Will You Be(et) My Valentine? Smoothie
2014-02-14
- Yield : 14 oz
- Servings : 1-2
- Prep Time : 5m
- Cook Time : 5m
- Ready In : 10m
What’s not to LOVE about this smoochie–I mean, smoothie? (Okay, no more puns!) Not just for Valentine’s Day, this can be enjoyed throughout the year, as beets are available for most of the year, and bananas and frozen raspberries are always around. I’ve listed the chia seeds, hemps seeds, and maca root powder as optional, as they are definitely pricier components, and the smoothie can taste great and still be healthful without them. Here’s the thing though: when you buy a package/pouch of these items (or bag them yourself in a bulk food section if you can), they can last you a while! A teaspoon in your smoothie here, a teaspoon over your salad there – it’ll last you for weeks.
If you’ve never heard of maca root, that’s cool, because neither had I before a couple months ago. But why is it in this Valentine’s Day smoothie? It’s believed to be a, uhhh, libido-enhancer!……among other benefits.
Feel free to play around with the ratios, or make some substitutions/additions – I always like to add a spoonful of peanut butter to mine. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 small beet
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium or large banana
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2/3 cup frozen raspberries
- 1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp hemp seeds (optional)
- 1.5 Tbsp maca root powder (optional)
- blender
Method
Step 1
Cut the top and tail off the beet, and wash and scrub clean. (No need to peel the skin.) Chop the beet into 1/2-inch cubes. It's going to get blended up, so no need to make them pretty! The smaller the chop, the faster they'll cook, though...
Step 2
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the chopped beets. Cook for about 5 minutes (or long enough that they'll blend easily--you know your blender better than I do!).
Step 3
In the meantime, to the blender, add the peeled banana, milk, lemon juice, raspberries, and seeds and maca root powder (if using).
Step 4
When the beets are done cooking, strain and add just the beets to the blender. If you prefer your smoothie cool (from the frozen raspberries), adding steaming hot beets will warm your drink a bit, so let them cool for as long as you like. When ready, blend all the ingredients till they're well combined.
Step 5
Pour into a tall glass for yourself, or split it into two small glasses to share with your sweetie - enjoy!
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