Hello, Hummusapien readers!

I'm Maryea from Happy Healthy Mama and it's my pleasure and honor to be sharing space on Alexis's blog today. I feel like Hummusapien and Happy Healthy Mama are blog sisters, having grown up together.

I've read Hummusapien from the beginning and Alexis and I share very similar views on nutrition and life. While I'm don't follow a strict vegan diet, I am a strong advocate for making plants the main part of your diet. See? Very similar. I also don't take myself too seriously and think it's totally fine to indulge every now and then. I love Alexis for having that same mindset.

I recently completed a 31-Day Smoothie Challenge with my readers over at Happy Healthy Mama and when Alexis asked me to share a recipe as a guest, I knew it was perfect timing to share a smoothie recipe!

This Strawberry Beet Smoothie is from my free recipe ebook that goes with the 31 Day Smoothie Challenge. The challenge was to replace one meal every day with a plant-based, meal-sized smoothie. I provided all 31 smoothie recipes along with grocery lists and it was such a great way to get a wide variety of plant foods in every single day. (By the way--->If you're interested in checking out the challenge and trying it yourself, check out this post. Enter your email address where it says Join the Challenge and you'll get instant access to the ebook.)

So let's talk about this smoothie, shall we? Will you just look at that color?! Plant foods are so gorgeous. Here's the deal. That vibrant color means you're getting some serious health benefits. Beets aren't exactly typical smoothie food, but what a great way to get more powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients into your body! Just check out the health benefits and nutrients beets bring to the table:

Fight inflammation
Anti-cancer properties
Support detoxification in the body
High in fiber
High in folate
High in vitamin C
High in potassium

So it's not all about looks; this smoothie is gorgeous on the inside, too.

This smoothie is sweetened with a banana and two dates. You can also add some stevia if you'd like it to be a bit sweeter. My husband preferred it that way. For the record, my husband doesn't love beets, but still drinks this smoothie. The strawberries and banana help mellow out the beets, so while you can taste the beets, they aren't overpowering. I love beets, so I'm glad you can taste them some, but don't worry if you're one who isn't so keen on them. You should still try this one!

My blender is powerful, so I use raw beets. If yours is on the wimpy side, I would recommend cooked beets. You can find cooked beets in the produce section of most grocery stores these days.

As written, this recipe makes one meal-sized smoothie or two snack-sized smoothies. Whether you drink if for a meal or snack, you're going to love how this smoothie makes you feel!