Beet Smoothie with Mango and Cherries or Whole Orange
This lovely colored smoothie is a treat to start your day. Raw beets that are prechopped whip up nicely in a high-speed blender. If you’re using a lower-powered machine, you may want to try precooked beets. This recipe makes one large or two small smoothies and has 300 calories (based on using skim milk).
1cup(large handful) spinach or baby spinach and kale mix
1/2 banana
1/2 cup frozen mango
6 frozen cherries (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cupskim or nut milk (I use cashew)
2tbsp ground flax
2tsp almond butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup water if too thick
With Whole Orange
Follow above recipe except swap out the frozen mango and cherries with a whole orange (peel removed) and three ice cubes.
Instructions
Using a Ninja smoothie maker
Put all ingredients in the container and select the smoothie setting (blends for 50 seconds). After the first time you process it, check how thick it is, and add water or ice cubes as needed. Blend it on smoothie setting once more.
Other blenders (high-speed recommended)
Put all ingredients into the container and blend until smooth. Check the consistency, scrape sides as needed. Add a little water or ice cubes, as necessary, and pulse until incorporated.
Notes
Optional/add in more fiber: Add in cholesterol-lowering oats which will make your smoothie thick, creamy and more filling. Add in 2 tablespoons of old-fashioned oats. Even better, try 1 tablespoon of steel cut if you have a heavy-duty blender; just pulverize first before adding in rest of ingredients. You’ll need to add in water if too thick.