Meet my new obsession – the acai (pronounced “ah-sigh-ee”) bowl.
As you probably know by now, I’m a HUGE advocate of the green smoothie! I especially praise them as the breakfast of champions for their unwavering ability to deliver a ton of nutritional punch into the first meal of the day.
They also keep your digestive system from having to do a ton of work first thing in the morning, essentially allowing the digestive tract more time to rest. More rest means more efficiency, which translates to more of the gunk coming out of the backend.
Back to my new obsession.
The acai bowl recently caught my attention because it answers the conundrum we’re sometimes faced with when people on our cleanse tell us that they just don’t get down with drinking their breakfast. The acai bowl is the perfect solution because it’s chock full of all the stuff like a green smoothie but can be enjoyed in a more traditional meal sense with utensils and all.
In case you haven’t heard of acai yet here’s the skinny – Acai is a berry that comes from the Amazon rainforest of Brazil and is considered a superfood known for antioxidants, omega fatty acids, protein, fiber and amino acids.
All this from one little berry! Can I get an Amen?
Besides the fact that the flavor in this recipe is to-live-for, I’m over the moon for the endless acai bowl possibilities. Not to mention the other big bonus is that kids love these things. They’re sweet, fun to eat (translate messy!), and a great way to get superfoods into our kiddos’ bodies on a regular basis.
Check out the recipe and let me know what you think in the comment section below. What kind of acai bowl do you want to try next? You know I’m thinking a green one!
With love and acai berries,
Jo & Jules
Acai Chia Breakfast Bowl
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients for Bowl:
¼ to ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk 2 frozen packets of unsweetened acai berry (I use Amafruit) 2 ripe and frozen bananas 1 TB. chia seeds, soaked in water for at least 15 minutes
Ingredients for Toppings:
1 banana, sliced ½ cup raspberries 1 mango, chopped
Directions:
Place ¼ cup of coconut milk in a high-speed blender with acai berry packets, bananas and chia seeds. Blend on high until creamy to make bowl base. Add more milk as needed to reach your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and top with banana, raspberries and mango or any of your favorite fruit medley.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.