Mornings have always been my true arch nemesis, there is little I loathe more than the sound of an early morning alarm clock, despite my best efforts to make the transition from sleep to waking as soothing and gradual as possible. I eat breakfast every morning (the best New Years resolution of all time) but I often find granola or toast too grueling to eat only 10 minutes after waking up, hence a longstanding appreciation for smoothies. Although I’m always experimenting with smoothie ingredients I find that I come back to this combination over and over again – the tart raspberries and yogurt work with the sunnily sweet banana and blueberries while the spinach is barely detectable except for the softest taste of green in the background. Whenever I’m putting something green in a smoothie I like to use a ratio of at least 2 different types of darker berries to 1 fruit that is lighter in colour, otherwise the smoothie might become a rather appalling shade of brown (which will still be delicious, just hard to look at in a clear glass.) If I’m short on time or not quite ready to eat I put this smoothie in a reusable water container and drink it at work; regardless of when I’m drinking it I feel full and energized until lunchtime.

energizing raspberry and blueberry green smoothie:

1/2 cup of raspberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1 ripe banana

1/4 cup of plain Greek or Balkan style yogurt

2 large handfuls of spinach, baby or regular

3/4 cup of vanilla almond milk

Ice (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in the blender and blitz until smooth. Enjoy out of a giant glass while you’re getting ready for work or as a powerful midday pick me up.

I have a playlist of only happy songs by The Cure that I play in the morning or any other time that I need a morale boost. I find all of their best songs are either manically happy or so depressing that they cause full blown ennui and that both are perfect ways to exacerbate either of those moods in the best way possible.

The Cure – Mint Car