04 Jan JANUARY SUPER JUICE – THE HAPPINESS SMOOTHIE
Anyone else feeling a tad flat today? Worry not. Smoothies are your saviour. Today, and every Sunday throughout January, friend of Ladyland, smoothie alchemist and yoga teacher, Christine Joos, shares her recipes for the beautiful blends that’ll get you through January and beyond. First up? The Happiness Smoothie…
For happiness from the inside out, kick start your new year with this feel-good-combo! Bananas, cocoa nibs, oranges and cinnamon are real mood improvers – perfect if you feel the need for a little bliss-factor in the afternoon.
Cacao stimulates the brain, triggering the neurotransmitters that affect our emotions – including positive ones like euphoria. Furthermore, cacao contains phenylethylamine (PEA), a chemical that our bodies also make naturally. We produce it when we’re excited – it lets the pulse go faster and that makes us feel focused and alert.
Cinnamon provides a variety of benefits, one of them being that it helps to release the ‘happy hormones’ in your body, giving your mood a nice upwards curve.
Oranges give you a positive energy kick and are mood-boosting too because they’re high in vitamin C and vitamin B6, which both support the reduction of stress hormones in the body.
Last, but not least, bananas contain high levels of tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted into serotonin, the brain’s happiness neurotransmitter. Studies also suggest that tryptophan plays a role in preserving memory and improving your mood.
Let’s mix them all together and get happy – legally!
For *1-2 servings you will need:
- 1 banana
- 1 apple
- 1 pear
- 2 oranges
- 4-6 tbsp coconut milk
- 3 tbsp soya yoghurt
- 1 tbsp linseed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- a sprinkling of raw cocoa nibs
- a few raspberries (optional)
- bit of soya yoghurt (optional)
- Mix all ingredients, except cocoa nibs and raspberries, in the blender until they are smooth and creamy.
- Pour into glass and top with cocoa nibs, soya yoghurt and raspberries.
*Serves one as a meal, or two as a snack
A high-speed blender is ideal, especially if you are using seeds in your smoothie.
Enjoy and feel the bliss!
Christine Joos, aka @london_yogini, is a designer, smoothie alchemist, yoga teacher and mum who lives in North London. She’s a passionate yogini who believes in the transformative power of nutrition. As well as posting her wellbeing inspo here, you can also find her flexing her creative muscles for brands like ASOS, Virgin and Adidas.