Each morning when the kids are getting ready for school, I’m frantically running around after them making sure they have taken all their vitamins. Did I make them drink their Vitamin C? Check. Did I spray Vitamin D into their gobs? Check. Did Alan sling some pro-biotics into their porridge? Check. Check. Check.
If you haven’t completely blanked it out and gone to your happy place, November and December 2019 were a disaster for school kids getting wiped out with flus and colds. Schools up and down the country were left with only a handful of kids to teach, Christmas nativity plays were called off due to a lack of starlets, and some schools closed down altogether for a deep cleaning!
We genuinely thought we’d never seen anything like it until.. well, we don’t need to keep discussing 2020, do we?!
Parents are always conscious this time of year to keep boosting the immune systems of all family members. Beyond vitamin tablets and sprays, smoothies are another great way to sneak some of that flu-busting goodness in, for all the family.
Make sure to try these three blend-and-go smoothie recipes.
Immune-boosting Citrus Smoothie
This is great because it can be made the night before and refrigerated until the next morning. Side note - my daughter loves making smoothies with me, but who has time for all that mess in the mornings?!
Recipe;
2 Oranges
2 Bananas
1 Cup of mango chunks
1 Cup of almond or coconut milk
1 Cup of natural yoghurt
Optional add-ons; 1 tablespoon honey or 1-2 teaspoons of ground ginger
Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Who says smoothies can’t have that chocolate deliciousness in them? Not us, that’s for sure! If you are doing your best to keep up with some general exercise in a bid to stay healthy this winter, then put this protein-filled smoothie on your ‘To Drink’ list for after workouts.
Recipe;
1 Banana
1 Cup of ice
1 Scoop of plain protein powder
1 Cup of almond milk
2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
Optional add-on; golden syrup or honey to sweeten
Sunshine Smoothie
If the dark winter mornings are not working for you on any level, try this cute and super simple smoothie recipe. It'll lighten your mood and get Vitamin C in! The secret to this one is frozen banana chunks overnight. They whip up so nicely in a blender, so pop them in first for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients.
Recipe;
1 Frozen banana cut into chunks
¼ Cup of orange juice
2 Peeled oranges cut into segments
1 Cup of mango chunks
½ Cup of pineapple chunks