Tag Archives: fruit

Tickled Pink 💗

  
Smoothies are all the rage these days. There are few homes that don’t boast of the benefits of a Nutribullet or if you’re lucky enough a Vitamix. These machines might seem like a passing trend in terms of culinary equipment, however I’m converted. 

Green smoothies loaded with spinach have been my staple breakfast for years. The energy gained, compared to ingesting a standard westernised breakfast is incomparable. 

I’ve decided to deviate from my standard smoothie a few weeks ago in favour of a lighter fruitier version. This smoothie is absolutely delicious and more like a dessert! Packed with whole grains, seeds, nut butter, fruits and plant based milk it is a powerhouse of energy to supply you with numerous essential nutrients for your day. 
Ingredients 

 • 1 banana

80g frozen mixed berries 

1tsp almond butter

30g oats

2 heaped tbsp milled mixed seeds 

 250mls hemp milk 

Method

Pop all ingredients into a blender ( I use the Nutribullet) and blend until smooth. 

Serve in your favourite glass 😀💗
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Here’s the juicy bit. . . 
   

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We’ve all read of the importance of chewing our food correctly. It’s a simple rule but greatly benefits digestion and aids in the release of macro and micronutrients. 

Digestion starts in the mouth and signals the release of digestive enzymes, acid production in the stomach and bile to be released from the gall bladder. A cascade of  activity as you innocently chew your breakfast over the morning paper. 

If meal times are rushed, food may not be chewed sufficiently leaving  a lot of work for the stomach and intestines. These organs have to try and digest the food into their absorbable form so that we can utilise the fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals enabling us to carry out our numerous functions.

The benefit of blending food, as in smoothies, aids better digestion and the release of micronutrients from their bonds. 

If undigested food particles pass into your bloodstream, the immune system views these allergens as a potential threat which can lead to inflammation in the body and various ailments associated with inflammation. 

The simple rule  is — take time over each meal and chew your food well. 🍽


Super sunrise smoothie.

Super Sunrise Smoothie

Super Sunrise Smoothie

This is my favourite energising breakfast to wake up to. Its quick to prepare and tastes great. So many people reach for a caffeinated drink to perk themselves up in the morning but this smoothie is stronger than any espresso for an energy boost! Try it and you’ll be convinced. It’s densely packed with essential fats from the hemp and chia seeds, the hemp also provides good quality protein. The fruit delivers unprocessed carbohydrates. Vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants are abundant!! As its blended it reduces the work load on your body to digest the foods. My son loves this smoothie and it’s a great way to give fussy eaters a potent blend of tasty nutrients. Hope you enjoy ☺️

Makes 1 smoothie
Prep 10 mins

Ingredients

• 100g fresh pineapple diced.
• 100g frozen mixed berries
• 1 large banana

• 1 tbsp raw cacao
• 1 heaped tbsp chia seeds
• 2 heaped tbsp hemp seeds

• a splash of Coconut water or almond milk to get your desired consistency.

• Sesame, sunflower, pumpkin seeds and/ or gogi berries sprinkled on top. ( Optional )

I put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. 15 secs approx. Pour into your serving glass and sprinkle with your toppings of choice. Enjoy.

Here’s the juicy bit. . .

Raw cacao is the core ingredient of chocolate. It’s chocolate in it’s natural form before any processing takes place. It is rich in minerals and is dense in antioxidants providing approximately 10,000 per 10g!Antioxidants help neutralise free radicals.

Free radicals are atoms that are unstable and highly reactive and can have a negative effect on our health. We are constantly exposed to them and creating them in our body through normal bodily processes eg metabolism of food for energy. Disease, exercise, smoking, chemicals and pollutants increase our free radical load. There is much research into the connection between free radicals and cancers and heart disease. Free radicals have a cascading effect on our body and they need to be stabilised to slow the ageing process internally and externally and protect against disease. Antioxidants stabilise free radicals and render them neutral. By taking anti oxidants in abundance you help protect against a variety of diseases thought to be related to excess free radicals. Fruits, vegetables and the modern list of ‘superfoods’ contain anti oxidants in great numbers. Beta carotene, vitamins C and E are three examples of excellent anti oxidants which work in synergy together to stabilise free radicals.

Raw cacao is high in minerals calcium and iron. A 10g portion in your morning smoothie gives 18% of calcium RDA and 33% of iron RDA. It is important for people who don’t eat meat or dairy to ensure they are getting a sufficient amount of these minerals. Foods rich in vitamin C aid the absorption of iron. Avoid coffee or tea around the time of taking your smoothie as the tannins reduce the absorption of iron.