When you think of smoothies, generally you think of lots of exotic fruits and flavours that you only really fancy in the summer, when the suns shining, it’s 30 degrees and your craving nothing but ice cold tropical fruit and berries.
But it’s February, arguably the coldest month of the year for Britain, its snowing slightly outside and winter is in full swing. The lack of summer however, doesn’t mean you’ll have to stop indulging in delicious and healthy smoothies. Smoothies are one of the best ways to add vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and into your diet, and they’re hidden in tasty drinkable treats. Here is a few of my favourites for you to try that also won’t break the bank account with lots of fancy ingredients!
Warm Winter Chai Smoothie
Who said smoothies have to be cold? Warm up with a warming festive smoothie to get you through those icy days. You will need:
- 250ml warm almond milk
- 2 scoops of chai powder (or you can make your own chai powder from grated fresh ginger, crushed cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and black pepper)
- Ground cinnamon – (add to suit your personal taste)
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- Almonds (optional)
Warm the milk in a saucepan, add the chai powder and the honey, then add the cinnamon and make sure all the ingredients are dissolved in the milk. Then serve it in your favourite mug and why not sprinkle with some crushed almonds on top or just eat a hand full on the side for a healthy breakfast. Cinnamon and Honey are both great healthier alternatives to sugar, which will help to keep sugar cravings at bay throughout the day. Honey has also been found to have a lot of medical properties such as it is an antioxidant and it’s antibacterial, and its a natural energy booster.
Banana and Oat Breakfast Smoothie
This smoothie is also full of winter flavours that will help keep those blues away and set you up for a long day at work. You will need:
- 1 banana
- 3 teaspoons of oats
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder/vanilla essence or Honey
- 250ml almond milk
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
This one is really easy to make. Take all the ingredients and just stick them into a blender. If you don’t have one, see what else you may have available to mash the banana and whisk up the ingredients. When all the ingredients are blended together, the smoothie is ready. Also did you know? The vitamin B6 in bananas helps to boost your body’s production of serotonin, which can improve your mood and increase feelings of satisfaction and relaxation. Better get eating more bananas!
Spiced Apple Smoothie
This ones more fruity than milky free for those who’d rather stay away from the heavy feeling of drinking a lot of milk or milk alternatives. You will need:
- 250ml of freshly pressed apple juice
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (or honey)
- Grated fresh root ginger (to taste and also to sprinkle)
- Cinnamon or nutmeg (or both)
- 1 banana (optional)
Again simply add the ingredients to a blender and blend them together, or just whisk. Or if you’d prefer, why not heat the apple juice first and make a hot drink (But I’d leave the banana out for that version unless you fancy it). Root ginger has multiple benefits for your health. To name a few, it has been shown to have natural anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties, and has been used as a remedy for cold and flu for a long time. The list goes on and on so it’s just what you need to boost your immune system and keep those nasty winter bugs away.
If you’d prefer to use ordinary, soy or coconut milk in any of the recipes to make your smoothie to your own taste, then go for it. These recipes are just a base and if you want to, why not add extra fruits or nuts to make it even healthier.
