Christmassy Oat and Berry Smoothie

How does your Christmas morning start? We have a ritual that we follow every year. We all wear our Christmas jumpers to start off with. We then all gather in the lounge where the presents are sorted in piles for each person. Each person opens one present at a time in turn. Whilst we open our presents, I serve this tasty spicy vegan oat and berry smoothie to keep everyone replenished. Its the perfect start before we sit down to our breakfast.

What is your family's Christmas ritual? Do share in the comments below.

This smoothie is so easy to make, its vegan and dairy free too. The ideal way to start the day and get into the Christmas mood.

Yield: serves 2Author: Nayna Kanabar

Christmas Oats and Berry smoothie

Christmas spice, delicious oat smoothie to kick start your morning.

prep time: 3 minscook time: total time: 3 mins

Ingredients:

30 g Oats

50g Soya yoghurt

100 ml oat milk chilled

Mixed berries, cranberries, strawberries, blueberries

1 banana

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 pinch of cinnamon

1 teaspoon agave nectar (optional)

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender . I used my Optimum 9400 and blend the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

2. Pour into tall glasses and serve chilled. Garnish with more berries if you prefer.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I used my tried and trusted Optimum 9400 to blend my soup. The blender is so versatile and powerful that it grinds, pulses, makes ice cream, soups and amazing smoothies and nut butters too. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers 2 years extra warranty and free delivery if you use "Extra2"  in the comments box when making your purchase  All the blenders come with 30 day return option so you can buy and try and return If you are not satisfied with the purchase. 

Do also check out their latest model Froothie Evolve 9200A. It is more compact and affordable.

Froothie also have a new affordable blender that they launched, it’s the Optimum 9200A 2nd GEN blender. It is extremely powerful with a 2611W motor, it meets the demands of commercial use, while being affordable for family use. Its bpa free jugs have 6 stainless steel blades & metal drive socket making them extremely durable. The blender is extremely easy to use with 3 quick preset functions (20´, 35´& 45´). The Optimum 9200A blender is currently on special offer for £279 instead of £449 

**ADDITIONAL SPECIAL OFFER**

 Since I am a Froothie Evolve Ambassador, if you buy using my affiliate link  you get an additional 2 years warranty, which brings the warranty to 7 years. It will not cost you any extra but it helps me to upkeep this blog.  

 To get this special offer please add the following text in the comment box when you order:

Ambassador (Extra2) special 2 extra warranty years 

 

If you enjoy visiting simplyfood and would like to receive regular updates and a monthly newsletter straight into your inbox please sign up by email. You will find the email and newsletter signup right at the top under my photo in the side bar.

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Thai Tomato Soup

Thai food is one of our favorite cuisines, we love Vegan Thai curry, pad thai salad, Thai noodles and  soups.  Soups are a staple in my household we all love them especially when the weather is wet and grim. This Thai tomato soup is so simple to make and strangely the recipe works best with overripe tomatoes that are usually too soft for salads. Adding the Thai flavours just converts the humble tomato soup and makes it A class!!

Thai cuisine uses lots of aromatic flavours. I particularly like the flavors of galangal, spring onions, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk. Mayuri has created this lovely yellow thai curry using all these wonderful flavours.

Yield: Serves 2Author: Nayna Kanabar

Thai Tomato Soup

Simple tomato soup packed with Thai flavours of lemongrass and Chinese five spice.

prep time: 5 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

240 g ripe tomatoes roughly diced.

50 g bean sprouts

1/2 white onion finely chopped

1 inch piece lemon grass finely chopped.

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 Celery stick finely chopped

1 small carrot finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes

1/3 teaspoon Chinese five spice

1 tablespoon olive oil/

200 ml water

Instructions

1. In a large pan add the oil, when its hot add the chopped onions, garlic and leeks and saute them for 3-4 minutes until translucent.

2. Add the carrots and chopped tomatoes and lemon grass to the pan and the water and bring the soup to a simmer.

3. Cook the soup for 10 minutes.

4. Transfer the soup to the Optimum 9400 blender and blend until smooth.

5. Strain the soup into the pan and discard any residue left in the strainer.

6. Add the salt,  pepper, chilli flakes and Chinese five spice  and bring the soup to a slow boil. Turn off the heat and add the bean sprouts.

7. Ladle soup into serving bowls and enjoy with crusty bread.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Sometimes I make a light Thai themed lunch and make lovely Thai cucumber relish, and spicy Thai papaya salad to go with the soup. Of course I always want dessert after my lunch as I prefer to eat dessert at lunch time rather than with my evening meal which is usually heavier. These Peranakan Pancakes are just super delicious to finish the meal.

I used my tried and trusted Optimum 9400 to blend my soup. The blender is so versatile and powerful that it grinds, pulses, makes ice cream, soups and amazing smoothies and nut butters too. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

 Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers 2 years extra warranty and free delivery if you use "Extra2"  in the comments box when making your purchase  All the blenders come with 30 day return option so you can buy and try and return If you are not satisfied with the purchase. 

Do also check out their latest model Froothie Evolve 9200A. It is more compact and affordable it’s the Optimum 9200A 2nd GEN blender. It is extremely powerful with a 2611W motor, it meets the demands of commercial use, while being affordable for family use. Its bpa free jugs have 6 stainless steel blades & metal drive socket making them extremely durable. The blender is extremely easy to use with 3 quick preset functions (20´, 35´& 45´). The Optimum 9200A blender is currently on special offer for £279 instead of £449 

**ADDITIONAL SPECIAL OFFER**

 Since I am a Froothie Evolve Ambassador, if you buy using my affiliate link  you get an additional 2 years warranty, which brings the warranty to 7 years. It will not cost you any extra but it helps me to upkeep this blog.  

 To get this special offer please add the following text in the comment box when you order:

Ambassador (Extra2) special 2 extra warranty years 

If you enjoy visiting simplyfood and would like to receive regular updates and a monthly newsletter straight into your inbox please sign up by email. You will find the email and newsletter signup right at the top under my photo in the side bar.

Alternately click the link below for email signup.:

Subscribe to simply.food by Email

Tropical Smoothie

Its been a while since I have shared a smoothie recipe, but a few weeks ago I wrote about how I make smoothie packs to freeze every week. This smoothie pack I have used is my mango, coconut, pineapple  and lime to make a lovely tropical smoothie. It is one of our favorites and I am making it often since mangoes are in season.

Tropcal, Smoothie, Fruit

Smoothie, Breakfast

Breakfast

Yield: Serves 2 Author: Nayna KanabarPin it

Tropical Smoothie

Delicious mango, pineapple and Coconut gives this smoothie a tropical flavour that reminds me of tropical shores.

prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 0 Total time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

1 large mango stoned and diced.

1 cup fresh pineapple diced.

1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut and a little extra for garnish.

Juice from 1 lime

1 tablespoon Honey to sweeten (optional to taste)

1 cup icecubes

100 ml water.

instructions

1. Place all the ingredients into the Optimum Froothie 9400 and blend for 1 minute until smooth.

2. Pour the smoothie into tall glasses and garnish with the fresh grated coconut.

NOTES:

NB- Try and use fresh coconut or frozen, desiccated coconut does not give same flavour.

Created using The Recipes Generator

I used my tried and trusted Optimum 9400 to make my smoothie. The blender is so versatile and powerful that it grinds, pulses, makes icecream, soups and amazing smoothies and nut butters too. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

The Optimum 9400 is upgraded to Optimum 9200A. Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers FREE DELIVERY and an extra two year warranty use code "Ambassador8" in comments box when ordering.  

If you enjoy visiting simplyfood and would like to receive regular updates and a monthly newsletter straight into your inbox please sign up by email. You will find the email and newsletter signup right at the top under my photo in the side bar.

Alternately click the link below for email signup.:

Subscribe to simply.food by Email

Lemon Hummus

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Lemon Hummus

by Nayna Kanabar May-2-2018

Citrussy lemon and lime flavours added to creamy chickpea puree makes this hummus rustic and flavoursome.

Ingredients:

• 400 g tinned precooked chickpeas in water
• 1/2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin Lemon infused Biolea olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 3 sprigs dill finely chopped (optional)

Method:

1. In a blender add the sesame seeds, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and blend to a smooth paste. 2. Drain the chickpeas and reserve the water.To the sesame seed paste add the drained chickpeas, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon and lime juice and blend to a smooth paste only adding a tablespoon or two of the drained chickpea water if the mixture is too thick.3.Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped dill and a drizzle of lemon infused olive oil. Serve the hummus with pitta bread, crackers or vegetable crudites.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: None Total time: 10 mins Yield: Serves 4

NB-The consistency of the hummus is to personal preference, I like my hummus with a little texture but blend it to whatever you prefer.
Instead of the sesame seeds paste you can add shop bought Tahini if you prefer.

I used my tried and trusted Optimum 9400 to make my hummus. The blender is so versatile and powerful that it grinds, pulses, makes icecream, soups and amazing smoothies and nut butters too. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

 The Optimum 9400 is upgraded to Optimum 9200A. Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers FREE DELIVERY and an extra two year warranty use code "Ambassador8" in comments box when ordering. 

I love Greek Cuisine, and on my recent trip the Crete I had the opportunity to sample so many different dishes that I am excited to recreate them and feature them on my blog.
Some Greek Dishes that you make like are:
Tzatziki
Veggie Phyllo Baskets
Roasted Vegetable tart with Feta

Apricot Ice cream

This week the weather has been awful and it foiled all my plans to go outdoors. So on my day off I decided to have a clear out of my pantry. You will be surprised to know that there were so many ingredients that were out of date and just needed throwing out, I felt really guilty as my mother never used to waste any food and she always brought us up to be frugal. She hated to waste money and always came up with innovative ideas to recreate dishes from left over produce.I have always tried to follow my mums teachings so when I did find a couple of items that were just within date and needed to be used up I put my thinking cap on.One such item was an organic jar of Biona Apricot and apple puree. This stuff is not cheap so I definitely did not want to waste it. I was thinking what to make with it ? My first thoughts were pancakes or adding it to smoothies, but my family were not too keen on either idea and so the jar sat on the kitchen counter for a few hours looking rather sad.

Finally whilst I was clearing out the fridge, I saw a can of condensed milk and some double cream so I decided to make ice cream. Obviously it was a silly idea according to my family, as it was minus temperatures out side. Never the less I did make the ice cream as it would keep in the freezer for another day so that is how this  ice cream came about. I have never had apricot ice cream before so I was hoping that my efforts would not go to waste. Trust me they didn't as the ice cream was delicious. So I think it would be rather appropriate to dedicate this post to my mum for Mothers day which is this Sunday 9th March as she would be proud that I did not waste!!!

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Apricot Icecrean

by Nayna Kanabar March-4-2018

A really quick and easy ice cream to make using store cupboard ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 Jar 350g of Biona Organics apricot and apple puree
• 1 Can 397 g Condensed milk
• 1 250 ml Double Cream
• 6 Dried Apricots finely chopped
• 4 Dried Apricots finely chopped

Instructions

1. Whisk the double cream and keep it aside 2. In the Optimum 9400 or any other blender add the apricot puree and the condensed milk an blend together. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the double cream. Fold the two ingredients gently.3. Transfer the mixture to a tupperware container with a lid and place in the freezer for 4 hours.4. After four hours take the semi set ice cream out of the freezer and add it to the Optimum 9400 blender and whisk for 30 seconds 5. Transfer the ice cream back to the tupperware container and fold in the chopped apricots. If you do not like bits in your ice cream, you can add the apricots to the blender and whisk them up instead. Freeze the ice cream overnight.6.To serve take the tub out of the freezer and keep aside for a 2-3 minutes. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the ice cream into serving bowls. Garnish with chopped apricots and dried coconut flakes

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: None Total time: 10 mins plus over night freezing Yield: Serves 4

Despite my family thinking I was mad to make ice cream when it was so cold, it did not stop any of them wanting a try when it was ready, and believe me there was none left for a warmer day.

To blend this ice cream, I used my best friend in the kitchen the Optimum 9400 blender by Froothie. I absolutely love it and can't recommend a better machine.

The blender is capable of blending most ingredients including frozen fruit and gives you the correct texture. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

The Optimum 9400 is upgraded to Optimum 9200A. Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers FREE DELIVERY and an extra two year warranty use code "Ambassador8" in comments box when ordering.  

You may like other ice cream recipes:

Strawberry Icecream

Rose Icecream

Mango, Avocado, Spinach and Dates Smoothie #smoothieaday #smoothieonthego

My last post was all about how I have started my #healthyjanuary  journey, I am encouraging my family and my self to eat healthy. You can read all about it in my post here. I also explained in the post how to make smoothie packs for the freezer so that its easy to make your #onthegosmoothie in the morning. I created this delicious smoothie using my mango, avocado, spinach and dates  pack that I premade and have frozen into single servings.

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Mango, Avocado, Spinach and Dates Smoothie

by Nayna Kanabar January-1-2018

Tropical flavour smoothie, high in antioxidants and vitamins

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Mango diced
• 1/2 Ripe Avocado
• 4 Ripe dates
• Small handful Spinach
• 240 ml Water
• 1/2 teaspoon Chia seeds

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to the Optimum 9400 blender together with the water and bend for 1 minute.2. Transfer to serving cups and sprinkle with a pinch of chia seeds. Alternatively pour the smoothie into a travel beaker or cup, attach a straw with an elastic band to the cup and its ready to go.

Details

Prep time: 3 mins Blending time: 1 mins Total time: 4 mins Yield: 2 servings

I used my tried and trusted Optimum 9400. The blenders is capable of blending frozen fruit and gives you the correct texture. It is easy to clean and maintain too.

The Optimum 9400 is upgraded to Optimum 9200A. Froothie also offer 0% finance on products over £299 and only require a 10% deposit. That's not all, the fab people at Froothie are offering you lovely readers FREE DELIVERY and an extra two year warranty use code "Ambassador8" in comments box when ordering.  

My smoothie ready to take to work.

Persimmon and Mango Smoothie Bowl

Mangoes and Persimmon are two of my favourite tropical fruits. I really enjoy eating them in fruit salads, smoothies, milkshakes and even in baking. This is one of my regular smoothie bowl recipe that I make when both these fruits are in season.

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Persimmon and Mango Smoothie Bowl

by Nayna Kanabar September-1-2016

Sweet Persimmon and Mango smooothie bowl with strawberries and figs perfect for breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 Persimmon (sharon fruit)
• 1 Mango
• 6 Dried Figs slices
• 8 Strawberries
• 10 Blueberries
• Few slices Apple
• 1 Teaspoon Chia seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Honey (optional)

Method:

1. Peel and dice the mango and add it to the Optimum 9400 blender.2.Cut the persimmon and add it to the blender.3. Blend the persimmon and the mango to a puree.Taste the puree it should be sweet enough, however if you require it to be sweeter than add a spoonful of honey to sweeten to taste.4. Spoon the puree into two shallow serving bowls.5. Slice the strawberries and arrange them on the smoothie bowl, add some blue berries and garnish with figs. Sprinkle with chia seeds and serve immediately.

Details:

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: Total time: 5 mins Yield: Serves 2

I created my smoothie bowl in my Optimum 9400 blender, it is really powerful and it is able to grate, grind, blend pulse and create soups and ice cream at a flick of a switch.

If you want to know more about it do visit the Froothie page to checkout its features. Currently its on special offer for £329.00 usually its £399 .If you decide to buy it, do quote "Brand Ambassador offer" in the comment box to get an extra two years warranty.