Smoothie with bok choy and blueberries

If you have the chance to make a smoothie with blueberries, you should definitely take it. 😉 And if you can also sneak in some forgotten vegetables that’ll make your dish even tastier, then you know you’re on the right track.

I’m against food waste and throwing away parts of vegetables that are tasty and edible. Recently, I visited an organic farm where they told me that many of the parts we normally throw away when “prepping” vegetables are actually edible and even quite tasty. It has become such a habit to exclude certain parts from dishes when preparing vegetables that knowledge about how to cook with them is no longer passed down through family recipes, blogs, cookbooks, culinary schools, and so on.

I know that this organic farm supplies a number of top restaurants, but even there, there’s a lack of knowledge about what’s possible with vegetables. And that really struck a chord with me. I think it’s such a missed opportunity not to give the vegetables that grow naturally here a trendy image. That’s why I try to share as much inspiration as possible here about what you can cook with our seasonal vegetables. I’ve also focused heavily on this in my cooking show, and it was even the deciding factor in choosing my internship for next year. I promise I’ll share a bit more about that soon.

For now, I have a recipe for you that’s perfectly in line with this mission. It’s a smoothie made with berries (hello, seasonal fruit!) and bok choy stems (which you’d otherwise throw away). Together, they make the creamiest, sweetest, most vibrant, and summery smoothie you’ve ever tasted.

P.S. You can use pak choi leaves just like spinach—so sauté them, eat them raw in a salad, add them to a smoothie, pesto, or soup, use them in a casserole or quiche, or mix them into your pasta. The possibilities are endless. Next week, I’ll share another really delicious way to use pak choi leaves. So be sure to keep following me 😉

Tip: What should I do if my blender gets stuck?

If you're using frozen berries, it's best to add them last. That way, they'll sit on top in the blender and won't be blended until the rest of the mixture has already turned into a liquid. This allows them to be drawn into the vortex that forms, reducing the chance that your blender will get stuck on the harder pieces.

And if it does get stuck, turn off the appliance (this is really important!) and give it a quick stir with a spoon or spatula. You'll find that it starts running smoothly again.

The Recipe

Ingredients ( per person)

• 150 g (frozen) blueberries
• 1 banana
• 100 ml (soy/almond/oat) milk
• 35 g bok choy stems (white part)
• Optional garnish: 1 tbsp yogurt and a handful of granola

Preparation ( 10 minutes)

1. Blend everything

Enjoy your meal!

 Zoë, what can I do with the leftover ingredients?

• Blueberries

You can save any leftover blueberries in the freezer for later, or you can use them in this smoothie. If you just leave them in the fridge, they usually don’t last more than a week. Just so you know 😉

• Banana

You can freeze bananas if you have too many and think they won't stay fresh much longer. You can also use them to make these pancakes or to make your oatmeal extra sweet and creamy, like this oatmeal with cranberries.

• (Soy/Almond/Oat) Milk

You can drink it as is or add it to any smoothie you’re in the mood for. If you’re having trouble deciding, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. It’s a smoothie made with seasonal summer fruits, and it was the first recipe I made for my cooking show, “The Summer Menu.”

• Pak choi

You can use the green part (leaves) just like spinach and, for example, make this one-pot dish with them. Next week, I’ll also share a great recipe that calls for pak choi leaves. You can steam the stems and add them to other stews or creative one-pot dishes. 😉

Like this recipe? Then share it with everyone you love. That way, together we can help the world enjoy healthy food!

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