Isolation Diary ~ Part Five ~ Cherries and Chia Seeds

IYA LUV! 

I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday and that you're all safe and well. 

Blue Balloon had it's 4th Instagram Live of Lockdown today! For anyone that doesn't know, that's my theatre company. It's great to keep our creativity going even in these difficult times, but our aim is to end the week with some inspiration, recommendations and positivity which you can take into a new week of staying home. Do check it out - we go live every Sunday at 3pm!

As a result of all those positive vibes, I wanted today's blog to be really positive - truly taking stock of everything there is to smile about - so I've decided to share some smoothie recipes with you, that I have posted on my social media and that you can try yourself!

As some of you may know, I do #SmoothieTimeWithBecca most days on Instagram where I make a smoothie and share my recipes on my story. It's wonderful - people message me often to ask about what mixtures they should use, sending me pictures of theirs and on a personal level, it starts off the day in a bright and healthy way. 

I'm interested in nutrition more now than I ever was, the same goes for fitness and so because smoothies have always made me feel happy, I want to share the wealth and create a sort of smoothie plan for anyone that may want to try, is looking for new recipes or is on a mission to be a little healthier! 

So... here goes! 

MONDAY:

• A handful of Raspberries
• 1 Kiwi fruit
• 2 handfuls of frozen exotic fruit mix (Pineapple, Mango, Melon & Papaya)
• 1 Banana 
• 1 teaspoon of Honey
• 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds 

This whole mix makes me happy because it's got all of my favourite fruits in, and then some! I would strongly recommend starting your week your favourite smoothie mix or something as close to that as possible! Not only was this smoothie so tasty, but it kept me fuelled physically and mentally until lunchtime! 

TUESDAY: 

• Half a Mango
• 1 Banana
• 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds 
• 1 teaspoon of Honey
• 1 teaspoon of Turmeric (with a pinch of black pepper)
• 100ml of Unsweetened Soya Milk (or whatever dairy free milk you have)

The balance between the spice and sweet is insanely good! Turmeric is incredible for your immune system and is a great, natural anti-inflammatory so for anyone that may suffer with acid reflux for example, do look into buying some Turmeric and using it in your smoothies! This particular mix is very good for your heart and gut too.

WEDNESDAY: 

• 1 Banana
• 1 tablespoon of Oats
• 1 teaspoon of Honey
• 150ml of Unsweetened Soya Milk (or whatever dairy free milk you have) 
• Soft fruit of your choice (Maybe the rest of the Mango you used yesterday!)
• Frozen forrest fruits

Oats give you sustainable energy release and the frozen fruit mix has a very high Vitamin C content which is great for your skin and energy levels! Amazing!! Very sweet and very filling. Inspired by a BBC Good Food recipe I found - their website is generally very good for any kind of healthy recipe you're after!

THURSDAY:

• Mango, Spinach, Kiwi & Kale (this is a ready made frozen smoothie mix and can be bought at most supermarkets)
• A generous handful of frozen or fresh Pineapple
• 100ml of Water

This is the green smoothie of the week! It's a belter, I must admit. Often the green smoothies are the best to detox your system and are very good for you. This particular smoothie was one I found to be very hydrating too!

TIP: Any of these smoothies can be made with water if you're feeling a little dehydrated and need a boost! I often have a glass of water in the morning as well as my smoothie just to make sure I'm hydrated before starting my day and exercising!

FRIDAY:

• A handful of Pineapple
• A handful of Strawberries
• A handful of Blueberries
• 200ml of Water

This is the kind of smoothie that reminds you of Summer or being on holiday! It certainly reminds me of drinking a daiquiri in Tenerife!! If you've been working hard all week, this is a great reward smoothie because it's a little sweeter that the others! 

SMOOTHIE BOWL SATURDAY:

In the bowl:

• A handful of frozen Cherries
• A generous handful of frozen exotic fruit mix (Pineapple, Mango, Melon & Papaya)
• 1 Banana
• 300ml of Soya Milk (Sweetened) (or whatever dairy free milk you have) 
• 1 tablespoon of Flax Seed mix

On top:

• A handful of Blueberries
• 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds

SO PRETTY!! Genuinely, this was filling, yummy and I felt so fuelled. I did a lot of exercise after eating this bowl and didn't find that I was hungry quickly - so that was great! The flax seed mix is fab for getting those vitamins and nutrients you might not be getting in the rest of your diet. It's high in Omega 3, Fibre, Vitamin D and can help your cholesterol, blood pressure and controlling blood sugars. Not only is it all of the above, but it's keeps you feeling fuller for longer, like Chia Seeds, so it's great in a smoothie acting as a meal substitute or if you want to control your weight. 

Do join me for #SmoothieBowlSaturday - I come up with loads fancy looking bowls hehe!

SUNDAY:

• A handful of Raspberries
• A handful of Blueberries
• A handful of Blackberries
• 1 Banana
• 1 Kiwi
• 1 handful of frozen Cherries
• 200ml Soya Milk (Sweetened) (or whatever dairy free milk you have) 
• 1 tablespoon of Flax Seed Mix
• 1 tablespoon of Peanut Butter (Meridian is my go to!)
• 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds

You've reached the end of the week and you may have tried all of these smoothies by now - fabulous! My smoothies act as my breakfast or sometimes lunch, so it's important that they have enough energy and vitamins in them to give me what I need for the day! Flax seed mix, peanut butter and Chia seeds are excellent for energy let alone the rest of the ingredients, so this smoothie is a great all-rounder for your health to end the week with!

2 things I get asked the most about smoothies are 1) what should I put in mine? and 2) Do you use them as a meal substitute?

Firstly, what you put in your smoothie really depends on what you like to eat. You may love Spinach, but hate Kale for example! I recommend starting with fruits you really love - ones that feel like a treat to eat! When you start using them in smoothies, it feels like the smoothie then becomes a treat, so you're mind is like, "Woah! This is a treat AND healthy?! Amazing! I'm going to have more of these!" I often decide on the day of or the night before I make a smoothie, what's going to be in it. It usually reflects the kind of mood I'm in which I think is a great way of making them because you tend to listen to the needs of your body and mind which then results in a smoothie that can then improve how you feel or amplify how great you already feel. It's an expression of creativity in many ways! 

Secondly, yes I do. I've found that because I'm now very clued up on what I lack in the rest of my diet, I'm able to use the right supplements, seeds, fruit or veg in my smoothies to fuel my body as well as if not more than a meal. In terms of controlling weight or encouraging weight loss, this can be useful for anyone that wants to achieve that, however for me, I do it simply because I enjoy smoothies probably more than most breakfasts. I think the only breakfasts I'd take over a smoothie would be scrambled egg on toast or peanut butter and banana on toast! My absolute faves. 

All my smoothies and smoothies bowls are available on my Instagram page and on my Instagram highlights if you fancy trying some of my other mixes! 

I'm not going to go and sing for a bit and probably watch the second Lord of the Rings! 

Stay safe, stay healthy and lots of love, 

Rebecca x

P.S. I couldn't NOT mention this smoothie bowl which was arguably my favourite out of those I've made and also the first!

In the bowl:

• 2 handfuls of frozen Mango
• Half a Banana
• 200ml of Orange Juice

On top:

• Blackberries
• The rest of the Banana
• 1 teaspoon of Chia Seeds
• Blueberries

💛