Five of the best: Smoothie recipes

Herald on Sunday

7 Feb, 2015 08:00 PM2 mins to read

Get out your blender this weekend to blitz up some super-good smoothies. Photo / Thinkstock

A refreshing smoothie on these hot days not only tastes awesome, it's also super-good for you and a way to pack bonus nutrients into your body. We've asked four of our favourite health nuts to share their number one smoothie recipe, plus I've included my own that I tend to blend on high rotation. Get out your blender, blitz ingredients for a couple of minutes and serve in a bowl or a glass, or in a jar if you're on the move.

1: Julia's green smoothie

Julia and Libby Matthews are the glowing sisters behind the health and wellness blog Julia & Libby. Blitz up their ingredients for a couple of minutes and serve.

Julia's green smoothie. Photo / Herald on Sunday

2 cups coconut milk
1 frozen banana
½ avocado
½ cup raspberries
2 handfuls baby spinach
1 tsp spirulina powder
1 serve vegan protein powder

2: Libby's mango smoothie

2 mangoes
1 frozen banana
½ cup coconut milk
¾ cup water
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

3: Rebecca's sprouted horchata

Rebecca Wadey - creator of the Centre and Viva wellbeing writer. This isn't technically a smoothie but it's deliciously cold and refreshing on a hot summer afternoon. The recipe is adapted from the Thug Kitchen cookbook.

1 cup brown rice
1 cup almonds
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups water

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and soak overnight. Put all in a blender with a stack of ice and a tablespoon of honey. Serve immediately.

4: Aaron's peanut raisin smoothie

Aaron Brunet is a Bite magazine contributor and former MasterChef NZ winner.

2 cups cold soy milk
½ cup roasted salted peanuts
½ cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, frozen in chunks

Blend soy milk, peanuts and raisins for a full minute until really smooth. Add frozen bananas and vanilla essence, then blend for another 20 seconds.

5: Nicky's blueberry and banana smoothie

Nicky Park's quick and delicious breakfast-on-the-go smoothie.

2 cups almond milk
2 tbsp oats
1 handful frozen blueberries
1 frozen or fresh banana
1 heaped tbsp LSA (linseed, sunflower seed and almond powder mix)

Blitz until smooth, then stir in a teaspoon of chia seeds. Add ice if you need cooling down. Optional: stir in a teaspoon of cacao powder for a choc treat.