Smoothies are hands down one of my favourite things to make. Apart from the obvious fact that they can be ridiculously delicious, here’s why I love them to the moon and back:…
Superfoods
Matcha & Spirulina Tropical Smoothie Bowl
What’s green, delicious and full of vitamins? Our matcha and spirulina tropical smoothie bowl! If you’re bored with those same old green smoothie recipes and want to try something a little different and super tasty, this one’s for you, kid.
In truth, this smoothie combination came about when I had a craving for something green, but had just run out of the usual suspects: spinach, kale, celery, cucumbers, etc. I did have some frozen lychees and mangos on hand, though, and a boat load of superfood supplements at my disposal. And so this gloriously delicious smoothie bowl was born: slightly earthy thanks to the spirulina and matcha powder, suitably punchy thanks to the mango, banana and lychee combination, and just sweet enough thanks to a lovely dried fig. What’s lovely about this recipe is that none of the flavours are particularly overpowering – they all work together in perfect synergy and the frozen fruit give the blend a perfectly thick and creamy texture….
Cherry Acai Smoothie
After my workouts, I love to drink a high protein smoothie packed with natural ingredients. One of my favourite tips for amazing smoothies any time of the year is to always have frozen fruits on hand at any time. That way, you can enjoy the fruits of any season regardless of the time of year. It took me some time to find a store which sells frozen cherries, my absolute favourite smoothie ingredient, but now I have a regular supplier that keeps me happy all year round!…
Chocolate, Maca & Pecan Granola
When you can combine chocolate, superfoods and granola – it’s safe to say a party in your mouth ensues. This is one of my favourite go-to snack (and breakfast) for when I’m feeling that chocolate craving. It’s packed full of healthy, energy and protein-rich ingredients, but has just the right about of sweetness to make it feel like an extra-special treat. And it features one of my favourite nuts (when I’m in the mood for playing favourites, because lets face it, all nuts are pretty damn awesome)- PECANS….
Spinach Power Smoothie Shake
Daily I am confronted with the urge to satisfy my carb-loving/sugar-fiending taste buds (it does not help that my Instagram feed consists solely of top chefs/bakers). Note: I have tried to unfollow these desires, but life becomes quite mundane without them.
So in order to stay sane, I adhere to the spiritually-focused/cognitively-challenging health ritual of portion control. This practice, which is thought to be one of the toughest feats to conquer, requires the subject to eat minimal amounts of the unhealthy stuff (i.e. typically mouthwatering foods) in order to achieve their health/fitness goals. It has taken me many, many years of practice, but as I embark on the latter side of my quarter-century life phase, I am aware that these sacrifices are necessary.
One way I combat the urge to not eat as much throughout the day is making sure that I eat enough of the right stuff at the start of the day. After 30+ years of eating breakfasts, I have finally discovered my go-to meal: Spinach Power Shake Smoothie.
The key is having ingredients that keep you full for a substantial amount of time. A lot of people love the to-go oatmeal every morning, thinking the slow digesting carbs will keep them full (and for many people it does), however for myself, it never did the trick! See, when having oatmeal, you really should only be having ¾ of a cup. This is a pitiful amount in my opinion, so what I ended up doing was having twice as much, thus consuming quite a lot of carbs/calories. The comforting bowl of oats would leave a 300+ calorie deficit of my daily total and over 50 grams of carbs (although not necessarily the bad carbs, albeit carbs non the less), and most importantly, a grumbling tummy within an hour.
So I turned to the breakfast shake/green smoothie. I have always enjoyed a good protein shake, but this time I started adding a new ingredient: spinach. Spinach, when blended in a smoothie, is virtually tasteless, but adds so many nutrients that it would be silly for anyone not to add it their shakes.
Spinach is a powerhouse leafy green, with a boat load of dietary potassium (almost twice as much as a banana and great for muscle recovery), rich in iron, and also has ton of magnesium, which is necessary for energy metabolism. Also adding a healthy dose of Vitamin K to your diet, this green hero was a life changer in my daily routine.
Spinach Power Shake Smoothie
Prep time
Total time
Easy, lightning fast shake to get you through your mornings post-workouts, or when you need something fresh, light and green in your belly.
Three Silver Spoons Author: Kate Metzner
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- A handful of baby spinach
- ½ frozen banana (doubles as a fruity ice cubes to cool down the smoothie)
- 1 cup of water
- 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
- Additional options:
- Chia seeds
- Any other fruit (I also love blueberries)
- Any powder supplements you may be taking
Instructions
- Add the smoothie ingredients to your blender and whizz up until smooth.
- Top with your favourite toppings.
Superfood Cashew, Coconut & Cranberry Granola
Granola is one of those perfect foods that always brings me a quick sense happiness. Its perfection lies in its endless adaptability, both in the granola recipe itself, and the ways it can be used to add a little something extra to anything and everything. Of course, the classic way to enjoy this healthy and nourishing cereal mix is with your choice of milk (I love mine with my homemade vanilla almond milk), and some juicy slices of a seasonal fruit. But it’s also delicious added as a smoothie topper, or even as a stand-alone snack when you need something yummy and nutritious to keep you going….
Blueberry, Maqui & White Chocolate Cheesecake
Winter is a beautiful thing. Throughout this wonderful season, I adore watching the colours shift in nature, the greens brighten to a burning red, the flower beds explode with colour or lay dormant with autumn fall. I dare say winter is perhaps my favourite of all the seasons, at not least of all because i’m inclined to eat more generously.
With winter my body calls for those vegetables which ground and nourish me, for fruits that support my immunity to the winter chills, for fat that aids to protect my vital organs. I bake and I stew. I plan my meals, soaking, sprouting or fermenting nuts, grains and seeds, and I cook in the most energising fashion that I know- slowly and at length. I simmer soups for hours, I turn rice into congee. In winter, I am more thankful than ever for man harnessing the power over fire, and I devote myself to its use. Winter is synonymous warm open fires, hot, nourishing beverages and listening to the rain hit the tin roof….
Warming Pitaya and Goji Oatmeal
Pitaya, or dragon fruit, is one of those incredible exotic fruits I have always admired from afar but never had the spunk to try out. There was always something intense and seemingly fierce about this widely cultivated fruit – though now that I’ve jumped on the pitaya bandwagon I can clearly see my assumptions were unfounded!
The only thing truly fierce about this cactus plant fruit is its appearance. Scaly green leaves cover a kiwi-like black seed speckled flesh. The fruit flesh itself can vary: both the white and the exquisite bright magenta varieties have a surprisingly mild taste- more like a semi-sweet melon with a soft kiwi texture.
The pitaya fruit is high in antioxidants, vitamin C and other nutrients. It is also a low calorie and low sugar alternative to other fruits, and its seeds are rich in healthy fatty acids. It’s also low in fructose, so great for those of use who follow the FODMAP diet.*…