Category: Smoothies

Rhubarb & peanut butter smoothie

I love Rhubarb and thankfully it’s growing like a Triffid on the plot again this year. I’ve eaten crumble for breakfast, made muffins and mixed it stewed through yogurt and overnight oats. But today, it became my new favourite smoothie ingredient.  Be warned this is a very creamy smoothie but rhubarb and peanut butter is a fabulous combo and deserves to be decadent.

Method (makes one smoothie)

  • Cold stewed rhubarb – I used about 3 tablespoons
  • 200ml of soya milk (coconut milk works great with this, in fact any milk. You might want to add more than 200ml to make it less creamy, I like mine almost mousse texture! Or thin it down with some water to make it slightly less creamy.
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter OR 1 tablespoon peanut butter powder (or both, why not)
  • 2-3 dates

Optional – Protein powder for an extra hit of protein works well.

So go and stew up some Rhubarb, make a crumble and save some for your morning smoothie.

 

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A trio of Gooseberries

I had a gooseberry glut this year, first time ever so after over excitedly harvesting them all at once, I had a week of gooseberry themed breakfasts.  These are the top 3 – all very easy and quick and making the most of the tartness and sweetness combo that makes the gooseberry one of those ‘love it or hate it’ type of fruits.

The combo with peanut butter is fab – but be warned, the colour mix doesn’t make for pretty photos!

Gooseberry Smoothie

  • A large handful of gooseberries (approx. 15)
  • 1 banana (fresh or frozen)
  • 150ml apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup.

Blend it all together. The sweetness of the apple juice and maple syrup is a great foil for the tartness of the gooseberries.

Hot Gooseberry crumpet

  • A large handful of gooseberries
  • 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
  • Nut butter
  • Crumpet
  • Maple syrup

Melt the oil in a frying pan, add the gooseberries until they start to soften and split (about 3-5 mins).  Toast a crumpet and spread with a nut butter of your choice and pile the gooseberries on top. You can swirl some maple syrup over the top for extra sweetness.

Gooseberry and peanut butter compote

  • A large handful of gooseberries
  • 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Melt the oil in a frying pan and add the gooseberries for 2-3 mins. Then add the peanut butter and heat through until it all starts to soften.

I’ve eaten this on its own, both hot and cold.  Also lovely stirred through soya or coconut yoghurt.

 

 

 

 

The Seedy Protein Base

We know that getting a good hit of protein at breakfast is a great way to start the day. This mix of powders and seeds is one way to get a mega 20g of protein into breakfast (and the mix is around 240 calories if you’re counting).

Using peanut butter powder adds the well loved peanut butter flavour without the hit of calories that 2 tablespoons of the real thing would give. Whilst it’s hard to imagine anything beating the real thing, I am a complete convert to the powder after picking up a jar on offer in Aldi recently.  Although, I will never ever be without a few jars of the real thing in my cupboards too.

You can use this as a base to add to smoothies, yoghurt or overnight oats.  If you mix this into 150ml of soya yoghurt you get another 6g of protein.  Add some berries and you’re all set for a fairly low calorie, protein packed brekkie.

Seedy Protein Base

  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Hemp protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter powder
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Mix it all together and add to whatever you fancy.  protein base2

Tropical Courgette Smoothie

I will admit it was with quiet desperation that I first added some courgette to a smoothie – my supply of this veg is fast outweighing my ability to eat them.  However I was surprised to find that it tasted ok, in fact the courgette added a little creaminess without too much taste (in a good way).

So after a few more experiments I think that this courgette smoothie is pretty good.

I’m still using my crop of yellow courgettes, but they taste the same as green so either goes.

courgette smoothie

Tropical Courgette Smoothie (serves one)

  • 150g fresh pineapple
  • 100g courgette (skin on)
  • 150ml coconut milk (from a carton not a tin)
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of Tahini
  • 1 medjool date

Blend it all together.

 

Peach Melba Bowl

Peaches are at their best at the moment, lovely and ripe. The peach melba combo of peaches, raspberries and vanilla is a classic and can definitely be reproduced for breakfast. Just the use of the 3 classic ingredients plus oats and yoghurt can produce this lovely bowl – which is a bit of a cross between overnight oats, bircher and a smoothie bowl.

Peach Melba Bowl

Peach Melba Bowl

  • 2 peaches – stoned and cut into chunks
  • 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
  • 1 vanilla pod – seeds scrapped out
  • 100g fresh raspberries – roughly chopped
  • 60g Oats

Blend the peaches, yoghurt and the seeds from the vanilla pod in a blender. Put this mixture into a bowl and stir through the oats and chopped raspberries. Put in the fridge overnight.

This is enough for two portions – although my breakfast bowl tomorrow will be quite small judging by the amount of extra spoonfuls I was having today.

To serve

Top with raspberries, peach slices, yoghurt and honey

 

Cashew Banana Iced Coffee

When you want a caffeine hit but don’t fancy a hot coffee – this is a very simple iced coffee drink with a nifty portion of fruit thrown in.  Ever since I discovered cashew milk a few weeks ago at my local supermarket I’ve been stocking up and using it in different brekkie recipes.  I had a bit of milk left and wondered if it would go with coffee – it does beautifully!

Cashew Banana Iced Coffee

cashew iced coffee

  • A shot of espresso (or 50ml strong black coffee)
  • 100ml Cashew nut milk
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • Couple of ice cubes

Make the coffee and let it cool.  Then blend everything together.

 

 

Turmeric & Orange Smoothie

Turmeric is one of those wonder spices that I would like to use more often yet, because I’m not a great curry fan, I never quite know how to get my fix.

I’ve come across a few smoothie recipes in my quest and have played around and found a combination that I really love. This smoothie has a real nutritional punch with carrot, mango, coconut water and turmeric, so a great way to start the day.

I recently discovered these Rude Health ginger and turmeric oatcakes, which are the perfect accompaniment. I could happily eat them all without the need for any toppings – but I did find some peanut butter worked rather well.

turmeric orange smoothie

Turmeric & Orange Smoothie (makes one large smoothie)

  • 330ml coconut water
  • 1 medium carrot – peeled and cut into thick chunks
  • 1 orange – peeled and cut into chunks
  • A cube of ginger
  • Handful of frozen mango (around 50g-60g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Blend it all together.

Minty green banana smoothie

I love mint and am growing a few different varieties at the moment.  This year I’m growing a banana mint which really does have a hint of minty bananas!  So with the sun making a rare appearance this morning I felt the need for a light summer smoothie and of course it has to have mint.  I’ve used banana mint but any mint will do.

Banana mint melon

Minty green banana smoothie (serves one)

  • 100g fresh melon (I used cantaloupe)
  • 1/2 banana or one small one
  • 250ml coconut water
  • large bunch of mint – I used about 15 leaves of banana mint – if using normal garden mint then probably 10 leaves as the banana mint has smaller leaves.
  • 2 blocks of frozen spinach (or a handful of fresh)

Blend it all together.

 

Magic Mango Smoothie

I call this magic because it’s a great re-fuel smoothie incorporating lots of vitamin C and a small hit of carbs.  It makes a lovely thick smoothie and is perfect when you want something filling but without the use of milk.  I’ve had a very high carb diet over the past few days due to a marathon yesterday and today I feel the need to de-carb without starving my rather achy body. This smoothie ensures I get a good start with some natural goodness to help the immune system.

Magic Mango Smoothie

Magic mango

  • 1/2 fresh mango (approx. 100g)
  • 1/2 a banana – or one small one
  • 3 dates (if you use medjool then just use one or two)
  • 200ml fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons oats
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 cube fresh ginger (about 1-2cm)

Blend it all together.

Vass Smoothie

I’ve just returned from a holiday in Vasiliki in Greece and this smoothie was the smoothie of the day at my hotel.  I had it on my first day and then asked what the smoothie was the following day – it was the same smoothie every day because this was the one everyone liked best!  I’ve tried to recreate it at home to bring back some sunshine to a rather damp and dull morning.  It’s simple, fresh and sunny.

Vass Smoothie

  • 200ml fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon goji berries
  • large chunk of fresh ginger
  • 1 banana

Blend it all together.