You’re Just 4 Steps Away From Creating the Perfect Acai Bowl
I’m not a huge fan of food that can be posted too easily on Instagram – I prefer aggressive beige food – but even I have to admit that these colorful acai smoothie bowls that seem to be so popular with clean food lovers have something extremely tempting.
While acai berries are highly publicized for their “superfood” properties , I would rather focus on how delicious they can be when mixed with the rest of the plant for a refreshing breakfast that is surprisingly easy to make together.
Step 1. Get some acai
A sour fruit with a vague cocoa flavor can be found in juice, powder and puree forms, but I’ve found puree to be the easiest to work with. Trader Joe’s sells a box of this product , but Sambazon makes super-convenient frozen mashed potatoes that are perfect for smoothie plates (and you can actually stock them up at Costco, which is always useful for meal planning).
Step 2. Add other frozen fruits (and vegetables)
Sambazon recommends adding 1/4 cup water, juice, or peanut milk to the bag for the perfect spoonable smoothie, but I find it a little runny. To add volume and flavor to a purple purée, consider one (or more) of the following:
- Frozen fruits: I would prefer sweeter fruits as acai is a kind of cake in and of itself. My favorites are frozen bananas, pineapple, peaches and blueberries.
- Greens and other healthy foods: If you prefer to drink rather than eat kale, acai is quite effective at masking the taste of strong greens. It’s also a good place to steal chia, protein powder, or any other healthful supplement you need.
- Nut butter: Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew nut butter, or any other nut butter you wish can add some sweetness, protein, and fat.
Simply transfer everything to a blender (you can use a stick blender as well), whisk and pour into your favorite bowl.
Step 3: take the lead
This is where you get the most. While the world’s cleanest eaters would most likely grab at their pearls in horror, I see this stage of building the bowl as a chance to indulge ourselves, because I believe we all deserve treats simply for being alive and knowledgeable. To get the best cup, choose at least one item from each category.
- Fresh fruit: Take whatever is in season. I’m actually digging that sweet Hood strawberry right now, but any berry is a pretty good bet. Bananas are always essential, and I also like sliced peaches and fresh pineapple.
- Granola: You can buy hippy dippy in bulk at your local health food store or Trader Joe’s. Actually, it is not even necessary to use muesli, as any cereal will do. Fuck it, buy Lucky Charms there if you want. (If a couple tablespoons of sugary cereal can get you to eat a bowl of antioxidant-rich fruit, then these cereals do the job well.)
- Dried Fruits and Nuts: Raw cashews are my absolute jam, but almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pepitas, and sunflower seeds all have their place in an acai bowl. Bring some dried coconut there for a little fun in the summer, and add some dried fruit if you like to chew a little.
- Something Sweet: Why not start your day with a splash? Or dark chocolate chips? Or candied pecans? You did a great job getting up this morning and you should be rewarded. Don’t you feel sugar? Sprinkle with some cinnamon, which is still special.
Step 4: pour it over
And now for the final touch: a small circle of additional scent that really completes the whole thing.
- Peanut Butter: When combined with a berry bow, this is especially reminiscent of the classics from childhood.
- Honey or agave: Both are fine.
- Chocolate Syrup: Don’t drown it at Hershey’s, but a little chocolate will probably lift your spirits. (Obviously, if you’ve already sprinkled your bowl with sprinkles and Lucky Charms and haven’t added fresh fruit, you can just eat a bowl of ice cream, but try to add at least one ridiculous sweetness in there.)
- Fruit Preserves: Good jam (or jelly or marmalade) is a wonderful thing, especially when mixed with a bowl of frozen fruit smoothie.
Are you really looking to simplify your bowl making process? Pre-arrange your frozen fruit and toppings for a week in sandwich bags and place them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Even if you top yours with rainbow sprinkles and chocolate syrup, you will still experience the smug superiority that comes with making your own breakfast.