Drinks
It’s not all about what we eat; what we drink matters too. It’s very easy to reach for unhealthy options like sugary fizzy drinks. The best drink of all for us is water, but it’s easy to make some powerful health-giving drinks that can add to your health regime. Here are a few of my favourites. A couple of them require a juicer – these gadgets were once pricey and fiddly to use, but they’re now well priced and easy to use and clean.
Chocolate for breakfast: hurrah! Chocolate is often given a bad rap, but this isn’t always justified. Take away the sugar, cream and all the other gunk that is added to chocolate bars, and you are actually left with a very nutritious ingredient indeed. And the banana berry smoothie is another quick, easy smoothie that makes a great nutrient-packed breakfast.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Banana berry smoothie
SERVES 1–2
2 ripe bananas
150g frozen mixed berries
150g live probiotic yoghurt
100ml orange or apple juice
Place all the ingredients in a jug blender and process to make a thick, creamy smoothie.
JOINTS & BONES Osteoporosis
MENTAL HEALTH & NERVOUS SYSTEM Anxiety
HEART & CIRCULATION High blood pressure
Chocolate morning smoothie
SERVES 1
250ml milk, or soy or almond milk
1 banana
2 tablespoons high-quality pure cocoa powder (raw cacao powder is best, if you can find it)
2 teaspoons honey
Put all the ingredients in a jug blender and process to make a thick, luscious and chocolatey smoothie. Enjoy!
JOINTS & BONES Arthritis
HEART & CIRCULATION High blood pressure
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Bloating, IBS
Pineapple zing smoothie Guaranteed to put some zing in your thing! OK, I know it may sound like a weird combination of ingredients, but trust me, it really works. The flavours complement each other, and their nutritional benefits do, too. Try it – you’ll love it!
SERVES 2–3
½ large ripe pineapple
2 celery stalks, plus the leaves to garnish (optional)
2.5cm piece fresh root ginger
Peel the pineapple by slicing off each end, then slicing downwards between the skin and the flesh with a sharp knife. Remove and discard the skin. Remove the spiky brown dots, or ‘eyes’, from the pineapple flesh with the tip of a small knife, then cut the flesh into chunks and put it in a jug blender.
Cut the celery into chunks and add it to the blender. Peel the ginger – scraping off the skin with a teaspoon is a good way to do this – and finely chop it, then add to the blender.
Process thoroughly to make a thick, zingy smoothie. You can add a small amount of water to help the ingredients blend, or to make a thinner smoothie, if you prefer.
These drinks pack a serious punch, and provide a perfect way to kick-start your day. I’m a big fan of mango lassi and the smoothie is my tribute. The fennel tea used in this recipe is the type you would find in tea bags in any supermarket.
HEART & CIRCULATION High blood pressure
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Wake-up juice
SERVES 1
1 large raw beetroot
2 Golden Delicious apples
1cm piece fresh root ginger
Process all the ingredients in a juicer and drink immediately.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Bloating, Constipation, IBS
Probiotic mango smoothie
SERVES 1
1 fennel tea bag
1 large, ripe mango, peeled
150g live probiotic yoghurt
1 teaspoon honey
Brew a cup of fennel tea. Leave the bag in the tea and allow it to cool completely. Measure out 100ml of the cooled tea and place in a blender.
Place the peeled mango, yoghurt and honey in the blender and process into a smooth, luscious drink.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Bloating, IBS
Tummy tea This simple tea tastes wonderful and packs a powerful punch, making it ideal for any digestive issues.
SERVES 1
1 heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
1 heaped teaspoon caraway seeds
1 heaped teaspoon dried mint
handful fresh mint leaves (optional)
Mix the seeds and herbs together and infuse in boiling water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then strain and sip.
This lovely, simple smoothie takes minutes to make and is a great digestive dynamo and energy tonic! Coconut oil is an easy ingredient to find these days in supermarkets and health food shops. The unusual but delicious pairing of cranberry and celery makes a pungent and powerful juice that’s wonderful for the health of the urinary tract.
JOINTS & BONES Arthritis
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM Bloating
Sunshine smoothie
SERVES 1–2
1 small, very ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped
1 x 400ml can coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Place all the ingredients in a jug blender, and process into a smooth, luscious drink. Serve over ice.
REPRODUCTIVE & URINARY SYSTEMS Cystitis and other urinary tract infections
Cranberry and celery blast
SERVES 1
150g fresh cranberries
½ Golden Delicious apple, cut into wedges
3 celery stalks
Process all the ingredients in a juicer. Drink immediately.