Breakfast can be a really chaotic time at my house, and with back to school approaching it is bound to get a lot worse. I am then going to be accountable for making sure another little human is well fed until lunch time. I sure don’t ever want to send my child to school with no food in his belly, but boy sometimes it is really tempting to whip out a box of crappy cereal and tell him to have at it! Then I would be able to get my last 5 minutes of sleep (does this qualify as a snooze button?) But who am I kidding, my son would be overjoyed if that happened! However, there is a healthy voice inside my head that says “Dana, it is time for breakfast, the most important meal of the day. It is now time to get up and make sure your son is nourished and energized to go to school and learn. Please get up and prepare something super awesome and nutrient dense for him!” Of course I always listen to the healthy voice because I know it is right! This year nutrient packed breakfasts might not be as hard as they used to be. I’m always looking for new ideas because let’s face it, when you don’t eat processed foods your options can be limited when time isn’t abundant. Most of our mornings contain eggs, oatmeal, or homemade whole wheat pancakes. Thankfully over the summer I found a new breakfast that my family has really been fond of to put into the routine….. acai (ah-sah-ee) smoothies and bowls! I know, it sounds really “health nut” of me, but I’m telling you… they are glorious! So, I have to throw this in here…I saw this “bowl” concept on Istagram and didn’t really get it. There were lots of colorful and nutrient dense foods on top but what was underneath? Well, I can’t say for sure that all of them are Sambazon Acai Smoothie Packs, but that is what I recommend and that is what this recipe contains. Essentially it is a thick, smoothie-like consistency that you put all of the beautiful toppings on. It is served cold, just like a smoothie. What makes this recipe I’m sharing a little different is the banana is frozen beforehand, so the consistency of the bowl is thicker, creamier, and even more delicious! Ok, I may or may not have gotten the frozen banana idea from Instagram too, but who is keeping tabs?!?! 😉
Let’s talk nutrients… this bowl is packed to the brim. Acai is loaded with antioxidants (2 times as much as blueberries) and also contains a heafty dose of Omega fatty acids. Hello awesome breakfast! Pair the acai with a banana, various other fruits, nuts, and oats, and you are set until naptime, I promise! My kids really loved the smoothies with watermelon and banana, and I really loved the bowls just like the ones pictured. Both are awesome options but you can really get creative and throw in what you have on hand. We don’t always keep the same fresh produce on hand so I tried a number of fruits in my Rio Bowl and all of them were great (watermelon was my favorite!!)
If you’d like to know where to find Sambazon Acai Smoothie Packs in your area their website can tell you exactly where to go! 2 stores in my area had their products and I don’t live in a huge city. They also have various other smoothies and health products in grocery stores as well. Also very noteable, their products are Non-GMO verified, USDA Organic, EcoCert Fair Trade, Vegan, and Gluten Free!!
