Simple Sweet Beet Berry Treat

During my grocery shopping trips, I challenge myself to purchase one new fruit or veggie (mainly veggie) that I've never cooked before. My goal is to learn to cook or use this new item and add it too my veggie vocabulary. This week, I chose BEETS! 

Although I have tasted beets before, I've never cooked them personally and I surely didn't grow up seeing them on my dinner table. Though containing a number of health benefits such as liver detoxification, B vitamins, iron, and potassium, increase in stamina, etc., many people turn their noses up at the sight of beets. Their semi-sweet, earthy taste and deep reddish-purple color doesn't make them a popular side item choice or snack; therefore, i'm sure many wouldn't dare think to add them to a smoothie. 

Well I chose to go against the grain (as usual). I made a "simple sweet beet berry treat." Overall, I loved the smoothie. It had somewhat of an earthy taste to it, but I don't mind the taste of the earth lol. Here goes...

Ingredients: 

  • 1 beet
  • 3/4 of a whole banana
  • 1 handful (about 1/4 cup) blueberries
  • 1 handful (about 1/4 cup) strawberries
  • 1/2 cup kale
  • 3/4 cup almond milk
  • about 1/4 cup of ice
  • pumpkin seeds
  • chia seeds

Directions:

1. You must cook the beets before blending them.

2. Simply cut off the stems, add beets to a pot with water, bring to a boil, and allow to cook until tender. Strain and peel off the skin. The skin should peel off fairly easily after boiling.

3. Though I cooked and stored my beets in my fridge a few days earlier until I was ready to use them, I sliced my other ingredients and tossed them into my personal cup ninja blender in the following order:

  1. Beets (first)
  2. Banana
  3. Strawberries
  4. Blueberries
  5. Kale
  6. Almond Milk
  7. ice (last)

After blending, I added chia seed, pumpkin seeds, and a few blueberries as toppings. As I mentioned before, beets tend to have an earthy taste mainly because they are the root of the plant. If you want an even sweeter taste, try adding a few pieces of apple, honey, or agave sweetener. Hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Kerrionne PhillipsComment