Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie

The great thing about cacao smoothies is that you can pretty much smuggle all sorts of good stuff that kids wouldn’t otherwise eat disguised by the intense flavour of chocolate. My daughter never turns down a cacao smoothie for breakfast (actually neither do I) and she especially loves it when she gets to choose the toppings, giving her a little autonomy with her food.

If ever I attempt to say my daughter eats everything, she always corrects me and says she dislikes avocados, rhubarb and rocket leaves! Who could possible not like avocados?! Avocados, green leaves and broccoli sprouts are added to the faithful cacao smoothie now chocced full of nutrients for a happy, healthy breakfast. My daughter knows full well these foods are in the smoothie but she doesn’t care because the bowl tastes of an intense chocolate orange, sweetened with juicy raspberries!!

Broccoli sprouts are incredible, I remember when I first read about their nutritional health benefits, I knew I needed to add them to my diet.  Broccoli sprouts have been shown to be 10-100x more powerful than eating standard broccoli and the great thing is they are super easy to sprout and can be eaten raw, preserving all the nutritional content.  There are some really interesting studies looking at cancer prevention through the removal of airborne pollutants by the sprouts in heavily polluted China. They are slightly bitter in flavour, not dissimilar to watercress so they can be an acquired taste, I personally love this kind of flavour, my daughter not so much!  My favourite ways to eat them are in smoothies, pesto and even chocolate avocado pudding – sometimes we have to be a little creative with how we add food for children!  I think it’s important for children to eat the whole vegetable so they understand the flavour and texture but when you start introducing complex bitter flavours it’s a great idea to start with adjusting their taste buds slowly. You can buy already sprouted broccoli sprouts but it is much less expensive just to grow your own and it’s super easy by following the instructions here.

I also added 1 drop of wild orange essential oil to my smoothie, I do this frequently because the added supporting health benefits are incredible and because the flavour is so intense from only 1 drop.  N.B. Be careful with citrus oils in plastic containers as they do have the ability to break down petrochemicals so always add the drop in the bowl or glass and do not use oils that are not certified to be consumed internally!  If you would like to learn more about essential oils contact me here

Wild Orange Essential Oil health benefits

1. High in antioxidents for overall good health
2. Uplifting and energising
3. Reduces feeling of stress, tension and anxiety

A healthy, nutritious start to the day, what’s your favourite smoothie ingredient?