You see a smooth glass of olive-green goodness, sprinkled on top with a confetti of finely chopped chives, and garnished with a lightly grilled mussel on the rim. Tiny droplets of olive oil adorn the surface with a glossy sheen.

Smoky Mussel Manhattan Morning Smoothie

Name: Smoky Mussel Manhattan Morning Smoothie
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: fresh and cleaned mussels, 30 cleaned; fresh spinach, 2 cups no special prep; large cucumber, 1 peeled and sliced; lemon, 1 juiced and zested; fresh dill, 1 bunch no special prep; smoked paprika, 1 tsp no special prep; greek yogurt, 1 cup no special prep; chives, 2 tbs finely chopped; extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs no special prep; salt, to taste no special prep

Category Smoothie

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 5 minutes

Style American

Technique Steaming

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily Recipe: September 19, 2023

Embrace uniqueness with this intriguing mélange of flavors – a smoky mussel smoothie! Who said smoothies have to be sweet? The key ingredient here is mussels which give the smoothie a deep, salty marine flavor. To balance and enhance this, we include savory vegetables, aromatic herbs, and tangy citrus. Yes, it's unconventional, but why bar seafood from the breakfast table when it can be this scrumptious and nutritious!

Ingredients (for 4)

Fresh and cleaned mussels - 30 - cleaned
Fresh spinach - 2 cups - no special prep
Large cucumber - 1 - peeled and sliced
Lemon - 1 - juiced and zested
Fresh dill - 1 bunch - no special prep
Smoked paprika - 1 tsp - no special prep
Greek yogurt - 1 cup - no special prep
Chives - 2 tbs - finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbs - no special prep
Salt - to taste - no special prep

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍲🔥🕓

Place the mussels in a pot of boiling water. Steam them until they open, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let them cool.
Step 2 - 🐚❄️➡️

Once the mussels are cooled, separate them from their shells. Keep 4 mussels aside for garnishing later.
Step 3 - 🥒🍋🌿🔪🥤

In a blender, add the mussels, fresh spinach, cucumber slices, lemon juice and zest, fresh dill, smoked paprika, Greek yogurt and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
Step 4 - 🥤👅🧂

Taste the blended mix and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add more salt to suit your taste.
Step 5 - 🥤👭👫🎩

Carefully pour the smoothie into 4 different glasses. Drizzle a touch of olive oil over each.
Step 6 - ✂️🌿🐚⏳

Chop the chives finely and garnish the smoothies with them. Place the reserved mussels on the rim of each glass. Your Smoky Mussel Manhattan Morning Smoothie is now ready to enjoy!

Additional

This recipe is a truly astonishing way to start your day with a dose of lean protein from mussels and Greek yogurt, as well as vitamins from veggies. For variations, you could swap out spinach for kale or mussels for clams. Kids can assist by helping to wash the produce or shell the cooked mussels. A great way to get them interested in their seafood greens!