Mix & Match Smoothie

This smoothie can be adapted to use different bases. Zizz all together in a blender and enjoy. Remember to sip slowly and “chew” it. (For AIP, you might not be able to use all of the combinations)

(If you’re in NZ and looking for sources, some of these products are available through our Nature Foods online store, and are linked to for your convenience. If there’s anything else you can’t find, ask us.)

Your base liquid. Choose from one or a combination of:

• Full fat milk, raw if possible, NOT homogenised
• Yoghurt or kefir, diluted to a milk like consistency
• 1/3 to ½ cup full fat coconut cream, diluted
• a couple of Tablespoons of creamed coconut, dissolved in water
• 1/3 to ½ cup nuts or seeds, soaked overnight then drained, plus ½ cup water
• ½ ripe avocado, plus ½ cup water. This is nice with a vegetable smoothie. Not as good with a fruit or chocolate one, but OK if mixed with coconut cream, or when combined with banana.

Extra fat (if your metabolic type needs it). A slosh of one or more of these:

• Cream (or you can even use cream as the base instead of milk)
• Coconut cream or coconut oil
• Flax seed oil (1 tsp, maximum)

Extra protein (if required, or desired, especially if your base is avocado or coconut):

• 2-3 raw egg yolks (best)
• Gelatin or Great Lakes collagen hydrolysate
• Whey protein powder to provide 20-30g protein (as a compromise food sometimes, if you can’t have egg yolks, or if you are vegetarian and struggle to get enough protein)

Add flavouring of your choice from the below variations

Fruit Smoothie

To your base smoothie, add fruit of choice, chopped or grated:

• Berries
• Stone fruit
• ½ an apple or pear
• Small amount tropical fruit such as mango or pineapple, if this suits your metabolic type. (Really nice with a coconut cream base)
• Some people can use banana (see below** to see if you’re one of them) – best with a coconut cream or avcado base, as banana and dairy together can be hard to digest.
• Just about any fruit really, but make sure you use the whole fruit, not just juice
• Optional extras:
  • Colloidal or ionic minerals eg CMD liquid
  • Cinnamon, ginger or other spices to flavour. In the winter, ginger is very beneficial.
  • Bee pollen
  • Acerola, camu camu or Vitamin C powder

** NZers eat more bananas than any other country, but most of us do not have the right ancestry to eat large amounts of tropical fruit. I know several people who can’t eat bananas and I suspect we have a large incidence of unsuspected food intolerances to them. If you’re on a starch free diet, you may be able to tolerate them if very ripe. If you’re on a carb controlled diet, you can’t have them anyway. But if you tolerate higher carbs, do a mini elimination diet. Eat no bananas for a week, then eat one. If you have no reactions (eg headache, stomach ache), you can use them in moderation – up to 3 a week. Only eat organic ones, grown as close to where you live as possible.

Chocolate “milk” shake

Yes, you really can make a chocolate shake without dairy. To your base smoothie, add:

• About a tsp of cocoa or carob, preferably organic
• Some added fruit, such as ½ a banana – OR – a small amount of coconut sugar or nectar, maple syrup, honey or other natural sweetener of your choice.
• Optional extras:
  • Any of the fruit smoothie extras
  • 1 dash of vanilla or orange essence

Raw Vegetable smoothie

This is a good choice, if you prefer something savoury in the morning, but don’t want to cook. Or if you find it hard to get your veggies in during the day. Or if you have family members who won’t eat vegetables. To your base smoothie add:

Any combination of vegetables of choice, chopped or grated. Aim for a variety of colours:

• Tomato
• Carrot and/or beetroot
• Baby spinach or other soft greens (But not kale, and don’t eat uncooked greens too often, as they contain oxalic acid)
• OR ½ – 1 scoop green drink (eg. spirulina, barley grass, or combinations. Check for ones that don’t have processed items such as soy protein or sweeteners included)
• Optional extras:
  • Colloidal or ionic minerals
  • ½ an apple (most other fruits don’t go well in a vege smoothie)
  • Lemon juice
  • Fresh herbs
  • Savoury spices to flavour, such as curry
  • A pinch of sea salt will enhance the flavour

Pumpkin smoothie

Another savoury option is to use cooked pumpkin or butternut instead of raw vegetables. This would go nicely with coconut or a nut milk base. Add:

• About  a cup of cooked pumpkin
• Extra carrot and/or beetroot (optional)
• A combination of sweeter spices like ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg
• Optional extras:
  • Colloidal or ionic minerals
  • A pinch of sea salt will enhance the flavour

Make your own protein powder!

See this post: Beefing up your Collagen Hydrolysate