Fruit boosting smoothie recipes to see you through Spring

Now Spring is well and truly here, it’s time to indulge in some health boosting fruit packed smoothies.

Perfect if you’re bored of wintry porridge and cereals, a quick pick-me-up smoothie can cram in a handful of your five a day before you’ve even reached the office.

So without further a do, and with my new retro-styled Breville blender to hand, I’ll be making and sharing delicious yet healthy smoothie recipes for you to try out.

Strawberry & Banana Breakfast Shake

The first in line to kick off my recipe marathon is a fail-safe colour sensation with simple ingredients that don’t involve spending a shed load of cash on exotic fruits only available in Waitrose.

But don’t be fooled – although this thick, pink shake may only require a few bits and pieces from your fruit bowl and fridge, it’s fruity, filling contents will keep hunger at bay and your tastebuds tingling.

I usually make one of these fruity numbers before work and find it actually keeps me fuller than sugar crammed cereals and my favourite golden syrup porridge. 

You’ll need:

1 x cup of milk

5 x large strawberries

2 x banana

Little squeeze of honey

1 x tablespoon of rolled oats

Makes two smoothies

Fruity facts

§  According to the BBC eight strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange.

§  The heart shaped berries have high levels of antioxidants – polyphenols – and are both sodium and fat-free. That’s a win right there.

Stay tuned for more smoothie recipes coming up. And if you try this out - let me know what you think :)

Five budget savvy Mother's day gifts

Mum is the word on Sunday March 30, but as much as mums love to be spoilt with chocolates, flowers and the like, it's possible to find some purse friendly gifts this spring. 

I've created a round-up of funky DIY projects, relaxing buys and bakes that won't break the bank to inspire you this Mother's Day. 

Oh and if you saw my post bigging up the e-card company Paperless Post, now is the time to get typing and sending free of charge!

Hope you enjoy x

1. Get organic and make your own body scrub

Those genius people at Brit.co have it sussed. I am a firm fan of this website for its inventive DIY projects and interior ideas, but this time, it's the homemade body scrubs that look both good enough to eat and cost effective. 

Image from: Brit.co

The moisturising Banana Brown Sugar Scrub only takes two simple ingredients to make:

1 cup of brown sugar 

3 bananas

Mush the two together with a spatula and there you have it - an evening of pampering exfoliation for under a fiver. You probably will need to hand this over to the pre-pampered mum on the day, as I'm not sure how long this can be kept for. Just don't eat it on the journey to her house. And make sure you use a rustic looking up cycled jar from your cupboard. Without the label on.

There are four other scrub recipes to choose from including grapefruit avocado oil scrub, lavender-grapeseed oil sea salt scrub, coffee coconut oil scrub and pumpkin honey baking soda scrub. Get mixing.

2. Whip up some Red Velvet cupcakes 

It's no secret that red velvet cakes are my absolute favourite of the cupcake family thanks to the cream cheese icing which make these treats a little less sickly. 

The rich red cake batter contrasting against the fluffy cream frosting will please your Ma no end - especially if you team them with lovely afternoon tea in your garden. 

This Hummingbird Bakery recipe is the best in my opinion, even if you do end up with more icing sugar on you than anywhere else if you don't own a wonderful electric whisk…

I sprinkle some strawberry curls on mine for a childlike take, frankly because I think they're fun and less boring than plain old cake. 

3. Shine a light with a candle

Not so long ago, my magazine colleagues bought me a couple of soy wax

 Parkminster candles. 

The soft coconut scent filled my apartment and left my boyfriend a bit bewildered - "what's that smell? (sniffs)…it smells…gooooood."

I loved them and found they burnt for hours and hours without letting up, and with their enviro-friendly looking brown packaging with cut out stars, they make a lovely gift. Perfect if your mum needs a relaxing night in with candles and an enthralling book or a bubble bath to soothe away aches and pains. 

At £4.50 for a 90ml candle, these are a great buy, especially considering they are 100 per cent handmade in Sussex.  

4. Snap up some vintage crockery

Mums love a pretty bit of china. 

I've discovered some absolute hidden gems when it comes to vintage shops in Sheffield, particularly in the Ecclesall area, but it's easy enough to find old but beautiful cups and saucers in second hand shops and car boot sales. 

I bought this turquoise edged little number from an old shop selling ancient plates, teapots and cups for £1.50 per item. 

After giving them a good scrub, why not dress up your retro teacups or saucers by adding a candle?

 5. Go for a travel size beauty item 

Full-size beauty products can be pricey and nine times out of ten, you never reach the end of the tub or stick without getting bored and buying a new shade. 

By buying a travel sized lipstick - or whatever beauty product you fancy - you'll often save half the cash and be left with something handbag sized that you will actually use. 

Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is a gorgeous transparent day time lipstick that is easy-to-wear and suits most skin tones.

The sample size will set you back just £4.99 with free postage and packing via the world of eBay, while the full size version retails for just under £20. 

Savvy beauty is always a winner when it comes to your mum! 

Hope you found some fun ideas from this post - I'd love to know of any more you find. 

Drop me a comment if you find some cheap and chic gifts for Mother's Day.