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Strawberry Top Smoothie
easy5 min total2 servingsblend
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Use It Up! Recipe
This recipe was designed to use produce parts you'd normally throw away. Less waste, more flavor.
Strawberry tops are perfectly edible and packed with nutrients — you've been throwing away the good stuff. This smoothie is proof that the whole berry belongs in your glass. It's sweet, bright, and slightly grassy in the best possible way.
Ingredients
- Strawberries (whole, including tops)1 1/2 cups total (tops from 1 cup, plus 1/2 cup whole berries)
- Ripe banana1 large
- Plain or vanilla yogurt1/2 cup
- Milk or plant-based milk1/4 cup
- Honey1 tablespoon (optional)
- Ice cubessmall handful
Instructions
- 1
Collect the tops (also called hulls or calyxes) from about 1 cup of strawberries. You can save these in a bag in the freezer over time until you have enough. Give them a good rinse.
- 2
Add the strawberry tops to your blender along with the full strawberries — yes, use the whole berry too for this smoothie.
- 3
Add 1 ripe banana (the riper and spottier, the sweeter), broken into chunks. This is the base that makes everything creamy.
- 4
Add ½ cup of plain or vanilla yogurt. Greek yogurt will make it thicker and add protein; regular yogurt will keep it lighter.
- 5
Add ¼ cup of milk or plant-based milk. Start with less — you can always add more to thin it out.
- 6
Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of honey if you want extra sweetness, though a ripe banana usually does the job on its own.
- 7
Add a small handful of ice cubes for a cold, frosty texture.
- 8
Blend on high for 30 to 45 seconds until completely smooth. If it's too thick, add a splash more milk. If it's too thin, add more banana or a few ice cubes.
- 9
Taste it before you pour — does it need more honey? More lemon brightness? Adjust and blend again for 10 seconds.
- 10
Pour into two glasses and drink immediately. The color is gorgeous — a deep berry pink that came from parts you almost threw away.
Produce in this recipe
“Another meal, another win against the compost bin.”