Smoothies & Juices
Roselle/Hibiscus Tea (Nature's Lemsip)
Tis the season for roselles, otherwise known as hibiscus, which can be stewed and made into tea or as I once heard and liked, "Nature's Lemsip". Other interesting facts include their high levels of Vitamin C, calcium, antioxidants and uses in cancer treatment as well as a diuretic for those with water retention. Lesser known but equally positive is its supposed cure for hangovers in Guatemala! Let's go holiday there! I know you can also make jams with the stuff - anyone else doing anything interesting with their roselles? Let us know! These are on sale now in most of the wet markets or you can buy organic ones from Eat FRESH.
What you need:
3-4 roselles
2 cups water
2 teaspoons raw honey or your sweetener of choice
Method:
Simmer 3-4 flower heads in water for 15-20 mins until the water turns red. They are a little tart so then add your sweetener of choice.
This makes one very large mug of tea.
Belly Shots
These contain aloe vera, turmeric and apple and are certainly not the shooters to which I am accustomed. I saw these on the Holistic Lifestyler Instagram account, an Aussie guy who is far more wholesome than I will ever be but an inspiration to read nonetheless. I therefore thought it would be another excellent use for my organic aloe vera from EatFRESH, supposedly good for digestive issues. It's apparently best taken on an empty stomach after having first been to the bathroom in the morning. TMI?!
What you need:
1 apple
1 tablespoon aloe vera sap
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Method:
Juice the apple then blend with the rest of the ingredients until smooth.
Makes 2 shots, and what's more, they are most palatable.
Aloe Vera & Coconut Juice
This is my first edible encounter with the aloe vera leaf (available at Eat FRESH) whose interior sap is reportedly good for digestive issues such as acid reflux which has been plaguing me this pregnancy (and every other). You can extract the sap easily by slicing the leaf down the side and spooning out the gooey lumps - see stuff in white dish. Then blend it to a puree and add 1 tablespoon to a very large glass of coconut water. It's extremely bitter on its own (note that bitter aloes is the stuff people paint their kids' nails with to stop them biting them) so only add a little to something sweet such as coconut water. Any other recipe ideas? My helper says she uses the stuff as hair conditioner and I know it's good for sunburn but clearly no sunburn round here this week!
Baobab, Orange, Carrot & Ginger
Immune boosting juice of orange, carrot, ginger as well as a teaspoon of baobab powder. This is a superfruit grown in Africa which has 6 times the vitamin C of an orange and twice the calcium of milk.
What you need:
2 oranges
1 carrot
1 inch cube of ginger
1 teaspoon of baobab powder
Juice the first three items then stir in a teaspoon of baobab powder.
Makes 2 drinks
Kale, Pear & Celery
Kale is the most nutrient dense vegetable on our planet containing high levels of vitamin A and C as well as anti-cancer compounds. It can be enjoyed in many ways including kale chips, salads, stirfries and smoothies such as this one. The pear gives the juice a sweet flavour, taking anyway any bitterness from the greens and is cleansing along with the celery.
What you need:
1 stick of kale - on sale at Jason's in Repulse Bay or online at Homegrown Foods.
2 pears
1 stick of celery
Method:
JUICE!
Makes 2 drinks
Raspberry Cacao Shake
Cacao is chocolate in its raw, most nutritious form and and can be bought as a powder as well the actual cacao nib. We use both in this smoothie for flavour & texture and note that cacao nibs are currently on sale at iherb with 30% off the usual price. Or buy at i-detox in HK (online or instore) and enjoy VIP prices when you quote Mango Menus.
What you need:
1 banana
100ml plain yoghurt
100ml milk of choice (cow's, soy, almond etc)
1 handful of frozen raspberries (organic sold at South Stream, else there is the Arctic Garden brand in Parknshop)
2 teaspoons of cacao powder (or cocoa will do)
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
Few cacao nibs to sprinkle on top
Method:
Blend all in the smoothie maker until smooth then sprinkle cacao nibs on top.
Makes 2 smoothies this size.
Strawberry Mylk Shake - dairy-free, refined sugar free
This may look like a strawberry yoghurt/milkshake but it is in fact dairy-free, higher in protein (thanks to the tofu and almond mylk) and void of refined sugar, sweetened only with Manuka honey, where there is 20% off right now on iherb. Far cheaper to make these than buying those overpriced 6 packs of yoghurts in HK supermarkets that are full of rubbish anyway..
What you need
350g pack of silken tofu (Mango Menus recommends Mori Nu organic firm tofu from iherb)
Handful of strawberries
Tablespoon of vanilla extract
Tablespoon of Manuka honey
Add 250ml of almond milk to turn it into a smoothie
Method:
Blend the plain silken tofu with a handful of strawberries, vanilla extract garnish with a strawberry slice and refrigerate until required. Add 250ml almond mylk to the blender to turn it into a longer, smoothie drink.
Makes 3-4 puddings for toddlers
Mango Lassi - refined sugar free
This is an Indian yoghurt-based smoothie that I first had lying in a hammock on a beach in Goa. Those were the days... Great way to use those Filipino small mangos when in season.
What you need:
1 large mango or 2 small ones
200ml unsweetened yoghurt or milk kefir
Teaspoon of Manuka honey or maple syrup
Pinch of ground cardamom
Method:
Blend until smooth
Makes 2 drinks
Best Lemonade Ever
Forget the old fashioned lemonade in the shops which is predominantly refined sugar. Get your juicer and juice 2 golden delicious (these are apparently the best for juicing according to the new juicing guru, my husband) with a 1/5 of a lemon (including pips n' peel) and you will produce the sweetest, tangiest lemonade completely free of refined sugar. Great idea for the kids on a weekend morning.
What you need:
4 apples (preferably golden delicious)
1/4 of a lemon
Method:
JUICE!
Makes 2 drinks
Kumquats
Kumquats are in season in the spring which could not be more timely for me since I, like most of HK it seems, have a bit of a cough. According to Chinese medicine, these small citrus fruits are exactly what the doctor ordered for this or a sore throat. They are eaten whole including the skin which is the sweetest and most nutritious part: high in vitamin c, antioxidants and essential oils. Aiming for full recovery by the weekend I have been popping them whole, juicing them (1 orange + 1 kumquat works well) and brewing them in tea with a little manuka honey. My friend has flavoured her kefir with them and I am aware there are lots more exciting uses - what have you done with yours?!
