Cherry Bakewell Smoothie

In case you didn't know yet, I love all things sweet. Cakes, puddings, desserts, sweets. You name it, I like it. One of my favourite cakes is cherry bakewell tart. I miss these little almond, cherry lovelies, but not only do they contain dairy, they also have a very high fat and sugar content. Not ideal for breakfast. That got me thinking... could I turn this classic cake into a healthy breakfast smoothie? And by Jove, I think I have managed it!

Cherry Bakewell Smoothie

Ingredients

1 banana (frozen if preferred)
Handfull of cherries, pitted
300ml unsweetened almond milk (preferably organic)
2 Tbsp almond butter
1 Tbsp ground almonds
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Method

Add all ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy this protein rich smoothie for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

Blending the Rules

Blending has been big news for several years now and since the birth of the Nutribullet  it has never been easier to create sexy smoothies that are satisfying and contain multitudes of natural goodness. When living a plant based lifestyle or if you are just trying to exceed your 5-a-day, there is nothing easier than throwing your fave fruits and veggies into the blender and hitting the button, and with summer well and truly on the horizon, here are my top tips for getting the best from your blender this smoothie season...

The Curly Vegan's Top Ten Blending Tips:

1. WET, WET, WET. Every smoothie has to start somewhere, and I always start with my chosen liquid. Adding the liquid first protects the blades of my trusty blender. Any liquid works really (as long as it's edible obvs!). The main thing is that it works well with your chosen flavours. I find that plant based milks such as oat, almond, rice, hemp, soy, work well when creating a creamy smoothie. Plain old water, or coconut water work really well with green smoothies, and for fruity concoctions I sometimes use fresh fruit juices such as orange, pomegranate, grape, apple, pineapple. I always used freshly squeezed or pressed (not from concentrate) juice and I mix a small amount with water so that the sugar content isn't too high. 

BONUS TIP: Citrus juice can curdle with plant-based milk, so avoid this rookie smoothie mistake by steering clear of the two together.

2. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BASE, BOUT THE BASE. Once you have the wet stuff sorted then it's time to think about substance. Banana and avocado are perfect starting points for the pro smoothie maker. As a base they add depth, creaminess and a gob full of nutrients. These ingredients are all rounders and work well with most other fruits and veggies.

3. PLEASE FORM AN ORDERLY QUEUE: The order in which you add your ingredients really does mean the difference between a smoothie that is tip top or a flop. The best procedure is to add liquid, base, frozen ingredients, power-food add ins, ice (optional - see number 4), and fresh fruit/veg last.

4. ICE ICE BABY. Some people choose to add ice to their smoothies. I don't always think this is necessary, especially if using frozen fruit (see number 5). However if you do make your smoothie nice using ice, always add it towards the end (see number 3). Any other time can lead to over blending of the ice, giving way to a watery mess! I would recommend lots of crushed ice added for a few seconds at the end. This gives a great frozen-cocktail-like result and I have never turned my nose up to a cocktail, even without the alcohol!

BONUS TIP: Make coconut water ice cubes instead of tap water ice cubes. This will give a gorgeous fresh taste without affecting your flavour -combo too much. Coconut water is also full of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and other electrolytes. These are particularly good for hangovers, so instead of reaching for a greasy breakfast after a night on the tiles, reach for a healthy smoothie instead. You will thank me for it, I promise!

5: LIFE'S A FREEZE: Frozen fruit makes a wonderful addition to any smoothie. Smoothies don't taste great warm, so by adding frozen fruit it lowers the temperature, meaning you don't have to add ice. Frozen fruit also adds thickness and can make smoothies deliciously creamy. It is also really handy to freeze your own fruit before it turns bad, which avoids waste and also means that you have lots of good stuff on hand whenever you get a craving for a blend. Freeze peeled/chopped bananas, berries and mango before they get overripe and freeze them in zip-lock freezer bags ready to go!

BONUS TIP: Green smoothies are a staple in my household, as a great start to the day, or a pick me up in the afternoon. Most big supermarkets sell frozen spinach which comes in handy portion size cubes. This is great to have on standby in the freezer to chuck into the blender whenever I have ran out of the fresh stuff. Most supermarkets also sell a great variety of frozen fruits that are great to have on standby.

7. FOOD MATTERS: They type of produce you choose to add really does make or break your smoothie. Using a combination of fruit and veggies is a sure fire way to create a nutritionally balanced drink that tastes great as the sweetness of the fruit is complemented by the nutrient rich vegetables. Most fruits are great in smoothies. After your base fruits, all berries, apple, pear, mango, plums, pineapple, and peach/nectarine, work amazingly well. If you are looking for something to mix it up a bit, try melon, passion fruit, kiwi, guava, young coconut flesh, in fact, any fruit that has a fleshy or creamy texture.  Green leafy veg is the easiest way to add vegetables including spinach, chard, kale, spring greens, or rocket. Other veggies that work great include cucumber, celery, tomatoes, grated carrot and beetroot. 

7. BIG UP THE BULK: If you are having your smoothie for breakfast or lunch then fruit and veg alone is just not going to fill you up and you will be reaching for unhealthy snacks before you can say 'elevenses'! Adding protein is a great way to keep you fuller for longer and is also a great way of increasing your daily intake. Hemp protein powder is perfect for bulking up smoothies, but I also use organic soy yogurt, silken tofu, oats, nuts, seeds and nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter) for creamy texture and added yumminess.

8. SPICE GIRL: In order to beat smoothie boredom, I like to add lot's of different herbs and spices for variety and added goodness. My go-to's include fresh ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, basil, aloe vera, vanilla pod, cayenne, sea salt, black pepper, to name a few.

BONUS TIP: Flavour combo's that work well include: carrot and beetroot with ginger; banana and cacao with vanilla; strawberry with basil; apple with cinnamon. These are just a few suggestions, sometimes flavour choices work, and other times they don't. It is all about experimenting and having fun. You will soon learn what works well together and what doesn't.

9. POWER UP: You have probably heard of superfoods and if not then where have you been?! Superfoods are the powerhouses of nutrition - foods with dense vitamin, mineral or anti-oxident properties, and natural healing abilities. It is easy to add these to your smoothie to give yourself a great boost of plant power. My favourite add-ons include cacao, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, maca powder, goji berries, flax, chia and hemp seeds. Simply add to the blender and blitz with the rest.

BONUS TIP: Not only do these ingredients give you wings, but they also can add a great flavour. For sin free chocolate cravings add cacao and for a caramelly indugence add maca powder.

10: GO CREATE: With my comprehensive list there is nothing stopping you from getting starting and becoming a smoothie making expert. It is all about getting creative and trying different combinations of liquid, fruit, veg, spices, and add-ons. If you are not feeling confident enough to try out your own recipes yet, then check out the recipes section of the blog for great smoothie recipes. Starting with my Cherry Bakewell Smoothie.

The Real Junk Food Project

I think we are all conscious of the fact that there is a growing global waste problem, and one form of waste recently that has been hitting the headlines recently is food waste. Possibly more than plastic, paper, metal and glass, food waste really is something that makes mad, especially when food that is perfectly edible is binned! Across the world people are starving every day, and closer to home, over 1 million people have received at least 3 days emergency food from charity foodbanks between April 2014 and April 2015 (Trussell Trust, 2015). This is thought to be a massive underestimation as the figure only actually relates to the Trussell Trust foodbanks, let alone all the other banks, in churches and the likes, that are providing an essential service to families across the country. Merseyside has been particularly hard hit by the foodbank crisis and the Liverpool Echo state that Merseyside is the worst hit region in the UK. Irrespective of the issue of families not being able to afford to eat, there is then the huge impact of food waste on natural resources. Estimates of global food waste are between 30-50% of the total amount produced, equating to 1.3 billion tonnes per year. Although, there are recycling options for food waste, this uses energy, time and space, as well as creating carbon emissions and needing logistical management. Hence, the best way to manage food waste is to reduce the amount of food wasted in the fist place.

This is where the Liverpool Real Junk Food Project (LRJFP) comes in.  Originally founded in Leeds by Yorkshire chef Adam Smith, local women Gabby Holmes and Natalie Hughes-Crean have brought the project to the Pool and aim to tackle the issue of food waste by saving surplus food and using it to create delicious, yummy, nutritious meals. These meals are paid for on a PAYF (Pay As You Feel) basis. As well as money, guests can donate their time, talents or donations in exchange for their meal. This opens up the restaurant to those that may not otherwise be able to afford to eat out.

The Real Junk Food Project set up for the event at The Brink

On Sunday LRJFP held a 'Binner Party' in Liverpool City Centre. This was the perfect opportunity for me to see watch this revolutionary enterprise in action. They do not currently have their own venue, in the mean time they operate on a 'Pop-Up' basis. This event was held at The Brink, the perfect space for a chilled out meal on a Sunday evening.

I arrived just after the 6.30pm start time, where the majority of the seats had been snapped up. Luckily my gang had saved me a seat, so I took my place ready to sample the joys of waste food! The tables were laid beautifully with donated floral napkins and fresh flowers. On each plate was an envelope, inside it was a card for you to offer your PAYF payment or commitment.

The Real Junk Food Project PAYF Card

There was a lovely vibe throughout the whole event. The food is prepared and served by volunteers, who were passionate about the scheme and answered any questions about vegan options without hesitation. There was live music by local guitarist Patto, creating a laid back ambiance that encouraged tapping feet and conversation between guests.

Diners enjoying the relaxed atmosphere

Local business' the Isla Gladstone Conservatory and  Rough Hand Made Bakery, along with Costco, joined the junk food revolution and made donations of food, that would have otherwise been thrown away, to feed the hungry punters. A selection of salads, cakes, dips, pies and bread were laid out, ready for consumption. We helped ourselves to these and were offered a choice of red pepper and tomato soup or Thai green chicken curry as a main. For dessert, in addition to the cakes and macaroons on offer, diners were able to choose between fruit salad or Crème brûlée served at the table. 

Selection of salads adorn the bar table

Plenty of desserts for non vegans

 Consideration was made to make sure that there were options for vegans in all courses, although I would have liked more option for dessert, that is just my sweet tooth rearing it's ugly head again! My party and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the food, and we were all happy to donate generously with money and time. I would love to volunteer in the kitchen and whip up some junk food vegan desserts. Watch this space!

Natalie and Gabby are doing amazing job in tackling the enormous problem of environmental food waste, as well as helping those who are food insecure.Taking inspiration from the Leeds Project, this is the first endeavor of its kind in Liverpool and I implore anyone that reads this to get behind the movement. These amazing women hope to have their own base where they can continue their good work on a more permanent basis and I'm sure you would agree that this would be a fantastic addition to the city. You can follow The Real Junk Food Project's progress in feeding the world on Facebook, Twitter and on the Website. 


Photo credit: Denny Anyway merseymale@live.co.uk