favorite green smoothie
My favorite green smoothie:
1 banana
1 orange
1 pear
1-2 cups red grapes
Kale - 3-4 medium leaves
tsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
I usually vitamix all the fruit and veggies first (sometimes I add a carrot...) and then there's enough space for the ice. I usually use 12-16 ice cubes.
I've also played with using spinach and broccoli in this smoothie, but I like the Kale the best. If you don't have grapes, you can use grape juice...
The Vita-Mix allows you to keep the whole fruit and veggie, so you get all the fiber and nutrients. :eat
Glad You likeing your borrowed V-M.....now how will you give it up when WxWax gets back home:D:D:D
as I have stated many times before I wash all the fruits and veggies I can in my dishwasher and then with the citrus i taste the rinds prior to the Vita-Mix to see it=f they are tooo bitter to be smoothied.....POMS have a very bitter rind but as with all veggies and fruits that is where all the goodies are....so I just add a little more Stevia Herb and Peppermint....a great way to add sweetness.
Glad You likeing your borrowed V-M.....now how will you give it up when WxWax gets back home:D:D:D
I just made my second smoothie, all fruit, kiwi, banana, strawberry, raspberry and grapes, flip it on and it is done. I wonder how much I can get for my old blender?
PS, nobody remind wxwax that I have his VM, maybe he won't notice it is missing. :patch Where is my economic stimulus check? I could really use it about now. The savings on smoothies will pay for it in no time, plus the added health benefits of eating even more fruits and greens is the biggest bonus.
Do you add whole flaxseeds? I bought some ground flaxseed from Trader Joe's the other night and have been using it.
My first smoothie was more of a dark purple than a green, but it had green goodness in it.
I do add whole flaxseeds, although you could add the flaxmeal just as well. I don't care for the TJ's seeds as they are roasted and have a strong flavor. I just get plain brown flax seeds at Whole Foods.
So the wife and I are enjoying the VitaMix... but have a question. Is the Dry Blade set worth the money for doing other things? We were thinking about hummus and making our own almond butter (after reading the ingredients for the one we purchase - Almonds). The food processor does not quite keep up.
I also have some future travel tips... I did load up on some vegan bars. Pick up some nuts... but the best? staying across the street from a Super Target and an REI I picked up quite a bit of fresh greens that way and went to REI and got some reusable travel utensils and plates. (my motorcycle stuff was at home).
Is there a particular model of Vita-mix that is the one to get, or are any of them great?
I think most of them are very good, but I don't know much about the lineage or older models. I have been borrowing wxwax's 4500 and it works very well. It only has on/off high/low. The newer 5200 has a variable setting which looks very useful. I am looking to get a 5200.
I finally made it through the book ETL. Did y'all know that you can find it at Google Books?
The diet is pretty close to my existing diet, so I figured I'd give a whirl for the six weeks. I was able to start immediately after I polished off the last of a box of kashi crackers. Day two. No major changes yet . I'm currently holding on to about 15 extra pounds. I tend to gain weight while nursing my babies, and hold on to it until they wean. I've always lost it effortlessly within a month of weaning.
My two year old still nurses throughout the day and night with no urge to wean in sight, so I'm curious to see if ETL will have any effect on those few extra pounds. My biggest struggle will be to reduce my grain intake and replace it with salads. I like salads, eat them regularly, but it will be new for me to eat several throughout a day.
Alrighty then .... make way, I'm diving in . Oh, and I'd love to see some more before/during/after pics to keep me encouraged. Can we have show-n-tell?
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BaldyRegistered Users, Super ModeratorsPosts: 2,853moderator
Kind of interesting - now to go read the article...
Ugh. I was a visiting professor at Stanford for a year and learned something really important: you might be at a great university, but if your colleagues have tenure, they can't be fired even if they are hopelessly out of date.
Placing "healthy oils" which have no nutritional benefit at the base of the pyramid makes me pucker. And 2 servings/day of dairy to get your vitamin D? Vitamin D is a supplement that's added to dairy. You can get it from taking a short walk. Grains at the base but legumes above?
I think this essay of Dr. Fuhrman's (who is a lecturer at Cornell) make so much more sense:
In living the Eat For Health plan, you will become a nutritarian and learn to include more nutrient rich foods in your diet. A vegetarian or vegan diet that is plant-based also contains a portfolio of natural substances that have various health advantages, including protection against cancer. I am taking the liberty here to use the words vegan and vegetarian interchangeably, but a vegan diet is one that contains no foods of animal product origin whereas a vegetarian diet may contain some dairy. The advantages of a vegetarian (or vegan) diet are mostly because vegetarians are more likely to consume more vegetables, beans, fruit, nuts, and seeds compared to those eating more conventionally, not simply because they are refraining from meat products. Vegans who live on processed cereals, white flour products, rice, white potato, and processed soy products should not be expected to significantly extend their lifespan because their diet cannot be considered nutrient-rich.
Being a nutritarian differs from being a typical vegetarian because the focus on high-nutrient vegetation improves health dramatically, and one can reduce the level of animal products to a safe level without having to exclude them completely. Without considering nutrient density, a vegetarian diet could be just as bad as one that includes a lot of animal products. A vegan diet is an option for excellent health as long as care is taken to eat healthy, nutrient-rich foods. Making animal products the disease-causation villain while filling up on low-nutrient plant foods or processed soy foods will not suffice to achieve health excellence. The reduction in consumption of animal products is only one important feature of this eating-style, not the focal point. Even though you could consider yourself a nutritarian and vegan, the critical issue for disease reduction is not whether one is a strict vegan or not; the issue is the nutrients per calorie of a given diet.
People advocating a meat-based diet may be able to critique a grain and flour-heavy vegan diet as having metabolic deficiencies, but not a diet that is low in animal products and based on nutrient-dense plant foods. This program contains the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, gleaned from the reduction of animal products, without the risks from all those lower-nutrient, higher-glycemic foods such as sugar, French fries and processed grains.
In addition, you do not have to exclude all animal products from your diet to follow this plan and to receive profound benefits to the health of your blood vessels and the rest of your body. You just have to reduce them to safe levels. Humans are primates, and all other primates eat a diet of predominantly natural vegetation. When the great apes eat animal products, it is a very small percentage of their total caloric intake. Likewise, modern medical studies confirm that in order for humans to maximize their potential for a long, disease-free life, they have to keep animal products to a relatively small percentage as well. Animal products are low in micronutrients, contain almost no antioxidants and phytochemicals, and are rich in calories. Thus, they should be limited for health excellence. We want to thrive in our later years, not just survive long enough to reproduce and then deteriorate.
The main point here that I want to emphasize, as always, is the benefit of nutritional excellence. In the Standard American Diet, less than five percent of the total caloric intake comes from nutrient-rich foods. This dangerously low intake of unrefined plant foods guarantees a weakened immunity to disease, leading to frequent illnesses, and a shorter lifespan. When you eat a truly health-supporting diet, you can expect not only a drop in blood pressure and cholesterol and a reversal of heart disease, but your headaches, constipation, indigestion, and bad breath should all resolve. To achieve this means eating less animal products, processed foods, sugar, and flour, and eating more high-nutrient plant foods and exercising. This lifestyle shift is the key to disease protection in general.
I wanted to thank you again for spreading the word. I weighted in at 175 lbs this morning (down from 219), even Dr. Fuhrman put my ideal weight at 170, so I am very close. I have also been checking my BP and it has dropped from ~130/90 to ~110/70. I have been trying to take the lead and tell others how to do it, sadly there is a lot of resistance. Hopefully they will see the light soon.
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BaldyRegistered Users, Super ModeratorsPosts: 2,853moderator
edited May 23, 2008
Awesome, Patch. Sometimes it takes awhile and some people need to get bad news from the doctor before they get inspired, but I think the word is getting around so we don't sound quite so weird.
Speaking of the word getting out, the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii has an amazing number of videos online:
I watched Dr. Klaper's talk because he's doing a huge vegan health study. It was actually depressing and really reinforced what Dr. Fuhrman had to say: eliminating meat and dairy does not guarantee health. Most vegans get a whole lot more calories from sugar, refined grains, and added oils than they think and as a result are not healthy.
Home made sushi
So this weekend GentlyMad and I decided to be a little more adventorous with our food. GM found a local non chain, "Elia's Mediterranean Cuisine" that looked really good. It was, there was lots and lots of food. We took lots of it home.
I was amazed at how much my palette and tastes have changed, we got a few samplers and I actually enjoyed stuff a few weeks ago I did not like at all.
So then we decided to try our hand at making sushi at home. Some things came out well, somethings no so much. However I got lots of pictures
I ordered my Vita-Mix today. My economic stimulus check should be in the mail, so it should cancel out. I hope to see it soon and then I can return wxwax's vm, using it really did hook me.
Now I need to start saving for a new wardrobe. I had two people last week tell me to get some clothes that fit, plus many people that want to start fattening me up because I look too thin. :bash It took six months to get here I don't feel like going back to old habits.
My husband came home with a Vita-mix 5200 from Costco yesterday! Now we feel like we're part of a club. He made smoothies last night...after struggling with making them last week with our other blender, he declared the VM to be like "buttah"...er, the vegan variety anyway.
Elaine
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
I have been trying to get polycarbonate out of my kitchen and that meant the loss of my giant 32oz cups, but today I found a replacement, a 1 liter glass mug, it should work well for smoothies, but it does get a little heavy, note the AA battery for scale.
Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, pineapple, banana and flaxseed. :eat
Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, pineapple, banana and flaxseed. :eat
You forgot the spinach!
Looks really delicious - especially as I didn't make one this am...but 32 oz at once? Mine would seperate before I got it finished!
You forgot the spinach!
Looks really delicious - especially as I didn't make one this am...but 32 oz at once? Mine would seperate before I got it finished!
I had spinach and broccoli in a salad.
I only drank about 2/3, saved the rest for the AM and it did not separate. One reason I wanted a giant mug was to get the smoothie out of the VM container, so it can be cleaned right away.
On the Fence
For a while now, I've been popping in and out of this thread to read and try to be persuaded, mainly because it seems my regular eating habits aren't that far off. I long ago substituted whole grain for anything "white," get my two dairy in each day, my five fruits and veggies, no red meat, just poultry and pork (I'm not big on fish), and I cook nearly every meal because I work from home and it's easy for me to do. What stops me is what I think of as a "produce rut." I've tried branching out, but my produce knowledge isn't huge, and I have my staples. But eating my limited staples ad nauseum makes me fear I'd get bored with this really quickly.
So I thought I'd ask for recommendations on new produce to try adding to see if that sways me a bit more to this. What I eat regularly (daily/weekly basis) and enjoy are red seedless grapes, apples, bananas, carrots, yams, butternaut squash, onion, garlic, and spinach. Every so often I'll switch up for some cantaloupe, pineapple, and seasonal berries (though I really don't like blueberries and cranberries). I've tried to like brussel sprouts, cucumbers, and celery, but it just isn't happening.
Then go to the produce aisle and get a few things you've never heard of. Look them up when you get back and then find some recipes online.
OR
1) get that book and 2) find an organic veggie box delivery service in your area and try to eat everything in the box. The one for our area is fantastic (http://www.riverford.co.uk/) and they tell us a week in advance what is coming in the box. So I log in, write down what is coming, and then browse my many vegan cookbooks and/or online resources to find the recipes for the week. I've had the chance to try several new things like kohl rabi, purple sprouting broccoli (broccoli rabe in the US I think), various kinds of onions I had never had, etc. Plus, I'm forced to eat at least that many veggies per week (and we just got a bigger box ).
hth
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
...2) find an organic veggie box delivery service in your area and try to eat everything in the box. The one for our area is fantastic (http://www.riverford.co.uk/) and they tell us a week in advance what is coming in the box. ...
hth
Woah, thank you for such a quick reply! I was starting to look into the veggie delivery thing because of Baldy's link to Farm Fresh to You earlier in this thread, but I'm a bit of a newb in this area. I know of several farmers' markets in my area, which is great, but finding the delivery is tough when I'm not certain what I'm looking for.
I've found two CSAs here that offer delivery in the Alexandria, VA, area, but their 2008 seasons are full (makes sense, though that's not something that would have occurred to me!). Anyone have pointers on where else to look, or am I already on the right track?
Thanks for the book recommendation, too. Looks like I'll have plenty of reading ahead of me.
For a while now, I've been popping in and out of this thread to read and try to be persuaded, mainly because it seems my regular eating habits aren't that far off. I long ago substituted whole grain for anything "white," get my two dairy in each day, my five fruits and veggies, no red meat, just poultry and pork (I'm not big on fish), and I cook nearly every meal because I work from home and it's easy for me to do.
Hi Kerry,
Good for you on switching your intake to whole grains and foods and putting in the extra effort to prepare things at home! Are you looking to go full throttle ETL or still seeking inspiration?
Good for you on switching your intake to whole grains and foods and putting in the extra effort to prepare things at home! Are you looking to go full throttle ETL or still seeking inspiration?
Still seeking some inspiration, I'd say. I think being persuaded out of cheese will be the toughest roadblock.
Still seeking some inspiration, I'd say. I think being persuaded out of cheese will be the toughest roadblock.
Have you thought about reading The China Study? There is lots written in there about connections between casein (milk protein - that's what is in cheese) and several forms of cancer. My favorite line from the book is that "cancer is really a fruit and vegetable-deficiency disease".
That book is what convinced me to go full vegan (though I may eat wild fish once or twice a month). The rest of my reading (including Eat To Live) was more about how to be a healthy vegan.
Still seeking some inspiration, I'd say. I think being persuaded out of cheese will be the toughest roadblock.
It's not as bad as you think. I thought it'd be tough too but if I don't keep it in the house then it's never an issue. The cravings go away after a week.
I have to say in Scotland I was very, very good the first few days, but I just wasn't getting enough calories on those lettuce sandwiches. When I finally decided to just eat the ham, cheese, white bread, chips, mayo and everything else just to function then the cravings started coming back. I think I even chased Andy down for one of those shortbread cookies.
I know Baldy talked about that earlier in this thread about how that happens, and it's true! :uhoh
Anyway, sorry for the tangent. I love this time of year because there's farmer's markets everywhere! The big one in Baltimore has me smitten every Sunday. Let us know if you come across any new phenomenal veggies. I could surely use something new, myself.
China Study and ETL are both on their way to my doorstep, since the recommendations for them were so prevalent throughout this thread.
Are soy substitutes for dairy allowed? Because I do like soy milk and could live with that substitution. Soy cheese I'd have to adapt to.
My last big concern is my penchant for Splenda. I use it once a day in the morning in my coffee, and I have not made my tastebuds grow up enough to like it black. I also like a bit of the brown sugar version in my oatmeal. Does anyone here use a natural sweetener for things like this?
...and is there any substitute for sugar-free Jell-O chocolate pudding? :giggle
I'm sure one or both of these books will answer further questions I have about supplements, but any tips from personal experience would be grand.
Comments
My favorite green smoothie:
1 banana
1 orange
1 pear
1-2 cups red grapes
Kale - 3-4 medium leaves
tsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
I usually vitamix all the fruit and veggies first (sometimes I add a carrot...) and then there's enough space for the ice. I usually use 12-16 ice cubes.
I've also played with using spinach and broccoli in this smoothie, but I like the Kale the best. If you don't have grapes, you can use grape juice...
Glad You likeing your borrowed V-M.....now how will you give it up when WxWax gets back home:D:D:D
as I have stated many times before I wash all the fruits and veggies I can in my dishwasher and then with the citrus i taste the rinds prior to the Vita-Mix to see it=f they are tooo bitter to be smoothied.....POMS have a very bitter rind but as with all veggies and fruits that is where all the goodies are....so I just add a little more Stevia Herb and Peppermint....a great way to add sweetness.
I just made my second smoothie, all fruit, kiwi, banana, strawberry, raspberry and grapes, flip it on and it is done.
PS, nobody remind wxwax that I have his VM, maybe he won't notice it is missing. :patch
I do add whole flaxseeds, although you could add the flaxmeal just as well. I don't care for the TJ's seeds as they are roasted and have a strong flavor. I just get plain brown flax seeds at Whole Foods.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Howdy All-
So the wife and I are enjoying the VitaMix... but have a question. Is the Dry Blade set worth the money for doing other things? We were thinking about hummus and making our own almond butter (after reading the ingredients for the one we purchase - Almonds). The food processor does not quite keep up.
I also have some future travel tips... I did load up on some vegan bars. Pick up some nuts... but the best? staying across the street from a Super Target and an REI
Pictures | Website | Blog | Twitter | Contact
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Kind of interesting - now to go read the article...
My Galleries My Photography BLOG
Ramblings About Me
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Elaine Heasley Photography
I think most of them are very good, but I don't know much about the lineage or older models. I have been borrowing wxwax's 4500 and it works very well. It only has on/off high/low. The newer 5200 has a variable setting which looks very useful. I am looking to get a 5200.
The diet is pretty close to my existing diet, so I figured I'd give a whirl for the six weeks. I was able to start immediately after I polished off the last of a box of kashi crackers. Day two. No major changes yet
My two year old still nurses throughout the day and night with no urge to wean in sight, so I'm curious to see if ETL will have any effect on those few extra pounds. My biggest struggle will be to reduce my grain intake and replace it with salads. I like salads, eat them regularly, but it will be new for me to eat several throughout a day.
Alrighty then .... make way, I'm diving in
Ugh. I was a visiting professor at Stanford for a year and learned something really important: you might be at a great university, but if your colleagues have tenure, they can't be fired even if they are hopelessly out of date.
Placing "healthy oils" which have no nutritional benefit at the base of the pyramid makes me pucker. And 2 servings/day of dairy to get your vitamin D? Vitamin D is a supplement that's added to dairy. You can get it from taking a short walk. Grains at the base but legumes above?
I think this essay of Dr. Fuhrman's (who is a lecturer at Cornell) make so much more sense:
I wanted to thank you again for spreading the word. I weighted in at 175 lbs this morning (down from 219), even Dr. Fuhrman put my ideal weight at 170, so I am very close.
Speaking of the word getting out, the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii has an amazing number of videos online:
http://www.vsh.org/videos.htm
I watched Dr. Klaper's talk because he's doing a huge vegan health study. It was actually depressing and really reinforced what Dr. Fuhrman had to say: eliminating meat and dairy does not guarantee health. Most vegans get a whole lot more calories from sugar, refined grains, and added oils than they think and as a result are not healthy.
So this weekend GentlyMad and I decided to be a little more adventorous with our food. GM found a local non chain, "Elia's Mediterranean Cuisine" that looked really good. It was, there was lots and lots of food. We took lots of it home.
I was amazed at how much my palette and tastes have changed, we got a few samplers and I actually enjoyed stuff a few weeks ago I did not like at all.
So then we decided to try our hand at making sushi at home. Some things came out well, somethings no so much. However I got lots of pictures
The gallery is at http://bradfordbenn.smugmug.com/gallery/5028155_uc3F4
Not a bad night, this morning was some great McBean muffins
Pictures | Website | Blog | Twitter | Contact
Now I need to start saving for a new wardrobe. I had two people last week tell me to get some clothes that fit, plus many people that want to start fattening me up because I look too thin. :bash It took six months to get here I don't feel like going back to old habits.
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Elaine Heasley Photography
Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, pineapple, banana and flaxseed. :eat
You forgot the spinach!
Looks really delicious - especially as I didn't make one this am...but 32 oz at once? Mine would seperate before I got it finished!
My Galleries My Photography BLOG
Ramblings About Me
I had spinach and broccoli in a salad.
I only drank about 2/3, saved the rest for the AM and it did not separate.
For a while now, I've been popping in and out of this thread to read and try to be persuaded, mainly because it seems my regular eating habits aren't that far off. I long ago substituted whole grain for anything "white," get my two dairy in each day, my five fruits and veggies, no red meat, just poultry and pork (I'm not big on fish), and I cook nearly every meal because I work from home and it's easy for me to do. What stops me is what I think of as a "produce rut." I've tried branching out, but my produce knowledge isn't huge, and I have my staples. But eating my limited staples ad nauseum makes me fear I'd get bored with this really quickly.
So I thought I'd ask for recommendations on new produce to try adding to see if that sways me a bit more to this. What I eat regularly (daily/weekly basis) and enjoy are red seedless grapes, apples, bananas, carrots, yams, butternaut squash, onion, garlic, and spinach. Every so often I'll switch up for some cantaloupe, pineapple, and seasonal berries (though I really don't like blueberries and cranberries). I've tried to like brussel sprouts, cucumbers, and celery, but it just isn't happening.
What else should I try?
Then go to the produce aisle and get a few things you've never heard of. Look them up when you get back and then find some recipes online.
OR
1) get that book and 2) find an organic veggie box delivery service in your area and try to eat everything in the box. The one for our area is fantastic (http://www.riverford.co.uk/) and they tell us a week in advance what is coming in the box. So I log in, write down what is coming, and then browse my many vegan cookbooks and/or online resources to find the recipes for the week. I've had the chance to try several new things like kohl rabi, purple sprouting broccoli (broccoli rabe in the US I think), various kinds of onions I had never had, etc. Plus, I'm forced to eat at least that many veggies per week (and we just got a bigger box
hth
http://photos.mikelanestudios.com/
Woah, thank you for such a quick reply!
I've found two CSAs here that offer delivery in the Alexandria, VA, area, but their 2008 seasons are full (makes sense, though that's not something that would have occurred to me!). Anyone have pointers on where else to look, or am I already on the right track?
Thanks for the book recommendation, too. Looks like I'll have plenty of reading ahead of me.
Hi Kerry,
Good for you on switching your intake to whole grains and foods and putting in the extra effort to prepare things at home! Are you looking to go full throttle ETL or still seeking inspiration?
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
Still seeking some inspiration, I'd say. I think being persuaded out of cheese will be the toughest roadblock.
If you want some inspiration, then I suggest you read The China Study and Eat For Health.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Have you thought about reading The China Study? There is lots written in there about connections between casein (milk protein - that's what is in cheese) and several forms of cancer. My favorite line from the book is that "cancer is really a fruit and vegetable-deficiency disease".
That book is what convinced me to go full vegan (though I may eat wild fish once or twice a month). The rest of my reading (including Eat To Live) was more about how to be a healthy vegan.
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It's not as bad as you think. I thought it'd be tough too but if I don't keep it in the house then it's never an issue. The cravings go away after a week.
I have to say in Scotland I was very, very good the first few days, but I just wasn't getting enough calories on those lettuce sandwiches. When I finally decided to just eat the ham, cheese, white bread, chips, mayo and everything else just to function then the cravings started coming back. I think I even chased Andy down for one of those shortbread cookies.
I know Baldy talked about that earlier in this thread about how that happens, and it's true! :uhoh
Anyway, sorry for the tangent. I love this time of year because there's farmer's markets everywhere! The big one in Baltimore has me smitten every Sunday.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
Are soy substitutes for dairy allowed? Because I do like soy milk and could live with that substitution. Soy cheese I'd have to adapt to.
My last big concern is my penchant for Splenda. I use it once a day in the morning in my coffee, and I have not made my tastebuds grow up enough to like it black. I also like a bit of the brown sugar version in my oatmeal. Does anyone here use a natural sweetener for things like this?
...and is there any substitute for sugar-free Jell-O chocolate pudding? :giggle
I'm sure one or both of these books will answer further questions I have about supplements, but any tips from personal experience would be grand.