BLOOD ORANGE SMOOTHIE WITH GRAPES AND RED QUINOA

Blood Orange Smoothie With Grapes and Red Quinoa image

I had never considered using red grapes in a smoothie until I began working on pairing fruit with grains in this week's Recipes for Health. Red grapes and red quinoa are a perfect match. I used blood orange juice as the liquid and sweetened it with a bit of pomegranate molasses. As the mixture was whirling in the blender it occurred to me that a small handful of kale would be welcome; it would darken the color slightly and contribute all that kale has to offer without distorting the sweet/tannic flavor of the drink. The second time I made the smoothie I froze the grapes, which is a great idea. Then you won't have to dilute the flavors with ice.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 10m

Yield 1 to 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

1/3 cup cooked red quinoa
1 cup red seedless grapes, preferably frozen (6 ounces)
1 cup blood orange juice (or regular orange juice if blood oranges are not available)
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons soaked cashews
Small handful of kale

Steps:

Place all of the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Serve right away.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 210, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 40 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 8 milligrams, Sugar 27 grams