How to Make a Smoothie
This time of year, hot and humid, is great for smoothies. Be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, a smoothie is a great option for energy, nutrients and yummy flavours. They are easy to make, transportable and versatile. They can be thicky and creamy or light and refreshing. It all depends on what you put in it.
My basic recipe, as a meal replacement, is:
200 ml of fluid - I prefer filtered water but other options include nut milks, coconut water, kombucha, kefir, etc.
A good handful of greens - baby spinach is nice option, others include broccolini, kale, broccoli, celery
Fruit - around 2 tablespoons of frozen berries, pineapple, mango. Using frozen fruits, means you get a nice icy smoothie
Protein-protein powders are my favourite (see my blog about how to pick a protein powder here ) other options are raw eggs, whole proteins such as hemp seeds, sachi inchi, inca inchi etc
1 heaped teaspoon of health fats - coconut flakes, avocado, nuts and seeds are all tasty. Some may like coconut oil or paste for a more rich smoothie
Blend all together and viola! You have a nutritious healthy smoothie.
You may want to boost your smoothie even further by adding:
Greens powder - especially if you don't get the 5-7+ serves of vegies daily
Nuts and seeds such as LSA - great for fibre but also cholesterol and hormone balancing
Prebiotic blend - to feed those oh so important healthy bacteria
Antioxidants to help minimise oxidative stress- such as cacao nibs or goji berries
For a simple snack, simply combine protein powder with a fluid of your choice. Add a banana in for creamy yumminess plus a great dose of potassium and magnesium. Great for a post workout or 3pm snack.
Once you have made a few smoothies, you will get more comfortable with experimenting with different flavours and combinations. In the meantime, here is a great source of smoothie recipes to get you started:
https://greatist.com/eat/high-protein-smoothie-recipes
I notice that not all the links are working but still some good recipes and inspiration. I have just added the Peanut Butter (my weakness) Oatmeal Smoothie to my list of things to try:
Credit: Chef Savvy
My final recommendation is to invest in a quality machine to make your smoothies. I have had about 5 different machines over the last 4 years and have found the NutriBullet to be the best. One particularly poor quality machine did not even make a single smoothie before it broke down. Although I have no doubt the motor is important, I personally found the connection between the blades and the base to be where the most problems occur. The more sturdy the connection, the more likely the device is to last.
Let me know your favourite smoothie recipe!
Otherwise, get creative and enjoy the versatility ease and health boost of a smoothie!