What’s great about smoothies for suhoor is the simple process and ingredients that you might already have lying around in your kitchen. It's the perfect healthy and filling way start to your day when fasting in Ramadhan. These recipes pack a punch with nutritional ingredients that are not only rich in energy but also include your daily dose of fibre, vitamins and minerals!
Essentials in smoothie-making
It’s always best if you have ripe bananas. Peel, chop them chunky and keep them in a container or zip-lock bag and stash it in the freezer for your convenient use at any time. What it does is give a creamy, ice-cream-like smoothie texture. But of course, you can always opt for fresh bananas too. Just add ½ cup of ice for every 2 bananas in use. When choosing your smoothie ingredients, consider what might help fill you up throughout the day while fasting.
1. Mango Matcha Smoothie
Matcha green tea is great at boosting metabolism rate and burning calories. It is rich in fibre, chlorophyll, vitamin C, chromium, zinc and magnesium. It also helps in reducing cholesterol and blood sugar levels. All the more reason to try out this recipe during fasting month!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 pax
Ingredients:
- 400g ripe and sweet mango flesh (frozen or fresh), chopped
- 2 tbsp Matcha powder, mix with 2 tbsp hot water
- ¾ cup of milk
- 1 banana, chopped
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients above in a blender and blitz till smooth.
- Serve in tall glasses and sprinkle with more Matcha powder.
Hope this recipe helps in improving your easy and healthy lifestyle!
2. All-fruit Bubblegum Smoothie
The name ‘bubblegum’ comes from the bright pink colour it gives. Not only that, the tropical flavour echoes childhood-favourite bubblegum. Pink dragon fruits provide antioxidants for the body. It also helps delay ageing skin cells. Who knew that it also helps during coughs and asthma attacks!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 pax
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, chopped
- 1 orange, peeled and sliced
- 300g pink Dragonfruit
- ½ cup of milk
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients above in a blender and blitz till smooth.
- Pour into tall glasses and it's ready to serve.
No guilt feelings screaming ‘I WANT CANDY’ after this smoothie!
3. Chocolate and Vanilla Cookie Smoothie
Take your smoothie to the next level by making it into a fun dessert! Use any chocolate chip, biscotti or butter cookies you have.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 pax
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, chopped
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chocolate milk
- 2 pcs vanilla cookie/shortbread/biscotti
- 2 pcs chocolate cookie/shortbread/biscotti
- a tiny dash of vanilla essence
Instructions:
- The chocolate needs to be made separate from the vanilla. Start with blitzing 1 banana, milk, vanilla cookies and vanilla essence. Pour in two serving glasses.
- Clean the blender and blitz the second batch by repeating the same process with chocolate milk and chocolate cookies.
- Pour on top of the first vanilla smoothie made prior. Top with some cookie crumbs and it's ready to serve.
The crunchiness adds texture to the smoothie and the flavour mirrors familiar desserts. Perfect for a healthier option!
5. Triple Power Smoothie
Impress your family or guests with a colourful and nourishing glass of this triple fruit smoothie. Mangoes help in improving eyesight, alkalizing the body as a whole and help fight heat stroke. Perfect for Ramadhan!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 3 pax
Ingredients:
- 3 bananas, chopped
- ¾ cup milk
- 200g mango flesh (frozen or fresh), chopped
- 200g pink Dragonfruit, chopped
- 1 tbsp Matcha powder, mix with 1 tbsp hot water
Instructions:
- You will need to make each mango, matcha and pink dragonfruit smoothie separately. Start with blitzing 1 banana, ¼ cup milk, and mango. Pour in three serving glasses.
- Clean the blender and blitz the second batch by repeating the same process with 1 banana, matcha mix and ¼ cup milk.
- Pour on top of the first mango smoothie made prior.
- Lastly, clean the blender and blitz the third batch by repeating the same process with 1 banana, dragonfruit and ¼ cup milk.
- Pour on top of the matcha smoothie and it's ready to serve.
This recipe is great fun when having kids in the kitchen. It sure seems like a lot of work but it will be worth the try!
5. Indonesian Alpokat Smoothie
Avocados are high in good fat, and oleic acid - which helps reduce inflammation and also shows beneficial effects on genes associated with cancer. Amazingly, avocados highly affect the increase in nutrient value of other plant foods that we consume. It helps in absorbing nutrients and minerals in other vegetables or fruits to our bodies.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 pax
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, chopped
- 100g ripe avocado, chopped
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
- 2 tbsp chocolate sauce (optional)
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients listed above except for the chocolate sauce. Blitz in a blender until smooth.
- Decorate two serving glasses with chocolate sauce before pouring in the smoothie mix. Ready to serve.
A little bit of avocado gives a lot of smooth and thick texture like how an ice cream would have. Don’t go overboard or you’ll end up with bright green gunk getting stuck in your fat straw.
6. The Elvis Smoothie
Mimicking the American breakfast classic with peanut butter definitely kicks in the energy throughout your fasting day. Opt for other nut butter if you want such as almond butter, cashew butter or better yet pistachio butter!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 pax
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, chopped
- 3 tbsp chunky/smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tbsp chopped almonds
- A pinch of cinnamon powder
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients listed above except for almonds, and blitz in a blender until smooth.
- Pour smoothie mix into two serving glasses. Top with almonds and it's ready to serve.
Nuts are rich in protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, fibre and Vitamin E which benefits the skin. Different nuts contain different levels of nutrients. Choose your favourite one for this recipe!
Essentials in making overnight oats
Rolled oats give a coarser texture compared to processed oats which will easily expand and become mush the morning after. The oats will get soft even after 30 minutes of mixing, but for better and tastier oats, chill it for at least 5 hours or till the next morning. Don’t own any tiny mason jars? No problem! Mix it in a cereal bowl/mixing bowl and wrap with cling-film to refrigerate. Scoop it out into individual bowls the next day to share with your family for a quick breakfast.
7. Chocolate Overnight Oats
Who wouldn’t enjoy chocolate for breakfast? Top these oats with fresh-cut fruits and some nuts for added flavour and texture.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 – 8 hours
Feeds: 1 pax
Ingredients:
- 1 banana, chopped
- A handful of fresh strawberries, chopped
- ¾ cup chocolate milk
- ½ cup rolled oats
- A tiny pinch of salt
Ingredients:
- Mix all the ingredients listed above except for the fruits. Store with a lid that’s air-tight in the refrigerator.
- Top the fruit on top of the overnight oats. Ready to serve.
Oats are complex carbs which transit slowly into energy. Some benefits of using cacao or chocolate are that it creates masses of energy and fights fatigue. Be sure to try out this energy-punched recipe for sahur!
8. French Vanilla & Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Vanilla is a spice condiment that contains tiny traces of minerals. It helps control heart rate, blood pressure, and nervous system function and regulates your body's metabolism rate. Cinnamon on the other hand has multiple benefits, helping to combat many diseases and illnesses which include osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, salmonella, tooth decay, gum disease, sore throat, cough and flu!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 – 8 hours
Feeds: 1 pax
Ingredients:
- 100g pecans, toasted and chopped
- A handful of fresh mixed berries, chopped
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup rolled oats
- A pinch of cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp French vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup
Ingredients:
- Mix all the ingredients above except for the fruits and nuts. Store with a lid that’s air-tight in the refrigerator.
- Top the fruit and nuts on top of the overnight oats. Ready to serve.
Going back to simple flavours never gets old. Make it appetizing by switching up the fruits and nuts selection. Try out these simple and nutritious recipes to keep your fasting month full of health and wealth, physically and spiritually. For more recipe inspiration, check out these 5 Easy And Nutritious Ramadan Recipes With Kurma Milk. It’s always best when sharing food with friends and family. Why not share these recipes with them!