Tuesday 14 October 2014

SMOOTHIES & JUICES:

What’s the difference?:
Juice: To juice a hard fruit, you need a juicer/juice extractor.  It will separate the juice from the pulp by cutting or pressing the fruit leaving you with just the juice. 
Examples of fruits to be juiced are apples; kiwis; pears
Examples of veg to be juiced are beetroot; broccoli; cucumber
Smoothie: This is when you process a juice/yogurt/milk/water and cored fruit into a puree.
These will be thicker and more filling than juices as they will have all the pulp and fibrous cellulose removed.
Read on for lots more information.



Think about it, if there are pips/seeds to be de cored from a fruit, then it needs to be juiced, like an apple or an orange. 
Fruit and veg like raspberries; blueberries and bananas do not.

The best thing about smoothies and juices is that the list of what you can put into them is endless.  You can make it as radical as you like.  Or just stick to the basics.
It’s a great way to get our fruit and veg daily intake if you are finding it difficult. 
Especially with children in the house, it proves hard to do. 

Smoothies are great not just for the kids but the whole family.  You can add any juice and fruit to them.  Personally, I think it is difficult to make a child friendly smoothie without fruit.  But if you are adventurous and like something different, check out some of the recipes below.
Stick to natural fresh juices.  Read the nutritional value on cartons if you buy juice as one juice may contain up to 30g of sugar! 

Juices: Ideally, you could squeeze your own oranges or if you have a juicer, you could juice anything…….apples; kiwis; grapefruit etc. 
There are no rules in juicing….it is exactly what it says on the tin….a juicer!
Try out everything and anything and see what you come up with!
The best thing about juices is that you can make the best form of vitamin and minerals supplementation.  By studying your nutritional value and benefits of veggies and fruits, the lists are endless.
A great site to check out about juicing is http://www.juicemaster.com/recipes/
This guy knows his stuff!  Easy to follow videos too.

Tips: freeze prepared fruit and use it directly into your smoothies.  It makes them more refreshing.
Study your fruit for nutritional value and sugar content.  Make sure to get different goodness every day!
There are natural sweeteners out there without having to add sugar.  Use things like vanilla extract; cinnamon; honey.

But be careful.  Fruits contain sugar.  You need to pick your fruit wisely or limit the fruit content in your smoothies.  The fruits that have the highest nutritional value with antioxidants are those that are lowest in sugar.  You can buy organic fruits which the least amount of pesticides.

The fruits that have THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SUGARS to look out for would be:
·        Rhubarb
·        Raspberries
·        Cranberries
·        Blackberries

Fruits that are VERY HIGH IN SUGAR would be:
·        Bananas
·        Cherries
·        Grapes
·        Mangos
·        Tangerines
·        Pomegranate
·        Dried fruits

5 a day!
Is saying all this though, do remember it is recommended we eat 5 portions of fruit and veg per day. 
These smoothies and juices are just great ways of getting them into us!

Smoothies and juices don’t just need to contain fruits and juices. 
You can add:
·        Milk – to turn it into a milkshake & get dairy intake
·        Soya/rice/almond milk – milk substitutes
·        Spices – these can add zing zang! Try apple/cinnamon/all spice/ginger etc
·        Coconut water
·        Protein seeds/powders – hemp; pumpkin; pea; flaxseed; chia
·        Or just simply – water!

What to make: use different ways of getting fruit and veg intake.
Milkshakes – really just by adding milk or ice cream can transform your smoothie
Sorbets – setting it in a container in the freezer is a great refreshing treat
Slush – freeze your fruit e.g. mango, then blend it with a little ice and water
Smoothies
Juice

RECIPES:
CHILD FRIENDLY SMOOTHIES:
1.      Fruity Fever:
  • 100ml cranberry juice
  • 100ml orange juice
  • drizzle honey
  • 1 banana
  • Mixed frozen fruit (melon/grape/apple/mango)
  • Ice to pulse at end

2.      Pineapple passion:
  • Tub of vanilla yogurt
  • Ice
  • Pineapple chunks

3.      Banana chocolate milkshake:
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 banana
  • squeeze of honey
  • ice


ADULT FRIENDLY SMOOTHIES:
1.      Healthy Green (fruit free) smoothie:
  • 1/2 organic cucumber chopped
  • ¼ cup parsley
  • ½ lemon, peeled
  • ½ avocado, pitted and peeled
  • 2 cups organic raw spinach
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 6 ice cubes

2.      Cappuccino smoothie:
  • 1 banana
  • 1 shot of espresso
  • 200ml milk
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice – cream
  • 1 tbsp honey

CHILD FRIENDLY JUICES:
1.      Blueberry Breakfast Milkshake:
Juice out:
  • Apples to make 1 ¼ cups
Add to blender with:
  • 2 ½ cups frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
  • ¼ cup skim milk
  • ¾ tsp ground cinnamon

2.      Kiwi Kindness:
  • 3 kiwis
  • 2 apples
  • ice

3.      Simple Orange Juice or Apple juice

4.      Very Berry:
  • 2 apples
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • strawberries

ADULT FRIENDLY JUICES:
1.      Green Peace: (warning: major health kick!)
Juice out:
  • Handful of broccoli
  • Handful of parsley
  • Handful of lettuce
  • Handful of kale
  • 2 sticks celery
  • apples to make 200ml

2.      Carrot & Orange:
  • Carrots
  • Oranges
Equal amounts. SIMPLES!

3.      Try throwing together whatever you have in the fridge and add a fruit or sweetener.
Try out things like beetroot; cucumber; spinach; avocado; pineapple; lemon; peppers…..be adventurous


THERE ARE NO RULES!
Be adventurous.  Be experimental.  Be brave. 
Try and test out juices; fruits; milks; substitutes; seeds; spices. 
See what you come up with. 
Study your veg and fruit and goodness.
If you have a blender and a juicer…..the world’s your oyster!!

Check out www.bordbia.ie and the “about food” section for a great guide to nutritional info on fruit and veg.


http://www.juicemaster.com/recipes is a great website to check out for smoothie and juice recipes.  It has great easy to follow videos too. 

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