I've mentioned my smoothie move before: starting off with a veggie instead of packing it full of different fruits. The parsnip-banana combo is a wee trick I learned from reading Sarah Wilson's Simplicious. She drastically reduces the sugar content of banana bread by bulking her recipe up with parsnips (not that there's anything wrong with a banana or two, but banana bread is often filled with added sugar as well). It turns out parsnips were often used to replace bananas in baked goods during World War Two, when the tropical yellow fruit was scarce. And when I read that tidbit, I actually wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. There is something slightly bananaey about the humble parsnip, and when you combine it with banana-friendly flavours as I do here (think cinnamon, almond butter, coconut, cacao nibs), then I promise you won’t know there’s a veggie in there at all.
Recipe
‘Banana’ parsnip smoothie
This is an incredibly sneaky veggie smoothie; you won't even taste the parsnip, promise.
'Banana' parsnip smoothie
Serves 2
- 1 x parsnip, peeled, chopped and boiled until soft
- 2 x medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup x coconut milk or non-dairy milk of choice (or water, if you've got nothing else)
- 1/2 cup x coconut yoghurt
- 2 TBSP x almond butter (peanut or cashew butter would also work well)
- 2 tsp x maca powder
- 2 tsp x ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp x vanilla extract
- Toppings (optional): toasted coconut, cacao nibs, crushed nuts
Instructions
Add smoothie ingredients to a blender (or use a stick blender). Blend until smooth, adding extra milk or water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.