Looking to up your intake of fruit and veg? Try these delicious smoothie and juice recipes…
We all know that the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables are essential for a healthy body and mind, but for some, upping their intake of these goodness-packed items can prove tricky. It’s easy to suggest adding handfuls of greens to your lunchtime dishes or exchanging packets of crisps for carrot and celery sticks, but we know that’s not for everyone. So instead, why not try adding a smoothie or juice to your daily routine? Using the right ingredients, they taste delicious, pack a serious nutritional punch and are super quick to make. Plus they’re a great way to perk you up in the mornings and, best of all, they can help give you an extra boost when it comes to number crunching your five (or 10) a day. Try these healthy recipes and enjoy the benefits…
Breakfast smoothie
Serves 4
400g cherries, pitted; 200g raspberries; 250g Greek yoghurt; 1 tbsp clear honey; 1 vanilla pod; 4 tbsp crunchy granola
1. Put the cherries, raspberries, yoghurt and honey into a liquidiser. Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add to the mix. Blitz until smooth.
2. Divide the smoothie between four glasses and top with the granola. Garnish with extra raspberries, if you wish.
Purple smoothie
Serves 2-4
200g frozen blackberries; ½ medium raw beetroot, peeled and grated; 125g pack pomegranate seeds; 2cm piece root ginger, peeled and chopped; 100g firm silken tofu; 1-2 tsp honey (optional)
1. Place all the ingredients except the honey in a blender and then add 250ml water.
2. Blend until smooth then, if using, sweeten with honey to taste. Serve immediately
Super green juice
Serves 2
30g kale or spinach leaves, washed and any tough stalks removed; 2 ripe kiwis, peeled; 1 yellow grapefruit, peel, pith and pips removed; 10 green seedless grapes; Ice, to blitz and/or serve (optional)
1. Place all the ingredients into a liquidiser. If your liquidiser is suitable for crushing ice, add a few cubes. Pulse until smooth, then pour into glasses, over ice if you wish, and drink immediately.
Date and banana smoothie
Serves 4
30g oats; 1 banana, chopped; 2 tbsp clear honey; 4 Medjool dates; 100ml apple juice; 300ml natural yoghurt
1 Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth and creamy. Pour into tall glasses and serve.
Berry, coconut & chia smoothie bowl
Serves 4
200g strawberries; 200g bananas; 350ml coconut milk; 4 tbsp muesli; 1½ tbsp chia seeds; 1 tsp clear honey, plus extra to serve; 120g pack blueberries
1. Place the strawberries and bananas in a blender with the coconut milk and whizz until smooth, adding a little more liquid if your blender is struggling.
2. Add 2 tbsp muesli, 1 tbsp chia seeds and the honey. Blend again and once smooth, spoon into four breakfast bowls.
3. Top with the blueberries and the remaining muesli and chia seeds. Serve immediately, with an extra drizzle of honey, if liked.
Recipes courtesy of Waitrose. For more healthy recipes, visit waitrose.com
