Smoothies

[Jenise]

Make 'em? Like 'em? Never have had one myself unless an Odwalla Green Super Food counts, and I think it does. Didn't like that any more than I think I'd like this recipe that just showed up in my inbox:

Meal-in-a-Glass Smoothie

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 small head romaine lettuce
6 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen mangoes
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 small banana
1/2 avocado

Instructions:
Blend all ingredients together in a Vita-Mix or other powerful blender.
Add more orange juice, if needed to adjust consistency

I could kind of see myself mixing the green stuff and, separately, the fruits. Especially if I had lost the ability to process anything with real fiber and really had no other choice. But even fruit only, to my mind, is just a sweet mess. I don't even care for mixed fruit salads because I don't find that they taste better together and I also find that maceration changes the texture of most components in a way I do not find pleasing. For instance, grapes and watermelon lose their crunch, and bananas turn to soggy rubber. I should want to eat this--even before someone puts some revolting whipped cream or marshmallow fluff in there? No thank you!

But it's a craze, and the health food gurus are all behind it. Almost no matter what ails you, these nutrient-dense drinks will make you better. I'm sold on that part: but my stomach still lurches sideways at the thought of me drinking one.

Am I being too narrow-minded?

Almost no matter what ails you, these nutrient-dense drinks will make you better. I'm sold on that part: but my stomach still lurches sideways at the thought of me drinking one.

Am I being too narrow-minded?

Smoothies don't have to have 17 ingredients. I just think of them as pureed fruit and enjoy whatever I want. My wife often (and by often I mean every day) mixes bananas, yogurt, ginger and water. Tasty. My favorite is pureed strawberries.

Never heard of them referred to as "Smoothies" but blended/liquidized juices are very popular throughout the Mediterranean basin, most of those based on a variety of fruits, sometimes with a bit of ginger added, sometimes a bit of celery or parsley. Most popular are probably carrot juice with ginger and parsley and strawberry and banana.

Me, I'm all for the fruit combinations without ginger or any added herbs.

Best
Rogov

Smoothies are not about eating crunch, they are about healthy ingredients that you can whip up into a cool milk shake like consistancy, and drink slowly while driving to work, or relaxing with the morning paper. Or even a cool quick lunch on the porch enjoying the rain. I love all sorts of berry smoothies, mixed with a little Greek yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, or any other array of warm spices. I like to keep it simple, maybe one berry type, a banana, yogurt and spices. I do not like mixing greens with my fruit, and I really do not enjoy vegatable smoothies.

I can appreciate "smoothies" for the well-meaning they intend but they aren't really my kind of thing.

I think the trouble is I associate it with the "healthy treat" concept and thus I view them kind of cynically. I view something like yogurt ice cream in the same way. I always feel like smoothies are being made as a healthy form of a soda or a milkshake. Yet I'd still rather have the latter items in their true decadent glory...LOL.

And I like fruit actually! Fresh fruit. I guess I just prefer them "raw" and un-mashed. As mentioned, I do think smoothies are well-intended so no problem really. I'm sure tasty combinations can be made.

Still, much like seperation of church and state, I love that decadent foods are decadent (in moderation) and that good foods are "pure". I always seem to see through good foods that are trying to be "treats". As a result, I inevitably end up just wishing it were a true milkshake! Then I can just have a bowl of fresh fruit, if necessary...LOL

Or just a nice iced coffee. That's more my usual actually

Jeff

A Vitamix is very nice, but I don't use a blender that much. I'm happy with my multi-speed older Kitchenaid with a glass jar. A friend bought a nice old one-speed Waring (Fred invented them) blender for $15 at a flea market.

[Robin Garr]

Larry, I think that guy was using his Vitamix to blend SPAM! That's what floated this 10 year old thread back to the surface. Thanks for being hospitable, but that post is gone.

LOL. It suddenly appeared and I didn't notice date. If it was a snake, it would have jumped out and bitten me.