Food Recipe: Fluted Pumpkin (Ugu) Smoothie

Preparing nourishing foods and drinks is something Nigerian mothers have been doing since nineteen kiridim. Sometimes, these mamas go through what I call immune-boosting seasons. During these seasons, certain foods are prepared and served the family to improve their immunity against a particular disease. But when a child loses weight after a bout of sickness or has been diagnosed as anaemic, Nigerian mothers add a little extra verve to their culinary drama. Foods and drinks such as fluted pumpkin (ugu) smoothie. would be carefully selected to ensure that both the convalescent and the other family members who partake of them would get the necessary nourishment from it.

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Now, I’m sure most of us can think of one or two immune-boosting foods from mama’s kitchen. But I also know that if all those meals tasted like this ugu smoothie that we have on our menu today, we’d never have treated them like bitter pills. In fact, we’d have consumed them without complaining and some of us would have asked for second helpings. That said, I’m pretty sure that your family will benefit from this nourishing, refreshing drink. So, come with me and I’ll take you through the process of making it.

Ingredients for Fluted Pumpkin Smoothie

Ugu Pineapple Lime (or ginger) to taste Water

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How to Prepare

Rinse the ugu leaves thoroughly to get rid of sand. Set it aside for later use. Rinse the back of the pineapple then peel and cut it into chunks. Set it aside for later use too. Pineapple will add some sweetness to the smoothie. This will balance out the tartness of lime. But you can swap line with ginger. Thus, rinse the lime, cut it open and squeeze the juices out of it. Or peel and rinse ginger in place of lime to suit your preference. Rinse the blender jug. Add the vegetable, the lime juice (or ginger) and the pineapple in the jug. Also, add a little water. Cover the blender jug and blend till smooth. Transfer the content of the blender to a suitable container. Refrigerate and serve cold.   Reference: Sisi Yemmie   Featured Image Source: Dooney’s Kitchen

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