In a breakfast slump? You can breathe açaí of relief. I’ve got an anti-oxidant packed antidote to the breakie blues. Introducing, the Açaí Sundae Bowl. This smoothie bowl is on heavy rotation in my kitchen and for good reason. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it’s also nutrient-rich and super satisfying.
Here’s the scoop. Açaí berries grow on a palm tree indigenous to the Amazonian rainforest. These little puppies pack more than 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Add that to a hefty dose of fibre, heart-healthy and skin-loving fatty acids like omega-9, vitamins and minerals and you’ve got superfood status. Hot tip for sourcing açaí: use freeze-dried açaí powder rather than frozen pre-mixes. This way, you steer clear of added sugars, fillers or funky additives.
I blend my açaí with frozen bananas and berries, spinach, coconut milk and chocolate protein powder to create the breakfast bowl that dreams are made of. Polyphenol-rich berries (anti-inflammatory), potassium-packed bananas, alkalizing greens and a hit of raw vegan protein make for a very well rounded breakfast bowl. Wink, wink.
Use this beautiful blend as a blank canvas and then get creative with your toppings, sundae style! My favourite toppings at the moment are sliced kiwi, sliced bananas, cacao nibs, shredded coconut and a generous drizzle of Mayver’s coconut-peanut butter. So. Damn. Good.
AÇAÍ BOWL RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup frozen bananas (peeled, sliced and frozen)
- 2 cups mixed frozen berries (I use blueberries, raspberries and strawberries)
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
- 1 cup loosely packed spinach 1 scoop raw vegan chocolate protein powder (such as Sunwarrior)
- 3 tablespoons açaí powder
- TOPPINGS: (pick and choose to create your sundae!) sliced kiwi sliced banana fresh berries chia seeds cacao nibs shredded coconut raw granola buckinis hemp seeds sliced almonds a drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter….and anything else that you can dream up!
METHOD
Place frozen bananas, frozen berries, coconut milk, spinach, protein powder and açaí powder in a blender.
Turn the blender on low speed and use a tamper to push ingredients down towards the blade. You want a nice thick consistency so be patient and resist the urge to add more milk. Gradually increase blender speed and mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Note: the less milk you use, the thicker the smoothie will be, so experiment to get your ideal consistency. If you have a powerful blender like a Vitamix and really get busy with the tamper you can use as little as 1/2 cup of milk!
Scrape the mixture out of your blender and into your bowl (or bowls, if you’re sharing!) Adorn your sundae with whatever toppings strike your fancy and enjoy straight away.
Once you’ve given it a shot, I’d love to hear about what combos you’ve come up – tag me in on your creations on Instagram!
