Smoothies are an easy way to cram more veggies into your day. A little fruit covers . . . → Read More: How to Make a Winter Smoothie with Local Ingredients]]> In the winter, I usually crave hot breakfasts. Oatmeal with applesauce and peanut butter, eggs of all sorts, or pancakes. Recently, I haven’t been eating particularly well, so I’ve been trying to get a little “insurance” at breakfast to make up for the Pad Thai at lunch and burger, fries, and a shake at dinner. Yep. That was yesterday.

Smoothies are an easy way to cram more veggies into your day. A little fruit covers up the healthy taste and if the green color bothers you, just avert your eyes. This has become my go-to recipe, but you can make some tweaks if it’s not sweet enough for you. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup or use a whole peach/banana instead of half.

We don’t have a fancy blender…although I really really really want one, I can’t justify the crazy price. There’s an easy technique for making a good smoothie with a normal blender. Check out this video from Good Eats – the technique info starts at about 4:22.

My blender has four speeds. I run it on the first until the vortex starts, then each higher speed for one minute. If a bubble forms, I turn off the blender, give it a little shake to encourage the “burp”, then turn the speed back up. It takes about 4 minutes of blending, but that’s enough time to put away the ingredients and make a cup of tea.

If you want to get crazy, add half an avocado to the mix. We ordered a box of them from California Avocados Direct, a responsible family farm, and were blown away.

Local Winter Smoothie

Makes 1 large smoothie

Directions

1. If you are organized and want to be like Alton Brown, prep your smoothie the night before. Put everything except the ice cubes into the blender (in order) and stash it in the fridge. In the morning, add the ice and blend, following the directions above. Make sure all the spinach/kale blends in. Sometimes a leaf or two will stick to the side. This is a great way to have a nice smoothie even on a busy morning.
2. If you, like me, are usually not that with it at bedtime, make your smoothie when you’re ready to eat it. Add all the ingredients to the blender (in order) and blend, following the directions above. It might take a little longer for the vortex to form, because the fruit is still frozen, but you can get it going by stopping the blender and smushing the spinach/kale down toward the blades. When you start up the blender again, the smoothie should start moving. It might take a couple of tries. If it’s really giving you trouble, add a little more water/juice/milk. It’ll thin out your smoothie, but usually does the trick.

Today is my favorite holiday all year – not surprising that I look forward to a holiday focused on food, huh? I LOVE the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but before you dive head first into a plate of brown-ish, carb-y, gravy-soaked dinner, consider a colorful “pre-game” salad. This one comes together in a jiffy after the beets are roasted (which you could do a day or so ahead of time) and is jam-packed . . . → Read More: Pre-Thanksgiving Light Lunch: Peach and Roasted Beet Salad]]> Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today is my favorite holiday all year – not surprising that I look forward to a holiday focused on food, huh? I LOVE the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but before you dive head first into a plate of brown-ish, carb-y, gravy-soaked dinner, consider a colorful “pre-game” salad. This one comes together in a jiffy after the beets are roasted (which you could do a day or so ahead of time) and is jam-packed with peppery, mildly spicy, and sweet ingredients.

This is based on a recipe from Not Eating Out in New York, but modified to use ingredients that we had on hand or found at the Somerville Winter Farmers Market on Saturday.

Peach and Roasted Beet Salad
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side

Directions

1. Wash and dry the beets. Wrap each in foil and put in a single layer in a baking dish. Roast at 400 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on size. The beets are done when they’re easily pierced with a thin knife. Once they’re cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel. Your hands will get red, but if you wash them right away, they shouldn’t stain. Slice each beet into 4 or 8 wedges, depending on size. Set aside or refrigerate for a few days, if you do this ahead of time.
2. Whisk the lemon juice, chile, dried basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. While whisking, add the olive oil in a slow, thin stream. Doing it this way will help it combine with the lemon juice, rather than forming little pools on top.
3. Add the arugula to the bowl and toss to coat all the leaves in dressing.
4. To serve, put a pile of arugula on each plate and arrange the beet and peach slices on top.