Ginger and Beetroot Smoothie for Williams-Sonoma Smoothie Week

When  Williams-Sonoma contacted me and asked me to share my unique and bizarre smoothie recipe as part of the Not Your Typical Smoothie Challenge I was thrilled!

Having grown up on home-made smoothie before the era of smoothie shops in every shopping mall, I started thinking what I enjoy in a smoothie. The fruits, the milk or yogurt base, warmth of a mild spice to cut through the sweetness of base ingredients and a healthy vegetable which props up the nutrition quotient without overpowering the taste.

And yes, I am a firm believer in the old adage “you taste with your eyes first”. So yes, my smoothie needed to look delish and taste nothing like you’ve tasted before.
A delicious smoothie is like a happy marriage, where several different combinations of flavours and colours come together for a beautiful, tasty treat.

Confession time – I am a creature of habits. My busy mornings mean, a gulp of fresh orange juice and a handful of nuts kick off my day. For lunch I go for healthier veggies with a cup of healthy yogurt. By the time the later afternoon rolls in, a hot cuppa with ginger and lemon-zest is my staple.

So I thought ‘Why not make something totally odd, something never tried before, out of my regular, healthy food habits!’ I was sure I could turn my love for fruits and nuts, add a dash of healthy, organic ingredients and goodness of yogurt to deliver a knockout smoothie.

I was keyed up for the challenge and wanted to be really good. Ever a team person, I roped in my friend Antonis, an award-winning bartender. Like a talented alchemist, he has a gift for combining tastes and bringing out the natural deliciousness of each ingredient.

Antonis runs his own cocktail bar, the Le Coq tail mix bar, surrounded by historical castles in the Old City. It is the most amazingly relaxing setting in Thessaloniki Greece. True to the ambience, his recipes use organic homemade products. In realm of such a place began our countless experiments for a smoothie. After several attempts of mixing the usual with the unusual, we came up with a luscious smoothie with the most bizarre ingredients.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed the process!
Ingredients

1 serving

2 oz (60ml) fresh orange juice

½ cup Plain Nonfat Greek yogurt (150 gr)

½ teaspoon ginger juice

3 nuts

1 oz (30ml) organic cranberry agave syrup (you can replace it with honey)

1 pinch of carnation

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

2 oz (60ml) juice of boiled beetroot (you will need 3 beetroots).

I know what you are thinking. Beetroot?? Now I must admit I was nervous about trying our beets in a smoothie too. Don’t get me wrong! I love my veggies and beets are an absolute favourite for their distinctive taste and colour. But, it has to be one of the weirdest ingredients in a sweet smoothie.

As you would find out, it works (and how!). It lends the smoothie a lovely, pink hue and a faint, earthy savouriness.

You may also add ice-cubes or a few scoops of vanilla ice-cream to enhance the frothy, sweet richness of the smoothie. Place all the ingredients in blender and blend until you get a smooth consistency.

There you have it! A super healthy and delectable smoothie to savour all year round

You can drink it alone…or with a good company

You can also enjoy it with pine nuts. Put some of the smashed pine nuts onto a plate, wipe the glass rim with honey then dip the glass in the pine nuts.

With its simple ingredients, great taste and smooth texture it is an ideal drink for all occasions. Whether you need a shot of healthy goodness early in the day, or a pick-me-up snack as you wind up this smoothie fits the bill.

With the holiday season around the corner, you are never far from a Christmas Party or a family get together. Hop over to your neighbourhood Williams-Sonoma store or check out here for a fabulous range of blenders in attractive colours. Whether you fancy a hand-held immersion device or a standalone electronic gadget, William Sonoma blender is a perfect addition to your kitchen aids. Now you can whip up shakes, blends, concoctions, frozen drinks or smoothie in a matter of minutes. Give your family a gift of healthy, nutritious and yummy treat this holiday season.

This post in unsponsored.