With the current trend towards healthy eating, many people are turning towards the ever popular açaí bowl as a nutritious snack. While there is by no means a shortage of health-food stores serving these bowls, getting your daily fix of açaí can quickly put a strain on your wallet, at upwards of $10 a bowl. With a little bit of planning it is easy to stock your fridge with all the ingredients to make this delicious snack yourself - and why not get creative!
What's all the rage about açaí anyway? Well, açaí bowls are made using the açaí berry, a grape-like berry typically found in South America. But what makes this fruit different? The açaí berry is filled with nutritious antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. They are also extremely low in sugar, making them appealing to people looking to watch their waistline, but looking for a sweet treat. These tiny treasures found in the South American rainforest have quickly emerged as yet another trendy superfood, and one that seems to be here to stay. Although some people have made claims that these magical berries have the ability to fight disease and help with weight loss, these claims have not been proven. But does it really matter? It's a delicious and healthy snack that is very easy to make.
First, all ingredients need to be gathered! Heres what I used:
- 1 Banana
- Strawberries, frozen and fresh
- Trader Joes “Organic Açaí Puree Packets”
- Bear Naked "Honey Almond" Granola
- Badia Chia Seeds
The second step is to defrost a puree packet, and put it into the blender, along with half a banana, about 4 strawberries, and 2-3 ice cubes.
Once all of the ingredients are in the blender, plug it in and begin to blend!
Blend until the texture is smooth, and you can add a teaspoon of water or honey if it looks chunky.
Once it is done blending, scoop it into a bowl and begin to add on your toppings!
You can slice some strawberries and bananas, and pour some granola and Chia seeds in for crunch and health value.
Finally, check your pantry for alternative ingredients, such as different types of fruits, seeds or powders; the options are limitless. And fear not, this is cooking for dummies, and extremely hard to mess up!
All photo contributions by Samantha Felner '22