LIFESTYLE | food January 2017 53 www.womanthismonth.com Nutrition experts tell us never to cut out breakfast but, if your mornings are busy, it’s not always easy to have a healthy start to the day. Liz O’Reilly offers a solution. Smooth Operator Missing breakfast can lead to the dreaded mid-morning munchies, so if time or appetite precludes you from having what is often called the most important meal of the day, a smoothie that can be chucked together in minutes could be the answer. I’m by no means an expert but these five recipes are tried and tasted to get you through to lunchtime. Yellow Peril Handful of ice cubes, crushed Handful of frozen or fresh pineapple (noadded-sugar frozen is quicker and less messy) Handful of frozen spinach Ripe banana chopped into chunks Blitz it all together and you’ve got something that tastes a bit like a sin-free slushy. And don’t worry, you really won’t taste the spinach, it’s just there for added fibre and nutrients such as iron and calcium. Red Devil Handful of ice cubes, crushed Handful of frozen spinach Handful of frozen strawberries Handful of frozen raspberries Half an avocado Blitz together until smooth. If you’re using fresh fruits, you may want to add a spoonful of honey to add sweetness, depending on your personal taste. Very Berry Handful of ice cubes, crushed Handful of frozen spinach Handful of mixed berries Handful of cooked beetroot cut into chunks Half a cup of almond or other nut milk Blitz till smooth. Beware – if your mix contains blueberries, don’t spill it, it will stain! Green Goddess Handful of ice cubes, crushed Handful of frozen spinach 2-3 sticks of celery, depending on size, chopped into chunks Handful of cucumber chopped into chunks Handful of cherry tomatoes chopped into chunks Half an avocado A good dash of hot sauce Blitz till smooth and add your own choice of herbs for added flavour or a pinch of low-sodium salt and black pepper. Mango Madness Handful of ice cubes, crushed Handful of mango, frozen or fresh, chopped into chunks Handful of fresh baby carrots Handful of frozen spinach Half a cup of almond or other nut milk. Blitz till smooth. Enjoy! Smoothies are an area where frozen fruits and veggies come into their own so make sure to stock up the freezer on your weekly shop. I use a Magic Bullet but any blender capable of crushing ice will do the job. To beef up your smoothie, throw in a tablespoon of oats or add some seeds or nuts.
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