Cucumber and Celery Smoothie or Summer Soup
A couple of months or so ago, I decided we needed a change from fruity smoothies for our morning breakfast. Delicious as they are, I’m more used to having something savoury at this time in the morning – it just feels right somehow. This cucumber and celery smoothie is so versatile it doubles up as a cooling summer soup.
I’ve been adding all sorts of greens to smoothies, but they usually have banana or some other fruit in as well. It was time for something a little different, something that could also be served for a cooling summer lunch or supper in soup format.
Using our homemade kefir as a base, I started with cucumber and celery. I then added some moringa powder, a red chilli, a dash of tamari and whizzed it up in my indispensable Optimum 9200 Next Generation blender. It made short work of the stringy celery and produced its normal super smooth result. If you want to find out more, take a look at A New Beast in My Kitchen. Wondering what moringa is? You can read about it in my last edition of Food Bites.
Wow, this was a tasty breakfast with power and punch and was a real wake up call. Who needs coffee? Start as you mean to go on: I’ve been making savoury vegetable based smoothies regularly ever since.
- 750 ml kefir yoghurt or vegan yoghurt
- 1 small cucumber or ½ standard cucumber
- 2 sticks celery
- 1 deseeded red chilli
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons of moringa powder I get mine from Aduna or favourite super green powder
- dash of tamari or other high quality soy sauce
- Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz for about 30 seconds, or use the 35 second cycle on the Optimum 9200 Next Gen.
- Pour into glasses or bowls and sip or eat with a spoon.
Serves 8 in 125ml glasses or 4 in 250 ml glasses or 4 bowls of soup.
If using yoghurt rather than kefir, water it down 50/50.
I’m sending this cucumber and celery smoothie off to #RecipeOfTheWeek over at A Mummy Too.
Cucumber and Celery Smoothie. PIN IT.
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Kacie
17th September 2015 at 5:12 pmThis looks so refreshing and nutritious. I’ve just got back into the gym and this looks like the perfect post-work out pick-me-up!
Kacie – The Rare Welsh Bit
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 8:39 pmAh well done Kacie, you put me to shame. But yes, I reckon this would be good either before or after a work out.
Claudia | Gourmet Project
17th September 2015 at 5:17 pmthis sounds so fresh and healthy and yummy 🙂
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 8:41 pmThanks Claudia, it’s refreshing and cooling whilst being warming and sustaining at the same time – if that makes any sense.
Janice
17th September 2015 at 8:13 pmIt does look lovely and fresh, although I think I’d prefer it for lunch than breakfast 🙂
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 8:42 pmI like the kick start it gives my morning Janice, but it would certainly stop you dozing off at lunchtime 😉
Kate - gluten free alchemist
17th September 2015 at 8:47 pmBeautiful colour…. And it’s green which means it must be very very healthy!
Great fresh flavours and it sounds so much more palatable than celery sticks!!! xx
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 8:55 pmHaha Kate, it really is very tasty and heaps better than celery sticks 😉
Jo of Jo's Kitchen
17th September 2015 at 10:13 pmI must start using my blender for more savoury smoothies. I will give this one ago
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 10:40 pmWe drink more savoury smoothies now than fruit ones Jo – loving that Froothie blender 🙂
Heidi Roberts
17th September 2015 at 10:34 pmSounds a great way to start the day. I often put celery and cuke in my morning smoothie along with kale and carrot plus a bit of fruit.
Choclette
17th September 2015 at 10:41 pmI started off with a combination of fruit and greens Heidi, but prefer now to have either one or the other.
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
18th September 2015 at 1:49 pmNot sure I could face something green first thing in the morning, but it sounds like a delicious lunch!
Choclette
21st September 2015 at 8:28 amAre you not a morning person Helen? But you’re right, it would make a delicious lunch and quick to put together too.
Dom
19th September 2015 at 12:10 pmi’ve just received delivery of a juicer of my very own and so I need plenty of recipes… this looks exceptionally good and I love how healthy those ingredients are! Yes please! x
Choclette
20th September 2015 at 9:39 pmOh a juicer Dom. That is moving up on the world. I don’t have one of those – yet!
Fiona @ London-Unattached
19th September 2015 at 9:04 pmThis is the sort of thing I REALLY need to eat right now, it looks very cleansing!
Choclette
20th September 2015 at 9:37 pmIt’s a power drink for sure Fiona, but it really tastes good too.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
20th September 2015 at 8:13 amWow this one would really wake me up. Great colour.
Choclette
20th September 2015 at 9:36 pmI think it would wake anyone up Bintu – laughs wickedly 😉
Kezia @ Super Naturally Healthy
21st September 2015 at 11:30 amOh I love that you used kefir and yes I totally agree a morning green smoothie perks you up so much better than any coffee!!! I use the same blender and it works a treat:)
Choclette
21st September 2015 at 1:20 pmThanks Kezia. Once you start making kefir, there is no end to it 😉 The blender has revolutionised my life, it’s amazing how it can blitz pretty much anything into smoothness.
Kate | The Veg Space
20th February 2016 at 8:58 pmHow lovely Choclette, and I bet this is SO good for you with all those awesome ingredients. Love the idea of this as a chilled summer soup – a lovely way to start an al fresco lunch x
Choclette
20th February 2016 at 9:04 pmOh for some summer or just a bit of sunshine Kate. It’s so hard to imagine sitting in the garden with all the rain we’ve been having down here. Yes, perfect as a chilled summer soup.
shaheen
21st February 2016 at 8:50 pmI can almost taste this, fab picture.
Choclette
22nd February 2016 at 10:12 amThanks Shaheen. We just need a bit of summer now and then I’ll want to sip it once again.
Sus // roughmeasures.com
23rd February 2016 at 2:49 pmThis looks awedome! I’ve been looking for some more savoury breakfast ideas, I bet the kefir makes it so creamy and thick too?
A green drink is a good drink in my book!
Choclette
23rd February 2016 at 5:55 pmI’m with you on green drinks Sus. The kefir gives a really nice consistency. I’ve just published a post on kefir if you’re interested in finding out more.