The Power of Purple

The Power of Purple

Açaí smoothie bowls can be a healthy meal replacement, packed with fiber, nutrients and fresh fruits and veggies

An açaí bowl from the Wellness Bar in North Idaho. | Photo by Young Kwak

With their pleasing deep-violet hue, chilly temperature and nearly limitless topping choices, açaí bowls are one of the latest hot trends to hit the menus of juice, smoothie and other health-centric cafés around the U.S. in the past decade.

Touted for having numerous good-for-you attributes, açaí (pronounced “ah-SIGH-ee”) bowls are antioxidant- and fiber-rich, made from all-natural and whole-food ingredients — mainly fruits, veggies, nuts and grains; they’re also colorful, refreshing and often filling.

These bright and bountiful bowls are served at several locations across the Inland Northwest, including the Wellness Bar’s three North Idaho locations, in Coeur d’Alene, Hayden and Post Falls.

With a mix of sweet, tart, chocolatey and earthy flavor traits, the açaí berry, a fruit native to South America, can be paired with everything from kale to peanut butter, bananas to avocados, other berries and beyond. They’re as versatile, if not more so, as their blended smoothie counterparts consumed via straw, but with much more texture, thanks to the addition of toppings like granola, nuts, sliced fruit and seeds atop the frozen and blended açaí base.

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