Smoothies tend to be a highly underrated meal supplement considering how quick, simple and nutritious they can be. If you’re in too much of a rush in the morning to make breakfast or are simply looking for an easier, no-fuss option, we have 5 get-up-and-go super smoothies to start your day!

By Taryn Wilson

1. PEANUT BUTTER

Adding this yummy ingredient to your morning meal will make it rich in energy and flavour! It’s a classic favourite, and you can even kick it up a notch with some protein powder.
Try it: Peanut butter get-up-and-go smoothie

2. BERRY

Nothing short of a berry blast, these sweet summer fruits hold loads of antioxidants and add a sweet start to your day.
Try it: Quick grab-and-go berry smoothie

3. COFFEE

Why not have your morning cuppa and breakfast all in one? Get your coffee dose and all your nutrients in an energising and filling shake.
Try it: Espresso and banana smoothie

4. GREEN

For a healthier option, a superfood green smoothie is an ultimate way to kickstart your metabolism and fill up on important nutrients. Plus, it makes for a super creamy and sweet treat!
Try it: Spinach, avo, green tea and honey superfood smoothie

5. FRUIT MEDLEY

Take full advantage of the summertime harvest with a medley of sweet fruits in your smoothie. It’s like a fruit salad, but better and super convenient.
Try it: Pawpaw and ginger smoothie

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Try these ultimate nutritional and energy-packed sweet potato smoothies! They work great as a fast snack for when you need a good boost.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
2 sweet potatoes
3 oranges
3 mandarins
10 small carrots
½ lemon
4 tbsp maca powder
3 tbsp honey
2 cups water

METHOD
1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, oranges, mandarins, carrots and lemon.
2. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add water if the blender is struggling to blend all the ingredients.
3. Strain through a fine sieve or thin cloth, and collect all the liquid.
4. Drink immediately with ice.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto/HMimages.co.za

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Start your day with a healthy dose of green with these loaded avo shakes! A take on the Brazilian ‘vitamina de abacate’, it has a lovely sweet and creamy texture.

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
2 bananas, sliced and frozen
1 avo, sliced and frozen
1½ cups milk
1 cup spinach
½ cup ice
¼ cup oat bran
½ tsp vanilla essence

METHOD
1. Blend all the ingredients until thick and smooth.
2. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

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Breakfast will be your favourite time of the day with these colourful and yummy smoothie bowls with berry nibs.

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 30 min + freezing time

INGREDIENTS
For the berry nibs
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup coconut sugar
½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
½ cup frozen mixed berries
For the smoothie bowls
1 avocado, frozen
1½ cups milk of choice
Honey, to taste
2 bananas, frozen
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp maca powder
Fruit, to serve

METHOD
For the berry nibs
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Mix together all ingredients, except berries. Spread out on a baking tray and bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden and crisp.
3. Mix in the berries. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.
For the smoothie bowls
1. Blend the avocado and ½ cup milk. Sweeten with honey and set aside.
2. Blend banana and remaining 1 cup milk. Sweeten with honey.
3. Divide the banana mixture between 2 bowls. Whisk cacao powder into one bowl and maca into the other.
4. Divide the avocado, cacao and maca mixtures between 2 bowls. In each bowl, swirl the 3 colours together. Top with the berry nibs and fresh fruit.

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It seems that the health world has found yet another way to surprise us by making sneaking veggies into food a trend. Remember the days when adding spinach to a smoothie was the in-thing? This year it’s all about creamy cauliflower smoothies!

By Jana du Plessis

MAKING PLANS

Yes, we do realise what we just said. The cruciferous cauliflower is creaming up smoothies like never before. The notion started as a way to create a smoothie that still has a wonderfully thick consistency, but doesn’t always rely on bananas. Because let’s be real, we can only tolerate the taste of banana for so long before craving something else. Plus, some people are allergic to this tropical fruit.

MIMICKING MADNESS

The great thing about cauliflower is that it’s relatively neutral in taste, so it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of your smoothie’s flavours. If you add other fruit and/or flavourings like cacao, cinnamon and ginger, the veggie taste will easily be masked. Simply blend steamed or boiled cauliflower together with your other ingredients and voila – a thickshake without any of the sugar and cream.

CAULI-POWER

If you are still not convinced, perhaps the nutritional benefits of cauliflower will persuade you. Cauliflower forms part of the cruciferous veggie family which means it’s loaded with fibre to fill you up and keep your digestive system in top form. Then there are the antioxidants that provide the body with plenty of phytonutrients and glucosinolates which fight inflammation as well as cardiovascular disease. Also get some of your daily dose of vitamins C and K and folate as well as a bit of protein by blending it up in your smoothie mix.

And if cauliflower in a smoothie isn’t your thing, the health benefits are still too good to pass up, so consider whipping up one of our delicious cauli meals instead

1. Cauliflower pizza with Greek lamb

2. Bean and cauliflower breyani 

3. Pumpkin-cauli casserole with pumpkin bread 

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There is such a wonderful abundance of fruit on our supermarket shelves, come this time of year! Because all of these delightful offerings are in season, your favourite summer fruits are much cheaper now than they will be in the wintery months. We suggest you make the most of it!

1. JAM: Blend 1 kg fruit with 1 kg sugar and the juice of 1 lemon. Boil for 5–10 minutes, then seal the hot jam in sterilised jars.
2. DRIED FRUIT: Slice fruit (and remove any seeds or pips) then spread out on baking trays. Place in an oven at a low heat for several hours until dried out. Store in airtight containers, or freeze for longer periods.
3. COMPOTE: Bring 500g fruit to the boil with 50g sugar and 2–3 tbsp water (or lemon juice, if you like it tart). Simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the fruit is cooked but still holds its shape. Leave to cool, then freeze for up to 3 months. This works best with berries.
4. BOOZY INFUSIONS: Mix fruit with sugar and alcohol (cherries and brandy, litchis and vodka, peaches and gin work well) and store in a cool, dark place for 3 months to infuse. The fruit makes a great dessert topping!
5. SMOOTHIES: Chop and freeze berries, mangoes or nectarines. Later, whip up a smoothie for an instant taste of summer in the cooler months.
6. ICE LOLLIES: Blend and freeze fruit for traditional lollies, or freeze whole pieces of soft fruit in water. Great for moist fruit such as watermelon and litchis.

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