Açai bowls are all the rage on the raw food scene and on Instagram these days.

Basically, an açai bowl is a thick, spoonable smoothie that you pour into a bowl, and then garnish with a variety of fancy toppings. The consistency of the blended mixture is a type of “nice cream” — a dairy-free, soft serve concoction made from fruit.

Toppings can include all sorts of goodies such as: mango, sliced banana, fresh berries, goji berries, coconut flakes, bee pollen, chia seeds, hemp seeds, or cacao nibs — whatever you like!

Açai is a small, dark berry of a palm tree that grows throughout the tropical regions of Central and South America. This superfood is known for its antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber. You can find the puree fairly easily in the frozen fruit section of most markets — just be sure to buy the unsweetened variety. Sambazon is the most widely available brand.

Açai powder is an optional ingredient in this recipe, and is a bit trickier to find.  It can be found at selected natural grocers, as well as online at Thrive Market, Amazon, and Target.

Now, this last part is totally optional, but really fun. To give the recipe a subtle yet exotic twist, try adding a tiny amount of fragrant orange blossom water. You can find orange blossom water in international food markets, and at World Foods in Portland.