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 β 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.
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.
Add the strawberry tops to your blender along with the full strawberries β yes, use the whole berry too for this smoothie.
Add 1 ripe banana (the riper and spottier, the sweeter), broken into chunks. This is the base that makes everything creamy.
Add Β½ cup of plain or vanilla yogurt. Greek yogurt will make it thicker and add protein; regular yogurt will keep it lighter.
Add ΒΌ cup of milk or plant-based milk. Start with less β you can always add more to thin it out.
Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of honey if you want extra sweetness, though a ripe banana usually does the job on its own.
Add a small handful of ice cubes for a cold, frosty texture.
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.
Taste it before you pour β does it need more honey? More lemon brightness? Adjust and blend again for 10 seconds.
Pour into two glasses and drink immediately. The color is gorgeous β a deep berry pink that came from parts you almost threw away.
βAnother meal, another win against the compost bin.β