Fill your picnic flask

With vegetable smoothies -
or fruit smoothies

Choose a wide-necked vacuum flask like the Thermos Steel Bottle - 2-qt. – it makes it easier to fill and pour. Ideal for al fresco meals, desk-top dining and car journeys.

First of all heat or cool the picnic flask by rinsing it with either boiling or very cold water.

Then fill with the soup or smoothie, which you’ve made as hot or cold as possible. If serving cold, add a few ice cubes. The soup should remain hot or cold for up to 6 hours.

Remember too that when a soup is chilled you may need to adjust the seasoning. You’ll probably find that a little more salt and pepper is required.

To fill your picnic jug with a lovely, cold, fruit smoothie, I suggest blending frozen fruit with apple juice to get the right consistency. Frozen blueberries, strawberries or raspberries are good.

You can also add a frozen banana to the mixture. Pre-freeze your bananas by skinning them and wrapping in cling film before putting in the freezer. Then add to the blender with other fruit of your choice when they are frozen – removing the cling film first!

I make a yummy, non-alcoholic, pina colada by blending the frozen banana with pineapple and coconut juice drink. I also often add coconut milk (low-fat variety) or you could add ordinary milk of course, or yogurt.

Vitality yogurt-based drinks are great way of getting energy on a hot day. Try 140 grams of chilled yoghurt whisked with 175 ml of cold apple juice and a good pinch of cinnamon or ground cloves.

My picnic drinks page will give you some more ideas and you should also take a look at the page about smoothie recipes and soup recipes for picnics, as well as cold soup recipes.