Beet smoothie

https://www.wellplated.com/beet-smoothie/ 

I had a lot of beets I had roasted and lots of berries in the fridge, so this perfectly met my needs.  I was inspired by Aruna's beet smoothie that she brought for lunch last week.  I added agave, but if I had remembered to add the chia / hemp or oatmeal, it might not have needed it.  Or maybe a few ice cubes to water it down.  In any case, it was good!  Ingredients below are only for one small smoothie. 

Blueberry Beet Smoothie. Sweet, creamy, and packed with fiber, protein, and antioxidants! This healthy breakfast smoothie is perfect for weightloss or for kids. Delicious, fruity, and the beets aren't too strong.

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PREP: 4 mins

COOK: 1 min

TOTAL: 5 mins

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SERVINGS: 2 small or 1 large smoothies

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
• 1  cup mixed frozen blueberries or mixed berries
• 1 small beet peeled and diced (about 8 ounces)
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt use non-dairy yogurt to make vegan
• Optional sweetener: 1-2 teaspoons honey plus additional to taste (use agave to make vegan)
• Optional mix-ins: chia seeds hempseed, and/or ground flaxseed (I like mine with a sprinkle of chia or hempseed; hempseed is what you see pictured in the photos); I also like to add 2 tablespoons oatmeal to make the smoothie even more filling.

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Instructions

 

• Place the almond milk, blueberries, beet, pineapple, and Greek yogurt in a high speed blender such as a Vitamix (if you do not have a high speed blender, I’d suggest microwaving, roasting, or lightly steaming the beets before using so that they are softer and puree more smoothly). 
• Blend until smooth. Taste and if you desire a sweeter smoothie, add a little honey or date and blend again. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Notes

• While I wouldn't describe this smoothie as being too "beet-y," you can detect the flavor of the beets. If this is a concern, you can try reducing the amount of the beets and increasing the amount of berries. I like using either all blueberries or a mix of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Adding 2 tablespoons oatmeal also mellows the beet flavor.

Nutrition

SERVING: 1gCALORIES: 95kcalCARBOHYDRATES: 19gPROTEIN: 4gFAT: 1gCHOLESTEROL: 2mgFIBER: 4gSUGAR: 13g

Going Green Smoothie

From Vitamin cookbook

Great quick smoothie - I didn't used to like green smoothies, but lately I've become a fan.  By using a good blender to pulverize the greens, and just enough fruit, this one's a winner.   It's a lower-calorie-than-usual smoothie.  You can always add or substitute a non-dairy milk to the water to add some protein.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1 cup green grapes

1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks (or mango or peach)

1/2 medium banana (even better with frozen banana slices)

2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach

1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions: 

1) Place all ingredients in the order listed

2) Blend until desired consistency is reached. 

Banana Pineapple Yogurt Smoothie

From Torrent Kitchen Aid Blender recipe book

There are endless variations you can do with this, but here's a start.  I enjoyed it with nutmeg and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Ingredients:
2 cups plain yogurt
12 ounces crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 banana
1 cup ice
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, more to sprinkle on top
sprinkle of cinnamon on top

Directions:
It's difficult -- put all ingredients in a blender with ice-crushing capabilities.  Blend, pour, sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon.

Makes 4 servings

Blueberry Ginger Smoothie

From Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes For the Single Cook by Joe Yonan

As ginger lovers looking for a new recipe to use our freshly picked blueberries, this was perfect!  Ginger adds a slightly spicy, pungent taste, which I love.  It does need to be fresh ginger, not the dried ground type.  The mint completes an interesting taste combination.  For more healthy smoothie recipes that include fruits, vegetables and nuts, see Joe Yonan's Eat Your Vegetables book.

This one is great as a breakfast 'main course' or as a post-workout boost.  Add a little milk if you prefer thinner smoothies.  I've actually never made one without liquid before, but this consistency was perfect for me, between the nonfat yogurt, chopped ice cubes and banana.

Ingredients:

1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries, stemmed
1/2 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
4 fresh mint leaves
4 ice cubes
1 teaspoon or more honey

Directions:

Puree all ingredients except the honey in a blender until frothy and smooth.  Add honey to taste.

Blueberry Ginger Smoothie

from Joe Yonan:  Eat Your Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries, stemmed
1/2 cup plain whole mild Greek-style yogurt (may substitute)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
4 fresh mint leaves
4 ice cubes
1 tsp honey (optional or more)

Directions:

Puree all the ingredients except the honey in a blender until frothy and smooth.  Taste, add honey if you'd like it sweeter and blend again to combine.