Detoxing with delicious homemade smoothies!

If like CarrieMe you have consumed too many calories this Christmas, upping on fruit and veg is a good place to start a New Year Detox!

We like smoothies for a yummy health kick but aren't fooled by all shop bought smoothies, they may look great but don't always offer great nutrition -  we've found some high street smoothie bars to pack in seriously large amounts of sugar and hidden calories.Investing in a blender will be the best purchase you make in those Jan sales!

Ensure there’s some protein in your homemade drinks. Tip - Eating protein at the beginning of the day has been shown to provide a more filling effect so people eat less throughout the day.

Green smoothies are filling, have few calories and provide a number of health benefits; antioxidants to boost your immune system also promotes weight loss. Burning off indulgent Christmas treats is easy peasy with green smoothies!

Green smoothies make sure you get plenty of protein and calcium. Common vegetables to use are spinach, avocado, lettuce celery, pineapples and peaches. Try this Green smoothie recipe which makes approximately 4 cups;

·         1 1/2 cups orange juice

·         2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

·         1 banana (fresh or frozen), cut into chunks

·          1 cup chopped frozen pineapple

·          1 pear, coarsely chopped

·          1-2 tablespoons honey (optional)

This smoothie certainly has a vibrant spinach colour but you can't taste it among the sweetness of the fruit. 

Home-made Green Smoothie

Not ready to ban chocolate completely from your detox? Try Raw cocoa, one of the most amazing super-foods rich in antioxidants - apparently more than berries, green tea, most fruit and vegetables… Wow! Try this healthy smoothie is a yummy chocolate orange taste;

·         4 oranges, juiced

·          2 tsp raw cocoa powder

·          2 bananas, peeled

·          1 mango, peeled and pitted

Simply blend the orange juice and other ingredients together and ta-da!

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

 

The last ingredient CarrieMe recommend is Coconut. Coconuts are mainly made up of water, great for re—hydrating! Try out a Chocolate Coconut Smoothie by adding all the following ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth;

·         1 banana, peeled

·         2 pitted dates

·         1/2 coconut

·         2 tsp raw cocoa powder

·         1/2 lime, juiced

·         2 oranges, juiced

 

Chocolate Coconut Smoothie

So which one will you test out? CarrieMe would like to hear about your healthy concoctions, so get in touch if you have any interesting recipes!