Refreshing, delicious and healthy, fruit smoothies are so easy to make at home that you hardly need a recipe. All you need is a blender and some fresh ripe fruit and you can have a natural and tasty drink in seconds, which will provide you with loads of vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals. Smoothies are a great way of getting kids to eat their daily five portions of fruit and veg without them even noticing that they are doing so.
In summer you are spoilt for choice with fruit to use in your smoothies: strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots. Even gooseberries and blackcurrants make wonderful smoothies, on their own or mixed with other fruits. In winter you can still make great smoothies using frozen berries, but you can also use bananas, mangos, kiwis, oranges, passion fruit, pomegranates and pineapples to add freshness and vitamins to your fruit smoothie.
You can make up your own smoothies with whatever fresh, ripe fruit you have available and mix them with yoghurt or fruit juices. When the fruit is properly ripe you won’t need to add sugar at all making your smoothie even healthier. In summer you can add crushed ice cubes to the mix for instant chill.
You can make up your own smoothies with whatever fresh, ripe fruit you have available and mix them with yoghurt or fruit juices. When the fruit is properly ripe you won’t need to add sugar at all making your smoothie even healthier. In summer you can add crushed ice cubes to the mix for instant chill.
Here are a few smoothie recipes to start your imagination going:
1. Cranberry and Raspberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- - 1 cup cranberries
- - 1 cup raspberries
- - 125ml / ½ cup cranberry juice
- - 1 cup yoghurt
Method:-
- Blend until smooth. Taste to check for sweetness and add a little more juice if you need it a little sweeter.
2. Mango, Banana and Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- - 1 mango / 100g chopped mango peeled
- - 1 small, ripe banana
- - 3-4 strawberries
- - Juice of 1 orange
Method:-
- Blend all the fruit together until smooth.
3. Tropical Smoothie
Ingredients
- - 1 small pineapple peeled and diced
- - 1 banana
- - 1 cup yoghurt
- - 1 tablespoon dessicated coconut
- - 1 cup pineapple/orange juice
- - 1 passion fruit
Method:-
- Blend together until smooth.
Note:-
Don’t forget you can add extra oomph to your smoothies with a little grated ginger root, or a dash of ground spice. Cardamom, cinnamon, and even coriander can work well to add variety to your smoothie recipes.
You can also turn your smoothies into a liquid health breakfast, by adding ingredients like nuts, flaxseed oil and wheat germ along with the berries and fresh fruit.