There’s quite a few things that Si and I do differently. I don’t eat meat, he does. I like to eat healthily, he doesn’t always. He likes salty, I like sweet. I only eat 1-2 bits of fruit a day, he’s a fruit bat. I drink herb tea, he drinks coffee. I eat homemade gluten-free bread, he likes crunchy white rolls. I drink homemade almond milk, he drinks cow. I like yoghurt, he likes cheese. But, I’ve never been one to push my ways onto others and prefer to lead by example rather than get all preachy. You know in some ways I like that we are so different, he brings me back to earth when I’m being overly neurotic and I show him there are healthier choices out there to be had. However, after living together for nearly 11 years I’m happy to say a few of my ways have slowly but surely rubbed off on Si, naturally, and I couldn’t be more proud.
I like to try and do at least one herbal detox a year and finished up a 15 day one about a month or so ago. To my delight this year Si mentioned he would also like to try it out! He works away for two weeks at a time, so doing a full 15 day one would be hard work in an environment where someone else dictates what he eats. Instead he’s just starting out in baby steps and is onto day 2 of a shorter 7 day detox, while he’s home on his week off.
I found the detox relatively easy, mostly because I already eat the diet it requires, but for Si by mid-morning day one, he was starving and feeling restricted. Instead of letting him feel like that again today I decided to whip up a quick smoothie to get him through until lunch. It’s full to the brim with the goodness of homemade almond milk, fresh local strawberries and avocado for creaminess and good fats, which help to fill him up and keep him satisfied for longer.
Our strawberry plants are going crazy out in the backyard, but we’re still only getting the odd one here and there, every other day. Thankfully our local farmers market sells whole boxes of them for a really good price, which I trim and freeze for later use in smoothies such as these. Spring has also brought our blueberry bush back to life and it’s riddled with little bell-shaped flowers, promising a good haul come summer-time.
Lastly before I leave today, I’ve just got a few odd bits and pieces to mention. I made this cake for my birthday recently using honey in place of sugar. Our oven is fierce so the edges and base got a little singed, but nothing a little trimming couldn’t fix up! It’s the perfect time to be cooking with rhubarb. I’ve got a little post up on Homegrown Kitchen for that lovely spring salad you see above, thanks for having me Nicola and enjoy the rest of your holiday. I’d love your vote over here, it only takes literally 2 seconds to click ‘like’! I did a little ‘healthy snacks’ demo at my kids school yesterday and made almond milk, salt and vinegar kale chips and the favourite of the day, my rich chocolate slice. It was fun! Finally, I’ve just recently sent back the first edits of my cookbook, now the exciting part begins! xx
creamy pink smoothie
I suggest you make your own almond milk as most of the store-bought stuff contains nasties, and really it’s so easy to make yourself. Recipe here. I used half fresh strawberries and half ones that I had trimmed and frozen a few weeks ago. Use either. Although if you use all fresh, you might want to add a few chunks of ice for a cooler smoothie. Up to you. I use brown rice syrup, but maple or honey (for a non-vegan option) would also be nice.
Serves 1 huge glass or a couple of smaller ones (approx 750ml smoothie)
1 1/2 cups (375ml) almond milk (preferably homemade)
1 1/2 cups (approx 250g punnet) strawberries, fresh or frozen (see headnotes)
the flesh of 1/2 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup, or to taste (or any other natural sweetener of your choice)
Place everything into your blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
37 Responses
I've only recently started adding avocados to my smoothies (and have a post coming up on it soon!) but I'm loving it! So creamy! This looks delicious, I can't wait for our strawberry plants to produce some fruit!
Yeah I add them all the time, sometimes is nice to have that creamy consistency minus banana if you know what I mean 🙂
Your relationship sounds very similar to mine! He eats meat, dairy, likes the odd white-flour-filled doughnut then and again and is always the first one to bring me back down to earth and remind me that we are all beautifully different and that's cool! It can sometimes get too much all about the 'food' and not about building diverse relationships I find sometimes, especially in the health/healing field of work! I love how our healthy habits rub off on them though.. 'being' is so much better then 'telling' in my opinion! I love the recipe.. avo in smoothies is the best, thank you for sharing! (still making your black-bean brownies by the stack load btw ; ) xx
Ah that's cool to hear Jo! And thanks for such a lovely comment. xx
I love the way that you and Si seem to have found a middle ground despite how different your diets are; it's so inspiring! I bet this smoothie really hit the spot for him though and kept him full all day, it looks so wonderful!
Thanks Kathryn! It's taken a good few years, but yes I think we've finally found a good middle ground. He even enjoys my green smoothies 🙂
I love it! and home made milk:)
Thanks! xx
Love strawberries, ours won't be ready for ages though
Yeah, I'm constantly blown away by how early the season starts over her on the West coast! Back home in NZ, strawberries are only a summer thing. Here, they basically never stop.
I love the added creaminess that avocados give to smoothies!
I've been wanting to try a detox but was thinking about starting with a 3 day detox… 15 days sounds so challenging!
15 days was a long time. If it's your first time I'd definitely start with a 3-7 day one. I did a really easy little 3 day one a while back that doesn't use herbs etc. Links in this post,
https://www.mydarlinglemonthyme.com/2013/01/the-famed-green-juice-recipe-from-my-3.html
It's a great place to start xx
ok. i love love avocado, i just don't know how i feel about it in a smoothie. but i can see how it would lend such a creaminess to it….
Haha, I know it sounds weird (although avocado shakes are a very South East Asian thing no?) but you can't really taste the avocado and the texture of the smoothie is amazing 🙂
That looks delicious! We also freeze berries to use throughout winter, this year I'm going to pick and even bigger batch!
🙂 My freezer is never big enough for the amount I'd love to freeze!
Yum, avocado is the best in smoothies to make it lovely and creamy. Thanks again for your guest post over at Homegrown Kitchen x
You're welcome Nicola! xx
Sounds like you two are a good match. : ) I'm impressed that he was willing to jump in to a seven-day cleanse! That's a pretty big deal!
I'm impressed too! Day 3 today and he's still going strong 🙂
Funny, I have nearly the same "hubby" situation. Making him drink smoothies every day is my biggest victory by now. 🙂
Love your post, as always 🙂
Autumn greetings from Switzerland
Hi Danijela! I think many of us have this same 'hubby' situation. But slowly, slowly we'll get there eh? 🙂
This looks delicious! I often use cashews to bulk up smoothies. The avocado idea is brilliant!
Yes, I too do the soaked cashews thing in my smoothies. Yum.
I've recently starting incorporating avocados into my smoothies. I first had it blended into juices during a juicing retreat I did earlier this year and it's such a wonderful idea. It also keep you full for so much longer. Your pictures are beautiful!!
Thanks Antonia, I agree it really does fill you up for much longer.
Those strawberries are too beautiful. It's so refreshing (and feels right!) to see them outside of the uniform, plastic-boxed supermarket context. How exciting about the cookbook! Looking forward to that very much.
Me too! I've never been a very patient person before now 😉 xx
I love strawberries shakes, they always taste great.
Every morning my sweetheart makes me the worst tasting smoothie anyone has tasted ever.Sometimes a army green,sometimes a light grey,always with,,,banana:(.sweet of him ,yes.yummy,no.Your smoothie will be on rotation,yeah:)
🙂 xx
Opposites really attract huh? That's pretty cool you guys even each other out. Strawberry is one of my favorite smoothies, I like this vegan option.
The saying really is true! 🙂
Thanks for the reminder to be the example and not the preacher Emma. In recent months I've started making changes to my diet (giving up meat the biggest) and that directly affects my man and I have to remember this was my choice and not his. The white bread thing is a massive source of debate here, so much so that I've started baking my own to hopefully encourage him to move on from eating like, as I say, a 5 year old but I'm afraid donuts will ALWAYS be on the menu for him! I'll admit I do hope he will journey over to my style of eating but I'm glad to hear you have successfully co-existed for so long with such differences at dinnertime
Thanks so much for your lovely comment Arlene, I do fully believe that preaching never works and leading by example is the much safer way to go! I've found (with men especially!) that it will only push them further into bad eating habits if they feel pushed or bullied into changing, they themselves have to be the ones ready to change if it's to be long lasting. Every bodies different and I fully believe there is no right or wrong way to eat, no 'diet' that works for all. All the best love xx
This sounds so simple and delicious! Strawberries are in the freezer, avocados are super ripe already and are begging to be used & almond milk is just waiting to be made 😉
Hey emma this pink smoothie is amazing.. thanks for sharing