Smoothies

Green smoothies 

Green smoothies are a great, energising way to start the morning and incorporate the goodness of greens, with the sweetness of fruit.

To make a great green smoothie, mix green leaves and fruit (except fibrous fruit such as citrus fruits) in the ratio 1:2 by volume (1 part green leaves and 2 parts fruit) and blend with 1 part water. Flavourings could be added as needed (ginger, mint, lemon zest). Smoothies should not be strained. Never add  vegetables (such as cucumber, broccoli and zucchini), nuts or seeds to a green smoothie. You may make a smoothie with just melons and greens, but never mix melons and other fruits in the same smoothie. You do not need to add water when using melons.

It’s best to alternate between different kinds of greens on different days – spinach, mint, coriander, celery greens, spring onion greens, bok choy, beetroot greens, basil, betel leaves, etc. Bananas, mangoes, papaya, chikoo, grapes, passionfruit and other pulpy fruits make good smoothies. You could add microgreens in smoothies to pack in more nutrients.

A Sip of Sunshine

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1 cup peeled and chopped pineapple
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 banana, peeled
• ⅔ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Method

In a blender, blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Almond Milk Thandai

Ingredients

• 10-20 almonds, soaked overnight (or substitute 10 almonds with a heaped tablespoon of sesame/watermelon/cucumber/melon seeds)
• 1 – 2 cups cool drinking water
• 2 soft or soaked dates (or to taste), pitted
• ½ – 1 tsp cardamom ( elaichi ) powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ( kali mirch )
• A few (4 -5) strands of saffron (optional)
• A few pistachios, chopped, for the garnish (optional)

Method

Take the almonds and seeds in a blender along with a little water and blend until you obtain a thick paste. Add the pitted dates and cardamom powder. Add ice and more water as required, and blend again. Garnish with a little freshly ground pepper, saffron (if using) and pistachios (optional). Cool and serve.

Note

This recipe uses many nuts. Please keep your nut  limit  in mind if you are working on disease reversal. 

Serves 1

Basic Green Smoothie

Zesty Green Smoothie

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves ( pudina )
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 peeled, frozen large ripe bananas, chopped and slightly defrosted
• 1 tsp orange zest
• ½ tsp grated unpeeled ginger
• 1 tbsp soaked raisins
• 2 cups water

Method

Take mint leaves and lemon juice in a blender. Add some of the bananas and blend until the mint leaves are well minced. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add 2 cups water and blend. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

Banana Milkshake

Ingredients

• 2 bananas, peeled and frozen
• 1 soft date, pitted
• 1 cup   coconut milk   /any other vegan milk (optional)

Method

In a blender, blend all the ingredients together to obtain a smooth mixture. Add more water or coconut milk to obtain a milkshake consistency. Chill and serve.

Serves 1

Immuno Blast

Ingredients

• 1 banana, peeled, chopped and frozen for 2 days
• ½ a medium-sized lemon, peeled
• 1″ pc ginger
• 1-2 medium-sized soft dates, pitted
• 1 cup water

Method

In a blender, blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

Serves 1