Everyone has their own idea of a good breakfast to kick-start the week. If you’re a traditionalist, you might like to stick to good old porridge. On the other hand, if you drink green sludge and frequently use the Instagram hashtag #eatclean, you may prefer something a little lighter. Something a little more… plant-based. Now, we’re not here to say who’s right or wrong, but we do think we’ve found a pretty much perfect Monday morning breakfast.

Ever heard of acai bowls? They’re essentially really thick smoothies (served in a bowl, obviously) filled with oatmeal and fruit, and topped with whatever of-the-moment seeds or nut butters or virtuous plant supplements you fancy. They’ve been popping up on the menus of every good juice bar/veggie cafe for a couple of years now (causing embarrassment for many due to the somewhat tricky pronunciation – it’s “ah-sigh-ee”, by the way), and I guess you could say they’re a bit of a food trend. And for good reason: they fill you up for hours, yet they’re light and fresh. They satisfy a sweet tooth, and they’re extremely healthy (acai berries are an antioxidant, Brazilian “superfood” don’t you know?). Oh – and they’re tasty. Really, really tasty.

To ensure we got hold of the best acai bowl recipe around, we consulted Mr Eric Helms – CEO of Juice Generation, which has 14 juice bars (and counting) in New York. Here’s his PB acai bowl, and here’s to Monday mornings from here on in.

• 200g frozen acai berries
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 medium banana
• ¾ cup (180 ml) almond milk

Toppings:

• 2 tsp peanut butter
• 2 tsp cacao nibs
• 1/3 medium banana
• 3 strawberries
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) granola

Blend all the main ingredients together and pour into a bowl. Decorate with the toppings and serve.