If you know me, then you know that I love a good smoothie bowl. But, I rarely get them when I’m out and about. Why? Because often times they are loaded with sugar. Albeit, most of the time it’s sugar from fruit, but in my opinion, you don’t need that much fruit, let alone agave or honey, to make a smoothie bowl taste good.
There’s a fascinating article on Mind Body Green about the 7 Deadly Truths Of Sugar that I highly recommend reading. My key takeaway was that sugar is addictive. It tampers with our dopamine {aka feel good hormone} receptors such that in order to get the next dopamine spike we need to consumer more sugar to do so. It’s why tons of products on the market are laced with sugar when they don’t actually need it.
To be clear, I’m not saying fruit is bad. Nor am I saying don’t indulge. I’m simply mindful that fructose is fructose regardless of if it’s in a banana or a tablespoon of maple syrup. I am one of those people with a sweet tooth so if I’m not mindful of my sugar intake, I could easily end up polishing off a pint of dairy-free ice cream without blinking an eye.
Back to my mission. I’ve noticed that a lot of açai bowls on the market could use a recipe rework. Açai is a great source of antioxidants and omegas, and naturally low in sugar. I use Sambazon’s frozen açai {they’re actually the only I know off}. They are in typically in the freezer section near the frozen fruit.
Because acai has zero sugar, I like to add low-glycemic fruit like berries to it. I also use unsweetened nut milk instead of apple or orange juice which makes it a little heartier. Banana and/or cauliflower are both great options for making the recipe more creamy, but it also doesn’t need it. It really depends on you and what you like!
Açai Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsweetened nut milk, coconut water, or water {up to 1/2 cup + more if needed to blend}
- 1 packet frozen açai
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 5 frozen strawberries
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1/3 cup steamed, then frozen, cauliflower {optional}
Optional Toppings
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup Cafe Gratitude granola
- blueberries, raspberries or freshly cut strawberries
- sliced banana
- your favorite nuts and seeds
- a drizzle of your favorite nut butter
- a dollop of your favorite sugar-free yogurt
Directions
- Run packet of açaí under warm water and crush into smaller chunks. It makes it easier to blend.
- Add all contents to a high speed blender {I suggest a vitamix}.
- Using the tamper, blend and “plunge” until smooth. It’s an arm workout so be prepared.
- Scoop contents into a bowl and flatten with a spoon. Top with your favorite toppings. I highly recommend the granola!
xo
-S
