Pink Smoothie

I love beetroot. The colour and juiciness of a fresh raw beetroot when you cut in to it is a thing of wonder. I would happily put it in everything, sweet and savoury, much to my family's annoyance! I even embrace the Lady Macbeth hands you get from preparing it.

So often we eat with our eyes, and colour plays a massive part in that. In the case of beetroot the fabulous colour comes from plant chemicals called betalains. Betalains have

antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and added to that, beetroot is a good source of vitamins, minerals and nitrates. What's not to love?

I grow a LOT of beetroot every year and it was when peeling and chopping a load to put into the freezer that I decided to try some raw in a smoothie. The dark pink juice that was flowing out of it was just too tempting not to try in a drink.

We are lucky to have inherited two apple trees in our garden that give us a huge supply of big cookers. To make this smoothie recipe as hassle free for me as possible I chop a load of apples and peeled raw beetroot and keep them in the freezer. Then I can just fish out as much as I need for a smoothie. If I had to start from scratch each time I might not bother. Sometimes even the simplest things are too much like hard work on a Monday morning!

You can see from the picture how thick this smoothie is, which makes it a lovely satisfying breakfast. Instead of drinking this, you could also serve it as a smoothie bowl topped with fruit, seeds and nuts. The Blackberry Vinegar really brightens the flavour, complementing the beetroot and giving just the right level of acidity. This is a great way to start the day.

Recipe

Handful of chopped apple (cooking or eating), cored but with skin left on for fibre

Handful of peeled, chopped raw beetroot

Half an avocado, stone removed and peeled

1 tbsp greek yogurt

100ml water

100ml milk, or non dairy milk of choice

2 tsp Yaffle House Blackberry Vinegar

Ice (optional)

• Add everything to a blender. Ideally, the beetroot and apple will be from the freezer, but if not add a few ice cubes.

• Blend until smooth.

• Pour into a glass and drink.

• Alternatively, put in a shallow bowl and top with fruit, seeds and nuts for a smoothie bowl.

One minor warning, if you aren't used to eating lots beetroot you should be aware that it can turn your pee red / pink!