Vegetable Juice Smoothy

If you can make a smoothy out of fruit juice, then it stands to reason that you can make one out of vegetables. This one is made from tomato paste, fruit juice or water and a few fresh veggies. When made with fruit juice, it’s sweet and kid-friendly. When prepared with water it’s tangy and refreshing. Better suited for teen and adults palates.

Vegetable Juice Smoothie

Ingredients

• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups apple juice or water, or a combination
• 1 or 2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional
• 1 carrot, peeled, tip and top removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion, optional

Directions

In a blender combine all of the ingredients. Place the lid on the blender and process until smooth. Serve over glasses of ice. This makes about 4 large servings. It’s very refreshing on a hot day, and makes you feel all virtuous because there’s no salt, no fat and each serving provides 2 full servings of veggies. Plus it tastes good, which is always a bonus with healthy stuff.

If you’re making this recipe for children then leave out the onion and use apple juice instead of water. It will be sweet enough to taste good to a child’s palate.

Assuming 4 servings. Prepared with water; 1-tablespoon lemon juice and 1/4-cup onion.

Per Serving: 49 Calories; trace Fat (4.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 58mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 2 Vegetables.

Virgin Mary Smoothy

Use water, not apple juice in the above recipe. Include the onion. Add 1-teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 to 1-teaspoon hot pepper sauce and a pinch black pepper. Process as described. Serve over ice.