I love Summer, it's my favourite time of year - the weather is warming up, there's plenty of social events going on, the fruit is divine, everyone seems to be happy, it's just all 'round great! Another thing I love about summer is getting active in the morning, whether it be swimming outdoors, going for a walk or a small gym sesh. And at the moment I don't really feel like eating a hot breakfast, so I've been enjoying having a smoothie in the morning, as you may have noticed from my Instagram page. The problem that I can have with smoothies is that i'm hungry an hour after drinking them, so I've come up with a formula to make a nutritious smoothie that leaves me feeling satisfied until my next meal. 

So here it is, your guide to creating a delicious and refreshing smoothie for breakfast this summer. 

Step 1 -  This is the base of the smoothie, we're talking about a serve of milk or yoghurt (or both!), or a dairy substitute (soy milk/yoghurt, almond milk etc.). This will provide a source of protein to keep us feeling satisfied, as well as some calcium. If you're using a dairy substitute, you might want to add some peanut butter or something else for a bit of extra protein as these options are generally quite low in protein. 

Step 2 - Next, add rolled oats, or a substitute for a source of carbohydrates. This will make sure we have a stable source of energy, and the smoothie fills us up for longer after eating it. You could use weet-bix, rolled barley, or if you're gluten free you could use rolled quinoa. 

Step 3 - Add some fruit for a delicious source of vitamins and fibre. Using frozen fruit (either buying it frozen, or cutting and freezing your own fruit), makes the smoothie form a nice and creamy texture. Strawberries, blueberries, mango, pineapple, banana, the list goes on. 

Optional extras: Add an extra for an additional flavour and nutrient boost. Some options include: 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut, 1 teaspoon of cacao powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, a heaped teaspoon of nut butter, etc. 

Some tasty combinations I've tried are:  

Frozen strawberries and pineapple, milk, greek yogurt, and rolled oats. 

Frozen banana, milk, yoghurt, rolled oats and cinnamon.

Frozen pineapple, desiccated coconut, milk, yoghurt, rolled oats.  

Frozen banana, milk, yoghurt, rolled oats and cacao powder. 

Do you enjoy smoothies in summer? I'd love to hear about your favourite flavour combinations in the comments section below! 

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