Summertime Smoothie Recipes

Now that summer is here, what could be better than a cold, refreshing smoothie to enjoy in the sun? I’ve found some great recipes that are easy to make and will help you relish these summer days. Enjoy!

Mighty Mango and Cardamom

Mango is the ultimate summer fruit and its natural sweetness makes it a perfect addition to any smoothie. Cardamom is a popular spice which is traditionally added to curries and lots of Asian foods. It’s known for its distinct flavour and it is suggested to have many health benefits; for example, it is known to help support the gastrointestinal system.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: 1 whole mango (cubed), ½ tsp of ground cardamom and 1 cup of milk of your choice. For a sweeter taste, also add ½ tsp of vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.

Need to cool down after a day in the sun? Try this…

Cooling Cucumber

Need to cool down after a day in the sun? Try this delicious cucumber smoothie.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: ½ a large cucumber (sliced), 1 apple (cubed), 1 celery stick (chopped into pieces) and 800ml of water. Blend until smooth. Then pour into a glass and add 2 tbsp of honey.

The Hydration Smoothie

Watermelon is one of my favourite fruits to stay hydrated in the summer, so I just had to find a smoothie that included it. This smoothie also contains blueberries and strawberries, which contain antioxidants and give a perfect summery taste.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: 1 cup of frozen blueberries, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, 2 cups of cubed watermelon. Blend until smooth.

This smoothie provides a perfect blend of sour oranges and lemons and sweet bananas and carrots

The Citrus Blend

There’s nothing that reminds me more of summer than citrus fruits. This smoothie provides a perfect blend of sour oranges and lemons and sweet bananas and carrots. It’s also a brilliant source vitamin C and antioxidants.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: 2 cups of orange juice, zest of one orange, 1 ½ cup of grated carrot, 1 cup of frozen bananas (if you don’t have frozen bananas use 2 ripe bananas instead) and the juice from ½ a lemon. Blend until smooth. (If it’s a bit sour for you, replace the lemon with 1-2 tablespoons of honey the next time you make it.)

The Kale-Craze

Adding kale to everything has become sooo popular lately, and with the humble Kale Smoothie being a favourite for many people, I just couldn’t miss it out! However, if kale just isn’t your thing, why not replace it with spinach? Dark green, leafy vegetables are a great source of iron and fibre.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: ½ of a frozen banana, ½ cup of frozen kale and ½ cup of milk of your choice. Blend until smooth.

this smoothie is packed with lots of healthy ingredients

Refreshingly Minty

Now this is a smoothie with quite a few ingredients, so if you exclude any, let them not be those refreshing mint leaves. The oats are a fantastic addition as they contain lots of fibre and have many health benefits like helping to lower your cholesterol levels; linseed is another good fibre source, plus they aid in digestion; and cashews contain lots of healthy fatty acids. So, basically, this smoothie is packed with lots of healthy ingredients.

Recipe: Put these ingredients into a blender: approximately 6 mint leaves, 200g of pineapple (cut in chunks), 50g of spinach leaves, 25g of oats, 2 tbsp of linseeds, a handful of unsalted cashew nut and some fresh lime juice. Blend until smooth.

Lujain Alkhalaf

Sources:

• https://deliciouslysprinkled.com/orange-banana-smoothie-blendtec-designer-series-twister-jar-giveaway/
• https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/minty-pineapple-smoothie
• https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/minty-pineapple-smoothie

Featured image courtesy of kawaiikiri via Flickr. Image license found here. 

Article image 1 courtesy of Marco Verch via Flickr. Image license found here. 

Article image 2 courtesy of Beauty Experts via Flickr. Image license found here. 

Article image 3 courtesy of Robert Gourley via Flickr. Image license found here.