Smoothie design is half the preparation work done. While already quick to prepare, smoothie making can be even quicker if you plan ahead. Simply design a few recipes using the Smoothie Design infographic guide below which will help you create a good balance of nutrients with sensible portion control. It is important to be careful not to create a kilojoule bomb of a smoothie if you are trying to lose weight. Choosing one ingredient (or two, where stipulated) from each category will assist you in making a variety of flavourful smoothies.
Once you have your design, you can prep your fruits and vegetables and freeze in appropriate portions. This is a great way to prevent spoiling and wastage of ingredients or to use up any abundance of fresh produce bought (or grown) in bulk. Do not rule out leftover cooked vegetables such as pumpkin or beetroot as smoothie ingredient options. “Freeze now, use later” is a great rule for Smoothie Design. You will be surprised at how creative smoothies can be. Think Carrot Cake, Ginger Bread, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Crumble, Vanilla Chai, Minty Mango…
Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into a small volume of ‘food’ and are particularly useful for breakfast skippers and fussy eaters. Smoothies also make great post work out snacks or on-the-go lunches between meetings. Smoothies make great snacks for young children. Treat one smoothie, as created from the guide, as 2 servings for a small child. The second portion can be frozen which is ideal for lunch box travelling. The smoothie should be sufficiently thawed by consumption time.
Key smoothie ingredients include fibre from fruit, vegetables, nuts or seeds and protein found in the dairy base. These nutritious elements aid in improved appetite and blood glucose control. Including a small portion of a healthy fat will contribute to an increased daily intake of unsaturated fats.
Be creative! Go fruity or savoury and do not be afraid to mix and match combinations of fruits and vegetables. Add greens to your heart content.