Morning Glow Ginger Beet Smoothies

Morning Glow Ginger Beet Smoothies

I love beetroot! Not for the beautiful fuchsia tone that this vegetable casts on everything it touches, but for its bitterly sweet flavour that goes with tonnes of nutritional goodness. Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fibers, it is a perfect base for a post-workout or afternoon energy-boosting drink. Beetroot in itself is very low in calories so combining it with apples or pears is a good way to richen it up. It is also very high in natural sugar such that banana or any kind of sweetener becomes unnecessary (!However, this also means it is not that diabetes-friendly!)

Below is a recipe for a refreshing and flavourful smoothie that can go with any season. Ginger and apple brings warmth and richness, while cucumber, orange, and (1-2 leaves) mint gives it a light and fresh summery taste. These ingredients also help neutralise the strong flavour and bitterness in fresh beets, making this drink friendly also to those who are not (yet) fans of this root vegetable.

Ingredients – 3 servings

  • 1 medium beetroot, washed and peeled
  • 1 medium orange, juiced
  • 10gr ginger root, known for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
  • Half a cucumber for summer freshness and
  • 1/2 – 1 apple , best with crisp and mildy sour such as Jonagold or Granny Smith. If you buy them organic, keep the skin on to retain all the fibers and vitamins (apple peel is rich in Vit A, C, and antioxidants)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds (approx. 22gr) as a protein kick for the post-workout muscle recovery process
  • 200ml unsweetened almond milk + 100ml water. You can substitute with coconut water or any other milk of choice
  • 3-4 fresh mint leaves for garnishing
  • As you want the beet, ginger and orange to be your stars, avoid adding too much mint as they can be overpowering

 

Method

The beauty of making smoothie is that you just put everything in a blender / Vitamix / Nutribullet and pulse for 10-15 sec.

Result

A delicious pink glass of energy and goodness


Nutritional values per serving (MyFitnessPal)

  • Cal 98/ 1410kj, Fat 2.6g, Sodium 67.7mg, Potassium 369mg, Carb 16g, Fiber 74.3g, Sugar 10g, Protein 2.9g, Vit A 3.2% DV, Vit C 45.7% DV, Calcium 14.3% DV, Iron 2.9% DV