5 smoothies to put a smile on your face

We are living in crazy times with nothing really feeling at all normal. Most of us are now working from home with our regular to-do lists thrown out the window. As such little moments of joy become really important to keep us happy on the inside and the out! To that end we thought we would share a few smoothie recipes with you all in the hope we can help to put a smile on your face!

1. The green goddess

So green smoothies are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. But with the extra veg they pack they can help keep the sugar levels of your smoothie down, while giving you some extra goodness.

160g strawberries (take the green leafy bits off)
160g spinach (to make you strong like Popeye)
A small avocado (just the green fleshy part)
150ml bio yogurt (the kind with the friendly bacteria added)
2 small oranges (and a little zest to make it the best) 

Blend away and enjoy your green concoction.

 2. The “Wake me up before I go go”

We get that most of us are going no further than our living rooms most days (unless we are taking our daily allowed exercise). However, with all the extra Netflix and TV watching keeping us up late into the night some of us still need a caffeine hit to get us going in the morning. This coffee smoothie is one for you guys – coffee and breakfast done in one – great for when the weather gets a little warmer.

1 banana (to stop you going bananas)
½ cup of coffee, the stronger the better, chilled
½ cup milk (you could swap this for a milk alternative to make it vegan 😊)  
¼ cup rolled oats (to keep you full until lunch) 

Blend away and meet your new start to the day.

3. The protein punch

Never have there been as many people working out at home. Whether you are trying to beef up to be more like the hulk, or just need a little extra of the muscle building stuff in your diet, a smoothie packing some protein may be just the thing to both help and keep you happy.

350ml water
½ cup of greek yogurt (you could swap this for a milk alternative to make it vegan 😊)  
Handful of spinach (to make you strong like Popeye)
2 handfuls of frozen mixed berries (whichever float your boat, they are all berry-licious)
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp walnuts (the perfect combo of healthy fats, protein and fibre)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed (rich in antioxidants)

4. The choice for a clean-conscience

Working from home may mean we are no longer moving as much as we normally do. This low calorie smoothie will give you happiness in spades without adding any extra worry to your mind about how to work it off.

2 big handfuls of seedless watermelon (did you know watermelon is 90% water? Juicy and fruity!)
1 handful strawberries (great for vitamins C and K, high in manganese and potassium – nutritious little things)
250ml low fat yogurt (you could swap this for a milk alternative to make it vegan 😊)  
Handful of ice (cos extra chilled is really quite nice!) 

Blend and enjoy how being good can also be tasty.

5. The one that is naughty but oh so nice

We know we all had good intentions on day 1 of this social isolation that involved eating well and exercising regularly. But things change. Days seem to merge into one and we are trying hard to ignore the biscuit cupboard calling us from the kitchen as we try and work from home. If you need a real treat, look no further

250ml milk (whatever milk takes your fancy / you were able to get at this weeks’ shop)
2 large scoops of chocolate ice cream (because small scoops will just not cut the mustard)
1 large banana (that’s 1 of your 5 a day – it still counts if it’s blended with ice-cream, right?)
Grated chocolate (decoration – go with the flow and decorate as you wish / your cupboard allows)

 Blend together and decorate with your grated chocolate. Or channel your inner child and serve with a slice of banana, chocolate flake and sprinkles. Whatever floats your boat. Enjoy your happy moment.