Drinks & Juicing
Courgette, Pear, Spinach & Cashew Smoothie
A glass of green goodness. Courgette may seem like an odd addition, but it’s from the same family as cucumber and has a mild, clean freshness. Bananas and cashews both add body and creaminess, especially if you have time to soak the cashews first (see tips). The pears bring natural sweetness when used fully ripe, and the spinach is an extra hit of green.
Cook's notes
The smoothness may depend on the oomph of your blender. If you think yours may struggle, try soaking the nuts overnight (discard the water) and skinning the fruit and veg, or pass it through a sieve before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 courgette
- 4 ripe pears
- 2 bananas
- 100g spinach
- 50g cashew nuts
- 1 lemon
Method
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Step 1
Roughly chop the courgette and pears, skin and all. Peel and chop the bananas. Make sure you wash the spinach very well.
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Step 2
Pop the courgettes, pears, bananas, spinach into a blender with 700ml of cold water, cashew nuts and a cautious squeeze of lemon juice. Blitz until completely smooth. You can replace some of the water with other liquids if you like. A handful of ice is great for giving a slushie feel. Half water and half apple juice work well, but increases the sweetness. A dollop of yogurt adds extra creaminess.
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Step 3
Check the consistency and add a dash more water if it seems too thick. Taste and add more lemon to your liking. The smoothie will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days; just give it a good shake to bring it back together. Depending on the volume of your blender, it may be easier to make it in batches as and when you need.