FOOD + DRINK
WHAT’ S IN YOUR FRIDGE?
IN DECEMBER, YOUR FRIDGE PROBABLY LOOKED LIKE A SMALL BRANCH OF A SUPERMARKET, STUFFED TO THE GILLS WITH, WELL, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THE SHOPS HAD TO OFFER BEFORE CHRISTMAS DESCENDED AND WE LOCKED OURSELVES AWAY FOR A FEW BLISSFUL DAYS. BY LISAMARIE LAMB
But that was then, and now, in January, it’ s time to re-stock that rather empty looking fridge with food that will suit your‘ new year, new you’ focus. It should be healthy yet tasty and easy to prepare so that you can quickly grab a snack when you’ re feeling peckish. So, what’ s in your fridge?
SMOOTHIE A smoothie is part drink, part fantastically nutritious snack, and it’ s all good for you. Make a batch of your favourite smoothie up in the morning, and you can sip on it all day, whenever you feel like you need a snack. There are hundreds of different varieties that you can try, and they are the perfect thing to have in your fridge as a go-to pick me up. Making your own smoothie is the healthiest option, and it doesn’ t take long to do. Because smoothies are made with fruit and vegetables, they provide the body with plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, making smoothies the best way to get everything your body needs in one delicious go.
FRUIT & VEG Fruit and vegetables are another great fridge filler. Ready washed and prepared, you can fill a bowl or just take what you need when you need it, safe in the knowledge that you’ re eating something healthy that just happens to taste good too. If you are green fingered you could grow your own snacks in the garden, greenhouse, or even in a window box – alternatively, there is plenty of choice in your local shop, offering you not only familiar flavours but more exotic ones too. Why not try something new in the New Year and add some different fruit to your shopping list? Fruit and veg are packed full of vitamins and minerals which are needed to keep us healthy. These nutrients include folates( also known as vitamin B12, folates keeps our blood in good condition), fibre( this can help to prevent heart disease, weight gain, some cancers, and aids digestive health), vitamin C( needed for the growth and repair of skin, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels and other tissues), potassium( good for the heart), and much more.
NATURAL YOGHURT Natural yoghurt is such a versatile ingredient. You can eat it on its own, you can add it to fruit, you can pour honey over it, you can mix it with cereal … You can even use it as a base to thicken the smoothies we mentioned earlier. No matter how you use it, the best thing about natural yoghurt( apart from how good it tastes) is that it is a natural source of probiotics, which help to keep your immune system and gut in tip top shape.
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