Strawberry Beet Smoothie

Lately, my kitchen creations have been much more off-the-cuff than usual.  I normally enjoy planning my cooking adventures for the week, making a grocery list, going to the store, and then coming home ready for my next round of experiments.  But being on night shift has made me completely lose my organization.  I’ve been making recipes based on what’s in the pantry, what’s on sale, and what won’t take too long.  Luckily, my new approach resulted in this amazing strawberry and beet smoothie.

Last week, I stumbled on the amazing deal of 5 pounds of beets for the price of 1.  I think the farmer had more than he could handle and was just trying to unload as much as he could.  The beets were enormous with the beautiful leafy greens still attached.  I baked them by wrapping them in tin foil (method here) and washed and spun the greens.  The next morning when I went to make my usual green smoothie, I added both the roots and the greens.  And the berry and beet smoothie was born.

Berry and Beet Smoothie
serves 1

Ingredients:
– 1 cup frozen strawberries
– 1 cup steamed or roasted beets
– 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
– 2 cups beet greens, washed
– 1 Tbsp honey, if more sweetness is desired

Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Drink immediately.
Related articles

• Making The Case For Beets (npr.org)
• Beet Smoothie (wnyc.org)
• City Kitchen: Off With the Tops? Off With Your Head! Making Use of the Whole Beet, From Greens to Root (nytimes.com)

I added this post to this week’s Wellness Weekend, Pennywise Platter, Gluten Free Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.