Ahhh … those surreal Summer days … hypnotic hum of pollen-powdered bees, drunk on heady lavender-scent … sunny-faced sunflowers held in glorious gaze charmed by solar rays … balmy breeze rustling Cottonwood leaves, … golden glow on empurpling hazy-hue hills, bloom-perfumed air thick with unadulterated bliss … what awesome benevolence bestowed from Above  …

“Sunflower & Lavender Field, Bumble Bee Dreams” smoothie bowl:

For the smoothie base:

• 2 chopped frozen bananas
• ¾ cup of frozen pears
• 1 Tbsp MCT coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 – 1 tsp **lavender powder
• a little milk of choice for desired consistency. 

For a *lavender tinge, add a little blue spirulina + beet powder, measured with your heart. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth (using a tamper if necessary). Spoon the frozen mixture into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings. Suggestion: sliced fresh pears; blueberries, toasted almonds + crunchy coconut flakes, and white chocolate (when feeling decadent).

My toppings: 

handmade *”bumble bee” made from cookie dough (almond flour, maple sugar, coconut flour, vanilla, coconut oil, with pear-leather “wings” and vanilla-pod “feelers”; *“sunflower”: homemade pear-leather “petals”, with marzipan “flower centre; lavender “hills”, marbled creamy vanilla & heavenly lavender coconut ice-cream; lemon & sea salt white chocolate “honeycomb” filled with maple syrup; golden “sun” bliss ball (raw almonds, toasted pine nuts, medjool dates & vanilla powder), dipped in white chocolate + pure gold leaf; “honeycomb cells” apple & elderflower extract jellies; fresh blueberries; edible flowers of lacy carrot, black pansies, honey-like borage (a favorite bee attractant), pink wood sorrel, calming catnip, aromatic chamomile, sweet dianthus, fresh and dried floral lavender.

*All colors in this bowl are from natural pigment powders. I used marigold flowers, cacao, charcoal, bright turmeric, beet & blue spirulina powder.

**Flower tip: For lavender powder, simply place dried culinary lavender buds in a coffee grinder and grind until as fine as possible. Store in an airtight container. 

By Vanessa Krneta