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Acai Bowls

Acai Bowls are the best smoothie bowls ready in minutes! Acai bowls are the perfect healthier back-to-school or back-to-work, breakfast, lunch or snack to fuel your day! Acai bowls are made with superfruit acai berry puree, frozen bananas, blueberries and strawberries then topped with fresh fruit, granola, and seeds. I’ve included 5 different acai bowl recipes and everything you need to know about homemade acai bowls including how to prep and how to make ahead. You and your family are going to LOVE these!!!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 -2 people
Author [email protected]

Ingredients

ACAI

  • 1 (100 gram) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

FRUIT TOPPING (Pick your favs):

  • bananas, strawberries, mangos, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi, etc.

OTHER TOPPINGS (Pick your favs):

  • vanilla granola, sweetened coconut flakes, chia seeds, flax seeds, peanut butter, cocoa nibs or mini chocolate chips, peanut butter, honey, etc.

Instructions

  • Add the frozen acai packet, milk, honey, and frozen fruit to your blender. Blend on the smoothie setting or high power until smooth.
  • Serve immediately in a bowl topped with fresh fruit and your favorite toppings.

Notes

MANGO ACAI BOWL

FOR THE ACAI:
  • 1 packet (100 grams) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
The below toppings are merely suggestions - load on any/all of your favs! 
FRUIT TOPPINGS:
  • mangos, bananas, strawberries, blueberries
OTHER TOPPINGS:
  • vanilla granola, cocoa nibs or mini chocolate chips, chia seeds

BANANA BERRY ACAI BOWL

FOR THE ACAI:
  • 1 packet (100 grams) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
The below toppings are merely suggestions - load on any/all of your favs! 
FRUIT TOPPINGS:
  • bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries
OTHER TOPPINGS:
  • vanilla granola, cocoa nibs or mini chocolate chips, chia seeds
 

TROPICAL ACAI BOWL

FOR THE ACAI:
  • 1 packet (100 grams) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
The below toppings are merely suggestions - load on any/all of your favs! 
FRUIT TOPPINGS:
  • pineapple, mangos, kiwi, strawberries, bananas
OTHER TOPPINGS:
  • vanilla granola, sweetened coconut flakes, chia seeds
 

PEANUT BUTTER APPLE ACAI BOWL

FOR THE ACAI:
  • 1 packet (100 grams) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
(If you don't have apple juice you can swap it for 1 tablespoon milk + 1 tablespoon honey)
The below toppings are merely suggestions - load on any/all of your favs! 
FRUIT TOPPINGS:
  • Granny Smith apples, bananas, strawberries, etc.
OTHER TOPPINGS:
  • cocoa nibs or mini dark chocolate chips, vanilla almond granola, chia seeds
 

PROTEIN ACAI BOWL

FOR THE ACAI:
  • 1 packet (100 grams) frozen acai berry packet
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 3 tablespoon vanilla whey protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 frozen banana (frozen in chunks)
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
The below toppings are merely suggestions - load on any/all of your favs! 
FRUIT TOPPINGS:
  • strawberries blueberries, bananas
OTHER TOPPINGS:
  • peanut butter, granola, chia seeds, vanilla almond granola, chia seeds

WHERE TO BUY ACAI 

Homemade acai bowls have become so popular that it is easy to find acai berry puree packets in the freezer section of most grocery stores, and definitely at health grocery stores.  They will be located either with the frozen fruit or the frozen juice.
Sambazon is the most popular brand of acai and I have had success finding it at Costco ($15 for 12/pack), Target, Whole Foods and Trader Joes.  If you don’t have luck with those retailers you can order Sambazon acai on Amazon – the frozen acai will arrive on dried ice - how cool is that?!

 TIPS AND TRICKS for acai bowl recipe

  • Use ripe bananas.  Overripe bananas that are nice and spotty are much more flavorful and sweeter. 
  • Use sliced bananas.  The less you have to blend to chop up the fruit, the thicker, creamier your acai bowls will be.  If you chop your bananas before you freeze them, the easier they will blend.
  • Use three fruits in the acai.  I love the combo of bananas, blueberries and strawberries in the acai mixture but swapping the blueberries for pineapple is also fabulous.  No matter what you use, try and use at least two fruits in addition to the banana.
  • Vegan acai bowls:  You can easily make any acai bowl recipe vegan by skipping the honey and using juice or coconut water instead of milk. 
  • Prep ahead.  In order to get the fabulous creamy texture of acai bowls - and not just liquid smoothies – you need to use frozen fruit in the acai so make sure to plan ahead.
  • Use frozen ingredients. The instructions on the Sambazon package say to slightly thaw the puree packet before using – which I do NOT recommend.  You want the acai and the fruit to be as frozen as possible to achieve signature thickness. Also, don’t let the frozen fruit sit on the counter and defrost before using; you want ever ingredient as frozen as possible.
  • Don’t over blend. As previously mentioned, the more you blend, the thinner the acai bowls will be. You obviously don’t want chunks of fruit in your bowls, but once they are gone, stop blending.
  • Chop ahead & serve immediately.  Acai bowls are the optimal texture when served right away.  They are supposed to be scoop-able thick and will thin as they sit and defrost – still delish, just not as thick and creamy.  In order to serve immediately, you will want all your toppings prepped and your fruit chopped in advance.
  • Top away!  The toppings are completely customizable but I highly recommend at least bananas and granola.

MAKE AHEAD Acai Bowls

Acai bowls are best served right away as they melt and can become soupy if refrigerated.  Fortunately, you have two options to make ahead:
  • MEAL PREP ACAI:  Pre-portion small freezer bags of acai puree and frozen fruit for your various acai recipes.  Now, all you have to do is add them to the blender with your desired liquid.  You can also pre-chop and store fruit toppings in the fridge.
  • MAKE AHEAD ACAI:  Blend acai and store it in serving size portions in airtight containers in the freezer (not the fridge). When ready to eat, let the acai partially thaw, stir, then add toppings.  It will be a little less creamy but still delicious.