Berried Treasure

Cranberries and raspberries are a great combination. Using frozen raspberries means you won't need to use ice and have instant cold drink. The strawberry jam is used instead of sugar or honey to add sweetness.

Makes 2 glasses

Ingredients
250g Raspberries
250g Cranberries
3tbsp Strawberry Jam

Method
1. Juice the raspberries and cranberries together. 
2. Add the raspberry and cranberry juice into a blender and add the strawberry jam, blend until combined.
3. Serve into the glasses and top with water or sparkling water.

Cranberry & Apple Spritzer

This refreshing drink is perfect for those who don't drink alcohol or are pregnant. With the tangy cranberries and fresh juicy apples with a hint of vanilla, you can't go wrong serving this at a party or even enjoying after all the food eaten over Christmas. 

Makes about 4-6 glasses

Ingredients
5 Red Eating Apples
375g Cranberries
45ml Vanilla Syrup

Method
1. To make the vanilla syrup, use 50mls water and 50g caster sugar with a few drops of vanilla extract. Heat the ingredients until the sugar dissolves and leave simmer for 5 minutes, then leave to cool.
2. Juice the apples first followed by the cranberries. Then stir in the vanilla syrup.
3. Serve into the glasses, top up with water or sparkling water and add ice.

Cinnamon Pancakes

For this I used some left over Christmas baking ingredients, adding the cinnamon just jazzes up the pancakes and keeps them festive!! Going to make sure next Christmas morning, Neve will be having these festive pancakes for her breakfast. 

Ingredients
100g Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Eggs
300ml Milk (soya or almond milk for dairy free)

Method
1. Mix together the flour, salt & cinnamon and make a well in the middle.
2. Crack the 2 Eggs into the middle and add 50mls of milk and mix together until you have a thick smooth paste.
3. Slowly add the milk and keep whisky to prevent any lumps.
4. Heat the frying pan and wipe an oiled kitchen paper. Ladle the batter into the heated frying pan and tilt to make an even layer of batter and cook for about 30-40 seconds then flip onto the other side for another 30-40 seconds.
5. Serve with honey and sugar or anything you fancy.

Neve's thoughts
Neve really enjoyed these, wanting me to fill her plate with pancakes. She also helped with the whisking and sprinkling the sugar over the pancake ready to roll up and eat.

Candy Cane Milkshake

As it's Christmas day, Neve had a little treat before bed - a Milkshake made with Candy Canes! This is very easy and simple to make.

Makes 3 glasses

Ingredients
40g Candy Canes
375mls Full Fat Milk or Semi Skimmed Milk

Method
1. Place the candy canes into a bag and crush using a rolling pin, once mostly crushed placed into the blender and blend until the candy canes are like dust.
2. Simply add the milk to the candy canes and blitz for a second or two and then serve with a candy cane as a stirrer.

To make this milk shake into a slush place the candy cane milkshake into a tub and place in the freezer for 2 hours, take out and mix, place back into the freezer for another 2 hours and take out to mix, then serve. 

Neve's Thoughts
Neve didn't say much because she drank her milkshake without taking a breathe and asked for more, so that is Neve's way of saying she really really enjoyed such a simple christmassy drink before she went to bed.

Rainbow Juice

The perfect juice for children with the bright colours and the sweetness from the healthy fresh fruit.

Makes 2-3 glasses

Ingredients
4 Kiwi Fruits
1/2 Small Pineapple
130g Strawberries

Method
1. Cut away the skin on the pineapple, then halve and remove the core. Roughly chop the pineapple flesh.
2. Put the pineapple in a blender and add 2 tbsp of water. Blend until a smooth purèe. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Peel & chop the kiwi fruit then place into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
4. Pull the stalks of the strawberries, place into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Pour the strawberry purèe into three glasses. Carefully spoon the kiwi purèe onto the strawberry and then carefully spoon the pineapple purèe on top. Then serve with a thick straw or spoon.

Neve's thoughts
Neve really really enjoyed this smoothie, she found the layers of colours fun as well as tasty.

Ruby Red Lemonade

This juice is a far more healthier alternative to ready - made drinks, it's made quickly and can be kept in the fridge for up to six days. Also great to freeze in ice cube trays, which can be popped out and put into a glass along with water for a chilled summers day drink.

Makes about 300ml before diluting

Ingredients
350g Blackberries or Blueberries
130g Caster Sugar
Ice Cubes
Sparkling Mineral Water

Method
1. Examine the fruit carefully, removing the stalks and wash thoroughly. Allow the fruit to dry.
2. Push the fruit through the juicer.
3. Put the sugar in a small, heavy pan with 100ml of water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, stirring with a wooden spoon, then bring to the boil and boil for three minutes until syrupy. Reserve until cool.
4. Mix the fruit with the syrup in a jug. Pour roughly 50ml fruit syrup into a glass and add ice. Then top up with the sparkling water.

Neve's thoughts
I used blueberries (Neve's favourite fruit) this time round and well, what can I say.. Neve loved it and to be fair this is my favourite juice I've made. I'll be using this juice for Neve's birthday party as it's much healthier than squash and it's so much taster.

Ginger Juice

Fresh ginger is one of the best natural cures for indigestion and it helps settle upset stomachs, such as morning sickness and sickness bugs. This juice has an unusual fruity taste that is fresh and sweet, which is quick and easy to make.

Makes 1 glass

Ingredients
1/2 Small Pineapple 
25g Fresh Root Ginger
1 Carrot
Ice Cubes

Method
1. Peel, core and roughly slice the pineapple flesh.
2. Peel and roughly chop the ginger.
3. Roughly chop the carrot. (No need to peel as going through the juicer)
4. Push the carrot, ginger and pineapple through the juicer and serve with ice cubes.

Neve's thoughts
Neve actually liked this juice, which shocked me as ginger is a new taste for Neve, But she wanted more after she finished her glass.

Smooth & Simple

Using frozen fruits is a great to make smoothies quickly and easily as it gives you an instant chilled drink.

Makes 3 glasses

Ingredients
500g Frozen Mixed Summer Fruits
2 tbsp Caster Sugar
300ml Orange Juice
60ml Single Cream

Method
1. Tip all of the summer fruits into the blender with the caster sugar and orange juice.. Blend until smooth, add more orange juice if mixture is a little thick. 
2. Pour the smoothie into three glasses and, using a tablespoon, swirl a little cream into each glass. Serve with a long spoon to mix the cream.

Neve's thoughts
Neve really enjoyed this smoothie, she ended up covered in the smoothie because she was trying to get the rest out of the glass, and was asking for more.

Sweet, Sharp Shock

The grapes in this juice are a great combination with the apples as the grapes are full of natural sugars which, when mixed with the apples it creates a juice that's full of pep and zing.

Makes 1 large glass

Ingredients
150g Red Grapes
1 Red-Skinned Eating Apple
1 Small Cooking Apple
Crushed Ice

Method
1. Roughly chop the apples then push the apples through the juicer along with the grapes.
2. Then pour over the crushed ice amd serve.

Neve's thoughts
Even though the colour isn't very appietizing Neve really enjoyed this sweet but sharp juice.

Clean Sweep

This juice is packed full with goodness, it helps cleanse and detox the bod.y. Drinking this juice on a regular basis gives your system a thorough clean out.

Makes 1 large or 2 small glasses

Ingredients
1 Celery Stick
300g Carrots
150g Green Grapes
Several Sprigs of Parsley

Method
1. Roughly chop the celery and carrots. Push half of the celery, carrots and grapes through the juicer, then add the sprigs of parsley. Add the remaining celery, carrots and grapes. Juice until combined well.
2. Pour into one large or two small glasses and serve.

Neve's thoughts
Neve wasn't sure about this juice because she has never had celery before.

Mango Mania

Another perfect smoothie for those who suffer with a milk allergy. Soya milk makes this smoothie creamy but with the sweetness of the mango & the zesty flavour from the lime.

Makes 3 small glasses

Ingredients
1 Mango
300ml Soya Milk
Rind & Juice of 1 Lime
1-2 tbsp Clear Honey

Method
1. Peel and cut the mango into chunks.. Then place the chunks into the blender, add the soya milk, lime rind & juice and honey. Blend until smooth and frothy.
2. Place the crushed ice into glasses, then pour over the smoothie.

Neve's thoughts
Neve really enjoyed this smoothie and couldn't get enough of it.

Raspberry Rippler

This is a perfect smoothie for milk allergy suffers as soya milk is used but also soya milk is much healthier than cows milk.

Makes 2 glasses

Ingredients
90g Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
5tbsp Clear Honey
1 Mango
100mls Soya Milk

Method
1. Whiz the raspberries in the blender until smooth. Add 1 tbsp of water and 2 tbsp of honey then blitz for a few seconds. Place into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Clean out the blender. Cut the mango into chunks and then place the chunks into the blender, blend until smooth. Add the soya milk and 3tbsp of honey then blitz for a few seconds.
3. Pour a small amount of mango at the bottom of a glass, then pour a layer of the raspberry, another layer of the raspberry, another layer of mango and finally the last layer of raspberry. Use a teaspoon or a straw to gently stir the smoothie to create a swirl look. Then serve.

Neve's thoughts
This was Neve's favourite smoothie, she loved the different layers and of course the flavour. I must say I tried this one and can see why this her favourite!

Pink & Perky

A healthy energy juice that is perfect for when your energy levels are low. Drink first thing in the morning to get you started for the day or drink in the afternoon to give a lift to finish the day.

Makes 2 glasses

Ingredients
1 Pink Grapefruit or 1/2 Pink & 1/2 White Grapefruit
2 Ripe Pears
Ice Cubes

Method
1. Roughly chop the pears and push through the juicer.
2. Peel the grapefruit and break into pieces and push through the juicer.
3. Place ice cubes into glasses and pour the juice over the ice cubes.

Neve's thoughts
Neve took a while to drink this one, she did like it but wasn't a great fan. Grapefruit does have a certain taste to it but Neve did drink the whole glass.

Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes is made from carrots & clemintines. This combination is packed full with vitamin A,  which is essential for healthy vision and vitamin C for an extra boost to the whole system. 

Makes 2 glasses

Ingredients
200g Carrots
6 Clemintines
Ice Cubes

Method
1. Peel & chop the carrots into chunks and the peel & break up the clemintines. 
2. Push the clemintines through the juicer and then push the carrot chunks through the juicer.
3. Place the ice cubes into glasses and pour over the juice.

Neve's thoughts
Neve wasn't too fussed on this juice mainly because the recipe I followed stated to keep the skin on the clemintines which in our view didn't work with the taste.