Desserts
Açaí bowl with banana, strawberries and granola
Thick açaí and frozen banana topped with measured fruit, granola and almonds: two bowls with estimated nutrition per serving.
- Total time
- 135 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- Brazilian inspired
Ingredients
Base
Toppings
Method
Freeze the banana for the base
Wash your hands and rinse the banana before peeling it. Weigh 160 g of ripe flesh and cut into 1 cm slices. Spread separately on a clean tray and freeze at−18 °C or colder for approximately 120 minutes until hard; extend as needed. Keep the fresh topping banana separate. These 120 minutes are included in the 135-minute total. If the 160 g is already frozen, assembly is estimated at 15 minutes.
Prepare the toppings and equipment
While the banana finishes freezing, rinse the strawberries under running water without soap, dry, hull and weigh 100 g; slice them. Peel and slice 60 g of fresh banana; weigh 40 g of ready-to-eat granola and 20 g of sliced almonds. Measure 60 g of cold drinking water. Prepare two bowls holding about 400 ml and a blender rated for frozen fruit according to its manual. Keep cut fruit chilled until assembly.
Break up the frozen açaí
Check that the purée is unsweetened and labelled ready to eat; this recipe does not replace any cooking required by the package. Remove 200 g from the freezer just before blending. Flex the sealed packs to break the purée, or run water over the outside for about 20 seconds to loosen it without thawing completely. Dry the pack, open at the indicated point and tip the pieces into a clean bowl. Handle a knife or scissors carefully, cutting away from your hand and preventing plastic fragments from entering the food.
Blend a thick base
Put the 60 g water in the jug first, followed by 160 g frozen banana and 200 g broken açaí, observing the blender instructions and capacity. Secure the lid and pulse in short bursts, blending for about 1 minute in total to make a thick purple cream without large chunks. Switch off and unplug before scraping down with a spatula; never put utensils or hands near moving blades. Do not strain the motor; allow the fruit to soften briefly if it cannot turn. Extra water changes the texture and reference weight.
Divide between two bowls
With the blades stopped, divide all the base between the two bowls, about 210 g each before toppings, depending on how much is recovered from the jug. Level gently with a spoon. It should hold fruit on top and be eaten with a spoon. If too runny, chill briefly in the freezer. Do not add ice to disguise excess water.
Top and serve immediately
Add 30 g fresh banana,50 g strawberries,20 g granola and 10 g sliced almonds to each bowl. Arrange in bands, leaving some purple base visible. Serve immediately. It yields 2 bowls of about 320 g, with 15 minutes of work and 120 minutes of advance freezing, without cooking. The calories include every listed topping.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
One bowl;2 servings of about 320 g
- Protein
- 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45.9 g
- Fat
- 15.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.3 g
- Fiber
- 9.9 g
- Sugars
- 20.3 g
- Sodium
- 18 mg
Nutrition information estimated from the ingredients (USDA FoodData Central). Brands may vary.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy / Branded
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Unsweetened frozen açaí and frozen banana make a spoonable base topped with strawberries, granola and almonds. The recipe yields two bowls in 135 minutes including freezing the banana beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
Which açaí should I use?
Use 200 g unsweetened frozen purée labelled ready to eat. Sorbet, powder and sweetened blends differ in composition and texture. The nutrition estimate uses a commercial USDA reference food.
Why is it runny, or why does the blender struggle?
The banana should be frozen and the açaí only slightly softened. The base contains 60 g water; adding more thins it. Use a blender suitable for frozen fruit without straining its motor. Switch off and unplug before scraping down; soften briefly if your equipment requires it.
How long does it take, and can I store it?
Allow an estimated 135 minutes:120 to freeze 160 g banana and 15 for preparation. With banana already frozen, assembly is estimated at 15 minutes. Serve both bowls immediately. Refrigerate covered leftover base at 4 °C or below and use within 24 hours, storing toppings separately.
