Super Smoothies
I know better than most, just how easy it is to make the wrong food choices! It’s how I got to 100kg, it was far easier to grab a packet of chips or chocolate than to get excited about eating my daily servings of fruit. Not to mention, how hard it is to make the RIGHT food choices when healthy alternatives just aren’t there.
My number one hot tip of this week is to keep plenty of the good stuff handy, at all times. And ditch the unhealthy crap (we all know how bad it all is)! My favourite way to make sure it’s yum as well as sticking to your daily guidelines and requirements is to whip up a deeeelish smoothie.
They’re my favourite am or pm snack. All the ingredients are usually hanging around in your fridge/freezer.
Here’s my fail safe smoothie plan that you can adjust to suit your tastes, budget and nutritional needs:
Step 1 – The Base
Always start with a liquid base to build upon such as rice milk, hemp milk, almond milk (my fave), soy milk or low fat cows milk (if you must).
Step 2 – Fruits
I personally love adding fresh berries, and always have a back up of at least two frozen bags in the freezer. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc are all super high in antioxidants and vitamins.
Step 3 – Nuts & Seeds
I then add 6 (or so) raw almonds, macadamias, walnuts or brazil nuts. And a spoonful of flax, sunflower, sesame seeds, LSA mix, basically whatever I have handy, this week it’s flax and sesame seeds. These are high in super healthy omega 3’s (to fight inflammation in the body – another focus of mine this week, we’ll chat more about that next week though), fiber & anti-oxidants too.
Step 4 – Everything Else!
I then become a little crazy with adding a few extras to my smoothie, but only do so if you feel compelled to do so! Experiment if you wish, but most of these have remarkable health benefits and my boys think they taste “awesome” and for any Mum that’s a great nudge in the right direction when you’re trying to nourish growing boys!
Greens
Any premium greens from organically grown barley, alfalfa (another fave of mine), oat and rye grasses, plus spirulina, chlorophyll, broccoli, parsley and kale, all rich in detoxifying chlorophyll, and naturally balanced vitamins, minerals and protein. It also contains a blend of essential fatty acids, fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants and digestive enzymes.
Hemp Protein Powder
Hemp seeds are one of nature’s best sources for plant-based protein, containing all the essential amino acids the body needs. It is also a fabulous source of fiber and essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6).
Maca Powder
Traditionally known to support hormone balance, increase libido and energy.
Coconut Oil
I could literally write a book on the number of health benefits associated with certified organic unrefined virgin coconut oil including support to the immune system, improving cholesterol, digestion and metabolism and helping to protect the body from breast, colon and other cancers, just to name a few.
Aloe Vera Juice
Aids digestion, improves circulation, strengthens the immune system, helps to detoxify the body and cleanse the colon, among other things (just make sure it’s not sweetened)!
Honey
I love manuka honey for its wide spectrum of healing properties, but any good quality honey will add a nice sweetness to your smoothie.
Muesli
You could also add a heaped spoonful of muesli into the glass after you’ve blended the smoothie.
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