NOURISH: ANTIOXIDANT-RICH ACAI BOWLS

The acai bowl. If you haven't had one yet, you may of heard about them... But if you haven't heard about them, you are missing out on one of Mother Natures finest ingredients. Taste. Nutrition. Feel good factor. Yep this baby has it all. And today I've got a recipe just for you.

Acai is a berry from the Amazon rainforest and one of the 'superfoods' you may often hear being thrown around in health cafes, blog pages, and rad magazines. Wondering if it's all it's cracked up to be? Well wonder no further girl. 

I was introduced to acai by a rep from one the acai companies maybe 4yrs ago in Sydney when I was working at a health food store there. She told me to have it everyday for 2 weeks to see how I felt. The cool thing was that if I did, she would give me a free bag of the stuff. And for only 2 weeks I had nothing to lose really. And I tell you in all honesty, I have not stopped eating it since.

You can buy acai is a freeze dried powder, capsules, liquid, or (my favourite) frozen blocks you can cut up and throw in the blender to make a frozen yoghurt/ice cream/slushie/smoothie/thing. You can also buy acai smoothies and acai bowls from amazing cafes around the country but if you're like me and want to eat it everyday without the cafe price tag, this is what you do.

It's the best. I kid you not. I eat it for breakfast everyday, changing up what else I throw in with it. Just ask my nearest and dearest... if I don't get my acai, I'm known to go a little cuckoo. With Summer just around the corner too, this stuff is so delicious when you're too hot to think about anything else.

So here's an awesome recipe for you to start with, and from here, you're only limited by your imagination. This recipe makes enough for two people so feel free to adjust accordingly.

You'll need:

4 frozen Amazonia acai sachets

2 frozen bananas

200ml water (you can use milk, juice or coconut water)

1 Tbsp (heaped) cacao powder

1 scoop protein powder

1 tsp (heaped) maca powder

1 Tbsp flax oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

Cut up the acai and bananas into small bits and add to your blender with the water. Blend a little til it all begins to combine. Stop and add the rest of the ingredients and continue blending until super smooth. I used my Froothie blender, but any other blender will work, you just might need to add more liquid, so play around.

Add whatever you fancy on top. Here I've got Pura Veda seed mix, hemp seeds, caramelised buckwheat, currants, coconut oil and honey.

Enjoy!!

Acai - super rich in antioxidants / essential omega 3 fatty acids

Cacao - magnesium rich / plenty of other minerals / calm and soothe your system down

Maca - the hormone-balancing food / adaptogen / great for stressful periods

Protein and flax - work to balance blood sugar / satiating / fat burning

Feel free to get creative with this too - I often throw in carob, papaya, berries or mango instead of banana, gelatin powder, avocado, mesquite, almond meal, almond milk or yoghurt, seeds, the list goes on...

Here are a few other dang delicious bowls I've had in the past and posted on my Instagram...

Loving Earth Deluxe Buckini mix ontop

Coconut, Cashew and Goji

As it says - a local tropical granola mix

So here's a challenge for you - go grab some acai from your local health food store and try it everyday for 2 weeks. Then let me know how you feel.

Ps. I'm not making anything from this post. I genuinely love this stuff and do eat it daily. I'm not gonna lie though, if I were offered something from Amazonia for this, I'd gladly take it.