Cherry Bakewell Breakfast Smoothie

MAKES 1 LARGE OR 2 SMALL DRINKS

Ingredients:

150g frozen cherries, slightly thawed

1 medium banana

20g porridge oats (1 tbsp)

100-150ml skimmed milk or unsweetened almond milk – (try rice or oat milk, if dairy and nut-free)

1 drop almond extract

Toasted, flaked almonds to serve

Recipe Summary

Cherries, both sour and sweet, seem to be great for gout. Their characteristic deep red-purple hue comes from plant pigments called anthocyanins, which act as a powerful antioxidant. Studies suggest it may help reduce both inflammation and the number of gout attacks in sufferers.

My tip is to try frozen cherries, available all-year round as they keep in the freezer and are already prepared without stones.  Using them still slightly frozen gives the shake an ice-cream like texture but you can fully thaw them or use pitted fresh cherries for a thinner shake. You can also play with the amount of milk, if you prefer a thicker smoothie.

For a nut-free version, try adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder instead of almond extract or milk, before blending – you will get a delicious chocolate fix with the smug satisfaction of knowing you are getting even more antioxidants from the cocoa powder.

Method:

Put all the ingredients except the flaked almonds into a blender jug and whizz until smooth. Serve immediately.

Nutrition: 312 cal; 3.6g of fat, of which 1.5g saturates; 62.6g carbohydrate, of which 36.1g sugars; 8.2g fibre; and 8.7g protein.