Clay loves having an acai bowl for lunch and found a place in Aspen that makes a DELICIOUS one. He has really struggled finding a place in Dallas though that makes an acai bowl using high-quality ingredients that aren’t packed full of sugar. Every time he asked a place to see the acas they were using, it was full of added sugar…no bueno. Anyway, after trying like 7 different places in Dallas with no luck he decided to just start making his own and has come up with a pretty tasty recipe that I wanted to share with y’all.
So, turns out finding unsweetened acai in the store was a difficult task as well (why does everyone insist on adding sugar to everything). I actually first found the one he currently uses at a small family owned grocery store in Aspen called Clark’s market. A little internet research led me to discover some Targets actually carry it though, so here is that link
To complete the base, add a little non-dairy milk – almond, cashew, coconut, whatever (just check the label to make sure it is unsweetened as well), about 5 frozen banana slices ( this adds NATURAL sweetness and creaminess), about ¼ cup mixed berries (this adds more NATURAL sweetness and tons of fiber), and if you are inclined, a dash of honey. Then blend until smooth.
Get creative with the rest of the bowl. We add granola – again like everything else choose one that is not loaded down with added sugar. Most granolas have some sweetener added to them, but try to find one that has the sweetener (honey, syrup, whatever) pretty low on the ingredient list. Side note – did you know ingredients are listed on a label according to amounts – so what is used most in the food is listed first down to which ingredient is used least in the product. We also like to add a teaspoon of chia seeds for protein, healthy fat and fiber and a little unsweetened coconut flakes (Clay LOVES coconut). Finally, we top the bowls with whatever fresh fruit we have, today we used pineapple and kiwi.
Acai bowls are the ultimate example of the importance of starting with good high-quality ingredients. If you start with sugar filled crap you will just end up with a sugary bowl of non-nourishment, but if you start with good ingredients you will end up with a delicious meal packed with nutrients, antioxidants and fiber! Hope you enjoy!
The Ultimate Acai Bowl
- Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 1 package (3.5 ounces) unsweetened acai
- 5 – 6 frozen banana slices
- ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
- ¼ cup frozen mixed berries
- Dash of honey (optional)
- 1/3 cup high-quality granola
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
- Sliced fresh fruit (I used one kiwi and about ½ cup pineapple)
Instructions
- Blend the acai, milk, frozen banana slices, frozen berries and honey until smooth
- Top with granola, chia seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes and fresh fruit
