Brighten Up Your Day With An Antioxidant-Pumped Build-Your-Own Acai Bowl [Recipes]

For anyone that frequently navigates the juice bar scene, you’ve probably noticed one exotic concoction spreading across menus like purple wildfire — the gorgeous, majestic acai bowl.  

If you have absolutely no idea what an acai bowl is, or if you’ve never sunk a spoon into its velvety deliciousness, you’re about to experience a divine culinary revelation.

Acai bowls are an explosive geyser of pure, mouthgasmic nutrition. They’re constructed on the back of the acai berry — an Amazonian “superfruit” that’s heralded (and often overhyped) for its massive antioxidant content; the highest among any non-spice in the world at 102,700 μ mol TE/100g.¹

Take those berries in frozen form, blend ‘em all up, dump on a layer of uber-toppings, and voila, you’ve got a decadent (and gorgeous) vat of deliciousness that’s glistening with fiber, antioxidants, omega-3s, vitamins, and even protein. 

Before you storm Juice Generation, we’ve got a little pro tip for you: stop dropping $10-12 per bowl and make them at home. Acai bowls are the easiest “health food” you’ll ever make, you just need one key ingredient — frozen acai smoothie packs, which run roughly $5 per 4-pack (you need 2 per bowl) at most grocery stores.

Got your packs? Okay good. Use our stupid easy recipe to churn out a silky smooth Build-Your-Own Acai Bowl in 5 minutes flat — they’re THE perfect breakfast, snack, or post-workout fuel source.

How To Build A Bomb Acai Bowl

Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Servings: 1 Acai Bowl

Ingredients:

Acai Bowl Base:

• 2 packets frozen acai, unsweetened (we like Sambazon)
• 1/2 cup coconut-almond milk (or insert any non-dairy milk)
• 1/2 banana
• *TRANSFORM IT INTO A PROTEIN BOWL. Add 1 scoop chocolate protein powder — acai is naturally chocolate-y, so chocolate protein works especially well. You can also use unflavored/vanilla for a different flavor.

Toppings (Recommended):

• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 2 tbsp. cacao nibs
• 2 tbsp. goji berries
• 1/4 cup granola
• 1 tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds

How To:

• 1. Put the frozen acai, milk, banana, and protein powder (if you want it) into a blender.
• 2. Blend on high until it forms a thick puree. Make sure it’s smooth and fully blended.
• 3. Pour out into your bowl of choice.
• 4. Top with cacao nibs, goji berries, granola, coconut flakes, 1/2 banana (sliced), chia seeds, and a scoop of almond butter. Feel free to customize it and add/remove ingredients.
• 5. EAT.

• About
• Latest Posts

60

Bryan DiSanto

Owner & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP

Bryan DiSanto is the Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, ACE-CPT & CSN, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness/nutrition nutjob.

When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.

60

Latest posts by Bryan DiSanto (see all)

• The 4 Best Calf Exercises To Build Massive, Ripped-Up, Bulging Calves [Exercise Lists] - April 29, 2015
• Would You Eat Crickets? Cricket Flour Might Just Be The New Protein Powder - April 27, 2015
• The Workout Music Friday Five-Pack, V26 — Armin Van Buuren, O.T. Genasis, Galantis, And Vicetone - April 24, 2015

References, Notes, Links

1. ORACValues.com — Acai Berries [↩]