When done correctly, an acai bowl is the most delicious healthy breakfast you'll ever have. A combo of a smoothie and a parfait with the incomparable cocoa-berry flavor of acai (packed with antioxidants and nutrients galore), it's actually so delicious you'll think "This can't possibly be healthy!" But it is!
However, I've seen some real acai follies in my day . . . and I might be a bit of a snob after eating some really amazing blends in Southern California and Hawaii. After eating too many mediocre bowls in San Francisco, I decided the world needed to see my own personal recipe — a fusion of my favorites from San Diego and Maui.
Dreamy and rich coconut milk meets tangy pineapple juice and sweet mango in this tropical blend, and a combo of fruit and nut toppings adds the right balance of texture. You can add chia seeds for more protein and nutrients if you want, but be mindful of how much granola you're using (i.e., don't make a bed of granola underneath your smoothie blend unless you're trying to seriously up your caloric intake for the day).
Just the blend itself has zero added sugar (it all comes from fruit), half your daily vitamin A, nearly 100 percent of your daily vitamin C, and over a third of your daily fiber, which doesn't even include all the other vitamins and minerals you'll be getting, like magnesium, B vitamins from the acai (and pineapple!), and amino acids.
From Dominique Astorino, POPSUGAR Fitness
Break the frozen acai into smaller chunks and blend with the frozen fruit, coconut milk, and pineapple juice until a thick consistency is reached. If you need to thin it out, add more juice or coconut milk (or even water or coconut water), and if you need to thicken, add more banana or mango.
Slice up your fruit. Pour the blend into a bowl and layer and sprinkle your toppings according to your preference. Enjoy immediately.