Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Seasonal Smoothies

I’m sure I’m not the only parent who fives thanks for the advent of the smoothie – an irresistible and fun way to funnel fresh fruit into otherwise reluctant children. Smoothies can be great for fruit-shy adults too, packing a satisfyingly high dose of goodness into a single glass.

You can and should tailor-make your smoothie to suit your taste and mood – and, o course, your fruit bowl. Be led by what is seasonally available, add lemon juice to reduce sweetness, yoghurt for more creaminess or oats to make your smoothie a thickie – whatever floats your boat.

The best way to ensure you smoothies are nice and cool is to chill the ingredients beforehand. Alternatively, add two or three crushed ice cubes, though they will slightly dilute the fruit.

Late summer/autumn: Dan’s breakfast juice
This concoction from River Cottage baker Dan Stevens sounds weird, but tastes great. You do need a proper juicer to make it.

Serves 2
1 apple
1 pear
1 banana
2 celery stalks
½ beetroot, peeled
2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 or 3 sprigs of parsley

Ideally, chill all the ingredients in the fridge for an hour or two before you juice them.

Simply switch on your juicer and feed all the ingredients through. For a richer, thicker drink, don’t juice the banana but place it in a blender, pour the other juiced fruit and veg over, then whiz.

Serve straight away and feel the goodness flow through you.

Autumn: Pear and cinnamon smoothie
Serves 2
2 very ripe pears
250g plain yoghurt
1½ tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus a little extra for sprinkling
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Peel, halve and core the pears and cut into chunks. Put into a blender with all the rest of the ingredients and whiz until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and serve with a little more cinnamon on top, if you like.