3 Tips for Blending Your Way to Beautiful Skin
June 1st, 2017
It’s getting to be that hot & sunny time of year where my smoothie addiction kicks in full force. As I was driving home from the play centre with my son earlier this week, I got a major craving for an iced cappuccino from Tim Horton’s. Thankfully just before I pulled into the drive-thru I reminded myself that the last time I had one it was a major disappointment! All I was left with was an overly sweet taste in my mouth. Did you know an iced cappuccino actually has 33g of sugar? That’s just over 8 teaspoons of sugar in one drink!! YIKES!
I rushed home to make myself a smoothie instead and after feeling pretty pleased with myself, I realized that I want to share more about smoothies with you! I have officially declared this week to be “Smoothie week” in The Clear Skin Collective and I’ve been sharing daily tips & recipes for blending like a pro.
Smoothies are one of my favourite ways of loading up on beauty-boosting foods like berries and avocados. They are quick & easy to make and the best part is that blending your fruits and veggies makes it a lot easier for your digestive system to absorb all those amazing nutrients.
Tip #1: Forget about recipes
I like a good recipe as much as you do, but the truth is when it comes to smoothies it’s pretty damn hard to mess it up.
Don’t have kale at home? Use spinach instead.
Don’t have a pear? Use an apple instead…catch my drift.
You can always make ingredient substitutions and it’s fun discovering new flavour combinations. And if you discover an amazing combo, be sure to share it! Sharing is caring 🙂
So let’s say you make a smoothie and it turns out too sweet. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime to tone it down a bit. What if it’s too sour? Add a date or a touch of honey.
And if it tastes too “Green” the best fruit to mask that earthy flavour is pineapple.
Tip #2: Stock your freezer with frozen fruits and fancy ice cubes
Confession: I buy bananas like a mad woman. Not only does my son adore them (he calls them “nanas”), but they are pretty much the base of every smoothie I make. They add the creamy texture I love in a smoothie (avocado is great for this too) and I always have bags of chopped up frozen bananas in the freezer.
Another trick is making special ice cubes. Instead of just plain water, try freezing
different liquids in your ice cube trays. The options are endless, but some ideas include green tea, coffee and almond milk. Now your ice won’t dilute your smoothie! Genius, right?
Tip #3: Homemade is best
Homemade food is always the best. You know exactly what you’re putting into it.
Smoothies have become very popular and you can get them just about anywhere, but be cautious.
Places like Booster Juice and Freshly Squeezed actually don’t use much real fruit in their smoothies. They use fruit syrups, purees or concentrated juices loaded with sugar. Instead of the healthy drink you thought you were getting, you end up with sky high blood sugar levels followed by the inevitable crash that makes you crave more sweet treats. In fact, the “Spinach Is In It” smoothie at Booster juice has 72 grams of sugar!! That’s 18 teaspoons of sugar in something that sounds deceivingly healthy!
If you’re purchasing smoothies while you’re out don’t be afraid to ask questions about the ingredients. And don’t assume that because a place is “healthy” that their smoothies are too. I actually made this mistake at Whole Foods not too long ago. I was out and craving a smoothie so I bought one at Whole Foods thinking it would be made of real fruits/veggies. I took one sip and immediately knew it was made from syrup. I then inquired (should have done this first) and my suspicions were confirmed. I got a refund and left feeling pretty annoyed.
Here’s a delicious and refreshing smoothie recipe I’ve been sipping on lately.
Gorgeous Glow Smoothie
1 cup coconut water
1 large tart apple (like Granny Smith), cored
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/2 small avocado
1 cup spinach
1 tbsp hemp hearts
Lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1/2 cup ice cubes (if desired)
Blend & Enjoy!