King Coco Smoothie with Coconut Water, Green Tea & Nectarine

“Wake me up before you Coco” energising nectarine green smoothie

Starting the mornings with a green smoothie is an excellent way to be on track for your 5 (or more) a day. By cold brewing green tea in coconut water overnight you gain all the benefits and flavour of the tea, with none of the bitterness and without diluting the taste. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and gives enough of a boost from the caffeine that you can postpone your morning cup of coffee by a couple of hours.

Soaking the cashew nuts makes them soft and creamy, I soak them in batches in filtered water overnight in the fridge, then drain and freeze them.
You will need to start preparing this smoothie the day before, but it is only a minute’s work.

Serves 2 - Preparation time 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1 bottle King Coco Water
• 2 Sencha tea bags
• 2 large bananas - peeled and cut into 5cm chunks - frozen
• 2 ripe nectarines - destoned and cut into quarters - frozen
• 20 (or so) soaked cashew nuts
• ½ tsp vanilla extract or powder
• 2 large handfuls spinach leaves - washed

Method

1. Put the tea bags into the bottle of coconut water and leave in the fridge for at least 8 hours to cold brew.
2. Discard the teabags once ready.
3. Place all the ingredients into a power blender and whizz until smooth.
4. Add a little water if needed it the smoothie is very thick.

Notes

• To bulk freeze fruit for smoothies, prepare it, arrange on a piece of baking parchment on a baking tray or chopping board and freeze. Once frozen pack into plastic boxes or bags.
• For a stronger green tea taste use Sencha Matcha tea bags.
• Drink the cold brew tea coconut water within 48 hours of brewing. It is very refreshing as it is.
• If you do not have a power blender chill the fruit and add a dollop of cashew butter in place of the cashews.

Recipe, photography & styling by Helen Best-Shaw, Fuss Free Flavours, for Clearspring Ltd.