The basic smoothie formula

This basic smoothie recipe has a helpful formula for all kinds of smoothies, including fruit smoothies, vegetable smoothies, or a combination of the two. Use this recipe (or ratio balance) as a starting point and then you can branch out to make complicated smoothies

• 2 to 3 parts fruit or vegetables (2 to 3 cups)

• 1 to 1 1/2 parts liquid (1 to 1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 part yogurt or another thickener (1/2 cup)

Liquids

Water – the most basic way to create a light smoothie. Flavourless so let’s the ingredients shine through, creates a mild tasting smoothie.

Fruit juice – such as orange, pineapple, tropical, cranberry, pomegranate – goes best in banana/berry/green smoothies. Will create a fresh, bright smoothie. The flavour of juice complements greens beautifully.

Plant milks – such as oat, coconut, rice, almond. Goes great with berries and other sweet ingredients. Will create a rich, thick smoothie, great for post workouts or mornings when you need something a bit more filling.

How to Make Smoothies More Interesting

You don't have to stick to the basic smoothie recipe for all of your smoothies. There are lots of ways to jazz up smoothies. Consider adding nuts, honey, flaxseeds, coconut, oatmeal, dried fruits, chocolate chips, cookies, and spices to make your smoothies more interesting. For example, if you want to make a smoothie taste like a certain dessert, such as pumpkin smoothies, you might add graham crackers and cinnamon.

The add ins might be my favourite part of smoothie making, they allow you to add some nutritional benefits to your smoothie, or just some great flavour. Here are some suggestions:

To add to berry based smoothies: Fresh ginger, lime juice, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts, cinnamon, avocado, lemon/lime zest, peppermint extract (just a couple of drops), vanilla, acai.

To add to banana based smoohies: cacao powder, maca powder, boabab, acai, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts, turmeric (just a pinch), avocado, peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, dates, cardamom (just a pinch), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg (just a pinch) sesame seeds, coconut yoghurt.

To add to green smoothies: Fresh ginger, lime juice, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp hearts, cinnamon, avocado, lemon/lime zest, vanilla, acai, turmeric (just a pinch), nut butters, dates, coconut yoghurt.

Berry-Banana Cauli Smoothie

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower

  
  

• ½ cup frozen mixed berries

  
  

• 1 cup sliced frozen banana

  
  

• 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk

  
  

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

  
  

DIRECTIONS

• Place cauliflower, berries, banana, almond milk and maple syrup in a blender; blend until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.

  
  

Diets high in added sugars trigger chronic inflammation and wreak havoc on your body. Over time, inflammation leads to high levels of oxidative stress, which can cause damage to your tissues and DNA. The result? A general feeling of being unwell and an increased risk for potentially serious diseases.

Drinking sugary drinks can also spike inflammation levels. Moreover, this effect can last for a considerable amount of time. A study of 29 healthy people found that consuming only 40 grams of added sugar from just one 375-ml can of soda per day led to an increase in inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and LDL cholesterol. These people tended to gain more weight, too.

Another study in overweight and obese people found that consuming one can of regular soda daily for six months led to increased levels of uric acid, a trigger for inflammation and insulin resistance. Subjects who drank milk or water had no increase in uric acid level.

It is hard to replace sugary beverages because of their addictive nature, but a healthy smoothie that reduces inflammation and tastes good is a great replacement to combat inflammation. Combining fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds into a smoothie will provide your body with the necessary phytochemicals, nutrients and antioxidants to combat inflammation.

Today's challenge involves replacing all sugary drinks and alcohol with a nice and refreshing anti-inflammatory smoothie. Enjoy this sweet and refreshing challenge!