The color of this Beet Smoothie alone is enough to make my kids line up to have a taste ( and they like it).
The color also tells me that it’s high in anthocyanins, flavonoids that are believed to have strong antioxidant properties. You can use raw or roasted beets in this recipe.
I sometimes wonder when I’ll run out of ideas for beets, as year after year, especially in August, my fridge is full of them. The good news is that it hasn’t happened yet. Beetroots, whether roasted, steamed or raw, easily find their way into new salads, side dishes and smoothies.
They are friendly with a variety of seasonings: Greek, Middle Eastern, North African, Italian and Provençal. The greens are interchangeable with other mild-tasting greens like Swiss chard and spinach; one bunch of beets gives you two vegetables to work with. How great is that!
With the beets and their greens, you get two sets of nutrients: anthocyanins and betalains, known for their antioxidant properties, from the beetroots, and vitamins K and A, as well as other phytonutrients – lutein and zeaxanthin – from the greens. Both are excellent sources of folate, and beets are a very good source of manganese, potassium and copper.
So how about we get our “beet” on with this delicious smoothie recipe!
As I wrote this recipe I couldn’t help but think how great be if we could all hang out in my kitchen and you could taste the recipes I post here in person? It’s one of my fondest wishes, especially when I’m making bold, borderline-suspect claims…like the fact that today’s Beet Smoothie recipe is completely delicious, and you should try it even if you don’t like beets.
Guess you will just have to believe me….
To make this smoothie plenty sweet and not so (how do I put this delicately?) beet-y, I like to add plenty of other fresh ingredients:
- Mixed frozen berries. Sweet, fruity, and a delightful pairing with our lovely beets.
- Pineapple or mango. The magical smoothie fruit. No matter what other, ummm, questionable, ingredients you add to a smoothie, pineapple and mango sweetens and smooths their flavor.
- Greek Yogurt. Creaminess + filling protein. If you’d like the Beet Smoothie vegan, you can omit it or use a dairy-free yogurt.
- Honey. If you are a diehard beet-lover you may be happy without it, but for those who like a sweeter smoothie, feel free to add to taste.
Enjoy!
Beet Root Power Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, rice milk or hemp milk
- 1 cup mixed frozen berries
- small fresh beet, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup frozen pineapple or mango
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- Optional sweetener: 1-2 tsp. honey, plus additional to taste (use agave to make vegan) or 1-2 pitted dates
- Optional mix-ins: chia seeds, hempseed, and/or ground flaxseed or alfalfa sprouts. You could even add 1-2 tbs. quick cooking oats to make the smoothie even more filling.
Directions:
- Place the almond milk, blueberries, beet, pineapple, and Greek yogurt in a high -speed blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Taste and if you desire a sweeter smoothie, add sweetness and enjoy immediately.
Love this beet smoothie? Why not sign up and participate in a 3-Day Smoothie RESET with me? Information can be found here.