These Veggie-Packed Smoothies Actually Taste Amazing
You're going to want to break out the blender every day!
For the longest time my house was a blender-free household. No smoothies or milkshakes were ever made on our countertops! This never struck me as odd when I was growing up since my family didn’t own other simple cooking tools like a whisk, rolling pin or even a pizza cutter. My scrambled eggs came out perfectly with my dad’s fork-stirring technique, my mom wrapped plastic wrap around a wine bottle whenever we needed a rolling pin and a regular sharp knife always did the trick for divvying up the pizza.
So, when my dad decided to go on a health kick a couple years ago, smoothies were on the top of his list for new recipes to incorporate into his routine. I for one was totally on board with this lifestyle change and couldn’t wait to recreate all the flavors of the smoothies I had tried at the mall food court. I happily started researching the best blenders money could buy — until my dad came up from the basement with a dusty appliance box. It was an unopened blender my parents had received — as a wedding present! They had never thought of opening it and the box had been sitting downstairs for years.
It was the tiniest blender I had ever seen. It was beige (with old-fashioned knobs and buttons) and the plastic container had turned a dingy yellow color even though the appliance was technically brand new. Nevertheless, smoothie-making was on our horizon!
We started simply with frozen strawberries and blueberries, bananas and milk. Soon we graduated from fruit-only smoothies to ones with veggies (it became our easy way of sneaking more greens, fiber and vitamins into our day). And, do you know what? Our smoothies were delicious. So delicious that we haven’t looked back. Our fruit-and-veggie creations are so good that the blender is the one specialty appliance that we now use all the time!
Looking for a few veggie-based smoothie recipes that will have you loving the blender as much as we do? These should do the trick!
Sip on this spinach-based smoothie for an extra boost of magnesium and iron.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Create a beta-carotene-packed, carrot-and-pineapple pick-me-up to refuel after your next workout.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
You’ll never guess that there are beets in this very-berry smoothie, even after you take a taste!
Pawel Kaminski
This green smoothie is high in nutrients and contains powerful antioxidants. The kale is blended with green fruits (like grapes and pears) for a hint of sweet flavor.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Spice things up with a ginger-and-pumpkin combination that taste like a holiday dessert — even though it's loaded with healthy ingredients and packed with fiber.
Who knew your favorite herb could also be added to your smoothies? A bit of basil (along with a sweet lemon syrup) gives every sip a sophisticated and refreshing flavor.
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