There is nothing quite like a nice, steaming cup of hot chocolate on a winters day to warm up your bones. The luxurious taste and feel of drinking hot chocolate that then warms your whole body is exquisite! It is thick, silky and rich tasting!
I think what makes a cup of hot chocolate so satisfying is that there are so many health benefits from drinking it. Skip those store-bought hot chocolate packs, and make your own cup of cocoa using real cacao powder; the higher the cacao content and less processed the cocoa, the greater the antioxidants.
This hot chocolate is thick, creamy and so satisfying. It gives you that warm glow and because of the ingredients used it fills you up too!
Ingredients:
Handful of raw cashew nuts
1 banana
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1 heaped tbsp oats
1 heaped tbsp cacao powder
Coconut milk
Method:
Blitz the cashew nuts and cacao nibs in a blender with a little of the coconut milk until it forms a paste like texture.
Add in the rest of the ingredients.
Heat the coconut milk and then add it into the blender (there is no guidance on the milk, just use what you feel is right for you. I like my hot chocolate thick so i didn’t use too much)
Blitz until combined and creamy
You can add more milk if it is too thick or more oats/banana if you need it to be thicker.
To give the hot chocolate that extra winter taste add in some cinnamon and top with some squirty cream.
This slush is just perfect for hot summer days, it will keep you cool and refreshed and help you beat the heat.
We have been very lucky lately with the weather and have even had a good couple of weeks where the temperature has hit above 25c. Keeping cool, without constantly standing in front of a fan isn’t easy. I promise that this slush will keep you hydrated but also cool you down.
It is quick and simple to make, which makes it an ideal drink to make with the children.
INGREDIENTS:
Half a lemon
A few sprigs of fresh mint
Handful of ice cubes
Coconut Water
This amount would make enough for one person just double up the ingredients if you want to make more
METHOD:
Place everything into a blender, leaving the coconut water til last. Add in enough to cover over the ice and blitz away. I kept some of the rind on the lemon as this gave it that extra bitter taste.
Now all you need to do is relax on the sun lounger with your cool summer slush in one hand, sun glasses on and a good book in the other.
NB: You could add in some gin or vodka for an adult slush
During school holidays, kids are always on the go and need to stay refreshed. My boys are very active and always on the go, keeping them hydrated whilst they are doing physical activities is very important to their health.
‘Fruit Shoot has launched It’s My Thing, a campaign that celebrates real kids doing what they’re passionate about and champions their self-expression and individuality.
Research commissioned by Fruit Shoot revealed that 80% of UK parents think that children are under too much pressure today, with 80% also agreeing that this pressure is limiting their creativity and individuality.
Parents love Fruit Shoot because with real fruit and an on-the-go format, it gives them the freedom to let their kids do their thing. Therefore, we want to start a conversation about modern childhood and parenthood and support parents who want their kids to have the freedom to discover and indulge in their passions (their ‘things’) and not feel pressured to follow an expected or set path. We want to celebrate kids who are doing their thing and encourage parents to let their kids’ have the freedom to express themselves.’
Fruit Shoot want to support parents to let their children express themselves and find the ‘thing’ that they love and enjoy doing – because finding their thing is everything.
Robinsons have been Working with kids nutritional expert Jo Travers, together they have developed a range of top tips on staying refreshed during the half term, how much children should be drinking, and highlighting the importance of doing so whilst taking part in fun activities.
Did you know that the amount of fluid a child needs to drink depends on many factors including their age and gender, the weather and how active they are? Children aged 5-11 should be consuming about 6-8 glasses of water a day.
A recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetable juice should be limited it at one small glass (150ml) and they should really only be drunk at mealtimes. The best choice of drink to keep hydrated throughout the day is water – this doesn’t provide extra energy or risks them harming their teeth
Here are some of Jo Travers Top Tips For Keeping Kids Hydrated
The boys and I was invited along to join in with an activity session at The Castle Climbing Centre, where the children got to sweat it out and take part in a 90 minute climbing experience. Fruit Shoot Hydro was there to help them stay refreshed
The sun was shining so it was quite a warm day so even more of a reason to stay hydrated whilst working up a sweat.
The boys enjoyed their session of climbing, pushing their bodies to the limit. Learning new techniques meant that they needed to keep hydrated, not just for energy but to keep them focused on the activity as well.
Climbing is definitely something that I should get my son into, he absolutely loved it and was in his element being able to climb the walls without Mummy telling him to get down. He just has a talent for it; with good techniques and a natural ability to climbing. We have obviously found ‘his thing’
Castle Climbing is an amazing place to go and experience indoor climbing, run by ‘climber’ for ‘climbers’. Housing over 450 roped and lead routes from 8m to 13m in height and an extensive range of bouldering surfaces. Set over 5 floors – with floor to ceiling climbing walls for all abilities.
what’s not lo love about climbing, my little monkeys were in their element
Yummy!
All kitted out-ready for climbing
A long way up
After the boys had tried their hands at the sport, they was treated to some light refreshments and of course a bottle of Hydro to help them quench their first after some strenuous climbing. They enjoyed the drink going in for more and also grabbing an extra bottle for the journey home. I encourage the boys to drink water all the time, it is our preferred drink but I was very happy to give them the Hydro Fruit Shoot as it has no added colouring, flavours and sugar.
The key benefits of Fruit Shoot Hydro are :
It is a natural flavoured spring water drink
No artificial colours or flavouring added
Zero sugar – gets a big thumbs up from us
Each bottle has a re-sealable cap; handy for on the go, lunch boxes and hand bags
We had a lovely day at Castle Climbing Centre, learning how to keep the children hydrated whilst they are keeping fit and experiencing a new sport.
Brighten up your day with this nutrient packed drink. It’s not only refreshing but also good for your stomach, joints and aids digestion. The star ingredient of this tonic drink is Turmeric, which is known for its anti inflammatory and immune boosting properties.
It’s like sunshine in a glass. Ideal for those cold winter mornings, with the added ginger in the drink it gives a little warm kick to it. What’s great about this drink is that it can be drunk warm or cold.
This easy to make tonic is super healthy and tasty too. It makes a great addition to your diet giving you a boost of energy and is packed with natural healing ingredients.
Carrots: Rich in vitamin A which maintains vision. Cleanses the liver. Boost immune system. The Beta-Carotene is a major antioxidant
Oranges: Vitamin C for a healthy immune system. Promotes proper digestion. Protects the cardiovascular system
Turmeric: Prevents inflammation. Controls blood pressure. Prevents cancer growth cells
Ginger: Reduces pain and inflammation. Aids digestion process. Strengthens immune system. Assists in the death of some cancer cells
Lime: Anti inflammatory. Prevents fatigue. Balances PH
Ingredients:
4 Carrots
2 Oranges
1/4 Lime/lemon
Coconut Water
1 Knob of Fresh Root Ginger
1 Knob of Fresh Turmeric
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Pepper to taste
Method:
Add all of the ingredients apart from the coconut water and pepper into a blender and blitz together. We used our juicer and threw the oranges and lime in with the skin on, this can give the drink a bitter taste.
Turmeric is a natural dye, so be prepared for all of your equipment and hands to be yellow/orange after.
Add as much coconut water that you want, depending on the consistency of the drink you want. Add some pepper to taste. Stir together.
After an early morning visit to the park for the boys to participate in the junior parkrun, we arrived home to them being very hungry. They had their breakfast already and it wasn’t quite time for lunch and as I didn’t want to ruin their appetite for the lovely roast that i had planned for dinner, I decided on whizzing up a smoothie to tie them over till dinner time.
Ingredients:
2 bananas
Small punnet of strawberries
Can of coconut milk
5 tbsp of forest fruit yoghurt
2 tsp chia and flax seeds
1 tbsp honey
There are many benefits of chia seeds, one being feeling more energised all day and another to cut the cravings for food. They are loaded with nutrients and protein making them among the superfoods.
Bung all of the ingredients into a blender and whizz away until smooth. Simple.
Ready to serve.
Thumbs up from the boys
They didn’t ask for any food for another few hours, in fact they had a boost of energy and spent an hour outside in the garden making up an obstacle course.
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