SUPER SMOOTHIES

For me, smoothies (when made right) are one of the best ways to get a good dose of nutrients, protein, fruits and/ or veges into your day in one quick, easy hit. Plus they’re so convenient – you can drink them standing up while you’re doing other things if you’re short on time (like making the kids’ lunches in my case) or even in the car on your way to work. Just don’t spill them – spinach is one big pain in the you-know-what to get out of the upholstery!

I’m sharing my two favourite smoothie recipes here – the first is my take on the green smoothie. There are 1000s of different green smoothie variations and people are constantly asking for a good one! The first couple of times I experimented with green smoothies nearly put me off them for life – the result could only be described as a chunky, green, bitter, soup-like concoction. Nice. But I persisted – tried different recipes and, crucially, bought a decent blender! In my opinion, you don’t want chunks in your green smoothie! Besides a decent blender, the other crucial ingredients IMO are coconut water and ice cubes. Other than that, play around with different ingredients and flavours.

The second recipe is the one I turn to when the weather’s a bit cooler and I’m not really feeling in the mood for a green smoothie. A sweet potato smoothie might sound … umm interesting, but it tastes amazing! It’s like having a dessert at breakfast without any added sugar (or even fruit). The sweetness of the sweet potato along with the spices is a winning combo!

der. Serves 1.

Green smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cucumber
1/2 lime, peeled
1-2cm piece ginger
1-2 Tbsp vanilla protein powder
1 Tbsp walnuts (or flaxseeds or chia – whatever you have)
3-4 ice cubes

Method:
Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender. Serves 1.
NB. I prefer my green smoothies without fruit but if it’s not sweet enough for you, add a kiwi fruit or some frozen blueberries to the mix. Avocado is also a nice addition to this one for some extra creaminess!