10:27 am

      If you do setup a garnish station, do take a picture so I can see it!

      Reply
  4. Jen says

    March 1, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    One thing I miss at breakfast time when I have a smoothie is the sensation of eating something rather than just having a drink. I like your idea of presenting the smoothie in a bowl with a garnish on top, it looks more like a proper breakfast then.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 2, 2015 at 10:27 am

      Eating it with a spoon also helps with that “proper breakfast” feeling!

      Reply
  5. Jan @GlugofOil says

    March 2, 2015 at 8:29 am

    Fantastic ideas – thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Kavey says

    March 2, 2015 at 9:09 am

    Since we eat with our eyes, I think your garnishes make these smoothies so much more tempting and also give additional texture, something to chew or crunch.

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 2, 2015 at 10:27 am

      “Eat with our eyes” – too too true, Kavey. And true to the texture, too. It’s nice having something to “chew”. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

    March 2, 2015 at 10:22 am

    I don’t think I’ve ever garnished a smoothie in my life but it’s such a great idea!! Like a sweet soup 🙂

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 2, 2015 at 10:26 am

      Or like a green porridge given that I’ve been blending oats into my smoothies. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Laura@howtocookgoodfood says

    March 2, 2015 at 2:48 pm

    How have I not been garnishing my smoothies?! I love adding bee pollen to my porridge but now I’ll add to my smoothies and also might add a few frozen raspberries and also like a few flaked almonds. This is a great idea for a post 🙂

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 4, 2015 at 10:10 am

      Good call on the flaked almonds! I haven’t tried that yet but I’m totally on it.

      Reply
  9. Emily Leary says

    March 4, 2015 at 10:01 am

    Ah, this is great. And just in the nick of time as I was getting a teensy bit bored of plain smoothies. I am off to set up a garnish station 😀

    Reply
    • Monica says

      March 4, 2015 at 10:10 am

      I predict that garnish stations will be a new facet of Ikea kitchens in the coming years!

      Reply
  10. kellie@foodtoglow says

    March 5, 2015 at 9:41 am

    I am typically less adventurous with my smoothie toppings, settling for a sprinkling of chia seeds and berries most often, or bee pollen if I’m feeling fancy. These are some great ideas to beautifully elevate even the most humble smoothie. Pinned etc

    Reply
  11. Kleanthis @ Yumbles says

    July 13, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    I love your garnish ideas Monica. The smoothie bowls you have in the photos look so tempting. I am eager to try some of your suggestions as I have been much less adventurous with my breakfast up to now.

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    May 6, 2023 at 8:04 am

    […] of the keys to creating a nutritious yet delicious smoothie is choosing the right toppings and garnishes. Not only do they add visual appeal to your drink, but they can also enhance its flavor and […]

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    January 22, 2025 at 12:00 am

    […] Elevate your smoothie’s presentation with a sprig of fresh mint or a slice of pineapple on the glass rim. This not only adds to the visual appeal but can also enhance the flavor profile of your drink. For more creative garnishing ideas, check out Smarter Fitter. […]

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