Powerfood - Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies To start off you need a liquid as a base for your smoothie. Excellent options: rice milk, non-gmo soy milk, almond milk, organic milk, diluted coconut milk, apple juice, chilled green tea or plain filtered water. For thicker smoothies, use less liquid. For a thinner smoothies (easier to drink) add more liquid. Next - the body of your smoothie. Best choice - fruits and vegetables. These are rich sources of natural flavonoids and antioxidants. These are antiinflammatory agents that can help calm down muscle pain. You can use almost any type of fruit here - just peel and pit them where necessary. With vegetables, you need to be a little more choosy. Leafy green vegetables are great, but some people find them too harsh on the stomach. So go for: carrot, beetroot, cucumber, vegetable juices, and/or spirulina powder. For fruits - berries are great! Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries. Other fruits that work well - grapefruit, grapes, apple, orange, pear, lemon, plum, apricot, papaya, mango, banana, pineapple, durian, shredded coconut flesh and any in-season fruits. Avocado is also an interesting choice - used more in smoothies in south america, these give a lovely creamy texture. Choose organic fruits where you can to reduce pesticides - and in season is also a great plan.
The Good Oil - Omega-3 Fatty Acids One of the best anti-inflammatory agents are Omega-3 oils. One of the best sources of omega-3 is fish oil - but I don t recommend putting that in your smoothie! Instead - try a teaspoon of spirulina powder, flaxseed oil or walnut oil. And Now Add Protein Although nuts and seeds are a can be a valuable source of monounsaturated fats, omega-3, manganese, vitamin E, and minerals. They also add some extra body as well as texture and flavour to smoothies. Go Nuts: try using Almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios. Walnuts are a particularly good source of omega-3. Seeds - Flaxseeds, (great source of omega-3) sesame seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. You can also use a coffee grinder to grind seeds and nuts very finely - this makes them easier to absorb. This is particularly good to use on flaxseeds.
Bonus Ingredients For that extra something to give your smoothies zing, try: Spices and Herbs: Ginger, mint, cinnamon, garlic, dark chocolate, vanilla extract or even red hot chilli powder. Adding chilli may sound strange, but I ve had some excellent chilli dark chocolate - and you can definitely add this to your smoothies for that nice afterglow (and a good source of vitamin C.) Natural Sweeteners: (just use a little) honey, coconut palm sugar, fruit preserves. Ice: If you like your smoothie chilled, throw in some ice cubes - make sure you have a blender with some oomph to handle the ice! Extra Protein: Good quality flavored protein powder that is free from additives and fillers, or silken tofu for extra creaminess and protein. Probiotics: acidophilus yogurt with live cultures, or kefir.
Smoothies Recipes Berry & Banana Smoothie 2 cups frozen blackberries / blueberries 1 large banana - peeled 1 cup soy milk / rice milk 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 cup silken tofu / 1 avocado Blend the ingredients until smooth and serve cold. You can also put in ground almonds for extra body and a nutty flavour. Cantaloupe Smoothie 1/4 ripe ripe cantaloupe, seeded 1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt 1/3 cup silk tofu 1/2 cup orange juice 1 teaspoons honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Blend all the ingredients together. Add the honey to taste Spirulina Smoothie 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup mixed berries (frozen) 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt 1 tbsp Spirulina powder Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. If you want it a bit sweeter, add a 1 teaspoon of bush honey. Bonus extras - chopped almonds and walnuts on top. Acai Smoothie 1/2 cup of frozen acai berries 2/3 cup of almond or soy milk 1 cup frozen blackberries or blueberries 1/2 cup frozen raspberries Super thick smoothie. Could almost do for two people. For bonus points, add 1 Tbsp Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal
Cantaloupe Smoothie 1/4 ripe ripe cantaloupe, seeded 1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt 1/3 cup silk tofu 1/2 cup orange juice 1 teaspoons honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Blend all the ingredients together. Add the honey to taste Banana Cocoa Smoothie 1/2 cup silken tofu 1/2 cup soy or almond milk 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon honey (to taste) Blend all the ingredients together. You can also combine ground almonds and flaxseed for a fuller, nutty flavour Tofu Fruit Smoothie 1/2 a banana 1 cup silk Tofu 1/2 cup low fat yogurt 1/2 cup strawberries (can be frozen) 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 cup raspberries 1 cup orange juice Blend all the ingredients together. For some more anti-inflammatory action, blend in 1-2 teaspoons of flaxseed oil. Banana Yoghurt Smoothie 1/2 cup low fat yogurt 1 cup orange juice 1 orange sliced and unseeded 6 ice cubes Blend all the ingredients together. For an interesting creamy flavour, try adding half an avocado as well as the low fat yoghurt.
Raw Juice Recipes You ll need a proper juicer (not a normal milkshake blender) for these juices. Apple, Carrot and Beetroot Juice 200g / 7oz apples 200g / 7oz carrots 50g / 2oz beetroot Wash and peel the veges and fruits before juicing. For an extra zing, add a few leaves of fresh parsley, basil or 1 inch piece of fresh peeled ginger. Grape, Apple and Lemon Juice 200g / 7oz grapes 150g / 5oz apples 2 tablespoons of lemon juice Wash the grapes and remove stems. Wash and core apples. Juice the fruit and stir in lemon juice after. Pear, Apple and Ginger Juice 300g / 10.5oz pears 200g / 7oz apples 2.5cm / 1 inch piece of ginger Wash and peel the veges and fruits before juicing. For more protein and body, add silken tofu or ground almonds and flaxseed. Orange & Berry Juice 200g / 7oz oranges 250g / 9oz strawberries 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice Peel the oranges, wash and hull the strawberries and juice them. Stir in the lemon juice after. For extra anti-inflammatory points, stir in a teaspoon of flaxseed oil. For a smoother taste, try adding a peeled and cored avocado.
Carrot, Orange and Ginger Juice 200g / 7oz oranges 200g / 7oz carrots 2.5cm / 1 inch piece of ginger Wash and peel the ginger, carrots and oranges before juicing. For more body, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top, or combine with ground walnuts and sunflower seeds. Tomato and Beetroot Juice 300g / 10.5oz tomatoes 100g / 3.5oz beetroot Wash the tomatoes and peel the beetroots before juicing. For some extra zing, add mint, ginger or some tobasco sauce. Pepper, chili and worcester sauce can also be added to taste. Tomato Energy Juice 100g / 3.5oz tomatoes 100g / 3.5oz carrots 50g / 2 oz celery 50g / 2 oz spinach 50g / 2 oz red capsicum Wash the veges and peel carrots before juicing. If the spinach is too intense for you, try substituting with apple or pear. For some zing, add ginger. For more body, add ground flaxseed. Watercress and Vege Juice 50g / 2oz watercress 200g / 7oz carrots 100g / 3.5oz celery 50g / 2 oz red capsicum 1 spring onion Peel the veges and peel the carrots before juicing. For extra anti-inflammatory points, stir in a teaspoon of flaxseed oil.