Believe it or not, despite the increasing popularity of Açaí bowls in recent years, we still get the odd customer who has never tried one! If this is you, let me describe it like this: An Açaí bowl is a bit like eating a thick smoothie with no ingredients yet mixed together. You could consider it a bit like consuming your “smoothie prep” – because if you did take the final step and pop it all in the blender together, you’d have a very healthy drink!
Açaí is a berry that comes from South America. It has an appearance a bit like a grape or an olive. Açaí berries have very large pips (seeds), so the fruit itself is not easy to harvest, and that’s why Acai is expensive…. Plus, getting to our tables in Australia is a long way!
But what price can you put on health?
Power up your day with an Açaí bowl for breakfast
Açaí has been called a ‘superfood’ because it’s high in dietary fibre and antioxidants which are great for the body in many ways. As time passes, more research studies are emerging that detail the exact health properties of these berries.
Açaí’s unusual taste is described as ‘earthy’ with hints of blackberry or chocolate. Of course, everyone experiences flavours differently – but take it from us – Açaí’s unique flavour makes it so easy to pair up with many other ingredients. In South America, Açaí is often used in savoury dishes and is served hot, but the preference of the rest of the world has been to eat it as a breakfast food, mixed with berries and fruit, and nuts to power up your day, as a smoothie, or a healthy snack.
Making an Açaí bowl at home
So – when making an Acai bowl, you can use your imagination and mix and match ingredients until you get it exactly the way you like it! But if you’re looking for inspiration, here’s one of our most popular base recipes to try at home. One of the best things about making an Açaí bowl is that it’s ready in minutes, and there’s little need for utensils; therefore, cleanup and washing up are minimal.
Step 1: Choose your Açaí base
You can choose either unsweetened Açaí puree or Açaí powder.
You can also buy Açaí already mixed with various flavours – although these might be convenient, if you’re watching your diet and trying to stay healthy, you must look at the other ingredients, especially the sugar content.
How you make your bowl will depend on which type you’re using. A lot of people prefer frozen puree because of its texture. Still, if you’re using the powder, you can mix it with a fruit puree, or you can mix it with some Chia seeds or something equally delicious and sprinkle it over the top – the choice is yours, and there are no hard and fast rules.
That said, Açaí bowls are a bit of an Instagram phenomenon, mainly because they can combine a range of colours and they are lovely to look at. But we’re not just going for an ‘insta-worthy- snap. We’re going for flavour and texture and healthy ingredients too.
Step 2: Measurements and ingredients
- 1 cup frozen berries – blueberries, strawberries, blackberries…
- 1 cup frozen fruit
- 1 frozen banana sliced
- 1 tablespoon of coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons of your favourite muesli or granola
- 1 teaspoon of chia seeds
- 1 cup of milk/fruit juice
You can use yoghurt if preferred – but plain yoghurt is best. And, of course, some delicious non-dairy yoghurts work well.
Step 3: Puree and make it pretty
Mix half the ingredients, place the puree into your bowl, and decorate it with fresh fruit and raw nuts. Eat and enjoy!
This is a basic recipe with the most common ingredients people throw together. But it is a personal choice – Açaí offers an excellent base flavour for most fruits, so feel free to opt for fresh seasonal fruits instead of frozen types (although they are great to have on hand when you’re too busy to get to the market).
If you’re a sweet tooth, add a few drops of maple syrup – it’s not as sweet as honey and is a good flavour that complements the Açaí rather than masking it. Sultanas and other sweet dried fruits like chopped mango or pineapple are also lovely healthy alternatives.
The most important part of making an Açaí bowl is having fun! There are no hard and fast rules. And, of course, when you’re not in the mood to make your own, you can come and get one from us – we’re happy to make it your way or try one from our menu. We’re open seven days a week.
