Cut the top and tail off the beet, and wash and scrub clean. (No need to peel the skin.) Chop the beet into ½-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...

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!).

In the meantime, to the blender, add the peeled banana, milk, lemon juice, raspberries, and seeds and maca root powder (if using).

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.

Pour into a tall glass for yourself, or split it into two small glasses to share with your sweetie - enjoy!