Happy New Year!

The festivities are over for a while and the few extra calories one indulged in here and there while preparing all the delicious things are now orbiting the waistline in the form of unwanted kilogrammes!

To get rid of the excess poundage I have resumed my daily walks supported by my tasty smoothies which I have for and as breakfast. If you, too, have gained a little excess weight over Christmas my smoothie recipe might be for you, together with any form of physical exercise you prefer!

Bananas ripening

Bananas are the foundation of the smoothies I enjoy. Together with two or three other types of fruit a couple of glasses keep me going till lunchtime.

Fruit suitable are banana, apple, pineapple, papaya, soursop and grapes. But it is important to remember that one should not use more than four different types because of the way they interact and affect the digestion.

The reason for my choice of fruit lies in the properties of each which are as follows:

Bananas - rich in potassium, good for heart health and controlling blood pressure
Apples - excellent for the digestion, rich in fibre, helpful in managing diabetes
Papayas - anti-cancer properties, also rich in fibre and good for the digestion
Pineapple - good for bones and eyes, anti-inflammatory
Soursop - rich in antioxidants, good for the eyes, anti-cancer, fights parasites.
Grapes - help to control blood pressure, are great for weight loss, eye health, blood sugar control,                       colon health, good for the heart.

These are just a few of the benefits of these fruits. To make my smoothies even more beneficial I also add a few spices which are anti-inflammatory and keep my joints from aches and pains. I also add some natural yoghurt or milk, depending on my fancy!


And now for the recipe:

Banana, apple and a slice of  papaya

1 banana
1 apple
1 slice of fresh papaya
1 heaped Tbsp natural yoghurt
about 1/2 cup of water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground or fresh ginger
1/4 tsp ground or fresh turmeric
1/8 tsp ground black pepper


Cut fruit into chunks, removing seeds. Place in blender together with the other ingredients and whizz until smooth. If too thick add a little extra water. If you use milk instead of yoghurt use about one cup.

This should make approximately 600 ml or
2 cups of delectable smoothie.

Spices from top left; cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric
and freshly grated ginger

Rich and creamy - ready to be enjoyed

When you make your own version let me know how you liked it.

Next time a vegetable smoothie!