I can’t get enough of this açaí smoothie. If Stephan didn’t remind me just how many mornings I make it in a row, I’d likely go 365 days without stopping. It reminds me of when my mom would make chocolate cake when I was a kid, and I’d lick every last bit of sweetness out of the bowl. (I stopped at the Container Store recently to pick up a mini spatula that would more easily fit between the grooves of my blender—which Christian graciously left behind after the Covid quarantine—allowing me to scrape out every remaining morsel of this scrumptious smoothie.) What helps take it from dessert-like to healthful breakfast is the protein (nut butter), fiber (chia seeds) and fats (avocado & MCT oil). I might start throwing in some flaxseeds, too (as suggested by Dr. Mark Hyman on The Doctor’s Farmacy; if you don’t already listen to his podcast, do your health a favor and tune in). Considering how often I make this deep-purple drink, you’d think I’d have a nice photo to share. Anyhow, here’s this morning’s shot just before I licked the Vitamix vessel clean!

Note: In addition to always keeping frozen açaí packets on hand, I stock bananas, blueberries and strawberries in the freezer, as well as a bag of spinach. Coconut water, nut butter, dates and chia seeds are staples at Kitchen511, as well; so when we return late at night from a trip with no time to shop, I’ve always got what I need (with the exception of an avocado, maybe) to whip up a breakfast smoothie in the morning.

Update: I’ve added 2 additional ingredients to my morning smoothie—a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and black sesame seeds—and have included them below.

Ingredients

1 frozen unsweetened açaí packet (which I place in warm water for a few minutes before blending so it’s not a complete solid block)
1/2 cup almond milk or unsweetened coconut water
1 banana
2 pitted dates
1 tablespoon organic chia seeds, black sesame seeds and ground flaxseed

1/2 cup frozen blueberries and/or strawberries
1 heaping tablespoon of nut butter (just check the label and make sure nuts are the only ingredient—my current favorite unsweetened, salt-free brand is Once Again)
1 overflowing handful of kale or spinach
1/2 an avocado
1 tablespoon of MCT oil (when I have it in the house)

Preparation

Place all ingredients in your blender and blend ‘til smoothe. If it’s too thick, add more coconut water or almond milk.
Pour into a large glass (I fill a 17 oz. Duralex one to the brim) and serve with a reusable straw (the glass Hummingbird is my fave).