Global
Beet & Berry Cleanser
Detox Smoothie
~5 mintotal150 kcalper serving2g protein35g carbs1g fat
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cooked beets
- 1/2 cup strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 cup water
Cooking Steps
Add the water and cooked beets to the blender first; adding liquid first helps everything blend evenly.
Add the strawberries, hulled, the peeled banana and the grated ginger.
Blend on high for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth; beets can take a little longer to break down fully.
Pour and serve immediately, giving it a stir if it separates while sitting.
Plant & Growing Tips
Beets
- Sow beet seeds directly in well-drained soil in full sun after the last frost, spacing them 2-4 inches apart.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during germination and root development, to prevent woody roots.
- Thin seedlings to their final spacing once they are a few inches tall to allow roots to swell.
Strawberries
- Plant strawberry crowns in full sun with rich, well-draining soil, ensuring the crown is at soil level.
- Provide consistent moisture, especially during flowering and fruit development, and consider mulching to retain water and suppress weeds.
- Give plants plenty of space (12-18 inches apart) to allow runners to spread or contain them in pots.
Ginger
- Plant ginger rhizomes (pieces of root with 'eyes') in warm, humid conditions in partial shade, shallowly covered with rich, moist soil.
- Grow ginger in large pots in cooler climates, bringing them indoors before the first frost, as they require a long growing season.
- Water consistently to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and mist leaves if the air is dry.
Natural Pest Control
- Cover ripening strawberry plants with fine netting to deter birds from eating the fruit.
- For slugs and snails on strawberries, create beer traps or use copper tape barriers around beds.
- Spray aphids off beets and strawberries with a strong jet of water, or introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs.
- Use row covers over young beet plants to prevent leaf miners from laying eggs on the leaves.
Harvest
Beets
- Harvest beets when the roots are 1-3 inches in diameter, typically 7-10 weeks after sowing, by gently pulling them from the soil.
- You can also harvest young beet leaves as 'greens' when they are tender, leaving the root to continue growing.
Strawberries
- Pick strawberries when they are fully red and fragrant, typically in late spring to early summer, by snapping the stem just above the cap.
- Harvest frequently to encourage more production and prevent overripe fruit from attracting pests.
Ginger
- Harvest ginger when the leaves start to yellow and die back, typically 8-10 months after planting, by digging up the entire plant.
- For smaller, fresh pieces, gently dig at the side of the plant to snap off a portion of the rhizome without disturbing the main plant.
