Avocado Beet Smoothie

Everyone seems to be drinking smoothies, juices, and protein shakes these days….and, I have to admit, I’m one of them. I can’t seem to resist a trendy green drink containing an entire vegetable garden or smoothies that remind me of relaxing on a sandy beach in a tropical paradise. Although we are often taught to chew our vegetables rather than to drink them, I’m sure that we could all use a few extra antioxidants in our diet.

When people ask me the secret to a healthy diet, I always say one word: VARIETY. We need all different types of foods to support our bodies really awesome abilities. So mix it up, be creative, and think outside the box. Use food in new ways. Be adventurous and never stop experimenting.

This juice is one way that I mixed it up. I decided to make a juice based on a color rather than a specific flavor or ingredient. It is simple, yet it combines some powerful whole foods. Try it out, create a variation, or let it inspire you to come up with an entirely new idea.

AVOCADO AND BEET SMOOTHIE

• Servings: 1
• Time: 60 minutes of bake time and 5 minutes of prep
• Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

• 1 beet
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove beet stems from root bulb and bake bulb for 50-60 minutes.
2. Let beet cool, then peel the skin and discard. Save 1/2 of beet for another smoothie or recipe.
3. Add 1/2 beet, avocado, blueberries, honey, and lime juice to a blender. Add 2-3 ice cubes and 1/8-1/4 cup water.
4. Then blend away!