Chocolate Açaí Pudding Smoothie

I called this chocolate-açaí smoothie a pudding smoothie, because that's what it tastes like. More accurately, it tastes like something of a cross between pudding and chocolate-raspberry cheesecake. Either way, it's absolutely delicious. I'm happy to use this to replace dessert, without feeling like I'm missing anything at all.

The flavors in this smoothie are so nicely balanced, as the cacao brings out the açaí's flavor, and the bananas and yogurt add creaminess. It's a little bit of an indulgence, but as indulgences go, this one's relatively healthy!

Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a berry found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. I actually first tried açaí on a trip to Rio de Janeiro about ten years ago. Since then, it's become easier to find in the United States, especially in frozen form.

This recipe uses unsweetened frozen açaí packets, which are available at most grocery stores. If you can only find the sweetened variety, leave out the maple syrup, and add it at the end if you need it. I'm also using sweetened non-dairy yogurt, so you may need to adjust your maple syrup amount if you're using an unsweetened yogurt.

This chocolate açaí smoothie is made with an unsweetened açaí packet, a banana, non-dairy yogurt, cacao powder, and maple syrup.