A raw chocolate smoothie you just have to try!

I don’t know about you, but the chocolate cravings have been real in my household lately (I blame it on the winter blues!).

To satisfy these never-ending cravings, I decided to get a little creative in the kitchen and blend up a healthy chocolate smoothie inspired by some of my favourite recipes – this is what I came up with!

Decadent raw chocolate smoothie recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups low-fat vanilla yoghurt
• 2 cups rice milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp cacao nibs
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 frozen banana
• 4-6 ice blocks

Preparation:

Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz on high-speed until completely smooth.
Pour into two tall glasses and drink up!

If you happen to try out this recipe of mine, please leave your thoughts in the comments below! Have a fabulous Saturday!

This cherry and beet smoothie supports your liver and reduces inflammation

If you’re anything like me, you’re all for recipes that pack both lots of flavour and a nutritional punch!

This tasty cherry and beet smoothie is dark purple in colour, and is laced with an array of nutrients that are great for every aspect of your health, but especially your natural detox system AKA your liver. Try it out!

The nutritional benefits of this cherry and beet smoothie

In this smoothie, you’ll reap the liver-supporting benefits of beets. You’ll also take in a fantastic dose of inflammation-fighting cherries, ginger and cacao.

All other ingredients on the list are just as beneficial, and will provide your body with a great punch of all the vitamins and minerals that it needs to reboot and refuel!

The smoothie has a taste that manages to be both earthy and zesty at the same time, which is absolutely delightful first thing in the morning or after a workout.

How to blend up a tasty cherry and beet smoothie

Serves: 2

You’ll need:

• ¼ cup almonds, cashews or hazelnuts
• ¾ cup cherries, fresh or frozen
• 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 beet, peeled and chopped
• ½ banana, fresh or frozen
• 1 tsp lime zest, grated
• 1 tbsp cacao powder
• Small handful oats (optional, for a filling breakfast smoothie)
• 2 tbsp hemp protein (optional, for a post-workout pick-me-up)

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Spread the nuts of your choice out on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the nuts are lightly roasted. They should be golden brown in colour.
3. Remove the nuts from the oven and transfer to your blender. Add the remaining ingredients to your blender and whiz on high-speed for one minute or until completely smooth.
4. Divide the smoothie into two glasses, serve and enjoy!

Try out this sweet and soothing carrot and cantaloupe smoothie!

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that you have to swap out smoothies for soups. I personally love sipping on sweet, warming smoothies during the chilly months – especially when I’m feeling as gloomy as the weather and am in need of a little pick-me-up.

The carrot and cantaloupe smoothie recipe I’m about to share is both soothing and nutrient-dense, making it just what you need to survive the miserable cold weather! The next time you’re feeling flu-ish or run down, give this health-enhancing blend a try – you wont regret it!

Why carrots and cantaloupe?

You might avoid carrots because of their high sugar content, but this is in fact a misconception. You see, because carrots also pack loads of fibre, they have a low glycaemic load.

However, this means that you have to eat the whole carrot (or use it in a smoothie) to maintain its fibre content. Juicing removes the fibre, which increases the glycaemic load. Therefore, the bottom line is that carrots are packed with incredible health benefits, not sugar!

Furthermore, both carrots and cantaloupe are very rich in the essential carotenoid beta-carotene, making them beneficial for your skin and eyes. They’re also both powerful natural anti-inflammatories.

Cantaloupe in particular is great for your insulin levels and blood sugar metabolism. Rich in vitamins A and C, this delicious fruit possesses an array of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, which actually makes it a superfood – bet you didn’t know that!

Lastly, the hint of ginger in the recipe adds a great little immune-boosting kick, while the natural sweetness of cinnamon provides blood sugar-balancing benefits. The combination as a whole is a soothing, anti-inflammatory and ever-so-yummy blend!

Carrot and cantaloupe anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup carrots, chopped into small chunks
• 2 cups cantaloupe, cubed
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger root, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend on high-speed for one minute.
2. Pour the mixture into two glasses and garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon if desired.
3. Serve immediately and enjoy tremendously!

Tip: Remember to try and chew your smoothie to increase your saliva, which aids digestion. You’ll feel more satisfied! After all, smoothies aren’t drinks, but rather liquid snacks and meals.

What did you think of this recipe? Leave your comments below!

Four coconut water smoothies to quench your thirst

What could be more refreshing on a hot day than a cool, tasty glass of coconut water? It’s healthy, refreshing and delicious! But do you know about all of the benefits that this water has to offer? Allow me to fill you in …

 

 

A few amazing benefits of coconut water

• Coconut water is an excellent source of potassium: Water from coconuts is high in the electrolyte potassium. This is why athletes often drink coconut water, for potassium helps prevent muscle weakness and cramps.
• Coconut water is rich in antioxidants: Coconut water naturally combines antioxidants, which help prevent the damaging effects that free radicals have on the body, such as the first signs of ageing.
• Coconut water helps improve digestion: Coconut water not only has a super hydrating effect on the body, but also hydrates the digestive tract. When you drink it, the nutrients in the water are readily absorbed by your digestive tract, which in turn hydrates your colon.
• Coconut water provides an energy fix: Coconut encourages the body to produce energy. A lot of physical fitness trainers and athletes drink coconut water for its impressive electrolyte and energy-boosting properties.

Now that I’ve told you about some of the incredible benefits of drinking coconut water, I’m going to share four of my favourite coconut water smoothie recipes with you. Sip on these to keep your body hydrated during the extreme Jozi heat this summer!

Four hydrating coconut water smoothie recipes

#1: Green coconut smoothie

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/4 cucumber
• 1 cup kale leaves
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled

#2: Watermelon coconut smoothie

• 2 cups watermelon
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3-4 mint leaves
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup ice

#3: Orange coconut smoothie

• 1 orange, peeled and seeded
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1/2 ripe banana
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 2 tsp hemp seeds
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup ice

#4: Peach coconut smoothie

• 1 peach, pitted
• 4 frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 cup ice
• Stevia to taste

Enjoy!

This skinny strawberry shortcake smoothie is pure indulgence!

This delicious smoothie is thick, creamy, and full of sweet fruit flavour. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled to serve more, too! I hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Skinny strawberry smoothie recipe

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (almond milk or cashew milk works well)
• 1 tsp butter extract (you can substitute vanilla extract instead)
• Stevia to taste

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to your blender and pulse on high-speed until smooth.
2. Pour into a tall glass and drink up.

Four watermelon smoothies that taste like summer

If there were a scale for thirst-quenching fruits, watermelon would be off the charts. The summer fruit consists of more than 90% water – did you know that?

 

Want to make the most of this juicy pink fruit while it’s in season? Then blend up one of these tasty and ever-so-refreshing smoothies. Enjoy!

 

 

Four watermelon smoothie recipes to try

#1: Watermelon, strawberry and chia

• 1 1/2 cups watermelon
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

#2: Watermelon, mango and goji berry

• 4 cups watermelon
• 1 mango
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 2 tbsp goji berries
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

#3: Watermelon, blueberry and coconut

• 3 cups watermelon
• 3 cups frozen blueberries
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2 cup ice
• 1 tbsp coconut chips

#4: Watermelon, spinach and cucumber

• 2 cups watermelon
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp chlorella powder

Which of these fabulous smoothies is your favourite?

Get ready to fall in love with this carrot cake smoothie

This healthy carrot cake smoothie is made with lots of fresh carrots and delicious traditional carrot cake spices. It’s just the thing to treat yourself to after dinner – a tasty and healthy dessert! Enjoy the recipe.

 

 

Carrot cake smoothie recipe

Serves: 1

Ingredients to blend:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground ginger
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Ingredients to garnish:

• Grated carrots
• Toasted coconut
• Toasted walnuts

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to blend to a blender and pulse for one minute until smooth.
2. Garnish with the ingredients to garnish.
3. Serve immediately.

Try this refreshing blueberry cucumber smoothie recipe

This wonderfully refreshing and delightfully sweet blueberry cucumber smoothie makes for a fabulous low-calorie breakfast or satisfying afternoon snack. Enjoy!

 

 

Blueberry cucumber smoothie recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded
• 1 cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
• 2 cups frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method:
Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

A raw and vegan coconut chocolate chip smoothie recipe you’ll love

This raw and vegan coconut chocolate chip smoothie only takes five minutes to blend up. It’ll rev up your metabolism and fill your body up with great energy!

 

It’s loaded with great saturated fats like coconut and avocado, which are essential to your health. It’s also rich in potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. The raw cacao brings a fantastic dose of antioxidants, iron and zinc, which will boost your mood.

 

Enjoy this delicious recipe!

 

 

Coconut chocolate chip smoothie recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 banana
• 1 handful cacao nibs
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch unrefined sea salt
• 3/4 cup filtered water (use ice cold water for a chiller smoothie)

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to your blender and blend on high-speed until smooth.
2. Pour into two glasses and serve right away.

Revive your temperament with this bold and beautiful coffee smoothie recipe

This healthy delight is just the thing to lighten up those frantic mornings. It will revive your temperament, restore your constitution, and give you the energy to take on just about anything! It tastes fantastic, and will pick you up almost instantly. Grab your blender and get blending!

 

 

Healthy coffee smoothie recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 tsp ground almond
• 1 shot of espresso
• Coconut chips or flakes to garnish

Method:

1. Add the ingredients to your blender and blitz on high-speed until smooth.
2. Pour into a tall glass and garnish with coconut chips or flakes. Serve right away.