Pear and mint frappe

Mint plucked fresh from the plant is one of life’s surest pick-me-ups.

Ingredients:

4 pears, peeled, cored and chopped

2 teaspoons roughly chopped mint leaves

3 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar

30 ice cubes

mint leaves, to garnish

Method:

Blend the pears, mint and sugar in a blender until smooth. Add the ice cubes and blend until smooth. Serve garnished with the extra mint leaves. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Orange and lemon sorbet soda

Think you’re too old for an ice cream spider? Try this grown-up version.

Ingredients:

500 g (2 cups) orange juice

250 g (1 cup) lemonade

2-4 scoops lemon sorbet

Method:

Combine the orange juice and lemonade in a jug. Pour into 2 large glasses and top each with 1-2 scoops sorbet. Make 2 large glasses. 

Hawaiian crush

Aloha summer, here we come.

Ingredients:

100 g (3 ½ oz) papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped

200 g (1 cup) chopped watermelon

250 ml (1 cup) apple juice
6 large ice cubes

Method:

Blend the papaya, watermelon, apple juice and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Chill well. Make 2 medium glasses.

Virgin mary

This drink is a terribly good tipple in its own right, but if you must add a slug of vodka, we promise not to tell.

Ingredients:

750 ml (3 cups) tomato juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

few drops of Tabasco

12 ice cubes

2 lemon slices, halved

Method:

Put the tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, nutmeg and Tabasco sauce in a large jug and stir to combine. Blend the ice cubes in a blender for 30 seconds, or until the ice is crushed to 125 ml (½ cup). Pour the tomato juice mixture into 4 glasses and add the crushed ice and lemon slices. Season with salt and pepper then make 4 small glasses.

Fruitasia smoothie

Frozen berries make the grade in all well-stocked freezers.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, chopped

6 strawberries, hulled

100 g (3 ½ oz) frozen raspberries

2 passion fruit, halved

100 g (3 ½ oz) low-fat natural yoghurt

250 ml (1 cup) apple juice

2 ice cubes

Method:

Blend the bananas, strawberries, frozen raspberries, passion fruit pulp, yoghurt, apple juice and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 4 small glasses. 

Get up and go smoothie

Keep mum happy and make this breakfast-in-a-glass part of your routine.

Ingredients:

½ mango, peeled, stone removed and chopped

60 g (¼ cup) vanilla soy yoghurt

500 ml (2 cups) fat-free soy milk

2 tablespoons oat bran

2 tablespoons honey

Method:

Blend the mango, yoghurt, soy milk, oat bran and honey in a blender until smooth. Serve with spoons. Make 4 small glasses. 

Apricot crumble smoothie

Delight your inner child, or even a real one, with this modern take on one of the classic old favourites.

Ingredients:

200 g (7 oz) canned apricots

200 g (7 oz) vanilla yoghurt

250 ml (1 cup) milk

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1 tablespoon malted milk powder

large pinch ground cinnamon

Method:

Blend the undrained apricots, yoghurt, milk, wheat germ, malted milk powder and cinnamon in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses.

Note: Canned peaches, apples or pears can be used in place of the apricots.

Banana date smoothie

Go low on fat but keep the full-on flavour with this mineral-rich revitalizer.

Ingredients:

2 bananas, chopped

50 g (½ cup) fresh dates, pitted and chopped

250 g (1 cup) low-fat natural yoghurt

125 ml (½ cup) skim milk

8 ice cubes

Method:

Blend the banana, dates, yoghurt, milk and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses.

Mango smoothie with fresh berries

Pop the blueberry bubbles for a tongue-tingling explosion.

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, stones removed and chopped

125 ml (½ cup) milk

250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk

1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

2 scoops mango gelato or sorbet

50 g (1/3 cup) blueberries

Method:

Blend the mango, milk, buttermilk, sugar and gelato in a blender until smooth. Serve garnished with the blueberries. Make 4 small glasses. 

Watermelon smoothie

Light, juicy watermelon cuts through the creaminess of this indulgent blend. Making it all right. Right?

Ingredients:

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) watermelon, peeled and chopped

125 g (½ cup) yoghurt

250 ml (1 cup) milk

1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

Method:

Blend the watermelon, yoghurt, milk and sugar in a blender until smooth. Add the ice cream and blend for a few seconds, or until frothy. Make 4 small glasses. 

Island blend

If you’ve been good, reward yourself by using coconut cream for an extra luscious tipple.

Ingredients:

110 g (2/3 cup) chopped pineapple

½ small papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 small bananas, chopped

60 ml (¼ cup) coconut milk

250 ml (1 cup) orange juice

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Blend the pineapple, papaya, banana and coconut milk in a blender until smooth. Add the orange juice and blend until combined. Serve over ice. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Plum and prune tang

Tangy buttermilk adds protein and oomph to this low-fat smoothie.

Ingredients:

200 g (½ cup) chopped plums

150 g (1 cup) prunes, pitted and chopped
250 g (1 cup) low-fat vanilla yoghurt
125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk

310 ml (1 ¼ cups) skim milk

8 large ice cubes

Method:

Blend the plums, prunes, yoghurt, buttermilk, milk and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 4 small glasses.

Banana soy latte

Coffee and breakfast in one easy package to start the morning with a blast.

Ingredients:

440 ml (1 ¾ cups) coffee-flavoured soy milk

2 bananas, chopped

8 large ice cubes

1 teaspoon drinking chocolate

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

Blend the soy milk and banana in a blender until smooth. With the blender running, add the ice cubes one at a time until well incorporated. Serve sprinkled with the drinking chocolate and cinnamon. Make 4 small glasses. 

Passion fruit lime crush

The wrinklier the passion fruit, the sweeter the pulp, so get down with an oldie.

Ingredients:

125 ml (½ cup) passion fruit pulp (about 6 passion fruit)

185 ml (¾ cup) lime juice cordial

750 ml (3 cups) dry ginger ale
crushed ice, to serve

Method:

Combine the passion fruit pulp, cordial and dry ginger ale in a large jug and mix together well. Half fill 4 large glasses with crushed ice and add the passion fruit mixture. Make 4 large glasses.

Grape and almond frappe

Almond milk is saved for special occasions in the Middle East but don’t let that stop you from making this as often as you want.

Ingredients:

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) green seedless grapes

250 ml (1 cup) almond milk
large pinch ground cinnamon

8 large ice cubes

Method:

Juice the grapes through a juice extractor. Blend the grape juice, almond milk, cinnamon and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses.

Note: Almonds are high in calcium and an excellent inclusion in a dairy-free diet.

Cherry blossom slushy

Serve with sushi on a Friday night and say sayonara baby to the working week.

Ingredients:

3 large Nashi pears, stalks removed

300 g (10 ½ oz) frozen pitted cherries

Method:

Juice the Nashi pears through a juice extractor. Blend the Nashi juice and frozen cherries in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses.

Whipped nougat

A veritable bazaar of flavours – sweet, nutty and smooth as a bolt of silk.

Ingredients:

200 g (1 cup) canned apricots

500 ml (2 cups) almond milk

1 ½ teaspoons natural vanilla extract (essence)

1 teaspoon of honey

few drops rosewater, optional

8 large ice cubes

Method:

Blend the undrained apricots, almond milk, vanilla, honey, rosewater and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses.

Coconut and lime juice

I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts so let’s make some ice, ice, baby.

Ingredients:

400 ml (14 fl oz) coconut milk

juice of 4 limes

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (essence)

80 g (1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

7 g mint leaves, optional

8 large ice cubes

Method:

Blend the coconut milk, lime juice, vanilla, sugar, mint and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses. 

Pear, maple and cinnamon frappe

Use the best maple syrup you can find, then make this for your favourite mountie.

Ingredients:

400 g (14 oz) canned pears in natural juice

1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

12 large ice cubes

Method:

Blend the undrained pears, maple syrup, cinnamon and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses.

Banana, kiwi and lemon frappe

Factor in 8 scoops of sorbet – one for the blender, one for me, one for the blender ...

Ingredients:

2 bananas, chopped

3 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped

4 scoops lemon sorbet

Method:

Blend the banana, kiwifruit and lemon sorbet in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses.

Razzle dazzle

Give ‘em the old razzle dazzle and watch ‘em come back for more.

Ingredients:

1 lime

150 g (5 ½ oz) raspberries

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract (essence)

200 g (7 oz) strawberry frozen yoghurt

Method:

Juice the lime in a citrus press. Blend the raspberries, lime juice, vanilla and frozen yoghurt in a blender until smooth. Make 2 small glasses. 

Passion fruit and vanilla ice cream whip

Serve in a parfait glass with long spoons and curly straws for the true diner experience.

Ingredients:

4 passion fruits, halved

100 g (3 ½ oz) passion fruit yoghurt
500 ml (2 cups) milk

1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

2-4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Method:

Scoop out the passion fruit pulp and push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Transfer to a blender with the yoghurt, milk, sugar and 2 scoops of ice cream and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and top each with an extra scoop of ice cream, if desired. Make 2 medium glasses.

Banana sesame bender

Sweet, smooth and a little bit nutty – sounds like an average day in the office.

Ingredients:

3 small bananas, chopped

750 ml (3 cups) milk

1 ½ tablespoons tahini

1 ½ tablespoons peanut butter

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (essence)

Method:

Blend the banana, milk, tahini, peanut butter, honey and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses. 

Fig and ginger dream

Figs are the fruit of love so serve this up for that someone special.

Ingredients:

6 small fresh figs

30 g (1 oz) ginger in syrup, plus 1 teaspoon syrup

625 ml (2 ½ cups) milk

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (essence)

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Blend the figs, ginger, syrup, milk and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Serve over ice. Make 2 large glasses. 

Mixed berry protein punch

Meal replacement therapy never tasted so good.

Ingredients:

250 g (9 oz) mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)

1 tablespoon protein powder
200 g (7 oz) vanilla yoghurt
375 ml (1 ½ cups) milk

2 tablespoons ground almonds

Method:

Blend the berries, protein powder, yoghurt, milk and ground almonds in a blender until smooth. Make 2 large glasses

Strawberry lassi

Ascend to berry yoghurt heaven with a clear conscience.

Ingredients:

250 g (9 oz) strawberries, hulled

300 g (10 ½ oz) strawberry soy yoghurt

2 tablespoons honey

4 ice cubes

Method:

Blend the strawberries, yoghurt, honey, ice cubes and 2 ½ tablespoons water in a blender until smooth. Make 2 small glasses. 

Summer strawberry smoothie

When too much strawberry is not enough, satisfy your cravings with this.

Ingredients:

250 g (9 oz) strawberries, hulled

250 ml (1 cup) wildberry drinking yoghurt

4 scoops strawberry frozen yoghurt

1 tablespoon strawberry sauce

few drops natural vanilla extract (essence)

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Blend the strawberries, yoghurt, frozen yoghurt, strawberry sauce and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Serve over ice. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Apricot tofu smoothie

Buy these summer fruits by the tray and develop a smoothie habit.

Ingredients:

4 apricots, stones removed

2 peaches, stones removed

250 ml (1 cup) apricot nectar

150 g (5 ½ oz) silken tofu

Method:

Blend the apricots, peaches, apricot nectar and tofu in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Blueberry starter

Once you get started you may not be able to stop, so make sure there’s plenty to go round.

Ingredients:

200 g (7 oz) blueberries

250 g (1 cup) natural yoghurt

250 ml (1 cup) milk

1 tablespoon wheat germ

1-2 teaspoons honey, to taste

Method:

Blend the blueberries, yoghurt, milk, wheat germ and honey in a blender until smooth. Make 2 medium glasses.

Note: Frozen blueberries are great for this recipe. There is no need to thaw them.