Beet, Blueberry and Ginger Smoothie full of vibrant, fresh and simple ingredients. It’s perfectly creamy, refreshing, nutrient packed and full of flavor. Subtle sweetness balances out the earthiness of the beets with an added touch of gingery zest. It’s a perfect smoothie for a tasty breakfast or snack!
To all my beet loving friends. If you love a good smoothie, you should probably make this recipe. It’s so good! And if you don’t like beets, I’d be surprised if you tried it and didn’t want to jump on the beet loving band wagon.
You might think what the heck are beets doing in a smoothie, and maybe it’s the last thing you want in your smoothie. But this recipe balances the beets with the other ingredients to tasty perfection. Beets have a very distinct beet-y (for lack of a better descriptor) flavor. The overwhelming earthiness of the beets is toned down quite a bit with the fruit and yogurt. Roasting or cooking the beets will also help cut the edginess or the raw taste. And the slight zest you get from the ginger livens the whole thing up.
I occasionally like a good smoothie. Mostly during the summer months when it’s hot outside and a chilled breakfast sounds like a good way to perk me up and cool me down. My husband on the other hand, could drink smoothies no matter the season. A lot of people may find smoothies to be a great way to enjoy a fast and easy breakfast or snack. For me, I’m not usually 100% satisfied, and I’m almost always left feeling like something was missing. I’ve noticed chewing is a big piece of satisfying my eating experience. Now I typically have a side of toast with PB or avo and then I’m good to go!
Here’s Another Thing About Smoothies:
Smoothies have taken on a lot of varying meanings to a lot of people. They might be symbol of dieting or meal-replacements. Or maybe they’re deemed “unhealthy” because of the amount of sugar or viewed as wasted liquid calories. While drinking a smoothie primarily made of fruit will likely result in being hungry again soon after (not to mention those who have blood sugar control issues, like diabetics, need to be conscious of blood sugar spiking quickly), smoothies are a delicious and fun way to enjoy fruits and veggies. For a more satisfying smoothie that won’t leave you hungry immediately after and will help with blood sugar balance, adding protein and fat will help.
Some Examples of When to Enjoy Smoothies:
- If you’re not quite hungry for a meal but need a little something, enjoy as a snack.
- Enjoy before or after a workout for a quick energy boost that’s easily digestible.
- Cool off with a chilled smoothie breakfast on a hot summer morning.
- When a smoothie sounds so good, you know you’ll be thinking about it for a long time if you don’t enjoy one soon.
- After a wisdom tooth extraction or any procedure that makes it impossible to eat solid food.
- When you want a delicious way to amp up your fruit and veggie intake.
- When you’re on a tropical beach and you want a fancy teeny umbrella with some tequila (it’s winter and snowing…so many dreams of margaritas under the sun).
- You pass a smoothie stand and it looks too good to pass up.
Examples of How Not to Enjoy Smoothies
- You find out that smoothie stand changes $20 for one smoothie.
- You’re worried about the sugar content of a fruit smoothie that sounds good to you, so you get the “healthfied” kale and carrot “slim and trim” smoothie that doesn’t sound as good.
- You’re freezing cold in the winter (unless you’re into it).
- For the purpose of replacing meals.
- When you know you won’t be able to eat again for several hours (smoothies digest quickly).
- When you want to trick yourself into being full.
These lists are not exhaustive and not mandate. They are some scenarios of how smoothies do not have to be approached from the viewpoint of “being healthy” or “being unhealthy.” Smoothies can be enjoyed for a variety of reasons and choosing to enjoy a smoothie is not just about what the nutrients do to your body. Intention, price, availability, taste and texture preferences can all factor into what foods you choose because you know what works for you. Food can be nourishing, satisfying and enjoyable in whatever form you like them. Finding what works for you will take you further down the road of health than any belief or worry the smoothie represents.
Beet, Blueberry & Ginger Smoothie Notes
- Cooked or Uncooked Beets: You can use either cooked beets or raw beets. A cooked beet will produce a creamier consistency. Uncooked beets won’t give you as smooth of a texture. If you don’t have a high powdered blender, I would recommend shredding uncooked beets before blending.
- Smoothie Storage: Smoothies store very well for a few days in the fridge. Store them in ball jars or whatever vessel works best for you. These Luminarc Working Glasses are amazing for smoothies. I also love to use these glasses as to-go containers for things like overnight oats, oatmeal and other random food storage. The smoothies may separate a little, so just give them a stir or a shake before enjoying.
- Smoothie for One: This recipe makes about 6 smoothies (about 12 oz each). You can easily cut it in half to make fewer servings. There is some wiggle room with the ingredient measurements and they don’t need to be exact. You can adjust the ingredient amounts to your taste preferences.
- Freeze Extra Beets for Smoothies: If I’m making something that requires roasted beets, I typically make extra so I can freeze for smoothies. After the beets are roasted, I peel them, cut into quarters, (or smaller if it’s a larger beet) and store in a freezer ziplock bag. So when it’s smoothie time, I just grab what I need.
If you make this Beet, Blueberry & Ginger Smoothie make sure to leave a comment or give it a rating! And if you’re into taking photos of your food (like me), be sure to give me a tag on Instagram!
Beet, Blueberry & Ginger Smoothie
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: About 6 Smoothies 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Description
Beet, Blueberry and Ginger Smoothie full of vibrant, fresh and simple ingredients. It’s perfectly creamy, refreshing, nutrient packed and full of flavor. Subtle sweetness balances out the earthiness of the beets with an added touch of gingery zest. It’s a perfect smoothie for a tasty breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
3 small to medium beets
2 c. frozen blueberries, or fresh
2 frozen bananas
1 small orange, peeled
2 dates, pitted
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
1 bunch beet greens or 3 to 4 c. baby spinach
2 c. greek yogurt
1 c. milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To roast beets, wrap each beet in foil and place on baking sheet. Roast for about 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the beet. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins.
Place roasted beets and remaining ingredients in a blender or Vitamix. Process until completely smooth and enjoy!
Notes
Meal prep tip: If you make a dish that requires roasted beets, make extra, cut into smaller pieces and store in the freezer. So when it’s smoothie time, use the frozen beets!
Keywords: beet smoothie, smoothie, blueberry smoothie, ginger, vitamix, make-ahead breakfast, berry smoothie, berries, beets, blueberries, breakfast, vegetarian
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