DIY With Acai: Tropical Acai Bowl + Berry Bliss Face Mask

Originally published on YOGANONYMOUS — June 15, 2016 

After a long weekend of ultra-overindulgence I found myself feeling pretty run down by Tuesday morning. 

My body was desperately needing the help of an army of superfoods to get me back in the game. Naturally, I turned to acai for its countless health benefits—along with a few other superfood favorites. I was first attracted to acai berry because of its abundance of antioxidants. 

I've since learned that they offer a host of other do-good, feel-good properties, i.e. they're rich in fiber and heart-healthy fats and aid in detoxification. I opt for acai berry in powder form (created from freeze-dried acai berries) for ease, but other options are, of course, the actual fresh berries or acai berry juice. 

So, when it came down to putting a recipe together, it's really no surprise that a smoothie bowl with acai berry powder—along with other superfoods that pack a punch of nutrients—would be my foolproof go-to to refuel.

Perusing Instagram and Pinterest often left me in awe of the perfectly garnished smoothie bowls that would sprinkle my feed. Personally, I always thought that smoothie bowls were a sort of magical concoction that required professional training to create... Until I finally attempted to make one myself. Sure, it didn't come out quite as impressive as a Nalu Bowl from Bali. 

But practice makes perfect. 

I've learned that the true art of creating a smoothie bowl lies in the ingredients and the flavor—the finesse of adding toppings to create that picture-perfect image? Well, I'm still working on that... Though I think opting to put this acai bowl inside of a coconut helped out with its aesthetic. 

Tropical Acai Bowl 

Ingredients:
1 tsp acai berry powder
1 packet Aloha berry blend (a single-serve packet that packs a full serving of fruits and veggies!) You could also toss in your own assortment of vegetables, such as peas and spinach.
1 banana
¼ cup frozen raspberries
½ of a dragon fruit (aka pitaya—don't be intimidated, it's delish!)
¾ cup water
¼ cup crushed ice
For garnish: shredded unsweetened coconut, chia seedshemp seeds, raw cashews
Directions: Blend all ingredients together to reach a thick, scoopable—but not runny—consistency. Top with an assortment of your favorite add-ons for garnish.

Coco Berry Bliss Face Mask 

My skin was in need of TLC nearly as much as my body. Coming home from a weekend at the beach my skin was dehydrated, and, unfortunately, sunburnt. To bring my skin back to bliss I turned to acai berry powder yet again. As someone with ultra-sensitive skin I'm always wary of bottled products, so I opted to create my own face mask with the help of some products in my pantry. I mixed in a few key ingredients that would help soothe and revitalize my sunburnt cheeks. 

It's no secret that I'm a crazy coconut lady (See: Why Coconut Oil Is The Only Product I Need), so adding coconut oil to this face mask was a no-brainer. Combining the benefits of manuka honey and coconut oil was key as I used their healing properties to repair and rehydrate my skin. Not to mention it also made this mask smell good enough to eat. 

Ingredients:
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp acai berry powder
½ tsp Manuka honey
Directions: Let sit for 10–15 minutes and gently rinse off with warm water. 

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