Jan 29, 2019, Updated Jul 29, 2022
The roots of the beet smoothie.
Ever since I got my hands on a high-power blender, I’ve been whizzing root vegetables into delicious smoothies. I burned out on those uber-sweet yogurt, banana and berry smoothies years ago. There’s something so satisfying about incorporating a bit of vegetal flavour from carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin or beet. And there’s something even more satisfying about watching your kids guzzle it. I’ve attempted many variations, but this beet smoothie is my most delicious yet.
The ingredient cast.
I also use fresh apple to get all the fibre and nutrition you might miss out on with just juice. If you didn’t know, apple and beet go beautifully together. Raspberries and pomegranate seeds add sweet tartness and a boatload of antioxidants. You can buy pomegranate arils frozen, but if they are too pricey or hard to find, you can skip them and replace them with more raspberries. Raw beet adds a sweetness grounded in earthiness, as well as a beautiful ruby glow and tons of nutrition — it’s actually considered one of the top 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables. Beet smoothie for the win! If you don’t have a strong motor on your blender, you could grate the beet into the blender (which feels like too much work) or opt for steamed or roasted instead to ensure a beet smoothie that’s actually smooth. If you’ve grown the beets yourself or have nabbed them by the bunch, don’t toss the greens — we can use those in a green smoothie and batch blend for the week.
How to make it.
I mean it’s not rocket science, but there is actually a bit of science to blending. When loading the blender for a smoothie, always add the liquid first to give the blades something to spin. In this case, we’re using coconut water. Next, add your soft ingredients (raspberries, pom seeds), followed by the hard and heavy ingredients (apple and beet) to push the softies down toward the blade. This recipe makes enough for four smoothies. Leftovers can be stored in sealed jars (or a covered pitcher in the fridge for up to three days).
