While I was visiting my sister several weeks ago she recommended the cookbook "Superfood Smoothies" by Julie Morris. This cookbook is really outstanding. I've been really impressed with most of the recipes I've made and it's given me an excuse to blend up a storm with the Blendtec I got for Christmas. The only dud I've made is the cauliflower chocolate smoothie, but I guess I should have seen that one coming! The only downside I've seen to this book is that she sometimes uses ingredients that are neither easy to find nor easy on the wallet (camu powder? dried white mulberries?). However, I've found that the funky ingredients are pretty easy to work around.
One of my favorites was the "Red Velvet Cake" smoothie. This recipe gets its gorgeous color and bulk from cooked beets and it's flavored with cocoa powder, so basically you can't go wrong. I played around with this particular recipe and found that it works really well with dates. They add the perfect amount of sweetness. You can use a medium frozen banana or an alternate sweetener (honey, stevia, etc.) in place of the dates, but I think dates taste best.
Another favorite smoothie from the book is the Pineapple Watercress smoothie. While making it I had this crazy flashback to "green drink," a horrid concoction of pineapple juice, spinach, parsley, and celery my mom used to make when we were kids. I still vividly remember the texture and smell of that horrid drink and to this day it makes me shudder. Fortunately this version is actually quite delicious, but I was reminded that in the end we all become our parents, right? :)
