Blueberry Beet Smoothie
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Beets are one of my favorite vegetables. We use them often in our home-cooked lunches and dinners. I’ve recently incorporated them into a morning smoothie as well.
If you want a super-healthy, consciously kosher smoothie to start or end your day, you will love this blueberry beet smoothie. It only contains a handful of ingredients (beets, blueberries, yogurt and maple syrup) and can be thrown together in 5 minutes. The combination of blueberries and beets makes this smoothie an antioxidant bonanza!
I used golden beets I this recipe. Why golden beets, you may ask? Why not! It's something a little more unusual, with a distinct flavor from red beets.
The Main Ingredients: Blueberries, Yogurt and Beets
Blueberries
Which are better, fresh or frozen blueberries? Both have their advantages. Blueberries contain tons of fiber and high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, specifically anthocyanins. Although fresh are delicious, they are only in season for a short time during the springtime. On the other hand, frozen blueberries preserve the disease-fighting anthocyanin compounds better than fresh. Frozen blueberries also go better in a smoothie because they blend well and add some chill to your blend. Make sure to buy them organic and unsweetened.
Yogurt
I am very sensitive to dairy (due to both lactose intolerance and crazy amounts of inflammation), so we don’t eat dairy yogurt in our household. One of the advantages of eating non-dairy, plant-based yogurt is that you can blend it into a smoothie regardless of what kind of meal you have eaten. There is no need to wait 6 hours between meat and dairy. Forager makes a delicious cashew yogurt. Buy the plain version, as there are no unnecessary additives and flavorings.
Beets
The only ingredient that requires advance preparation is the beets. Beets can be boiled, steamed or roasted. For this smoothie, we boiled them. You can also steam them, but for the purpose of the smoothie recipe below, it is best to boil them.
To boil them, first remove the stem and roots. Boil the water, add the beets and turn the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for up to an hour, depending on the size of the beets. To test whether the beets are done, insert a fork. If it is soft to the touch, then they are done. Do not discard the now-colored boiling water . You will use it for the smoothie, along with the beets.
I suggest buying beets with the stalks and leaves still attached. You can use them for another recipe. In our household, we use the entire plant, leaves and all. Rather than discarding them, my wife boils or steams the leaves and throws them into a soup or frittata.
Why Are Beets So Healthy? Which Nutrients Are in Them?
Beets are very high in many vitamins and minerals. They are a strong source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium and an excellent source of folate and manganese.
What Types of Beets Are There?
Red Beets
Beets go back a long way in human culinary culture. Red beets were very popular in ancient Greece and Rome. They are native to the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa. Ironically, beets were initially cultivated as a leafy green and the roots were used for animal feed. Red beets have an earthy flavor and crimson color. The crimson pigment comes from betalains, a class of phytonutrients that provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification properties.
Golden Beets
Golden beets derive from the the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa. As with red beets, golden beets have been known since ancient times but have only recently become popularized. As with red beets, the golden yellow pigment comes from betalains. They have a smoother texture and milder, sweeter flavor than red beets. The leaves have a flavor similar to spinach or chard.
Candy Stripe Beets
Chioggia beets, also known as candy stripe beets, are an heirloom variety of Italian heritage. They have concentric rings of colors, alternating between reddish/pink and white. They also have a crunchy texture with a strong, earthy flavor.
All parts of the plant are edible.
What Foods Do Beets Go Well With?
Beets are exceptionally versatile. They can be roasted, steamed, boiled, sliced, picked, puréed or blended.
Beets pair well with the following foods:
Apples
Blueberries
Walnuts
Almonds
Feta cheese
Cilantro
Parsley
Basil
Cumin
Ginger
Fennel
Baharat spice mix
Other uses of beets include dehydrated chips, beet kvass, borscht and as an ingredient in hummus and salads.
Use the Beet Stalks for Other Recipes
The beet stalks and leaves themselves are nutritionally remarkable. They can be used as a spinach or chard substitute. (Interestingly, chard itself derives from beets!)
Consuming beet stalks and leaves:
Contributes to the zero-waste movement by reducing food waste.
May help reduce liver damage caused by high-fat diets
Provides a rich source of polyphenols, which help combat cellular damage and reduce oxidative stress
Delivers a source of nitrates, which acts to relax and dilate our blood vessels (in the form of nitric oxide)
Provides dietary fiber; minerals such as potassium, sodium, iron, copper, magnesium and calcium; and vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C and the B vitamins. In particular, beet leaves are one of the highest plant sources of dietary magnesium (along with spinach, chard and kale).
They are a very potent source of antioxidants. Historically, the greens were used more than the roots, due to their healing properties.
Now let’s get to the smoothie recipe.
Ingredients
3/4 cup beet water (from cooking the beets)
1 medium-sized cooked golden beet, with skin on, sliced in half
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
1/2 cup cashew (or other non-dairy) yogurt
1/2 tsp organic maple syrup
Instructions
Throw all the ingredients into the blender.
Blast on high for 30-45 seconds.
Serve and enjoy!
Although beets provide their own sweetness, a little maple syrup contributes to the earthy flavor of this smoothie.
When it comes to smoothies, beets are a wonderful and underutilized root vegetable.
