How do you create a smoothy?

[NikolaeVarius]

Yup.
Will you sit down and willingly eat a small salad of Kale, plus a pile of fruit every day? If so, then there is little benefit to you. If not, and by "eat food" you mean eat preprocessed crap food, then a smoothie is an easy way to consume healthy stuff without all the mastication and forcing down.

Eating food is often a chore. If it is easy, it is probably unhealthy (fast food, pre-processed food, cereal, etc.). It gets tiring cooking healthy meals for every meal. A smoothie is actually kind of a shortcut.

Yes. I do it all the time. It's extremely easy. I prepackage a weeks worth of healthy food at a time and eat them as I go along. Takes an hour on sunday and 3 minutes a day to either nuke or pour out into a bowl.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yes. I do it all the time. It's extremely easy. I prepackage a weeks worth of healthy food at a time and eat them as I go along. Takes an hour on sunday and 3 minutes a day to either nuke or pour out into a bowl.

My wife does that too. Premakes all these salads and other healthy meals on the weekend. It takes planning but it can be done.

 

[Ksyder]

I dont understand the smoothie or healthy shake thing. Why not just eat food? unless you have no teeth, or have no mobillity of the mouth and have to be on a liquid diet, why?

Easy way to eat veggies (greens) without having to cook them, tastes good, can tailor to your specific needs, can take with you on the go, that sort of thing. Not a great meal replacement but is helpful and convenient when you need it.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Will you sit down and willingly eat a small salad of Kale, plus a pile of fruit every day? If so, then there is little benefit to you. If not, and by "eat food" you mean eat preprocessed crap food, then a smoothie is an easy way to consume healthy stuff without all the mastication and forcing down.

Eating food is often a chore. If it is easy, it is probably unhealthy (fast food, pre-processed food, cereal, etc.). It gets tiring cooking healthy meals for every meal. A smoothie is actually kind of a shortcut.

Kale essentially tastes like cabbage, I could eat that up.
As far as fruit goes, I eat fruit daily, it is easy, and tasty.

Veggies and Fruit are the easiest things to eat, many require no prep, many no cooking, just eat.

Things that are unhealthy tend to require the microwave ...

 

[Kaido]

That's actually a very cool (pun intended) idea and huge time saver especially in the morning. Might have to start batch freezin' things.

Sam's Club (etc.) sells jumbo packs of those freezer bags, saves some money that way. Surprisingly, greens freeze pretty well (as long as you're not like thawing them for a salad, haha). I have stuff like kale, chard, and spinach in my smoothie mix bags.

 

[Kaido]

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who is a member and where I live I have to fight so much traffic to get to my closest Costco it wasn't worth me losing my sanity to save the money.

If Costco is a pain, Amazon just introduced Prime Pantry, which lets you get a 40-pound box of stuff for a $6 shipping charge:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pantry/info

My local grocery store does $7 delivery as well - I did the free trial for a delivery & it worked out pretty well, although Amazon has a lot more of the weird stuff like chia seeds & whatnot than most grocery stores do.

 

[Kaido]

That's actually a great idea. Would need to clear off some freezer shelf space from the frozen garbage my daughter and step daughter eats. Maybe I'll be able to convert my family over to eating healthy with me? What size freezer bags are you using Kaido?

I use the gallon bags because the greens can take up a bit of space, it's easier to fit everything in that way & then smoosh it down. A large bag compacts down into a smaller liquid amount anyway. The quart bags are a little too small once you load the up with ingredients & try to press the air out.

The key with converting your family is to make it taste good, that's why I recommend starting out by following existing recipes (go for the ones with 4 or 5 stars). You can just throw things together, but then it just tastes like blended food rather than a specific flavor, you know? If it tastes good, people will eat it, no matter how bad (or good) it is for them (re: McDonalds). There's a really good "google search for recipes website called Yummly that can pull down whatever you're looking for: (with pictures!)

http://www.yummly.com/recipes?q=smoothies

 

[Kaido]

I dont understand the smoothie or healthy shake thing. Why not just eat food? unless you have no teeth, or have no mobillity of the mouth and have to be on a liquid diet, why?

It's just something different, and sometimes it's fun to drink something rather than eat something, especially if you want a snack between meals, or if you had a huge breakfast and want to grab a protein shake or whatever. I don't really know anyone who drinks smoothies every meal...

 

[poofyhairguy]

Kale essentially tastes like cabbage, I could eat that up.
As far as fruit goes, I eat fruit daily, it is easy, and tasty.

Veggies and Fruit are the easiest things to eat, many require no prep, many no cooking, just eat. .

True, but they rarely make meals onto themselves unless you eat a lot. The backbone of the smoothie the the protein powder, that is where you get the longevity from.

Plus the smoothie can be a way to sneak other things into your diet that few people eat by themselves- chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, etc. You could eat it all on a salad, but with a smoothie it is automatic.

I mean, someone could eat all that without smoothies. My wife does it. But if you are nutritionally handicap like I am just throwing a bunch of the same stuff in a blender takes the thinking out of a balanced diet.

 

[Kaido]

Kaido. The mason jar idea is great because I have a dozen 8oz jars and ordered a dozen 16oz jars a while back so now I have a perfect way to use them. Like you I need to find shelf space as my kitchen is dreadfully small.

I use mason jars for everything, it looks like Duck Dynasty at my house :biggrin: Did you know you can retrofit a lot of blenders with mason jars for single-serve smoothies?

http://www.thekitchn.com/video-do-y...d-a-blender-video-tips-from-the-kitchn-203480

Anyway, I only buy the wide-mouth jars because it's easier to get my hand & my measuring spoons in there. They also make great cups for drinking, even though they look pretty redneck (but I am from the south, so it's okay ). I also use them for really random stuff like pen jars (the 16-ounce jars with the plastic screw-on lids, so stuff doesn't fall out if it gets knocked over by kids or pets), keeping band-aids in, storing batteries on top of the fridge, etc. Kinda drives my wife nuts, but it's easy access, so it works :thumbsup:

As far as organization goes, Pinterest has some neat ideas:

https://www.pinterest.com/diyboards/diy-kitchen-organization/

I like this spice rack concept (but larger, for mason jars) because it's (1) thin, and (2) you can see the labels so you know which one to grab:

http://ninered.blogspot.com/2010/04/spice-rack-update.html

 

[Kaido]

Eating food is often a chore. If it is easy, it is probably unhealthy (fast food, pre-processed food, cereal, etc.). It gets tiring cooking healthy meals for every meal. A smoothie is actually kind of a shortcut.

On a tangent, I have my first batch of Soylent coming in this week. The version 1.3 update has no gluten (not certified GF, due to the possibility of cross-contamination with the oat flour, but fine if you have an intolerance like me) or dairy in it (it's also vegan & kosher for those who care). My buddy has been living on it for breakfast & lunch for about a year now & says it works great - keeps his weight in check, removes hunger, and he can throw in some PB or a banana or whatever to flavor it up a bit as necessary.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

On a tangent, I have my first batch of Soylent coming in this week. The version 1.3 update has no gluten or dairy in it (it's also vegan & kosher for those who care). My buddy has been living on it for breakfast & lunch for about a year now & says it works great - keeps his weight in check, removes hunger, and he can throw in some PB or a banana or whatever to flavor it up a bit as necessary.

Vegan/Organic/Kosher/Gluten-Free/GMO-Free/Allergen-Free/Etc.
Soylent 1.3 certifications:

GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe -- by the FDA) Yes
GMP-certified facility Yes
Vegan Yes
Certified Kosher (Star-K) Yes, but not does not yet carry the Star-K mark
Organic No
GMO-free No
Allergen-free No– contains soy and gluten
Gluten-free No

Wat

 

[Kaido]

Vegan/Organic/Kosher/Gluten-Free/GMO-Free/Allergen-Free/Etc.
Soylent 1.3 certifications:

GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe -- by the FDA) Yes
GMP-certified facility Yes
Vegan Yes
Certified Kosher (Star-K) Yes, but not does not yet carry the Star-K mark
Organic No
GMO-free No
Allergen-free No– contains soy and gluten
Gluten-free No

Wat

Read up: (I should have clarified, it's GF enough for me, i.e. made on shared equipment is OK for my sensitivity level)

http://blog.soylent.me/post/104937168407/soylent-1-3-shipping-today-we-are-pleased-to

Regarding Gluten

Making Soylent free of all major allergens has been a priority since conception. While no ingredient in Soylent 1.3 naturally contains gluten, our oat flour is produced in a facility that also processes wheat products. Even with an allergen containment program in place, Soylent contains gluten at a concentration greater than 5 parts-per-million, the upper limit for gluten free certification from the Celiac Support Association.

The cross-contamination challenges of oats are significant. From the farms where they are grown, the containers in which they are transported, and the facilities that process them, oats have numerous opportunities to come into contact with surfaces shared with wheat, barley and rye. Certified gluten free oat flour has proven extremely challenging to source at scale, and several promising alternatives to oat flour are currently under examination. We look forward to releasing a future Soylent update which is certified gluten free.

So in a nutshell, there are 2 kinds of gluten allergies:

1. Celiacs (hardcore)
2. Intolerance (just makes you sick but not die)

There's a certain PPM that gluten-free certifications have to meet before it's considered GF; the majority of people don't react to those levels (like for distilled vinegars made from grains containing gluten). In addition to that, there's an issue with cross-contamination in the processing of the grains. For example, I'm gluten intolerant, but if it's made on shared equipment, it doesn't bother me - only if I actually eat a piece of bread or something. I can tolerate vinegars as well just fine.

Soylent's current hurdle for getting full GF certification is the oat flour, which is really hard to get from a certified gluten-free facility in bulk apparently, so they're looking at alternative ingredients that match the nutritional profile of the oat flour. Technically, there are zero ingredients in Soylent 1.3 that naturally contain gluten, just the risk of cross-contamination, which is a problem for people with Celiacs and an extreme gluten sensitivity. So ingredient-wise it's gluten-free, but due to shared equipment, very sensitive people have to be careful of it & should wait for a certified GF Soylent release, or go the DIY route. Their competitor Ambronite is apparently gluten-free as well:

http://time.com/2852645/soylent-has-some-competition-and-we-taste-tested-it/

So anyway, that's the status of the gluten-free stuff: don't eat it if you react to shared equipment, or go the DIY route or with a competitor in the meantime if you want to try it.

 

[vailr]

especially to keep the out of the light since they're clear glass. They do come in a cool blue color now too!

Ball Heritage Collection Pint Green Jar:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H40COY4
Quart size:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GY9HO8W

 

[BurnItDwn]

Well, enjoy your smoothies guys.

They are not for me, but, thanks for sharing some insight into what is probably very obvious to you.

 

[Kaido]

Ball Heritage Collection Pint Green Jar:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H40COY4
Quart size:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GY9HO8W

Ah, I knew I had seen the green ones somewhere, nice!

 

[Kaido]

Well, enjoy your smoothies guys.

They are not for me, but, thanks for sharing some insight into what is probably very obvious to you.

Eh, everything's only obvious if you're already doing it. I mean, we had a blender forever & I didn't know it could be useful until I started going to Jamba Juice, then realized I could make my own at home :whiste:

 

[Linux23]

Jamba juice is soooo expensive for what you get. Definitely more cost effective to do at home. I might start making some fruit based smoothies and freezing them in advance in case I want a quick snack.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Some spinach and broccoli usually result in a smoother shi,.. oh,.. wait - you want something smooth to drink,.. nm.

 

[vailr]

Harley Pasternak Power Blender Giveaway
http://steamykitchen.com/39157-giveaway-harley-pasternak-power-blender.html
The Harley Pasternak blender is currently being sold at Bed Bath and Beyond for $249. This is a huge savings from the Vitamix at $699. If you’re on a budget, and still looking for a high-performance blender, give this Harley Pasternak blender a try. At 30,000 RPM with a 2 HP, a 1500 watt motor and an 8 blade blending system, you can’t go wrong!

 

[Kaido]

Jamba juice is soooo expensive for what you get. Definitely more cost effective to do at home. I might start making some fruit based smoothies and freezing them in advance in case I want a quick snack.

Yeah, but they're really good haha. I don't mind sugar in moderation, either - I don't feel like you have to have healthy smoothies every time, or anything. One neat trick you can do is freeze the liquids & gooey stuff in ice cube trays first: (juices, milks, sherbets, etc.)

http://thecouponproject.com/how-to-make-make-ahead-freezer-smoothies/

I use the silicone ones, makes them easier to pop out:

http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Perfect...dp/B000QIU7X6/

That way you can have the juice, greens, fruits, veggies, and powders all in one bag, and maybe add some more liquid at blend time if needed (like some water) to make it drinkable through a straw. I also use those rubbery ice cube trays for making homemade Bertolli dinners too (the crazy-expensive kind that you throw in a pan to make a delicious pasta dinner)...all they do is freeze the sauce & spices into ice cubes, toss in some chicken & noodles, which you can easily do at home. Maybe I'll post a tutorial if I ever get that particular system perfected :awe:

 

[ElFenix]

Frozen bananas and plain yogurt. No ice because that waters everything down. No ice cream because then its a milk shake, not a smoothie. Protein powder, other frozen fruit, maybe a touch of milk. Nothing else. You don't need much liquid at all.

 

[Kaido]

Frozen bananas and plain yogurt. No ice because that waters everything down. No ice cream because then its a milk shake, not a smoothie. Protein powder, other frozen fruit, maybe a touch of milk. Nothing else. You don't need much liquid at all.

Tangent on milkshakes: I know the secret to making awesome milkshakes :sneaky:

Drumroll...vanilla syrup. It's just like chocolate syrup (same squeeze bottle), only it's vanilla (although it's a clear-colored liquid...and no, it's not vanilla extract). That's the magic sauce that makes store-bought milkshakes taste like they do. Most grocery stores actually have it, it's just not something people commonly buy.

Speaking of which, here's a blast from the past: (referencing a 9-year-old-post here, go AT forums go!) the "Manny" Oreo shake, guaranteed to give you diabetes or bust. This recipe right here is probably the reason I'm allergic to dairy :biggrin:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=1874823

 

[Linux23]

Well it's here finally. I'm excited but am disappointed that UPS just leaves my packages on my dad porch two houses over. Good thing I'm home and was able to look out the window and see a big Brown box on his porch. I mean anyone could just walk up and take a $500 blender. This is crazy!

 

[GreenGhost]

I can't image kale as a good smoothie ingredient. Make chips on the oven. Easy and you it all in minutes.