Hellobee

We could all use some extra vegetables; I don’t know anyone who thinks they get too many in their diet, and most parents I chat with are looking to boost the content in their little ones’ meals, too. While this is a topic I could write chapters on, today I’m going to give you one tip and three recipes to up your vegetable intake. First, the tip: Put vegetables in your (and your kids’) smoothies. To be more specific, anytime you make a smoothie, think about what veggies you have on hand that you might be able to incorporate. Leafy greens are a popular option (hence, the green smoothie craze), but I have a couple ideas to get you thinking of other fun, colorful, and tasty ways you can take it.

I titled this “Veggie Smoothies for Kids” not because they aren’t great for adults (I adore each of these), but because they are all tested and approved by my 3-year-old and 1-year old. The recipes make generously-sized smoothies, both because I find my blender works far better with more than a cup of produce and the three of us are usually sharing the drink. Since they’re mostly fruits and vegetables, we usually enjoy them as a snack – perfect for these hot afternoons! However, I occasionally add nut butters and serve them for a quick, healthy family breakfast.

Some tasting notes on the below recipes:

Carrot Cake: Soaked cashews make this smoothie delightfully creamy. Barely sweetened with banana and carrot, generously spiced with cinnamon, and very much reminiscent of carrot cake. This one could definitely pass as dessert.

Spinach and Peach: I like to use whatever stone fruit we have on hand and most recently used a combination of peaches and sugar plums. Using fruit and spinach that is frozen makes the texture even better, but I also add chia seeds to thicken it up. This smoothie is ideal for summer.

Berry and Beet: A lovely combo of fruity and earthy, this vibrantly-hued smoothie is exciting to look at and to taste. This time of year, I prefer to use raw vegetables in my smoothies, but come fall I will likely switch over to something like this Beet Carrot Apple Smoothie.

Carrot Cake Smoothie

1/4 c raw cashews
1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 banana (frozen, if you have it)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
handful ice
1/2 – 3/4 c water, milk, or coconut milk

Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover by an inch with water and soak 4 hours or overnight.

Drain the water and move the soaked cashews to a high-speed blender. Add the remaining ingredients (start with 1/2 c liquid) and blend on high until smooth. Add enough liquid to reach desired consistency and blend to combine.

Spinach and Stone Fruit Smoothie

2 peaches, pitted and sliced
1 plum, pitted and sliced
1 c fresh spinach (frozen but not blanched, if you have it)
1 tsp chia seeds
handful ice
1/2 – 3/4 c water or milk

Add all ingredients (start with 1/2 c liquid) to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Add enough liquid to reach desired consistency and blend to combine.

Berry and Beet Smoothie

1 small or medium beet, peeled and chopped
1 c frozen cherries
handful ice
1 c water or juice (orange, apple, or cherry are all nice)

Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth.

Do you add vegetables to your smoothies? What are some of your favorite combinations? Comment below!