Beginners Green Smoothie

This Green Smoothie tastes delicious, and is ideal for those who say they don't like green smoothies. (Including my daughter who is not a vegetable fan!)

It has a delicious fruity flavour, and it gives you a healthy dose of veggies in your diet without fuss.

Feel free to mix it up and perhaps add yoghurt or milk in place of juice or water. Or add some oats to make it more filling. Or swap the spinach for kale.

Just make sure that you blend it really well so it is smooth and creamy.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think in the comments.

Ingredients

• 1 small banana

• A handful of fresh or frozen mango

• A handful of fresh or frozen pineapple

• 1 apple

• 1 pear

• 1 handful of spinach

• 150ml of water or juice of your choice

Method

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth. To make this into a smoothie bowl, just add less liquid.

Health benefits

• Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin B6 and carbohydrate

• Mango is low in calories yet high in nutrients, particularly vitamin C that boosts immunity, iron absorption and growth and repair

• Pineapples are high in fibre to aid digestion, and phytonutrients including bromelain that is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial

• Both apples and pears contain pectin, a fiber that nourishes gut bacteria. They also contain vitamin C which boosts immunity.

• Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.