If there’s one trend that I noticed on my LOVELY BABYMOON trip to beautiful Bali it was the abundance of smoothie bowls at every cafe and restaurant. I think i possibly had an smoothie bowl on most days during my two weeks there but the ultimate smoothie bowl was the acai bowl. Now, I see cafes in Ireland are starting to serve up acai bowls everywhere I look and hopefully soon in my hometown.(yay!)
Now what's all the hype about Acai?
An acai berry is a small round purplish-black fruit, (looks something like a blackcurrant) that grows in the rainforest of the Amazon and is loaded with health benefits. This powerful little healthyfood berry helps with digestion, heart health, acts as an immune booster, keeps your skin healthy…I could go on but I think you get the idea. It’s just really really good for you.
Besides being super trendy in the health & wellness world right now, it’s also said to have amazing skin benefits, anti-aging properties, and be a potent immune booster!
Low Calorie Acai Bowl Recipe
If you make acai bowl recipes with not much added into them, they are naturally low in calories! Acai berries have no sugar. This is quite unusual for fruit and contributes to the reason acai berries tend to be bitter. They taste like a cross between blackberries or raspberries and very, very dark chocolate. The bitterness and earthiness are things that most people don’t particularly love, hence the reasons these berries are typically not eaten raw and are mixed in with sweeter fruits. That is why we blend up the acai with some fruits and perhaps add some granola or other crunchiness on top.
How to thicken an acai bowl?
As with any recipe you want to thicken, you want to make sure you have as little liquid as possible. Also considering the bitterness of these berries, I like adding some extra fruit into the blend. I love mixing pineapple, mango and bananas along with the acai berries. This recipe for blueberry acai bowls is also loaded with (you guessed it) blueberries! The banana sweetens the bowl while adding potassium and fibre, while the blueberries offer up additional health benefits.
Blueberries are also considered a “superfood” when it comes to fruit since they are extremely low in calories and carbs, but pack a nutrient punch. They have shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and are the antioxidant king. Studies have shown blueberries to reduce damage to DNA meaning the risk of cancer and aging decreases dramatically. These fruits also can help maintain brain function and memory. So my question is: do you need any other reasons to eat blueberries?
!to use frozen fruit and a powerful blender. I used the nutri bullet for these acai bowls. If you don’t have a strong blender, then I’d recommend using a food processor instead to mix everything together.
Once your mixture is nice a smooth, spoon it into a bowl, top and enjoy immediately!
How to make a proper blueberry acai bowl:
The key to making a thick and creamy acai bowl is to use frozen fruit and a powerful blender. I use the nutri bullet for my acai bowls. If you don’t have a strong blender, then I’d recommend using a food processor instead to mix everything together.
Once your mixture is nice and smooth, spoon it into a bowl, i use my all natural coconut bowls for the full effect and then top with all your favourites and enjoy immediately!
Ingredients
2 tsp acai powder 1 cup strawberries (frozen)1 large banana (frozen)1 tbsp peanutbutter 1 tsp Chia seeds 1/2 cup almond or cocnut milk
topping options
fresh fruits coconut flakes granola nuts & seeds of choice
Instructions
Blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender or food processor.scoop into a bowl and add your toppings of choice.
Note
If you don’t like banana, try adding frozen mango cubes instead
Did you make this recipe?
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I look forward to sharing some more new healthyfood and healthyliving ideas with you!