A Smoothie Start To 2013...

Banana, Date, Oat, Almond Milk  Smoothie

avocado date smoothie 

It took me some time to get into smoothies, but now  I  have found flavours I enjoy. I am hooked !!  Smoothies are  a nutritional, filling   and  a great on the go meal .

Here are a few of my favourite smoothie combinations.

Avocado, Banana ,Oat, Date .Almond Milk Smoothie
This is an all morning smoothie,  that is filling and full of nutrients.  I can never drink this in one go so I carry it with me to early morning appointments, it keeps me full most the day. Serves 1-2

2 cups home made organic almond  milk.
1/2 a medium avocado peeled & stoned
2 fresh dates stoned checked
1/8 teaspoon real vanilla essence
1 banana medium peeled
1/2 cup chilled water.

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.

Sunflower Seed Smoothies

Sunflower seeds are full of  goodness  (1 oz.) contains more than 75 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin E ,about 15 percent of the recommended daily values of B vitamins, 6 g. protein and 2 g. fiber. Vitamin E is an antioxidant important for heart health while B vitamins, such as folate and B-12, are essential for heart health and healthy reproduction.

Good Reasons to Soak your seeds
Enzyme inhibitors get neutralized.The amount of vitamins your body can absorb increases.
Gluten breaks down so digestion is much easier. phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of vital minerals, is reduce.
However you don’t have to soak your seeds but its healthier Sunflower seeds should be soaked for 2 hours , pumpkin seeds 7 hours.

To soak seeds

Place the seeds in bowl preferably glass cover with a ratio of 2-1 of water to seeds.cover with either muslin or a cotton tea towel , rinse and change the water after 4 hours

The water you have soaked the seeds in will contain the enzyme inhibitors which is very acidic to the body so make sure to rinse seeds extremely well before use .

Strawberry Banana Sunflower Smoothie

1 banana
1 cup  strawberries  washed & checked
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (soaked at least 2 hours)
1 cup chilled water
2 cups organic home made almond milk
1 teaspoon organic honey

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, alternatively place into a high speed blender & blend then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.

• Cinnamon sunflower Day Breaker

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• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 2 cups water  

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 medium bananas (chopped)

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• 1 tablespoon organic oatmeal  

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, alternatively place into a high speed blender & blend then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled

Cocoa Banana Elevenses Ideal mid morning smoothie that will carry you though lunch.

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 dates seeded and checked  
2 teaspoons unsweetened organic cocoa powder
1 banana
2 tablespoon  unsweetened  apple purée
2 cups iced water
1 cup home made almond milk

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, alternatively place into a high speed blender & blend then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.

Green Goodness Smoothie

1 banana, thickly sliced, frozen

2 cups chopped kale washed and checked

1 tablespoon pumpkin / flax/ or sunflower seeds pre soaked

1 teaspoon  coconut oil(optional)
1/2 an avocado  peeled and stoned
1/4 cup juice of fresh oranges
1 cup chilled water

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, alternatively place into a high speed blender & blend then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.

Green Zinger Smoothie

1 banana, cut in chunks

1 cup  seedless  green grapes

2 cups almond milk

1/2  pink lady apple, cored and chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach leaves washed and checked
1 small cucumber
1/2 cup washed and checked parsley.
1/4 inch fresh ginger

2 dates checked and seeded

Put everything into a measuring jug , blend with a stick blender till smooth, alternatively place into a high speed blender & blend then place into the fridge to chill. Serve chilled.

Smoothie 101!

I keep bananas that are becoming just over ripe in the freezer , they are ideal to use in Smoothies,

You can use  a couple of spoons Wheat-germ  to add to the smoothies before blending . Wheat -germ contains 23 nutrients . It is a very good source of potassium  and iron also has great quantities of riboflavin,calcium ,   Zinc magnesium and Vitamins A, E, B1 and B3. as well as a high level of  protein.

Wheat germ is not suitable for people with a gluten or wheat intolerance . 

I use organic  oatmeal to bulk out my smoothies , oatmeal helps heart health.

It can lower blood cholesterol ,high content of complex  carbohydrates and water-soluble fibre  that encourages slow digestion and stabilizes blood-glucose levels. Oatmeal contains vitamin B which aids relaxation. 

You can make smoothies from almost fruit and vegetable combination, but bananas or avocado give smoothies  a natural slow burning thickening base add flavour and the smooth quality from which smoothies get their name

I wish you and your family a healthy, happy and smooth(ie) 2013.