Cool Smoothies, Juices and Cocktails by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern

Smoothies are not only an attraction for children (lots of flavour and goodness to boot), but excellent for adults on the run. If you are pushed for time, knock back one of Elsa Petersen-Schepelern's concoctions and hunger will be kept at bay. As this craze has grown, Ryland Peters & Small once again answered the call with Cool Smoothies Juices and Cocktails, blurring the boundary between wholesomeness at the start of the book to decadence at its close. There are some great cocktails but more of that later.

To make smoothies quickly and efficiently, the Good Web Guide favours the Braun Multiquick Miniprimer. This handblender has a jug, which has the capacity for four generous sized smoothies. If you always keep it at hand, it is much easier than heaving out your food processor. This new Braun is a simple device for children to handle too, under parental guidance of course. Some of the recipes call for a juicer. You can buy an attachment for food processors which works well.

You need to get into the habit of making smoothies. You should make a concerted effort to work through this book, finding the recipes that tickle your fancy and sate your pangs of hunger. There is much to choose from and all the ingredients are beneficial to good health. Interchange yoghurt with ice cream if you've children around.

A daily helping of blueberries contains enough antioxidants to improve balance, co-ordination and short-term memory. Whizz up a drink of blueberries and blackberries with yoghurt and add sugar or honey to taste. Or just blend blueberries and orange juice for a kick-start to the day.

Pineapple aids digestion and is soothing for upset stomachs, sore throats and coughs. Try pineapple and lime crush by blending pineapple, yoghurt or coconut milk and the juice and rind of lime. If you are after something with a few more calories, substitute milk with ice cream.

Tisanes and teas are very easy to make. To make things easy, all you need is a cafetière. Steep herbs such as rosemary (good for hangovers) in boiling water for a few minutes and then pour. A few mint leaves steeped in hot water makes for a refreshing drink in the heat of the day.

Then, of course, there are the cocktails. The mango and ginger kir royale is pure heaven. All you need is mango purée (frozen will do), some ginger juice and water. Make the mixture to the consistency of thin cream. Pour a teaspoon of the mixture into a champagne flute and top up. For something that adds a bit more punch, try the Morocco Mary, a Bloody Mary made with harissa paste. It's guaranteed to blow your head off.

Elsa Petersen-Schepelern makes all this clean living sound such fun. Get the habit and find a way to improved health. Just don't get too carried away with the cocktails.

Publication details
128 pp. Photography by James Merrell, William Lingwood and Debi Treloar. £14.99
Published by Ryland Peters & Small
ISBN 1841722812
2002

Order directly from for great service and specially discounted prices.