Fruity Yogurt Smoothie Bowl

I drove down to my parents’ ranch northeast of Austin, TX for a small family reunion this week to celebrate Independence Day together. It was everything a July 4th celebration should be: plenty of BBQ, family lounging on the front porch, dogs twining between legs and panting in the shade. It was also wonderful to see the newest foal on the ranch again… Zing Tiki was hardly standing on wobbly legs the last time I saw her, and now floats with that famous Arabian movement when she dances with the dogs. Caught a picture of her grazing in front of my uncle’s Prius… just two eco-friendly modes of transportation hanging out together, nothing to see.

Whenever I travel back to my parents’ place to get a taste of the country life (literally and figuratively), the menu is always delightfully heavy on the meat. This time was no exception: juicy steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs from the grill during the day, sausages and eggs in the morning out of a caste-iron skillet. In fact, the Paleo folks in the family ate like kings, but the Standard American Diet folks may not have fared so well. “Toast for breakfast? Hmmm, here’s a hamburger bun from days ago that you can jam into the ancient toaster…”  Ha! I had a fantastic time slathering my burger patties in avocado and horseradish, snacking on vegetables from a neighbor’s garden and stirring together the delicious concoction in the photo above! I searched out a full-fat pastured yogurt made locally, and then loaded it with the most exotic fruits and toppings that I could find. The recipe below makes enough Fruity Yogurt Smoothie Bowl for two, so double or triple if you’re feeding a crowd (but you may need to enlist some help with slicing and sprinkling)!