From the Kitchen: Homemade Acai Smoothie Bowl Recipe

I am super late to the acai bowl game - having had my first one at a local restaurant this weekend - but now they're all I can think about!  B had never even heard of acai bowls, which are basically a thick smoothie in a bowl, with toppings, eaten with a spoon.  Even though they're a glorified smoothie, something about eating it with a spoon instead of drinking it through a straw (as well as the fact that the toppings require chewing) makes it much more satisfying and filling.  I love that they're full of healthy ingredients, too!  I made my own homemade version for breakfast on Sunday, and they were just as good as the restaurant version - even my 3-year-old happily devoured 3 servings of "purple ice cream!"

You will need a strong blender for this recipe - I have a Vitamix, which is totally worth the hefty price tag for the use we get out of it making margaritas, homemade baby food purees, hummus, soups, and now, acai bowls :)  Look for a certified refurbished or open box Vitamix on Amazon to save some money!

Homemade Acai Smoothie Bowls

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 3.5-oz packet frozen unsweetened acai puree (this comes in a 4-pack for $4.49 at Trader Joe's in the frozen fruit section.  You can also find it at Whole Foods or online from Amazon, shipped in dry ice)
1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen (can also use a non-frozen banana, but the end result won't be quite as thick)
5-6 frozen strawberries 
1/2 cup milk of your choice (you can use cashew or almond milk for a vegan alternative; I used regular milk because that's what we had)
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter (I use Laura Scudder's peanut butter, which has no added sugar)

Toppings:
Granola (I used Trader Joe's Pecan Praline Granola)
Shredded coconut (I used Trader Joe's sweetened shredded coconut)
Chopped fruit (strawberries, bananas, mango, blueberries, etc.)
Chia seeds (I was out but these would be good sprinkled on top!)

Run the frozen acai puree packet under hot water for 15-30 seconds to thaw it enough to break into large chunks.  Put the first 5 ingredients (acai puree, banana, strawberries, milk, and peanut butter) in a strong blender and blend on high until smooth.  The texture should be thicker than a smoothie, but thinner than ice cream - add more milk if necessary to achieve the appropriate texture.  Pour into a bowl and add your choice of toppings.

Interested in more breakfast recipes? Check them out here!