Everything about food, from matching food and wine to recipes, techniques and trends.

Smoothies

Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker

no avatar
User

Jenise

Rank

FLDG Dishwasher

Posts

42549

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm

Location

The Pacific Northest Westest

Smoothies

by Jenise » Tue Dec 07, 2010 3:57 pm

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?
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
no avatar
User

Rahsaan

Rank

Wild and Crazy Guy

Posts

9216

Joined

Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:20 pm

Location

New York, NY

Re: Smoothies

by Rahsaan » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:26 pm

Jenise wrote: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.
no avatar
User

Daniel Rogov

Rank

Resident Curmudgeon

Posts

0

Joined

Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:10 am

Location

Tel Aviv, Israel

Re: Smoothies

by Daniel Rogov » Tue Dec 07, 2010 5:39 pm

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
no avatar
User

Karen/NoCA

Rank

Hunter/Gatherer

Posts

6326

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:55 pm

Re: Smoothies

by Karen/NoCA » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:05 pm

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.
no avatar
User

Jeff B

Rank

Champagne Lover

Posts

2160

Joined

Wed Sep 10, 2008 7:01 pm

Location

Michigan (perhaps more cleverly known as "The Big Mitten")

Re: Smoothies

by Jeff B » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:10 pm

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
"Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne. Knowing him was like drinking it." - Winston Churchill
no avatar
User

Larry Greenly

Rank

Resident Chile Head

Posts

6603

Joined

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:37 am

Location

Albuquerque, NM

Re: Smoothies

by Larry Greenly » Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:56 pm

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.
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21612

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Smoothies

by Robin Garr » Thu Sep 10, 2020 9:11 pm

Larry, I think that guy was using his Vitamix to blend SPAM! :twisted: That's what floated this 10 year old thread back to the surface. Thanks for being hospitable, but that post is gone. :)
no avatar
User

Larry Greenly

Rank

Resident Chile Head

Posts

6603

Joined

Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:37 am

Location

Albuquerque, NM

Re: Smoothies

by Larry Greenly » Fri Sep 11, 2020 1:27 am

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

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot, Google [Bot] and 2 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign