This chocolate beet smoothie may be a stunning pink but it tastes like a frothy rich chocolate milk shake - such an interesting experience to be sipping on bright pink while your mouth registers deep chocolate. Plus the nutritional power in this smoothie soars, with antioxidants from both beets and chocolate, and tons of fiber so you feel full. This beet smoothie recipe is dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and plant-based.
Chocolate Beet Smoothie
Wow. That's my first sentence because this chocolate beet smoothie is a red velvet dream! And that's just the taste. The nutrition soars, too, such a boost for your heart and mood!
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Okay, so let's talk about this chocolate beet smoothie...
Ingredients In A Chocolate Beet Smoothie
Cocoa, of course, is full of antioxidants and mood boosters. One thing I learned recently is you should go with a high-quality cacao since it is a raw food, and needs correct packaging to be free of mold and fungus.
1. Dairy free Milk - Almond, oat, cashew milk are all perfectly creamy enough.
2. Dairy free Yogurt as a thickener. Or use soaked or boiled cashews or even milk frozen into ice cubes.
3. Beets - use purchased frozen veggies or even raw. Peel them if using raw. You can roast them or boil them or use them raw. Don't use pickled beets from a can or jar.
4. Cocoa powder - This is to add chocolate flavor. You can use cacao powder for stronger nutrition, or unsweetened cocoa powder.
5. Brewed Coffee is optional to deepen the chocolate flavor.
6. Maple Syrup is the sweetener
7. Cinnamon adds a fun spicey flavor.
8. To thicken and chill further, I add ice cubes but you don't need these. Look at your texture and decide.
Are Beets Good for You?
Yes! Beets are low in calories, and high in folate, potassium, manganese and vitamin C. Potassium is great for muscles and the heart. And manganese is hard to find in food and is great for essential organs.
And beets are full of antioxidants, those immunity-booster powerhouses.
Finally, beets are high in fiber, so they help you feel full longer, a great situation for weight control.
How To Make This Chocolate Beet Smoothie
First you need to get some beets under your roof. I used fresh, they are inexpensive and easy to find. I was a bit intimidated about staining things, but if you are careful, it's fine.
And one thing I was worried about is whether a beet smoothie would stain my blender. I am here to report they do NOT stain blenders. Yay!
It might not matter to you, but I like my blender containers to look clear. Plus I have to photograph them.
How to Prepare Beets for a Smoothie
To use fresh beets in your smoothie, scrub off the dirt, chop off the greens and ends, and boil for about 20 minutes. Peel, and chop into dice for a high speed blender, and shred for a regular blender. You can wash and peel raw beets, chop and use those uncooked, however, they will be harder to blend smoothly.
To use frozen beets in your smoothie, either wash, peel and chop fresh beets and freeze them OR buy frozen beets. I have been lucky to find frozen beets at my market.
I used ½ cup of beets in this smoothie, but you can use more. Beets are naturally sweet, but they do have a veggie flavor that some people prefer to minimize in a smoothie.
How to Make a Beet Smoothie Chocolate Flavored
I also added cacao powder to mine. Cacao powder is raw chocolate powder that is the most nutritious form of chocolate. However, you can add unsweetened cocoa powder - it's definitely less expensive but because it is more processed, a bit less nutritious.
Make Your Smoothie Thicker and Creamier
Other additions to this smoothie include yogurt and milk - I used dairy-free.
I also added coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor - only 1 tbsp so there isn't much caffeine. I added cinnamon to balance blood sugar and add a spicy flavor. And I added maple syrup to sweeten it a bit. I don't like things too sweet so be sure and taste-test my recipe and add more if you need it.
Finally, to thicken it up and give it a milkshake quality, add some ice cubes, or freeze the milk into ice cubes beforehand. I like it both ways, thin and thick. Both textures are chocolate-y delicious.
Tips to Customize This Beet Smoothie
You could definitely leave off the coffee and cinnamon without much impact.
You could increase the yogurt to make it creamier; it is definitely just a drink as is.
And you could add things like ½ cup of cauliflower or ½ of an avocado to increase creaminess and nutrition. It might impact the flavor a bit.
The flavor as is SO CHOCOLATE-Y. I can't get over it. I definitely did not want to share with my husband, but I did, reluctantly, haha.
How to Store Your Smoothie
This smoothie, like others, is full of nutrition for the first 24 hours. Refrigerate it in a sealed jar and drink within a day. If you want it to last longer, freeze it in ice cube trays, put 5-7 in a glass the night before to thaw, and re-blend the morning you are ready to drink your smoothie.
Looking for More Detox Recipes?
Another detox recipe you might enjoy is my Ginger shots, no juicer necessary!
And here are some delicious smoothies to try:
Cauliflower Smoothie
Peanut Butter Smoothie
5 Blender Wellness Shots
2-Ingredient Fruit Smoothies
Lemon Smoothie Jackfruit Recipe
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Chocolate Beet Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup dairy-free milk
- ¾ cup dairy-free yogurt (or ¼ cup cashews (preferably boiled 5 minutes to soften, or freeze ½ cup of milk into ice cubes)
- ½ cup chopped beets raw or cooked
- 1 tbsp brewed coffee
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- pinch of cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
Prepare Beets
- If cooking beets, wash them, chop off greens and ends, and boil for 20 minutes. Peel and chop into chunks. If you are using them raw, wash them, chop off the greens and ends, and peel off the skin as you would peel a potato. Chop the raw beets into dice for a high speed blender; shred if using a regular blender.
Make Smoothie
- Put all ingredients in a blender - except for the ice - and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste-test for sweetness and add a touch more maple syrup if you need it sweeter. Add the ice if your texture needs a thickening.Best nutrition if you drink it right away, preferably the same day.
CAROL OVERHOLT
Hey! i just tried this (my first drink with beets!) and love it!! I added a scant C. of mixed greens, a little water - no coffee - extra cinnamon and maple syrup. It's a thinner drink, but i really like it! Thanks for the inspiration!
~c
Dee Dine
Thanks for sharing Carol! So glad you enjoyed it!
V
Hello 😊
Just wanted to let you know that I simply love this smoothie 😋
I swapped the yogurt with a vegan cashew butter and followed the rest.
Thanks so much for sharing 😊
Dee Dine
So glad you love it! Your swaps sound awesome!
V
Hi
Can I substitute yogurt with something else ?
Dee Dine
Sure! I added some options to the recipe. You could try 1/4 cup cashews (preferably boiled 5 minutes to soften), or freeze 1/2 cup of milk into ice cubes. You could even add 1/4 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of plain ice but then drink it right away so it doesn't get watery.