Sumptuous Smoothie

If you're anything like me (bad luck) then you probably have a big soft spot for anything SMOOTHIE related. Just a mere uttering of the word sends your tastebuds into a quivering saliva-induced wreck (nice image for a late Sunday afternoon).

I mean, come on - it's practically a milkshake, but made of entirely healthy ingredients, and very, very little of the so-say 'bad' stuff, i.e. fat (unless you're a rascal and add a sneaky something else to the blender unsuspectingly. In which case, shame on you!).

So, this Sunday's post is therefore dedicated to the not-so humble smoothie. I fancied something in liquid form to treat a mid-afternoon slump, and this recipe for maple peanut butter smoothie just fitted the bill.

Ingredients (1 serving):

125g non-fat cottage cheese
100ml almond milk
100ml water, plus ice cubes
1 TBS peanut butter (Whole Food)
1 TS maple syrup
1 TBS low-fat greek yoghurt
Possible additions: 1/2 banana, sweetener, ground nuts, vanilla extract

After having made one smoothie with just the first 6 ingredients, I went ahead and had another go at blending, this time replacing the yoghurt and maple syrup for 1/2 banana and some gingerbread syrup (for an added Christmassy effect - it just had to be done). It was even better second time round - just goes to show what joy half a banana can bring to any smoothie recipe (all hail the graceful banana!).

This is surely one of the most protein-packed smoothie out there (bonus points if you add some protein powder, but to be honest, it's not necessary considering the main ingredient - cottage cheese - is protein-loaded in itself). If you wanted the nitty-gritty of how powerful this blend is, a break-down of the nutritional info follows (based on one serving of the cottage cheese smoothie with banana alternative, sans yoghurt):

285.5 cals | 6.3g fat | 30.4g protein | 27.8g carbs | of which sugars : 17.4g
If you analyse this percentage-wise, the fat/protein/carb proportion is amazing at 10%|47%|43%. Compared to many of the corporate smoothies out there, this kind of smoothie is far more effective in that it packs in as much protein as a chicken breast, combined with slow-releasing carbs of which 60% are sugars (mostly all-natural), and essential fats (mostly unsaturated), all of which combine to effectively fight away any pesky hunger signals.

Best consumed as a lunch replacement (like I did today with my greedy double portion size), as a quick energy fix or even as an on-the-go breakfast shake. Go on - blend and slurp to your heart's content.

Get your Nuts Worth

Ever wondered what 100 calories looks like in nut form?



Taking notes and inspiration from a recent Prima magazine supplement, I made this little collage of nuts to get to grips with how the calorie count in various nuts compare.

It's a given that portion control is vital when it comes to choosing nuts as your go-to snack du jour. While they are loaded with unsaturated fats (i.e. the good, friendly to the waistline kind) - along with fibre, B vitamins, antioxidants and potassium - a 100g serving will stack you back around 600-700 calories!

To reap the benefits of nutty goodness without running the risk of over-indulging, stick to the GIF above to monitor those seemingly innocent calories you're consuming.

Prima suggests choosing nuts in their shell, as you're much more likely to eat fewer than if you nibble on their shelled counterpart. Not only that, but prizing open your nuts seems to attach a kind of winning appeal to the munching occasion!

...Or does that just apply to me? Please, someone reassure me of my sanity.