8 Acai Recipes That Aren’t Just Bowls

Acai Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread gives me life, and so does this recipe.  

Ingredients: 
3 extra-large ripe bananas1/2 cup vegan butter (at room temp)1 cup vegan sugar2 eggs or egg replacer equivalent (separate yolks from whites)1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/2 teaspoon lemon juice1 teaspoon baking soda1-1/2 cup unbleached flour1-1/2 tablespoons hot water1 Sambazon Original Superfruit Pack, thawedDirections: 
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a standard loaf pan.Next, take the bananas and mash them until they're smooth (it's OK if there are a few chunks). In a large bowl, put the sugar into the butter, then add the mashed bananas, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon juice and baking soda. Mix thoroughly, then stir in the flour. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, then gently fold them into your batter until it's blended. Lastly, stir in the hot water.Pour half of the batter into your loaf pan, and — the most important part — add the acai pack as a middle layer. Then pour the remaining batter into the pan. To get the swirls throughout your bread, gently stir the batter in a circular motion.Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let the banana bread cool for 15 minutes and then go wild — serve it warm, cold or toasted. 

Warm Sambazon Acai Chai Recipe

Sometimes all I'm really craving is a good, hot drink. On days like that, this recipe is perfect.

Ingredients: 
3 cups water1 heaping teaspoon whole green cardamom pods2 star anise pods1 heaping teaspoon whole cloves1 heaping teaspoon whole black peppercorns1 heaping teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)4 cinnamon sticks6 slices fresh ginger1 tablespoon loose-leaf black tea (or 4 black tea bags)1 cup coconut milk (or other nondairy milk)1 Sambazon Original Superfood PackSugar or honey to tasteDirections: 
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the water and spices (cardamom, star anise, cloves, peppercorn, fennel, cinnamon and ginger). Bring it to a boil, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the black tea and simmer for another 2 minutes. Strain the spices and tea and set aside.When you're ready, add the milk. Slowly let it reach a rolling boil before you turn off the heat. Add your smoothie pack and stir it until it’s melted. Serve it in mugs and sweeten with honey or sugar to taste.

Raw Acai Brownies Recipe

This recipe is organic, vegan, fair trade, kosher, gluten-free, lactose-free and crazy-good. 

Ingredients:  

For the base
1 Sambazon Original Superfood Pack2-1/2 cup pitted dates1-1/2 cup walnuts6 tablespoons cacao powder1-1/2 teaspoons vanillaPinch of Himalayan sea saltFor the topping
2/3 cup raw cashews3 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup1/2 Sambazon Original Superfruit Pack2 tablespoons melted coconut oilSalt (optional)Frozen mixed berries (optional)Directions: 
For the base, combine acai, dates, walnuts, cacao, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process the ingredients until they're smooth. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with coconut oil or use parchment paper. Transfer the dough to the pan and press firmly until it's evenly distributed. Put the mixture in the fridge for at least two hours.To make the topping, quickly pulse raw cashews, maple or honey, acai and coconut oil in a food processor. Add a pinch of salt (optional) and a handful of frozen mixed berries (also optional). You can keep the mixture chunky or blend it all the way to super-smooth. Once the brownies harden up in the fridge (about 2 hours), top them with the topping and put them back in the fridge for another hour or 2. Cut and serve.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Acai Berry Pie Recipe

If brownies aren't your thing (umm… how could they not be your thing?), then how about some pie?

Ingredients: 

For the pie 
2 Sambazon Superfruit Packs (original, pure or protein), meltedGround ginger, dash cinnamon and/or dash vanilla (optional)3 cups frozen mixed berries1 gluten-free piecrust1 – 2 tablespoons coconut oilFor the crumble topping
1 – 2 cups gluten-free oats1 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup agave1/4 – 1/2 cup agave1/4 – 1/2 cup coconut oil, meltedDash sea saltDash cinnamonSmall handful chopped nuts and seeds (optional)Directions: 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. To make the pie, in a blender, combine Sambazon Superfruit Packs, 1 cup frozen mixed berries and optional ginger or cinnamon. Blend the ingredients until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the rest of the berries. Stir everything together, then pour the mixture into your piecrust, evenly smoothing it out. Over the top, evenly distribute small dollops of coconut oil.To make the crumble mixture, in a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients (oats, brown sugar, agave, coconut oil, sea salt, cinnamon and nuts or seeds if using). Make sure the oats are covered and simply scoop it atop the filling of the pie.

Chocolate Acai Truffle Bites Recipe

Can I interest you in a healthy version of a truffle? 

Ingredients: 
1 Sambazon Original Superfruit Pack1/4 cup coconut oil, melted1/2 cup medjool dates, pits removed1/4 cup coconut flakes1/4 cup hemp seeds2 tablespoons cacao powder2 tablespoons honeyPinch of sea saltChocolate sauce (for rolling truffles in)Toppings: bee pollen, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, cayenne powderDirections:
In a food processor, combine the acai, coconut oil, dates, coconut flakes, hemp seeds, cacao powder, honey and salt. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, cover and chill it for at least an hour. Once your mix has hardened, scoop out teaspoon-size balls and roll each one in chocolate sauce. Make sure they’re completely covered in the sauce, then set aside (on wax paper) to harden. Before the chocolate completely sets, sprinkle with your toppings. 

Macau Mule Recipe

Diet or no diet, sometimes you just need a damn drink, and I'm never going to be the one to tell you to deprive yourself. 

Ingredients:
1 cup ginger beer1 lime, juiced IceSplash Sambazon Energy DrinkLime, blueberries, basil or mint for garnishDirections:
Pour the ginger beer and lime juice into a copper cup (or any cup for that matter — you've only got clean coffee mugs? Cool. That'll do.) and stir. Add the ice and a healthy splash of Sambazon Energy on top. Stir again and garnish as desired.

Acai Granola Bars Recipe

This recipe is great if you're constantly on the go and need a healthy recipe ready to grab.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed medjool dates, pitted 12 cups Sambazon Original or Performance Protein Superfruit Pack, melted1/3 cup raw hemp seeds1/2 cup hemp seed butter (or other natural nut butter)2 cups raw oats1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds1/3 cup raw cashews1/2 goji berries2 tablespoons chia seeds1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon saltRoughly chopped nuts (optional)Directions: 
Line an 8-by-8 baking pan with parchment paper. Soak the pitted dates in Sambazon Acai (whichever flavor you want) for about 30 minutes. Transfer the soaked dates and liquid to a blender and blend until you get a smooth paste. Pour the paste into a large bowl, add hemp seeds and mix to combine. Fold in all the other ingredients (hemp seed butter, raw oats, raw pumpkin seeds, raw cashews, goji berries, chia seeds, dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and nuts if desired).Transfer the mix to your baking dish, spread evenly and flatten the top. Refrigerate for at least two hours, then cut it into squares. 

Acai Vegan “Nice” Cream Sandwiches Recipe

I scream for ice cream, and I scream even louder when it's actually good for you. 

Ingredients:
1 pint Sambazon Sorbet (any kind)2 cookies (any kind — I love Trader Joe's Gluten Free Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip cookies)Directions:
Let your sorbet soften for a few minutes after you take it out of the freezer. While you're waiting, grab two cookies and flip them so the bottom’s up. Scoop a hearty bit of sorbet on one cookie, and using a spoon, squish it down. Top it with the other cookie, and voilá! You can also go crazy and roll it in coconut shreds, chia seeds, goji berries or anything you want.