This acai (pronounced A-SIGH-EE) smoothie bowl is a thick smoothie with acai berry fruits that you eat with a spoon. I love to do this acai recipe at home as it is so easy to make. I wanted to re-create the acai bowls that I could find in LA, New York or Barcelona (as since recently it wasn’t yet available in Bahrain).

Making this fabulous collaboration with Ruw Gym and Marketplace by Live Well was an excellent excuse to finally publish my classic acai smoothie bowl recipe that tastes like ice cream and is perfectly smooth.

So to make this recipe a power bowl I have added extra protein and almond butter, a bowl perfect BEFORE or AFTER workout too !

What is Acai? And why is it so trendy ?

Acai is a grape-like fruit from the acai palm tree, mainly harvested in Central and South America. They are tiny dark blue bounties. It seems that acai berries became famous for their spectacular nutritional profile and for their health benefits. Let’ say they are packed with antioxidants, essential aminos and good fatty acids.

The taste is a strong blackberry chocolaty flavor which I totally love. I always feel energized with my acai smoothie bowl and the combination with extra protein, with almond butter and with other fruits for topping makes it a powerful dish that’s worth a try !

My acai smoothie bowl recipe looks like an ice-cream bowl so it’s totally insane to have it for breakfast or any time of the day ! It is pure bliss!

Acai powder or frozen acai?

Several brands are availabe on the market and sells frozen acai berry puree. I have noticed that a lot of frozen acai puree are actually with added sugar. So read the ingredients list before buying it.

Personally, I’d rather use (and stick to) my acai powder as it is pure, organic and has no sugar added. Dragon superfoods that you can find at Marketplace by Live Well in Bahrain or online is made through a freeze-dry process that preserves the flavor and the vitamins. With 1 packet that contains 75 grams, I do up to 11 acai bowls, which is great.

Berry on the cake, the taste is ABSOLUTELY deep and amazing. It is from far my favorite way to make my fabulous acai smoothie bowl.

Why do I eat this Acai smoothie bowl before or after workout?

In this acai smoothie bowl recipe I have ice cubes, acai powder, frozen banana, a splash of water or coconut water. On top of it, I have added 1 tablespoon of ‘strawberry and coconut’ protein shake which is absolutely delicious (any vegetal protein powder with a berry taste should do the job). And while I make my bowl I add some layers of almond butter (yummy right?) for an extra kick of protein and benefits.

By adding almond butter and some protein shake in this acai smoothie bowl it makes it a power and healthy plant-based bowl to support my body through an intense gym routine.

There is no added sweetener in this smoothie bowl recipe. The best tip is actually to freeze some (very) ripe bananas that will intensely sweeten your smoothie bowl.

Again, I buy my tasty protein shake from Dragon superfoods at Marketplace by Live Well (or if you are abroad, you could buy it online too).

This bowl is finally a way to treat your own self to something nutritious and tasty.

How to create a powerful and beautiful Acai Bowl ?

The base will be my acai smoothie bowl recipe. To arrange my delicious bowl, I add first 1 big tablespoon of almond butter (on the bottom of my bowl), then I top it with half of my acai smoothie. I add 1 more big tablespoon of almond butter and I pour over the remaining acai smoothie.

For toppings, you pick your favorite ! Personally I like strawberries, dragonfruit, kiwi, raspberries, some dried coconut flakes, chia seeds or hemp seeds, cacao nibs or granola. Guys, here is the prefect recipe for making your own granola at home !

And once it is done, eat it right away !

How do I reach an ice-cream texture with acai powder?

To reach this delicious ice-cream type of bowl, I blend first in my high speed blender 1 cup of ice cubes for 10 seconds (or until cubes are reduced into granite or soft ice. You should not have any hard pieces left. It literally looks like snow). Afterwards I scrap the sides, pushing the granite/ice powder in the middle of my blender. Then I add 1 1/2 frozen bananas, 1 tablespoon of acai powder, 2 tablespoon of water or coconut water and 1 tablespoon of strawberry and coconut protein shake. I blend again (speed 2 to 3). I might have to stop and scrap the sides few times and blend again. If the smoothie seems too much “frozen” let it sit for 1 minute or 2 and blend again until you reach a creamy texture.

Another type of acai bowl?

Try my colorful blueberry smoothie bowl for a change. I like to alternate and to change my type of healthy morning bowl. Variety is really important for me to have a balanced diet and give my body different type of nutrients. Feel free to check my breakfast section for more plant-based options !

Healthy acai smoothie bowl and….

Energizing, tasty, blueberry-chocolaty and ice-cream like !

If you make it

If you make my acai smoothie bowl recipe, tag me on Instagram as @live.and.taste and use #liveandtaste hashtag.

Feel free to ask me any question or leave me a comment (reply) below the recipe, I will be thrilled to reply to you.

Healthy greetings from Laetitia