Perhaps you’ve been in some health food stores or cafes for breakfast lately and spotted an acai bowl? These often look like purple smoothies – topped with ingredients like seeds or granola – but they are definitely “meal-worthy” considering how much of a nutrient-punch they pack.
Acai bowls are growing in popularity as more and more people learn about the nutritious benefits of acai berries. If you are struggling to get hold of fresh or dried berries, acai powder is a good addition to your kitchen cupboard. This allows you to get all of the nutrients in acai berries easily at home by using the powder in some creative recipes.
Before you learn about an easy way to make your own acai bowl for breakfast (or even as a healthy snack too), here are some quick facts on acai berries:
What? Acai – say it with us “ah-sah-ee”
Where? Native to the Brazilian Amazon, acai smoothies are a popular and refreshing snack on the beaches of Brazil
When? fresh acai berries are very difficult to come by as they need to be freeze dried within 24 hours of picking to preserve their nutritional content but you can buy them here year-round in dried or in powdered form
Why we love Acai:
- Extremely high in vitamins A, C and E
- Great source of magnesium and calcium
- Rich in antioxidants
- One 100g serving of powdered acai contains just 60 calories, 3g fibre and almost no sugar
Acai berries are known to contain some of the highest antioxidant levels – even more than other superfoods like blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, spinach and broccoli. Additionally, these berries have anti-inflammatory properties. Impressive for such a small berry, right?
Here is a simple way to make your own delicious acai bowl:
Acai bowl ingredients:
(Makes 1 bowl)
- 50 grams dried acai berries (or 3 tbsp of acai powder)
- 150 ml of milk of your choice – our favourites for this recipe are coconut milk and almond milk
- 1 large banana (you can freeze it ahead of time so it blends better and makes your acai bowl creamy)
- 50 grams of fresh or frozen fruit – we recommend using strawberries or blueberries
- Top with 2 tbsp of granola, a good source of fibre
- Additional toppings of your choice: raw cacao powder or cocoa nibs, unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped nuts or a sprinkle of matcha green tea powder
Instructions:
- Add all of your ingredients (minus the toppings) to a high speed blender and blend away for about 1-2 minutes, or until creamy. Add more milk if you want it to be thinner.
- Add your favourite toppings and enjoy!
Want to make your acai bowl even more nutritious? Why not try adding some goji berries into the mix. Like acai, goji berries contain a wide range of nutrients and trace minerals and are especially rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron and selenium. Goji berries taste like a cross between cranberries and cherries. They are a great source of beta carotene and other phytonutrients that contribute to skin and eye health. Together with acai, these two berries make one superbly nutritious and energy-boosting breakfast bowl.
Source : VITL