Blend It

Beet-Ricotta Smoothie

Skip the juice bar and drink your beets at home: You can whip up this ruby-red, protein-packed breakfast smoothie in a mere minute. Plus, starting your morning with naturally sweet beets can even help your ticker: A study from Newcastle University in the UK found that foods rich in nitrates, such as beets, can help lower blood pressure. That’s because the natural nitrates help dilate blood vessels, resulting in better bloodflow. Ricotta makes your shake creamy and provides a dose of muscle-building whey protein. And a dose of strawberries and orange juice boosts sweetness.

 

UPGRADE If the beet greens are still attached, whirl a few into the drink. They contain plenty of phylloquinone, a type of vitamin K that’s found in leafy greens and may, according to researchers in the Netherlands, slash your risk of type 2 diabetes.

 

• ¾ _CUP WATER
• ¾ _CUP ORANGE JUICE
• ¾ _CUP RICOTTA CHEESE
• 2_ _MEDIUM BEETS, TRIMMED AND CHOPPED
• 1_½ _CUPS FROZEN STRAWBERRIES
• ¼ _CUP WALNUTS
• 1_” _PIECE FRESH GINGER,

 

1 / Place all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed and blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. MAKES 2 SERVINGS

 

Words by Matthew Kadey, RD. Photograph by Bob Martus. Food Styling by Jamie Kimm. Prop Styling by Thom Driver/Halley Resources