In my years living on my own, I’ve found one thing to hold true generally in every city: there are little to no healthy food options for those of us constantly on the go. I’ve found while living in the Austin area, the majority of fast-paced places carry highly processed foods with many added chemicals and fats that are anything but healthy. However, in Westlake and Downtown Austin, Blenders & Bowls provides Austinites with fresh, healthy smoothies and açaí bowls, perfect to either grab-n-go or sit and enjoy for a delicious and nutritious meal.

What started as a craving between two lifelong best friends, Erin Downing and Kara Jordan, grew into an up and running business with two locations. Downing and Jordan grew up in Southern California where açaí bowls were anything but unfamiliar. When they moved to Austin, they were in for a huge adjustment, in that so few places served their once go-to meal.

“Growing up in Southern California and living in Hawaii, açaí bowls and smoothies were a staple in our diets,” said Jordan. “When we moved to Austin there were only a few restaurants making açaí bowls and smoothies but we didn’t feel like they were doing the berry justice. Five years later, we’re proud to be the only Austin restaurant focused on creating high-quality açaí bowls.”

As noted before, it seems many in the Austin community know little about açaí bowls — I know I was completely out of my element when I ordered them at Blenders & Bowls. So for those of you wondering, Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a blueberry-like berry native to South and Central America. The small berry, referred to as a superfruit, is rich in nutrients, contains a higher concentration of antioxidants than any other known fruit in the world, is low in sugar and contains excellent amounts of iron, calcium, fiber, and vitamin A.

Traditionally, açaí is either served as a smoothie or as a thick blend served in a bowl with toppings. Blenders & Bowls offers 12 blenders (smoothies) and nine açaí bowl options, plus seasonal specials. All smoothies and bowls can be customized with gluten free, vegan or paleo options accommodating all dietary preferences. Each blend is crafted to bring out the delicious flavors of açaí paired with their granola and fresh fruit toppings.

In addition to traditional toppings like almonds, granola, berries and local honey, Blenders & Bowls offers multiple add-ons including vega protein, whey protein, maca, bee pollen, coconut water and ginger to name a few. When I first visited Blenders & Bowls, I was blown away with the freshness of their products and the overall taste of the combined flavors. Not only was it highly nutritious, but truly delicious!

“Austin is a thriving, active community that needs convenient and healthy options to keep energy levels high,” said Downing. “We’re thrilled to now offer high quality, nutrient dense and delicious meals in Westlake and are looking forward to expanding to East Austin when we open our third location in early Fall 2016.”

Blenders & Bowls is currently located inside the Wanderlust yoga studio in downtown Austin, as well as in Westlake at 3736 Bee Cave Rd. in The Forum shopping center. With a lightly colored interior, an open layout and deliciously fresh food, one may find themselves feeling fresher, healthier and more energized after one visit.