I am a little bit of a skeptic, I’ll admit. Â When a new food comes onto the scene claiming to save your life, I have to raise an eyebrow. Â One food can’t do it all. Â If you’ve noticed, I try not to beat anyone over the head with nutrition facts but rather emphasize a diet of a wide variety of mostly plant-based whole foods. Â Eating seasonally, locally and organically helps too, but first things first.
Many years ago I started hearing the praises of acai (prononced ah-sigh-EE), a berry native to the Amazon (the rainforest, not the online shopping site). Â Acai’s claims to fame are its insane antioxidant levels (more than blueberries!), healthful fats and a good smattering of iron, calcium and beta-carotene. Â It also happens to be very low in carbs and sugar. Â What I love is acai’s deep berry, almost chocolatey flavor. Â Delicious, I promise you.
“Acai bowls” are popular in Brazil, but have found a loyal following in the US in areas with year-round warm weather, such as Hawaii and Baja California. Â They’re kind of like a super thick smoothie/soft serve sorbet that you eat with a spoon. Â Beacause acai bowls are so soft and creamy, they beg for toppings with a little texture. Â The most traditional way they are eaten is with a scoop of granola, sliced fresh bananas and a drizzle of honey. Â I was at a hotel in San Diego a few years ago when I saw an acai bowl on the menu and I very enthusiastically ordered it.
Let’s cut to the chase here — my family and I have been addicted to these since that day. Â Not only that, but I have taught all three of my kids how to make them so when their friends come over they can throw together a nutritious and tasty snack in minutes, and one which their friends probably haven’t had anywhere else. Â Cool! Â One day, the mom of one of Mr. Picky’s friends came over holding a packet of frozen acai with a look of desperation and said, “Just tell me what to do with this.” Â Many of my kids’ friends are hooked, too! Â I let everyone choose their own toppings, which can include granola, flaked coconut, walnuts, cacao nibs, sliced almonds and cut up fresh fruit like bananas, strawberries or blueberries. Â Mr. Picky always adds a small handful of mini chocolate chips and I’m okay with that since there’s no other added sugar here.
Now that the weather is becoming warmer, I wanted to share this recipe so you could enjoy it for the whole summer (I love that word!). Â Since my version isn’t super sweet, I think with the right toppings an acai bowl makes a great breakfast, post-workout snack or even dessert. Â You can see from the recipe that there isn’t anything too suspect or worrisome, just a bit of fruit sugar. Â Wouldn’t you prefer these ingredients which are paired with vitamins, minerals, fiber, good fats and antioxidants over artificially-colored and flavored popsicles? Â Thought so. Â But just so we’re clear, I’m not trying to convince you that acai bowls are a magic cure for anything other than a craving for something cool, creamy and very delicious!
Acai Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 packets frozen acai puree break it into pieces first to make it easier on your blender
- 1 frozen or fresh* ripe banana cut into pieces or a heaping cup of frozen mango chunks
- 1 large handful frozen or fresh* blueberries strawberries, mango or peaches
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice or apple juice or almond milk*
- Topping suggestions: granola sliced bananas, fresh berries, coconut, chopped nuts, cacao nibs
Instructions
- Add acai, fruit and juice to a blender and puree until smooth, but thick. A Vitamix does this very easily, but if you have a standard blender you'll just have to scrape down the sides every so often. Divide between two individual bowls and add toppings of choice. Serve immediately.