Get Your Smooth On

Get Your Smooth On

Energy-boosting recipes to jazz up January

Writing | Ellen Hoggard

Every time you use the word ‘healthy’, you lose. The key is to make yummy, delicious food that happens to be healthy.” – Marcus Samuelsson. When we’re back to work, with the festive season behind us, what better way to kick-start the new year than with a delicious energy-boosting smoothie? Now, this isn’t another article telling you to do more of this, eat less of that. Oh, no. This is simply a recipe to help you get back into your kick-ass routine, feel great, and sail through January with ease. I want you to jump out of bed each morning excited to start the day with a simple and tasty, but nutritious, breakfast. I’ll be realistic, it may take you a little longer to get out of your cosy, warm bed, especially in these dark, frost-bitten mornings. But with these recipes, I want to inspire you to start your day early, try something new, and get a boost of those well-needed nutrients. Here you’ll find four smoothie recipes, suited to all tastes. Perfect for on-the-go, at work, or even as a mid-morning snack. Heck, these recipes are so yummy, you’ll be thinking of them all day long.

‘Hot chocolate’ smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

3 pitted dates

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 pinch cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

300ml milk of choice

Combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. For extra thickness, add a handful of ice before blending.

Spiced apple smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 apple

1/2 pear

1 tsp maple syrup

1 pinch cinnamon

40g oats

250ml milk of choice

Chop the apple and pear. Add the milk, maple syrup, oats and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.

Fig and banana smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

3 figs

1 banana, frozen

1 tsp honey

2 tbsp yogurt

250ml coconut milk

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.

Feeling adventurous?

Sweet potato and orange smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 orange

1/2 banana, frozen

1/2 cup sweet potato, cooked

1 pinch cinnamon

1 tsp maple syrup

130ml milk of choice

Peel and slice the orange. Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Our expert says…

Try to think of smoothies as a food, rather than a drink, so consume them slowly. Add plenty of ice before blending to thicken, and try eating them with a spoon.

Spiced apple smoothie

This is a great recipe; the oats provide valuable fibre to help keep blood sugar levels stable, and keep you feeling fuller for longer. The fruit also adds fibre, and the apple, in particular, has high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory levels. All kinds of milk will have good levels of calcium, and an array of vitamins to boost your immune system.

‘Hot chocolate’ smoothie

The dates provide good levels of fibre and are considered low GI, meaning they release their energy slowly. To increase the antioxidant levels, you could swap the cocoa powder for cacao powder (available to buy online, or in most health food shops!).

Fig and banana smoothie

To increase the protein content here, use a “Skyr-type” yoghurt, or a protein enriched plant-based yoghurt. To make it vegan, substitute the honey for agave, or consider missing it out altogether.

Sweet potato and orange smoothie

Sweet potato is a low GI food, so it will make you feel full and satisfied for longer. To increase the nutrient and fibre content, blend the skin as well as the flesh. Taste before you add the maple syrup, as it might not be needed.

Susan Hart is a nutrition coach and speaker. She hosts regular wellbeing workshops at Maggie’s Cancer Support Centre at Nottingham City Hospital, and runs vegan cooking classes. To find out more, visit nutrition-coach.co.uk