Frozen Fruit and Green Smoothie

I've always been somewhat apprehensive about green juices and smoothies - or else why would they be termed as mean green beverages, right?

Fortunately, I came across the following recipe in a book called Virgin Vegan, and it assured that only the fruit flavours come through. Also, once you try this, you will get a clearer idea how to vary which fruit or green you use and what amounts to suit your taste.

You'll need:

1 medium banana, sliced and frozen

1 cup blueberries, frozen

1 cup soy milk

2 cups spinach

How:

Place ingredients into a blender in the order given, pushing down hard on the spinach. Run the blender on high and once the spinach disappears into the mix, blend for another 10 seconds. The mixture should be like a thick shake.

Be as creative as you like, try using other fruits. Here I topped my smoothie with some strawberries. Also, consider substituting the soy milk with almond milk, apple juice or water. Enjoy your frozen fruit and green smoothie!

Colourful Combo Salad

You'll need:
1 cup canned kidney beans
1 cup canned chickpeas
1 potato, diced
Handful of mushrooms, sliced
Handful of peas
1 clove onion, chopped
1-2 tsp garlic flakes (or 1 clove of garlic)
Olive oil

(Estimate how much of these ingredients you want, using leftovers does the trick as well!)

How:
Heat pan and drizzle olive oil. When pan is getting hot, add the onion and garlic. Stir until garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add potatoes and stir. After about 3 minutes, add carrots, mushrooms and green peas. Continue to stir well until all ingredients are tender. Add desired amount of kidney beans and chickpeas. As I am using canned beans, I am only bringing them to heat before serving.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. You may add salt, pepper, or coriander for extra flavour.

Spill The Beans

You'll need:

1 potato

1 carrot

1 broccoli

1 cup canned kidney beans

1 cup canned chickpeas

Estimate yourself the quantity of the ingredients needed. Here, I used a leftover carrot and broccoli.

How:
Slice the potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Bring potatoes to boil. After about 5 minutes, add carrots and broccoli. Continue to boil for another 5-7 minutes, or until all ingredients are tender. I normally use little or no salt, although some people might prefer to.

To prepare the beans, because I am using canned ones, they do not need to be soaked beforehand. Drain the beans from the cans, add a little water and bring to heat.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. Add a tablespoon of toasted seasame oil for extra flavour.

Edamame Salad

You'll need:

For the salad:

2 cups edamame, thawed

1 cup corn, thawed

1 medium carrot, grated

For the dressing:

1 lime, juiced

2 tbs olive oil or water

How:

Combine and boil ingredients for the salad for about 5 minutes, or until edamame turns bright green. Drain and place all ingredients in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad mixture then chill.

Easy Overnight Oats In A Jar

Overnight oats are simply oats soaked in the liquid that we use. Although they can be easily made using a bowl, lately I prefer using a jar because I can conveniently grab it and go! 

You'll need:

1 cup rolled oats or muesli (mix of oats, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, etc)

1 cup plant milk (I use soy milk)

1 apple

Handful of grapes

Handful of almond nuts

Spoonful of flaxseed

Jar

How:

Cut up choice of fruits and nuts into smaller pieces so that it is easy to chew. Place all ingredients in jar before adding the milk. Secure the lid and place jar in the fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours. Breakfast is ready when you wake!

Personally, I prefer alternating the oats and fruits because this arrangement gives me a good mix of both. I also usually add a little more soy milk so that the mixture doesn't turn out too dry. Try topping with other fruits like mangoes, bananas, strawberries and blueberries. Have fun!