On Instagram, on food blogs and in culinary magazines: the açai bowl is everywhere. But where exactly does this photogenic food trend come from? And how do you prepare a sustainable and vegan one yourself?

The açai bowl, or smoothie bowl, is a traditional South American breakfast dish. The açai is a berry that grows in the Amazon region and is known as a superfood. Açai berries lose their freshness about an hour after picking, which is why they are often frozen or dried immediately. To eat them afterwards, the easiest way is to defrost and mash them, or mix açai powder with a liquid: a technique that led to the creation of the açai bowl.

Today, the açai bowl comes in many different ingredients, in all shapes and colours, and is basically a smoothie in a bowl, topped with freshly chopped fruit and cereals. The vitamin boost is particularly photogenic and has recently conquered countless Instagram feeds and culinary magazines. But is the trend sustainable? If you choose a recipe with açai berries: not at all. If you use fruit from local soil, then yes.

Popularity of the açai berry

The berry is known for its health benefits for the brain, heart and immune system. For example, there is plenty of research on the effect of anthocyanins in cancer patients. It is therefore a superfood, but its biggest drawback is that it comes from the other side of the world and is harvested in the Amazon forest: one of the most valuable and vulnerable places in the world.

The açai berry is mainly used in açai bowls, but many people also drink the juice in the form of a daily shot. And that indeed says a lot about the taste: it is described as a combination of chocolate and berries, but especially as very sour.

What are the European alternatives to the açai berry?

We still call it 'açai bowl' in Belgium and the Netherlands, but in sustainable breakfast or lunch bars, you won't find many with açai berries. This is a good thing, because there are also many superfoods that are grown in Europe. An example is the orange-red goji berry that originally grows in Latin America, but is now also grown in Western Europe. You buy them in dried form and add them as topping to your smoothie bowl.

How do you prepare a smoothie bowl with goji berries?

Ingredients for the smoothie:

• 1 banana
• 150 grams of redcurrants (frozen)
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 100 ml almond milk

Preparation:

• Put all the above ingredients in the blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into a nice bowl.

Ingredients for the topping:

• roasted nuts
• fruit of your choice (sliced)
• coconut chips or cacao nibs
• 2 tablespoons dried goji berries

Finishing touches:

• Use the above ingredients to decorate your bowl to your liking.

Do you like our vegan recipes? You can find an overview of all ETIKL Magazine recipes here.