De-stressing and Health Boosting Smoothie!
De-stressing and health-boosting smoothie, which Is loaded with Superfoods!....poppy seeds, cashews, dry dates and almonds.
Normally, I would have a cup of tea to start my day, but when I am stressed I start it with this delicious smoothie for the added zen.
Anxiety is a very real thing. Nowadays, literally everyone I know is stressed out due to one reason or another. It’s just the life we all live. So today we’re going to talk about this De-stressing and health-boosting smoothie…..which Is loaded with Superfoods!….poppy seeds, cashews, dry dates and almonds and the credit for this health-boosting recipe goes to my very wise mother-in-law.
So If you love your builder’s tea or your cup of joe, why would you switch or swap to a smoothie? Well, while caffeine may give you a buzz, this smoothie is a powerhouse… full of health benefits that make it well worth incorporating into your diet morning or just before going to bed or when you need a health boost and calmness in your life. The best part is it tastes good too!! There are a number of flavours you can add to this smoothie base for added fun, like Banana and Turmeric or Strawberries and Chia seed. Today I went for Basil seed (soaked), honey and a hint of vanilla….super yummy!
Keep scrolling down to find the important health benefits of this smoothie and to see how to make it.
Poppy seeds:
Poppy seeds are useful for the prevention of heart disease. The seeds contain linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid required for heart health.
Poppy seeds got iron and phosphorus, which help maintain bone health. The two minerals are essential for maintaining the bones and muscles.
Poppy seeds also contain calcium and magnesium that regulate and enhance brain activity and aid in the development of neurons. The seeds can also treat constipation and more importantly sleeplessness.
Please note that excess omega-6 fatty acids can harm your health. Hence, balance is the trick.
Poppy seeds are less allergic to seeds and nuts. They can safely be used during pregnancy, even for children. Be warned: Although it doesn’t contain any banned opiates like morphine or codeine, it does react to drug tests. Consuming poppy seed food will test "falsely positive" for drug screening and other narcotic drug tests.
Almonds:
Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
Dry Dates:
Dry dates are considered to be a gold mine of vitamins and sources Of Essential Minerals, Iron and Calcium. It helps with hypertension, Heals Bowel Illnesses, Benefits Cardiovascular System, Excellent Anti-Oxidant and Improves Muscle Strength
Cashews:
Cashew helps lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and increase the carrying capacity for HDL(high-density lipoprotein). HDL is responsible to absorb the cholesterol from the heart and take it to the liver where it can be broken down.
Poppy seeds:
Poppy seeds are useful for the prevention of heart disease. The seeds contain linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid required for heart health.
Poppy seeds got iron and phosphorus, which help maintain bone health. The two minerals are essential for maintaining the bones and muscles.
Poppy seeds also contain calcium and magnesium that regulate and enhance brain activity and aid in the development of neurons. The seeds can also treat constipation and more importantly sleeplessness.
Please note that excess omega-6 fatty acids can harm your health. Hence, balance is the trick.
Poppy seeds are less allergic to seeds and nuts. They can safely be used during pregnancy, even for children. Be warned: Although it doesn’t contain any banned opiates like morphine or codeine, it does react to drug tests. Consuming poppy seed food will test "falsely positive" for drug screening and other narcotic drug tests.
Almonds:
Almonds contain lots of healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E. The health benefits of almonds include lower blood sugar levels, reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels. They can also reduce hunger and promote weight loss.
Dry Dates:
Dry dates are considered to be a gold mine of vitamins and sources Of Essential Minerals, Iron and Calcium. It helps with hypertension, Heals Bowel Illnesses, Benefits Cardiovascular System, Excellent Anti-Oxidant and Improves Muscle Strength
Cashews:
Cashew helps lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and increase the carrying capacity for HDL(high-density lipoprotein). HDL is responsible to absorb the cholesterol from the heart and take it to the liver where it can be broken down.Ingredients
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 cup raw almonds unsalted washed
- ½ tsp cashews washed
- 4 dry dates pitted soak in hot water and drain
- ½ - 1 cups water to soak the nuts
- 3 cup milk or water for a non-dairy smoothie. to grind or blend the nuts
- 1 tbsp basil seed soak and drain
- vanilla essence or extract or beans to taste
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 nut bag or linen or kitchen towel or an old (clean) shirt
Instructions
SOAK
- Wash the cashews and almonds and place them in a bowl with poppy seeds and 1/2 cup of water. Soak for a few hours or overnight. Soak the dates in hot water for an hour before you make the smoothie.
- Remove seeds from the soaked dates.
GRIND
- Drain the water from the dates and add it to a blender or grinder along with soaked cashew, Poppy seeds and almonds. Add 3 cups of water and grind to paste.
STRAIN
- Strain the milk through a nut bag/towel/shirt over a strainer on top of a deep bowl by gently squeezing the bag like you're milking a cow. when the pulp inside the bag gets dehydrated, take it back to the grinder with some extracted milk. Repeat the process a couple of times.
- Simply dip the pulp bag in the extracted milk and squeeze it back again. (see the video)
- Refrigerate the milk in a bottle with a tight-fitting seal for 7 days.
SMOOTHIE
- Blend the chilled milk with honey and a hint of vanilla. Add pre-soaked basil seed and decorate the glass with a strawberry or your choice of fruit and serve.
- Ps. I add the non-edible leftover pulp to my bath for a soothing and Detoxing mini-spa treatment.
