If you’d told me when I started drinking green smoothies that I would be adding other veggies beside kale or spinach into my smoothies, I’d have told you you were crazy! Yet the more I drink green smoothies, the more my body starts to crave veggies and so I got creative with my blends. This carrot smoothie recipe is surprisingly delicious, and contains a rawkstar cast of fruits AND veggies.
Health benefits of a carrot smoothie
This carrot smoothie recipe shines most in its vitamin C and fiber content. Fiber is an underrated part of a healthy diet, so I love when one of my smoothie recipes contains a solid amount of dietary fiber. The other big star in this carrot smoothie is vitamin C. One serving gives you over 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. So not only will this smoothie satisfy your taste buds, it will also boost your immune system naturally!
Raw vs cooked carrots
Someone asked me whether raw or cooked carrots were more beneficial in this carrot smoothie. I laughed, thinking it was a joke… and then I actually researched it. The answer may surprise you!
According to the National Library of Medicine, cooked, pureed carrots actually released more beta-carotene than raw carrots did. So if you’d rather cook your carrots before blending, then go for it! Either way, carrots are a great, sweet veggie to add to all kinds of smoothies.
To peel or not to peel carrots
As with many fruits + veggies, the peel (or outside wrinkly part) of a carrot actually contains some of its nutrients. So I recommend leaving that carrot whole before blending. This way you can benefit from as much of that carrot as possible. If your carrots came with their leafy green tops, then you can even toss those in.
Carrot smoothie ingredient swaps
Swap spinach with another leafy green. Carrot tops are perfectly edible, and would make a great swap in this smoothie! Swap coconut water with regular water, or a brewed herbal tea. Switch out those strawberries with another berry (raspberries would be my first choice!). Mango is a great swap for the pineapple. While some of these swaps will lower the amount of vitamin C in this smoothie, a vitamin C smoothie cube can also be added.
Boosting your smoothie with plant protein
While this carrot smoothie recipe has 4.1 grams of protein, you can boost it to 14.1 grams of protein, which turns this smoothie into a complete meal! Protein Smoothie Boost is a 100% plant based protein powder that has 3 simple, organic ingredients: organic hemp protein, organic chia seeds, and organic flax seeds. These 3 superfoods are ground into a fine powder, and together provide healthy fats, essential amino acids, and the cleanest protein you’ll find on the market.
Have you ever made a smoothie with carrots? Don’t forget to leave a comment + rating to let me know what you think of this smoothie!
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I know…carrot smoothie?! First time I was like, ummm…no thanks. Yet this one is so delicious with a sweet unique undertone that you’ll begin to crave.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup coconut water, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup carrots
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1/2 cup pineapple
Instructions
- Blend spinach and coconut water together until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend again.
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
- Can chop and steam carrots to make them easier to blend, or leave them raw.
Keywords: carrot smoothie, green smoothie
Plant based recipes with carrots
Here are some other ways to use up that bag of carrots in your fridge. Maybe these’ll inspire you to include a spot for carrots in your next garden!
from
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/carrot-smoothie
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