Dairy-Free Drinks

Tea and Coffee

Simply use soy milk in your tea and coffee. Most coffee shops provide soy these days as the healthier alternative.

Smoothies

If you have a blender, then delicious smoothies are as easy as adding some fruit to a cup of soy milk and flipping the switch. You can use apples, bananas, peaches, perhaps a little lemon juice.

But you can make green smoothies also. Simply add some silverbeet, spinach, or beetroot leaves.

Juices

If you have a juicer, then there is a world of nutritious juices that you can make.

If you are trying to lose weight, then drink a glass of your favourite veggie juice about 15 minutes before your meal and cut your portion size. The veggies will provide nutrients, fibre and make you feel full but won’t provide many calories. Good juices can be easily made with beetroot, carrot, celery, apple and a teaspoon of fresh ginger will add some zing.

If you don’t have a juicer but are trying to lose weight, a glass of water before you meal will also help you reduce portion size while still feeling full. But don’t skimp on nutrients — eat your veggies! You can eat huge amounts of veggies without getting too many calories.

Treat Smoothies

For that big walk, gardening or gym session, dates are instant energy. Almonds are instant everything!

• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup silken tofu or soy-milk/rice-milk
• some ice cubes

1. add almonds, dates and cocoa and boiling water to blender and let it sit for 5 minutes or so
2. then add the tofu or soy milk and blend, let it blend for a full minute