Smoothies aren't so bad.

[nuttytwo]

Now that the divorce is over I am doing a major overhaul of my health. Had a cart full of great vegetables and going to eliminate gluten, think maybe my love of bread is giving me stomach issues. While going shopping I know I had a scowl on my face looking at all that junk food....LOL.. smoothie recipes to share?

[Blonde Granny]

One of my favorites: 1/4 C strawberries, 1/2 C non-fat cottage cheese and enough Crystal Lite drink to cover all the stuff in the Ninja.  I blend it about 15-20 seconds and it's ready to go.

I do have a Vitamix and sometimes I'll add veggies that are reaching their point of needing to be tossed, so those go in too.

[nuttytwo]

My first one (just in a regular blender) was frozen mango, banana and kale and i have to say it was not too bad.

[Deleted]

I don't measure, but the one I usually make has kale or spinach, blueberries, banana (to make it taste better. I use to use pineapple but I think I've developed an allergy or something to pineapple  ), a few walnuts, flax seeds and gogi berries if I have some, and Apple juice. Most of those ingredients, I chose for specific reasons that I've forgotten by now lol. I don't like the "green" taste, so the fruit is a must to me, to make it taste good.

[sapphire12]

Fruit smoothie: 2cups oj, 2 bananas, large spoonful of each: peaches, pineapples, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, flax seed and blend.

2 cups almond milk, 1 banana, vanilla, cinnamon.

[nuttytwo]

Yes, I did add ground flaxseed. Maybe I will become a super human eating all these "superfoods"

[ArchietheDragon]

Glad to hear you are making this change.   Gluten will kill you. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I guess I just don't understand the smoothie kick.  If I'm going to eat fruit, I'll eat fruit.  Same with veggies.  I don't need to hide veggies with fruit.  We have a pretty healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits and veggies in it.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 4, 2016 11:12:16 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

I guess I just don't understand the smoothie kick.  If I'm going to eat fruit, I'll eat fruit.  Same with veggies.  I don't need to hide veggies with fruit.  We have a pretty healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits and veggies in it.

ITA. DH and I laugh hysterically at the TV commercial for some blender that claims to extract the nutrients from food.

Because apparently the human digestive system doesn't/can't/won't. (Insert eye roll)

[ArchietheDragon]

One of my favorite smoothies..    you won't get your kale from this one, but it tastes damn good.


The Jumpin’ Monkey



Serves 2



2 very ripe bananas, cut into chunks and frozen

2 two-ounce shots of espresso (or about 4 ounces very strong coffee), cooled

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt

6 ounces milk

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

[greeniis10]

Apr 4, 2016 13:07:52 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

One of my favorite smoothies..    you won't get your kale from this one, but it tastes damn good.


The Jumpin’ Monkey



Serves 2



2 very ripe bananas, cut into chunks and frozen

2 two-ounce shots of espresso (or about 4 ounces very strong coffee), cooled

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt

6 ounces milk

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Disappointed. Given the name I was certain this would involve alcohol.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Why the kale hate?

It is absolutely yummy (and healthy!) sautéed in EVOO with garlic and a sprinkle of freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan. (Drool)

Can't we all just get along...with kale?

[ArchietheDragon]

Apr 4, 2016 13:14:24 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Why the kale hate?

It is absolutely yummy (and healthy!) sautéed in EVOO with garlic and a sprinkle of freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan. (Drool)

Can't we all just get along...with kale?

I think you are projecting kale hate.     


Were you referring to my post?   

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 4, 2016 13:14:24 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Why the kale hate?

It is absolutely yummy (and healthy!) sautéed in EVOO with garlic and a sprinkle of freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan. (Drool)

Can't we all just get along...with kale?

I don't like kale.  There are other greens I do like, so don't feel I need to eat it to be healthy.

We got it in about 6 of our CSA boxes last year, so I cooked it in various ways.  I'll eat it, but not choose to eat it with other options.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 4, 2016 9:58:49 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Glad to hear you are making this change.   Gluten will kill you. 

Except for the gluten in Pepe's pizza.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Apr 4, 2016 13:16:44 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Apr 4, 2016 13:14:24 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Why the kale hate?

It is absolutely yummy (and healthy!) sautéed in EVOO with garlic and a sprinkle of freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan. (Drool)

Can't we all just get along...with kale?

I think you are projecting kale hate.     


Were you referring to my post?   

Yup.

That's me. "GRG, kale hate projector."

It was just how you worded your post. I know you're at work and all, but try and write more carefully-worded posts so people don't mistakenly project kale hate.

[Tiny]

Apr 4, 2016 13:14:24 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Why the kale hate?

It is absolutely yummy (and healthy!) sautéed in EVOO with garlic and a sprinkle of freshly-grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan. (Drool)

Can't we all just get along...with kale?

I like kale, blueberry, walnut salad -  basically Kale washed and strip from the stems and hand torn into bite sized bits - massaged with 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for two minutes.    Then add blueberries and walnuts and maybe a bit if EVOO...   you can substitute in raspberries or almonds.  You can add feta cheese.  You could also toss in lentils (with vinegrette already on them).     LOVE kale and Brussel sprouts with evoo, garlic and perconino Ramano or parmesan.

Kale is yummy...  why would you want to 'hide' it in a calorie laden sweet mash up of fruit and diary   OK, maybe the drinks aren't calorie laden (I see people at work drink this stuff in 16 ounce plus sized cups....) but still... why the need to hide yummy kale (and spinach) ?

FWIW:  I try not to drink calories - I'd prefer to eat them.  drinking stuff doesn't make me feel full or healthy.. it just makes me feel 'hungry' for something... like something I need to chew.  

[ArchietheDragon]

Apr 4, 2016 13:21:48 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Apr 4, 2016 13:16:44 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

I think you are projecting kale hate.     


Were you referring to my post?   

Yup.

That's me. "GRG, kale hate projector."

It was just how you worded your post. I know you're at work and all, but try and write more carefully-worded posts so people don't mistakenly project kale hate.

ROFL.   I will keep the pro kale contingency front and center in my thoughts from now on.   By the way, I support kale, just not in smoothies.  Although my wife roasts it, then freezes it, then adds it to smoothies and it it fine.  But that is a lot of work to add kale to smoothies. 


Experience, Knowledge, Common Sense, Pro Kale. 

[nuttytwo]

I personally am not making smoothies to avoid actually picking up a fruit and eating it because by gum I am eating an unsmoothied apple right now. I like them because I can blend a few of my faves together and have a whole 'nother taste. I am surprised you can't see that, seems obvious. I also saute kale and make kale chips so I am not just making smoothies to hide taste either. Sometimes it's nice to have a nice cool smoothie to slide down your throat. 

I also like the pretty colors that they make too.

[quince]

Bad Smoothie:

1/2 banana
1 tsp Penzeys hot cocoa powder
8 oz low sugar almond milk
2-3 tbsp peanut butter
ice

Num.

Spinach can be added to any smoothie in reasonable amounts without hurting the taste. Kale needs a lighter hand and usually a sweet fruit juice to offset. The colors can be unpleasant. My son has a high tolerance for green tasting smoothies- he'll drink it even if it tastes like lawn clippings to me.

[bobosensei]

I do smoothies in the morning in warm weather because I am not a big breakfast person so this helps me eat.  I usually do a very ripe banana, 2 cups of spinach (I prefer it to kale in smoothies), and a serving of frozen fruit.  I used to also put chia seeds in them, but I recently switched to adding a half cup of unseasoned beans that I cook from dry.  They add protein and fiber to keep me fuller than the chia seeds.  I only put water in my smoothies too.  DH puts milk in his, but I don't like how it alters the taste.  

I know the beans sound gross, but you can't taste them.  I can get 30 grams of fiber in my morning meal that I otherwise would never be able to get in the morning.  Plus I can drink it in the car on the way to school or work.

[Peace77]

Apr 4, 2016 13:41:56 GMT -5 quince said:

Bad Smoothie:

1/2 banana
1 tsp Penzeys hot cocoa powder
8 oz low sugar almond milk
2-3 tbsp peanut butter
ice

Num.

Spinach can be added to any smoothie in reasonable amounts without hurting the taste. Kale needs a lighter hand and usually a sweet fruit juice to offset. The colors can be unpleasant. My son has a high tolerance for green tasting smoothies- he'll drink it even if it tastes like lawn clippings to me.

Why is this recipe called bad?    It looks good to me.

[Ryan]

This really isn't a tropical smoothie, but this is what I have in the mornings.

-Roughly 1 cup of almond milk.
-1 scoop vanilla protein powder.
-Half a banana
-Dab of vanilla extract
-Few ice cubes.
-1 oreo cookie

I wanted something that had a mix of protein/carbs, but I never thought mixing in a lot of fruits really was giving me all that great of a taste when you have protein powder in there.  Although the oreo doesn't make it quite as healthy, it is a game changer when it comes to taste.  

I don't have a problem with fruits/veggies though.  I'd rather eat them raw then put them into a drink, but that's me.

[Deleted]

Apr 4, 2016 11:12:16 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

I guess I just don't understand the smoothie kick.  If I'm going to eat fruit, I'll eat fruit.  Same with veggies.  I don't need to hide veggies with fruit.  We have a pretty healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits and veggies in it.

Vegetables aren't my favorite thing to eat. If I do eat them, it definitely won't be raw, it will be cooked, preferably with some stuff that's not so good for me but makes them taste a lot better. I'm not a big fan of fruit either.

I started trying to improve my diet a couple years ago, but I still had trouble trying to make myself eat enough green vegetables and fruit ( or any). So I started making smoothies.

You like fruits and vegetables, so you eat them. I don't like them even though I know I should eat them, so I do what works for me to get some in my system. Make sense?

[Ombud]

Apr 4, 2016 13:05:00 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Apr 4, 2016 11:12:16 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

I guess I just don't understand the smoothie kick.  If I'm going to eat fruit, I'll eat fruit.  Same with veggies.  I don't need to hide veggies with fruit.  We have a pretty healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits and veggies in it.

ITA. DH and I laugh hysterically at the TV commercial for some blender that claims to extract the nutrients from food.

Because apparently the human digestive system doesn't/can't/won't. (Insert eye roll)

Can I pile on with the eye roll? Went back to weight watchers (gonna leave) and they tried to 'educate' me that by making a smoothie with whole produce I was removing the fiber! How so?

[milee]

Apr 5, 2016 9:41:17 GMT -5 Ombud said:

Apr 4, 2016 13:05:00 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

ITA. DH and I laugh hysterically at the TV commercial for some blender that claims to extract the nutrients from food.

Because apparently the human digestive system doesn't/can't/won't. (Insert eye roll)

Can I pile on with the eye roll? Went back to weight watchers (gonna leave) and they tried to 'educate' me that by making a smoothie with whole produce I was removing the fiber! How so?

Not at all defending WW here (I don't know anything about that program so don't know if it's good, bad or otherwise), but wondering if there was possibly a misunderstanding there.  Obviously, if you're just using whole produce blended up you aren't removing fiber.  The reference to removing fiber might be for all the people who are adding juice to their smoothies in addition to the whole produce.  Juice - and it's pretty common in smoothie recipes - adds quite a bit of calories and sugar without the fiber.  So for people looking to use smoothies to lose weight, adding juice isn't a good idea.... possibly that's what the person was referencing and it got lost in translation somehow.

[tloonya]

Apr 3, 2016 19:53:32 GMT -5 nuttytwo said:

Now that the divorce is over I am doing a major overhaul of my health. Had a cart full of great vegetables and going to eliminate gluten, think maybe my love of bread is giving me stomach issues. While going shopping I know I had a scowl on my face looking at all that junk food....LOL.. smoothie recipes to share?

Please, don't go gluten free if you weren't told by doctor you should.

And mixed frozen fruits are the way to go! With yogurt if you are into it.

We used kale, granny smith apple, kiwi, strawberry...after a few days my

body whisper to me 'please, stop and I will never ask for food again'...

and this is how I lost 75lb.

[ArchietheDragon]

Apr 5, 2016 10:27:29 GMT -5 tloonya said:

Apr 3, 2016 19:53:32 GMT -5 nuttytwo said:

Now that the divorce is over I am doing a major overhaul of my health. Had a cart full of great vegetables and going to eliminate gluten, think maybe my love of bread is giving me stomach issues. While going shopping I know I had a scowl on my face looking at all that junk food....LOL.. smoothie recipes to share?

Please, don't go gluten free if you weren't told by doctor you should.

And mixed frozen fruits are the way to go! With yogurt if you are into it.

We used kale, granny smith apple, kiwi, strawberry...after a few days my

body whisper to me 'please, stop and I will never ask for food again'...

and this is how I lost 75lb.

no more kabooze

[tloonya]

Apr 5, 2016 10:28:24 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Apr 5, 2016 10:27:29 GMT -5 tloonya said:

Please, don't go gluten free if you weren't told by doctor you should.

And mixed frozen fruits are the way to go! With yogurt if you are into it.

We used kale, granny smith apple, kiwi, strawberry...after a few days my

body whisper to me 'please, stop and I will never ask for food again'...

and this is how I lost 75lb.

no more kabooze

Whatever is left behind there...naah...I don't even now what is the name for it anymore...

[Ombud]

Apr 5, 2016 9:53:07 GMT -5 milee said:

Apr 5, 2016 9:41:17 GMT -5 Ombud said:

Can I pile on with the eye roll? Went back to weight watchers (gonna leave) and they tried to 'educate' me that by making a smoothie with whole produce I was removing the fiber! How so?

Not at all defending WW here (I don't know anything about that program so don't know if it's good, bad or otherwise), but wondering if there was possibly a misunderstanding there.  Obviously, if you're just using whole produce blended up you aren't removing fiber.  The reference to removing fiber might be for all the people who are adding juice to their smoothies in addition to the whole produce.  Juice - and it's pretty common in smoothie recipes - adds quite a bit of calories and sugar without the fiber.  So for people looking to use smoothies to lose weight, adding juice isn't a good idea.... possibly that's what the person was referencing and it got lost in translation somehow.

That's what I thought first but supposedly by blending it up you take away part of the energy it takes to grind it up making it less filling / higher points