Smoothies are one of my all time favourite things. They’re a great source of essential vitamins and nutrients because they’re packed with raw fruit and vegetables. Creating smoothies made with wholesome ingredients will leave you feeling satisfied and energised.

One of the many health benefits of smoothies is that they’re easy to digest. The ingredients are broken down during the blending process, which eases the burden on your digestive system.

This recipe contains both strawberries and blueberries, which are packed with antioxidants. These help your body to fight against free radicals, which multiply in the body as a result of factors such as air pollution, smoking and alcohol. Free radicals have the potential to damage healthy cells, so antioxidants play a crucial role in preventing this process.

Berries have a particularly low sugar and calorie content in comparison to other fruit. They also act to decrease inflammation in the body, and their high level of phytonutrients aid in fighting disease.

Smoothies are a great way to up your daily fibre intake, which contributes to good digestive health. Fruit contains soluble fibre, which can be digested in the body, helping to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Fibre leaves you feeling fuller for longer, aiding in the prevention of those dreaded cravings.

The Recipe

✓ Vegan

✓ Gluten free

✓ Refined sugar free

Ingredients:

• One cup of strawberries
• One cup of blueberries
• A banana (can be frozen if you have a high powered blender but this is optional)
• One large teaspoon of natural nut butter. I like Meridian
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon, plus an extra sprinkle to garnish (optional)
• Half a cup of water or natural dairy free milk of choice. I like Rude Health Almond Milk
• One cup of ice
• Handful of nuts/seeds of choice to garnish. I’ve used chopped walnuts

1. If you are freezing the banana, peel it and chop into small chunks. Store in the freezer in a sealed tupperware. I like to do this the night before to ensure that the banana is frozen properly
2. Remove the stalks from all strawberries
3. Wash the strawberries and blueberries in a colander, before placing in the blender. I use a Blend Active by Breville because it’s high powered and inexpensive
4. Remove banana from the freezer and place in the blender along with all remaining ingredients
5. Blend until desired consistency is achieved
6. Pour into a bowl, before topping with nuts/seeds of choice and sprinkling with cinnamon
7. Grab a spoon and enjoy!