Carrot, Orange, Apple Smoothie

On such hot weather, a glass of cold and easy to prepare healthy smoothie is the best option.  Not only does it helps to quench our thirst, but also it's high in fiber.  I did not strain it as this is my preference.

Get ready all the ingredients:

1/2 carrot (peeled and diced)

1 apple (peeled, cored and diced)

1 orange (peeled, removed seeds and cut out in segments)

1 cup cold water (fridge cold water)

1. Place all the ingredients and water into the blender jar.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Creamy Avocado Milkshake

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1 medium ripe Avocado

1 cup milk

1/2 tbsp. sugar (to taste - add more if you prefers sweeter)

Crushed ice (amount depending on your preference)

Methods:

1. Cut the avocado into half and remove the pit.
2. Scoop the pulp out using a spoon and place it into a blender jar.
3. Add crushed ice, milk and sugar.
4. Blend until smooth, taste for sweetness, and add more if desired.  Blend again for a few seconds.
5. Pour it into a serving glass.
6. Serve immediately.

This recipe is adapted from 'foodviva.com' with a slight adjustment to suit my personal preference.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

 

Ingredients: (Yield 1)

1/2 cup freshly mashed pumpkin

1/2 frozen banana

3/4 cups milk

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Topping:

Some slices of almonds (toasted)

Dash of ground cinnamon

Methods:

1. Add all ingredients in the blender jar.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a glass.
2. Top with some toasted sliced almonds and sprinkle dash of ground cinnamon.
3. Enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from 'rasamalaysia.com' with a slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Simple Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients: (serve 1)

Half Avocado

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tbsp. liquid honey (add more if you prefer sweeter)

1/2 tbsp. chia seeds

Some crushed ice

Methods:

1. Place all ingredients into the blender jar.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Enjoy immediately.

Banana Apple Smoothie

Ingredients: (makes 1 glass)

3 medium bananas (sliced and frozen)

1 small apple (peeled, cored and chopped)

1 cup cold milk (add more if needed)

Honey (to sweeten) I did not add as the ripe bananas are sweet

Methods:

1. In a blender jar, add all the ingredients.  
2. Blend together until smooth.
3. Check the consistency, if it is too thick add more milk to dilute it and blend again for 5 seconds.
4. Pour into serving glass and serve immediately.

I adapted this recipe from 'foodviva.com' with slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Banana Oat Smoothie

Ingredients: (serves 1)

2 medium ripe bananas (peeled, sliced and frozen)

1/4 cup quick oats

1 cup milk

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tbsp. honey (add more if you prefer more sweet)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Topping:

Banana slices

Toasted Walnuts

Methods:

1. Place all the ingredients into the jar of the blender and pulse until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
2. Pour into serving glass.  Top with banana slices and toasted walnuts.

I adapted this recipe from 'boulderlocavore.com' with slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 medium bananas (peeled, chopped and frozen)

1 cup chilled yogurt

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (homemade/bottled)

1 tsp. honey

1/4 cup chilled milk

Topping:

Toasted chopped walnuts

Ground cinnamon

Methods:

1. Add all the ingredients into the blender bowl and blend until smooth.
2. Pour the smoothie into serving glass.  Add toasted chopped walnuts over the top and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon.
3. Serve chilled.

I adapted this recipe from 'whiskaffair.com' with slight adjustment to suit my preference.

Dragon Fruit Chia Seeds Pudding

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1/2 Dragon Fruit

1/4 cup Coconut Milk

1/4 cup milk

3/4 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. Chia Seeds

Methods:

1. Peel dragon fruit.  Cut into small cubes about 1 tablespoon, and set aside for topping.  Chop the rest and place them into the blender bowl.
2. Add all the other ingredients into the blender bowl, and blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a serving glass.
4. Refrigerate it for 1-3 hours until set.
5. Top with dragon fruit, and served chilled.

I adapted this recipe from 'blendwithspices.com' with some adjustments to suit my preference.

Healthy Banana Smoothie

I always loves Smoothies; and the most easiest to come up with is banana smoothie.  Whenever I have leftover ripen bananas, I will peel it, sliced it and place them in zip-lock bags.  Just grab these frozen bananas and with a few easy to obtain pantry ingredients, we can easily enjoys this yummylicious Banana Smoothie any time of the day. 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

2 medium bananas (frozen and sliced)

2 tbsp. Quaker quick oats

2 tbsp. plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk

Methods:

1. Into the bowl of a blender, add milk, yogurt, oats and banana.
2. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Pour smoothie into a glass.
4. Enjoy with some sliced Kiwi.

Apple Smoothie

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

1 apple (peeled, cubed and frozen)

1 medium banana (peeled, sliced and frozen)

1 tbsp. Nestum (original)

2 tbsp. Greek Yogurt

1/2 cup milk

Dash of ground cinnamon

Methods:

1. Add all ingredients into the blender bowl and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer in serving glass and serve immediately.

This recipe is adapted from 'whiskaffair.com' with slight adjustment.

Banana Yogurt Smoothie

 

Ingredients: (serves 1)

2 medium bananas (peeled and sliced)

3 tbsp. yogurt

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tbsp. honey

1/2 cup crushed ice

Methods:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender bowl.  Blend until smooth.  Add more milk if it is too thick for your liking.
2. Pour into glass and enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from 'Marsha's Baking Addiction' with slight adjustment.

Banana, Milk, Nestum and Chia Seeds Smoothies

With the hot weather in my Country, Malaysia, bananas will ripen very fast, just within the next 3 days.  In order not to let the bananas goes to waste, I will peel them, cut into slices and store them in a zip lock bag in the freezer.  For these, I will make smoothies out of them.  I tried something new for my breakfast 'Banana, Milk and Nestum Smoothies, topped with Chia Seeds.  It's yummy...

Ingredients:
2 medium bananas (frozen)
1 cup of milk
2 tbsp. Nestum (original flavor) - reduce if you don't like it thick
1 tbsp. Chia Seeds (for topping)

To make this smoothies, add bananas, milk and nestum into the bowl of the blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour the smoothie into a glass, topped with Chia Seeds and it's ready to enjoy.

Cucumber Lemonade Quencher

With some leftover lemons and cucumber in my fridge, I grab hold of them and decided to make myself a big glass of thirst quencher on a hot afternoon. ~ s l u r p ~

Ingredients:
1 cucumber (washed and cut into chunks)
2  cups cold water (from the fridge)
1 1/2 tbsp honey
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Ice cubes

Methods:

1. In a blender bowl add cucumber chunks, cold water, honey and lemon juice, and blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Pour the mixture through a strainer/sieve and use a spoon to press all the juice out into a bowl.  Discard the pulp.
3. Pour the juice into a sugar-rimmed glass with some ice cubes, and with a slice of lemon.
4. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Once a while I will opt for a nutritious glass of healthy-filling Smoothie for lunch rather than a heavy meal of rice and other dishes.  I am sharing this yummy recipe with everyone out there who are interested to join me to go 'healthy'...

Ingredients:
2 medium bananas (peeled, sliced and frozen)
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup fresh milk (cold)
1/2 tbsp raisins
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Methods:

1. Add all the ingredients into a blender bowl and blend into a smooth consistency.
2. Serve immediately.

Orange, Pineapple and Banana Smoothie

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
3 small frozen banana slices
2 oranges (juiced)
1/2 cup cold water

Methods:

1. Add all ingredients in the blender and blend until obtain a smooth consistency.
2. Pour into two glasses.
3. Serve immediately.

A healthy and delicious smoothie to enjoy on a hot day.

Recipe adapted from Charlene of "That Girl Cooks Healthy".

Grape Greek Yogurt Smoothie

The sun is shinning brightly and it's gonna be another hot day!  It is good to start this day with a glass of refreshing "Grape Greek Yogurt Smoothie."  

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
20 purple grapes (washed and deseeded)
1 1/2 cup cold milk
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey

Methods:

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy.
2. Pour into glasses.
3. Served chilled.

This 'Simple yet Yummylicious' recipe is adapted from LY's Kitchen Ventures with slight amendment.  To obtain the original recipe click here

Creamy Banana Milkshake

Ingredients: (1 serving)
1 medium banana (peeled, chopped and freezed)
1 cup milk
1/2 tbsp honey
some crushed ice

What you need to do:

• Add banana, milk and honey into a blender and puree until smooth.
• Add in some crushed ice, blend for a few more seconds until ice dissolves.
• Pour into a glass, and
• Serve!

Note:  This is a simple and delicious recipe.  If you have any leftover bananas, peeled, chopped, place them in a zip-lock bag and leave them in the freezer. It really comes in handy as and whenever you yearn for something cool and refreshing on a lazy-hot afternoon.  

Recipe adapted from Yummy Tummy.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

When the weather is hot and humid, a glass of fresh fruit and vegetable juice is a good option to quench our thirst, cool down our body temperature, and each and every sips are full of health benefits.

Here are 4 of my favourite juices to share....

• Red apple and guava juice

• Apple, cucumber and beetroot juice

• Green apple, cucumber, celery, bittergourd and lemon juice

• Papaya, carrot and mandarin orange juice

For information, all these juices are natural and I did not add any sugar or honey to it. If you are a juice lover do try out these simple juice to enjoy.

Dragonfruit and Avocado Popsicle

On a hot and humid day, Popsicle sure comes in handy, especially when it's home-made - healthy as they are made from FRUITS with very low sugar content!! This first recipe which I am going to share is adapted from The Fussy Palate.

(A)  Dragonfruit Greek Yogurt Popsicle (Makes 4)

Ingredients:

3/4 red dragonfruit (peeled and cut into chunks)

2 tbsp greek yogurt (for blending)

1/4 cup hot water

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp yogurt for swirling

Methods:-

1. I will taste for the sweetness of the dragonfruit before I start making with the balance of the 1/4 dragonfruit to decide on how much granulated sugar to use.  If it is sweet enough then I won't add any sugar, but for this case it is not so sweet, so I decided to add 2 tbsp.
2. To make the syrup, add 2 tbsp granulated sugar into 1/4 cup hot water, stir to mix until sugar dissolves and let it cool.
3. Blend dragonfruit chunks, yogurt and sugar syrup until smooth.
4. To assemble the popsicle, spoon 1/2 tsp yogurt into empty popsicle mould and top up with puree.  Do not fill to the brim of the mould as popsicle will pop-up slightly when frozen. 
5. Use chopstick to stir slightly to create swirl pattern, top with lid and freeze overnight.

(B)  Avocado Popsicle (Makes 5)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water

4 tbsp granulated sugar (original recipe is 6 tbsp, adjust according to your preference)

2 cups Avocado (peeled and chopped)

2 tbsp yogurt

1/8 tsp salt

Extra yogurt for swirling

Methods:

1. Combine granulated sugar and water in a small pot over medium heat, cook until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Place sugar mixture, avocado, yogurt and salt into a blender, process until smooth.
3. To assemble the popsicle, spoon 1/2 tsp yogurt into empty popsicle mould, pour puree halfway, again add another 1/2 tsp yogurt over it and then fill up with puree. Again, bear in mind not to fill to the brim as the popsicle will pop-up slightly when frozen.
4. Use chopstick to stir slightly to create swirl pattern, top with lid and freeze overnight.

I adapted this recipe from Health.com and by incorporating the two recipes together with some amendments, I have here two delicious thirst quencher to enjoy on a warm day.

On the first popsicle recipe I have some leftover puree, so I pop some ice cubes into the mixture, blend until ice dissolves and look what I have here... "Dragonfruit Smoothie," indeed nothing comes to waste! 

Healthy Morning Smoothies

Smoothies for breakfast??  Well, it might sound weird but it is indeed a healthy breakfast choice of milk, fruits, yogurt and  chia seeds.  It is simple to prepare and within minutes breakfast is served.  This is what you need and do.....

1. In a blender pour in 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup greek yogurt; 1 sliced banana; 1 chopped kiwi and a tablespoon of chia seeds.
2. Blend the mixture for a minute or so till well mixed.
3. Switch off the blender, give it a stir and pour into a glass.
4. Ready to serve.

Note: If the smoothies is too thick add a little more milk and blend for a few seconds more.  This is based on individual preference.

To go with my smoothies I choose a simple egg sandwich....