Creamy Peach Almond Smoothie Bowl Recipe

When it comes to creative ways to use cottage cheese, adding it to a smoothie may not be an obvious choice. However, cottage cheese works very well as a yogurt substitute, especially when the recipe calls for Greek yogurt, which has a similar thickness. The textured curds are not a problem since the cheese will be blended until smooth with the other ingredients. Cottage cheese creates a smoothie that's thick, creamy, and high in protein and calcium. While it's a little tangier than yogurt, the flavor is mild and is balanced by the sweet ingredients present in fruit smoothies.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a dish that makes the most of not just the classic combination of peaches and cottage cheese but also the delicious pairing of peaches and almonds and turns them into a creamy peach almond smoothie bowl. We love the creamy smoothness and how the flavors of frozen peaches and bananas, almond milk, cottage cheese, and honey play together. The toppings of fresh peaches and bananas, sliced almonds, and a sprinkling of oats and cinnamon add additional flavor as well as texture and fun visual appeal. Even if you like this smoothie bowl exactly the way it is, the recipe lends itself easily to variations and ingredient substitutions, which we describe below, so there are plenty of ways to mix it up and keep enjoying versions of this peach smoothie bowl whenever you want one.

For this recipe you will need almond milk, frozen peaches, frozen bananas, cottage cheese, honey, vanilla extract, and a couple of ice cubes. These ingredients will form the creamy smoothie base. We recommend using full-fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture, but you can sub a low fat version if you prefer. You can adjust the texture with more banana if you like it thicker. The topping ingredients are fresh peaches, fresh bananas, sliced almonds, oats, and a sprinkling of cinnamon if desired.

Pour the almond milk into a blender.

Add the remaining smoothie ingredients and blend on high until smooth. Check the consistency and add more fruit or cottage cheese if you like it thicker or more milk or ice if you like it thinner. Add more honey if you like it sweeter.

Divide the mixture evenly into 4 bowls.

Right before topping, slice the peaches and bananas.

Top the smoothie bowls with fresh peach and banana slices, sliced almonds, and oats.

Sprinkle cinnamon on top if desired and serve immediately.

Yes, some of the ingredients in this recipe can be substituted or modified and the result will still be delicious. The first thing is the frozen peaches. The recipes calls for frozen peaches over fresh because they make the smoothie colder, which is appreciated in the warmer months. However, fresh peaches will also make a good smoothie. If you can, refrigerate them first to cool them. The same goes for subbing the frozen bananas with fresh ones.

Cottage cheese is a surprising yogurt substitute in many recipes, including smoothies like this one. That means that instead of using cottage cheese, you can use yogurt. We recommend Greek yogurt subbed in an equal quantity because it has a thickness closer to cottage cheese. You can also use regular yogurt, dairy milk, or plant milk, but keep in the mind that the smoothie will be thinner. Instead of honey, other liquid sweeteners like maple syrup, agave syrup, and even peach nectar will have a similar sweetening effect.

Instead of sprinkling the smoothie with oats and cinnamon, you could try other nuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or a dash of ground ginger. We don't recommend substituting the banana because it helps make the smoothie thick and creamy.

Peaches and almonds are delicious together, but they're not the only combination that works well. Other flavors can be mixed with peaches to make tasty versions of a peach smoothie bowl. An easy way to add another flavor is to add fresh or frozen strawberries or blueberries to the existing recipe. Another way is to replace some of the milk with orange juice for an added bright flavor. Coconut lovers can turn the smoothie bowl into a peach coconut version by using light coconut milk instead of almond milk and sprinkling unsweetened coconut flakes on top.

If you're not a fan of bananas, you can sub mangoes. They also thicken the smoothie but won't add a banana flavor. Another way to thicken it is to use cashews. Soaking the cashews first will help them blend evenly if you don't have a high speed blender.

Use fresh herbs like basil or mint for a surprisingly tasty result. Try adding mint leaves or throw in a few basil leaves and grated lemon zest for a burst of freshness. Finally, add chia seeds for a kick of fiber. Use a small quantity and consume the smoothie bowl right away. If it sits, the chia seeds will thicken the smoothie into a pudding consistency. Another high fiber ingredient option is flax seeds. While they do cause thickening, it's not as dramatic as with chia seeds.