So perhaps you’ve been diligently putting the antioxidant-rich, beauty-boosting acai berry in your blender each morning (awesome!). Or, maybe you’ve been whipping up some acai powder with frozen bananas for a homemade acai bowl (delish!). But did you know the uses of acai powder go far, far beyond our beloved creamy drinks and smoothie bowls?
One of my forms of acai is acai powder. With the popularity of acai enjoying a steady rise the past several years, the market is now flooded with acai products in all kinds of forms, like frozen blends and drinks. Despite all these options, I remain an acai powder purist: this form is not only the most potent form of acai available (no added sugars/fillers/anything – talk about getting the most bang for your buck), it’s also the most flexible for all kinds of culinary opportunities where only a powder can do the trick. Some of the many fun ways I use acai powder include:
Whisking into sauces after cooking, especially when tomato-based
Blending into pancake syrup
Infusing fruit salads, salsas & chutneys
Using for energy bars
Sprinkling on salads
Adding to no-bake desserts
In terms of easy applications, well, I haven’t met a fruit yet that acai doesn’t like. From berries to melons, summer’s finest stone fruits to the crunchy apples of winter, acai’s soft flavor plays well with them all. Mix a little bit of liquid sweetener, a spoonful of acai powder, and some vanilla into your next fruit salad for a beautiful meld of flavor. Or, get a little wild with me, and enjoy acai in your next spicy salsa…
Blackberry Acai Salsa
A little sweet and a little spicy, this daringly dark fruity salsa is a great way to perk up a plate. Serve with your favorite main-dish protein (I love grilled tofu), or offer as a dip with corn chips.
Makes 2 cups
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime) 1 tablespoon acai powder 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon agave nectar, or liquid sweetener of choice ¼ teaspoon sea salt pinch cayenne peppper 1 cup blackberries, halved width-wise 1 cup mango, finely diced 1 Anaheim pepper, trimmed, seeded, and finely diced 1 jalepeno pepper, trimmed, seeded, and finely diced 1 green onion, white and light green parts sliced thin
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, acai, olive oil, agave, sea salt and cayenne. Add all the remaining ingredients, and toss until combined. Chill 30 minutes before serving.