Can't BEET Me Smoothie – CHASING//HELEN

How do you feel about beets? “YUM,” or “GROSS.” If it’s the latter, I encourage you to keep reading and give beets another shot with the Can’t Beet Me Smoothie. If you love beets, then let’s rock and roll.

Listen, I never used to eat beets. Didn’t know much about ’em, didn’t know how to cook ’em. Now a days, I eat beets in my smoothies, on my salads, I even make beet hummus (although I don’t mix it with Kibbi). This superfood is packed with nutrients: potassium, fiber, Vitamins A, B and C, antioxidants, betaine, magnesium, folate, the list goes on. Beets bolster your immune system, boost your stamina, fight inflammation, lower blood pressure, detox, help purify your blood and liver, to name a few. With this all-star lineup, it’s worth giving beets another shot, am I right?! My mom probably just said “ew, gross” out loud to her computer. Mom, you should give beets another shot too.

Let’s focus on the Can’t Beet Me Smoothie, one of my favorite recipes from the rock star cookbook Run Fast, Eat Slow. The name alone sparked my interest. After all, who wants to get ~~beet~~ beat? Once I tried this magical smoothie, I found the key to feeling full from breakfast to lunch, and I started liking beets!

First step: COOK THE BEETS

Here are two ways to cook beets:

(You can tell from the smudges that I cook from this book quite frequently!)

The stove is the way to go. I like to cook one or two bushels at a time (quarter them before cooking). Freeze one half for smoothies, put the other half in the fridge for salads or hummus.

Next step: MAKE THE SMOOTHIE

In a blender, add the ingredients below and blend on high speed for several minutes until smooth.

1 cooked beet, peeled and quartered
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 small frozen banana
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other milk of choice (the cookbook has a recipe for Homemade Hazelnut Milk)
1 cup coconut water
1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon almond butter

After a long run or big workout, I usually add a scoop of my favorite protein power, Vega One (more on plant based protein powder later) and a handful of kale or spinach on top. Sometimes I just use water if I don’t have almond milk/coconut water, and I can take or leave the ginger. The beets and blueberries are key! This smoothie makes enough for two, so share with a friend or save the other half in the fridge (I recommend in a mason jar) for up to three days.