Recipe: Real Chocolate Smoothie
Smoothies are an easy way to bump up the total energy and protein intake for older adults, particularly when they don’t feel like eating. Having a smoothie for breakfast or a snack between meals can help to improve your appetite, while also getting good quality protein that your body can use for muscle building.
This smoothie recipe also provides an excellent source of calcium - it’s the equivalent of 2 serves of dairy!
Serves : 3
Serve Size: 200 ml
Ingredients:
2 cups of Full cream milk
2 tbsp of Skim milk powder
200g of Natural yoghurt
2 tbsp of Cocoa powder
2 tsp of Vanilla essence
Method
1. Add milk, milk powder, yoghurt, cocoa and vanilla essence into a blender (Nutribullets are easy to work with and to clear afterwards).
2. Blend until smooth and frothy.
3. Serve cold.
Note: if your older adult needs thickened fluids, thickening smoothies may take longer than regular fluids to thicken to the desired consistency. They will also continue to thicken over time due to the protein content, so ensure that they are consumed within 1 hour of thickening, then throw away.
Tips:
Try adding frozen bananas to the smoothie before blending, for extra fibre, sweetness and to create a smooth consistency.
For a smooth, creamy smoothie, add ¼ of an avocado to the ingredients before blending.