This Fennel and Pear Smoothie recipe is one of my favourite fall/winter smoothies. The liquorice-like flavour of the fennel combines beautifully with the sweetness of the pears and makes this a quite unusual flavour combination.
Not only does it taste delicious but is also super healthy. It’s packed with fibre and rich in antioxidants such as Vitamin C. Smoothies are a great way to sneak a few more vegetables into your kid’s and your own diet.
What is fennel and how to buy it?
Fennel is a celery-like winter vegetable with an interesting liquorice-like flavour. It is related to other stalk vegetables such as celery and parsnips. The entire fennel bulb, including seeds, stalk, and leaves are edible.
Fennel is recognized by its white bulb and long green stalks. When you buy fennel you want to make sure that the bulb is white, without any brown spots. The greens that look similar to dill should be nicely bundled and not flowering.
The fennel bulb can stay in the refrigerator for about four to five days. It tends to lose flavour over time, therefore should be eaten within a few days.
The seeds are commonly dried and used as a spice or to prepare fennel tea.
How to use fennel?
To prepare the fennel bulb, first cut the stalks off the bulb where they sprout. Then slice the bulb vertically into thin slices depending on the recipe you choose.
- using the stalks as a soup base or stock
- sautéing the leaves and stalks with onions for a quick and easy side
- mixing sliced fennel with a variety of your favourite fresh vegetables for a light, crisp salad
- serving roasted fennel bulbs as an entrée
- smoothies and smoothie bowls
I like serving it as a side mixed with onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and various spices.
Benefits of fennel
- Fennel is known for its ability to ease digestion. Since fennel contains 7 grams of dietary fibre (1), it can help maintain a healthy digestive system. The muscles in the digestive system need dietary fibre to provide bulk for the gastrointestinal muscles to push against and increase motility or movement. Because digestive problems like constipation are common in adults, fennel makes a great addition to any diet. Additionally, fibre acts like a small brush as it moves through the digestive system, clearing the colon of toxins that could potentially cause colon cancer. Fennel itself can act as a laxative, helping with the elimination of toxins.
- On my travels through India, I noticed people chewing fennel seeds after meals to help digestion and eliminate bad breath. Some of the oils found in fennel help stimulate the secretion of digestive juices.
- Fennel may also be beneficial for people suffering from acid reflux.
- Raw fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential to build collagen, the support system of the skin. It also works as an antioxidant to help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin C also promotes the ability of collagen to smooth wrinkles and improve the overall texture of the skin, read more about it in my article How To Nourish Your Skin From Within.
How to make a Fennel and Pear Smoothie?
It is really as easy as washing the ingredients, chopping them into big chunks and adding them to your blender. Then simply blend the ingredients until they are beautifully smooth.
I use an Optimum Vac2 Air Vacuum Blender which removes all the air from the jug before it starts blending to preserve the nutrients for longer. In the video below I prepare one fennel and pear smoothie with the vacuum function being turned on and one without and the difference is huge.
The Fennel and Pear Smoothie that was blended under a vacuum doesn’t separate or change colour like the second one does because all the oxygen has been removed first.
I have written a full review of the Optimum Vac2 Air Vacuum Blender if you would like to find out more about it.
Other Smoothie recipes you might like
Best Energy Boosting Green Smoothie
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Your turn
Have you tried fennel before? What’s your favourite winter smoothie? Let me know, I’m looking forward to reading your comments.
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Fennel and Pear Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 bulb fennel raw, roots removed and cut into chunks
- 2 pears deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 1/4 cup coconut water
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until you achieve a smooth consistency. ( I use this vacuum blender)
Video
Nutrition
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