This little Acai Smoothie Bowl is a powerhouse of goodness. Great for a pick-me-up or just as a healthy snack to keep you going for the afternoon. I make it up parfait style for breakfast or make the açaí mix and store in little pouches in the freezer for on-the-go goodness.
Acai Smoothie Bowl
Get prepared for your new favorite breakfast.
If you have ever been to Hawaii, you will know these little pink bowls of deliciousness can be found everywhere, and make for the absolute best breakfast, lunch or snack bowl at any time of day.
You will need:
- frozen açaí berry smoothie pack
- frozen banana
- frozen mixed berries
- chia seeds
- extra virgin coconut oil
- almond milk or non dairy milk of choice
- coconut nectar (can be substituted with honey or maple syrup)
- granola (I love using this super seedy coconut oil granola as it adds to the tropical feel of the bowl)
- pomegranate arils
- fresh berries of choice and sliced banana (for topping)
- hemp seeds (optional)
- honey to serve
It looks like a long list of ingredients, but the best thing about this Acai Smoothie Bowl is that it is super versatile.
Other than the açaí itself, everything else can be swapped and changed for what you have on hand.
A Note On Ingredients
As mentioned above, other than the açaí itself, most of the other ingredients for this berry bowl can be swapped and changed for what you have on hand.
Açaí
You want frozen açaí which can usually be found in the same freezer section where you find frozen fruit.
As it becomes more popular there are more and more brands available.
Be sure to check the ingredients.
It should include 100% açaí and no added sugar or other ingredients.
Frozen Banana
Adding a frozen banana thickens the mixture up and gives it an ice-cream consistency.
If you do not have a frozen banana, you can absolutely replace this with a ripe banana, however the consistency may be a bit thinner than you would like.
Counter this by adding a handful of ice.
Mixed Berries
I tend to use a mix that contains strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries for my smoothie bowls.
However, if you just have frozen strawberries or just have frozen raspberries then go on ahead and use that.
Just be mindful that the berries you use will change the color and flavor of the berry bowl overall.
Frozen mango works amazingly as well!
Granola
Homemade granola is so easy to make.
Why not try one of these recipes to top off your acai smoothie bowl:
If you are using some store-bought granola be sure to have a quick look at the ingredients for added nasties you might want to avoid.
Tips and Substitutions
Normally I make my acai smoothie bowls all about the fruit, but you can totally get away with packing in some green power.
You might want to try adding a dash of:
- spirulina
- wheatgrass
- powdered greens superfood blends
- powdered collagen
Just note that some of these powders can be quite strongly flavoured, so if you aren't used to including them in your smoothies they may give off a slightly bitter aftertaste.
If the mixture is too thick in the blender, simply add some liquid of choice to loosen things up a bit.
I tend to use almond milk, but you could also use:
- coconut water
- coconut milk
- any other milk of choice
- apple juice
Once your berry smoothie mix has reached the desired consistency, you should serve it up asap with whatever toppings you are using, as it will start melting pretty quickly.
Pro Tip: If you want to take your acai smoothie bowl to the edge then add a big dollop of peanut butter or Nutella (or a version of) on top before serving!!
After you try this, why not try out this Red Berry Protein Smoothie with the rest of your frozen berries!
Happy Eating
xx
Recipe
Açaí Superfood Parfait (aka breakfast ice cream)
Ingredients
For The Acai Smoothie
- 1 3.5 ounce frozen açaí berry smoothie pack found in the frozen section of most health stores
- ½ frozen banana use a ripe banana if you don' want it to be too ice cream like
- ½ cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ⅓ cup almond milk or non dairy milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon coconut nectar can be substituted with honey or maple syrup if thats what you have
Toppings
- ⅓ cup granola
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate arils
- ⅓ cup fresh berries of choice I used blackberries
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon pistachio dust fancy words for ground pistachios
- ½ sliced banana
- honey to serve
Instructions
- Pop all the ingredients for the acai smoothie into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. If the mixture is sticking and not blending properly, add a little more liquid to loosen it up and blend again until smooth.
- Divide the smoothie mixture between 2 serving bowls or glasses. Add the toppings and a drizzle of honey (optional)
- Serve and enjoy
- Alternative: freeze the açaí mix in pouches and use for on the go goodness.
Vicky says
I first heard of the Açai bowl on my vacation in Aruba. I had it for breakfast there every morning and as I walked on the boardwalk with my bowl, people would stop me and comment with things like: "That looks really good!" and "Where did you get that?" and "What is that?" Needless to say, I replicated the recipe at home and my kids have it for breakfast all the time. They absolutely love it and they commented this morning: "This is like ice cream!" Best breakfast ever....
Whole Food Bellies says
Definitely the best breakfast ever Vicky! I had my first bowl on vacation as well - albeit in Seattle...not quite as exotic as Aruba 🙂