1. Consider Cooking
Cooking your vegetables before you use them as smoothie ingredients offers two advantages. First, the cooking process softens the tough fibers in vegetables that can cause your smoothie to have a chunky or gritty consistency. Second, cooking kills harmful microbes that can cause food poisoning. For example, an E. coli outbreak was responsible for the death of a 2-year-old child who consumed tainted spinach in a smoothie. You don't need to boil the vegetable to mush; heat the vegetable to at least 165 degrees F.
2. How Sweet it is
Take advantage of the natural sweetness inherent in certain ripe vegetables to enhance the flavor of your smoothies. Root vegetables are excellent as smoothie ingredients, as they have starches that convert to sugar in the mouth when the enzyme amylase breaks them down. Carrots are an obvious choice for smoothies, but consider other root vegetables like parsnips or beets. You can roast the root vegetables first to enhance smoothie flavor, as the high temperatures cause sugars to caramelize, which adds richness.
3. The Yin and Yang of Smoothies
It isn't necessary to limit yourself to sweet vegetables in smoothies. If you have a smoothie recipe with an abundance of sweet fruits, include a vegetable with a bitter note as a pleasing counterpoint. Smoothies with chocolate ingredients taste sensational with a chili pepper undertone. Mango smoothies pair well with greens, such as lightly steamed spinach or kale.
4. Spice it Up
Take a cue from your cooking methods when you use vegetables in smoothies. Just as you enjoy seasoning your vegetables with herbs and spices, you can savor these same flavor enhancements in your smoothies. For example, winter squash and pumpkin marry nicely with a dash of cardamom or cinnamon. A sprinkle of black pepper can bring an otherwise dull cucumber smoothie to life.
5. Looks Matter
If you want to convince your friends and family that your vegetable smoothies are as good as you say they are, you must present a palatable drink. Mixing the contents of your produce drawer together until your smoothie resembles raw sewage won't sell anyone. Stay in the same color family for delicious results. Create a cool green smoothie with honeydew melon, lime juice and celery. Add sunshine to your morning with a golden carrot and pineapple smoothie. Combine pomegranates and beets for a jewel-toned treat.
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