Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Superfood Breakfast: Pumpkin Almond Milk Smoothie With Cinnamon

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Superfood is the one which has high concentrations of essential nutrients with proven health benefits. This smoothie is healthy, creamy, tasty and nutritious. It is made from homemade pumpkin purée with love.
Pumpkin has many health benefits, as it is a good source of vitamins (A, beta-carotene, B2, B5, C) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium). Almond milk contains no cholesterol or lactose. The nut’s soft texture, mild flavour, and light colouring (when skinned) make for an efficient analog to dairy, and a soy-free choice for lactose intolerant people and vegans. Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E. About 20% of raw almond is high quality protein, a third of which are essential amino acids. They are also rich in dietary fiber, B vitamins, essential minerals and monounsaturated fat, one of the two fats which potentially may lower LDL cholesterol. Typical of nuts and seeds, almonds also contain phytosterols, associated with cholesterol-lowering properties. Potential health benefits, which have not been scientifically validated, include improved complexion and possibly a lower risk of cancer.
I usually start my day with a glass of lukewarm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 lemon per person). It flushes the kidneys and the liver and alkalizes the blood. Then I have a mug of herbal tea (milfoil, chamomile, field horsetail, etc.). Half an hour later I have my green or fruit or vegetable smoothie. At work I drink lots of water and I usually have an apple. That’s all I have until lunch and I feel fresh and full of energy.
What do you have for breakfast?

Note: Thank you for everyone who voted for me The Kitchn Homie Awards contest (Best Healthy Cooking Blog). My blog got 45 of your votes (!!!) that was enough for the 14th place. I’m extremly happy! Thank you for everyone!
Pumpkin Almond Milk Smoothie with Cinnamon
Ingredients (serves 2)
– 500 ml almond milk (unsweetened)
– 12 teaspoon pumpkin purée (unsweetened)
– 2 teaspoon cinnamon
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more almond milk. Pour into prepared glasses.

Bluberry Smoothie with Coconut Water

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This smoothie is from the summer… when we had all the different kind of berries at the markets. To make it a bit special I added coconut water to it instead of water. You can use almond milk or oat milk if you like. The result was a thick, fresh, sweet juice. A very simple but tasteful one.
I know I will miss summer juices during fall and winter. Now we have apple, green (banana, apple, spinach, water) or citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit, honey, water) smoothies for breakfast. 

Bluberry Smoothie with Coconut Water

Ingredients (serves 2)
– 2 cups (300 g) blueberries
– 1/2 ripe banana
– 250 ml coconut water
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more water. Pour into prepared glasses, add some ice cubes (optional) and drink your liquid breakfast!

Cooling Cinnamon Sour Cherry Juice

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I love summer because there are so many vegetables and fruits we can eat. What I don’t love that summer slip away so quickly and there are no more fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, apricots and watermelons. 
Going back to make our breakfast juices from apples, oranges, bananas, lemons and mandarins again, is not very tempting. That’s why I always try to add something new, something green to our juices to make them a bit more exciting. The health benefits of juicing are really great. The body can quickly absorb larger amounts of nutrients from juices than from solid foods because the process of digestion that is necessary when you eat whole foods is bypassed. Raw fruits and vegetables contain many substances that enhance health, and juicing benefits the body by providing the most concentrated and readily absorbed source of these substances.

Another one of the major health benefits of juicing is that it is an easy way to get beneficial enzymes, which are primarily found in raw foods, into the body. Enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables have the vital role of converting food into body tissue and energy.

Cooling Cinnamon Sour Cherry Juice

Ingredients

– 400 g sour cherries, pitted
– 20-30 ml cold water
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1 teaspoon honey
– ice cube

Method

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. If you find it too thick, add more water. Pour into prepared glasses, add some ice cubes and drink your liquid breakfast!

Apricot Smoothie

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We’ve been on a road trip holiday through Slovenia, Italy and Austria since a couple of days but it feels like we’ve been away since 10 days. We have so many things to see and do and especially to enjoy the trip.  I prepared an easy summer smoothie or juice recipe for you.

I love summer fruits so much! The only problem is that every summer is so fleet. One day I wake up and I realize that I only ate cherries 3 times this summer or red currants just only 2 times… and the season is over. You have to use every opportunity to eat as much seasonal fruit as you can!

Apricot Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)
– 10 ripe apricots, pitted
– 1 small lemon’s juice
– 200-300 ml water

Method

Place all ingredients in the blender and process for 5 minutes, until smooth. If you find it too thick, add a bit more water. Serve immediately.