Feeding your skin with Smoothies!!!!
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free skin care · Sun May 09, 2010 4:39 pm

Hey Nemo--I'll add my welcome. I, too, never thought this would happen to me, but I also love raw foods. It's great to have you here! Smile

free skin care · Sun May 09, 2010 6:54 pm

Dear Nemo!AtThe Disco,

I have a suggestion!
Instead of banana, try canned pumpkin. It gives the same smoothie-like effect that dampens the kale taste and texture!

AND it is far more nutritious ounce per ounce.

Also, pineapple completely takes the kal taste away for me.

Off to blend up my smoothie!

--avalange

Nemo!AtTheDisco wrote:

Hi Everyone!

I'm a HUGE Raw Food and specifically Green Smoothie Enthusiast! I have about 24-30oz of Green Smoothie everyday, and try to eat as many Raw Fruits and Vegetables as possible. I'm so excited to find this thread on EDS. So, I figured I'd share some information on my favorite things to use Smile

I hope no ones posted all this already

My Favorite Greens to use as bases for the Green part are as follows, for the following reasons Smile

Obviously they are all high in vitamins and minerals, but...

Arugula - High Sulfur concentrations, which is amazing for the skin. Wild Arugula is best, as it has more sulfur accumulated from Rain water.
Parsley - High Vitamin C content
Dandelion Greens (wild picked, when possible) - extremely cleansing of the liver which plays a vital connection to the skin and detoxification
Baby Spinach - aside from being high in Vitamins and Minerals, as most greens are, I think Baby Spinach has the best taste
Kale - Kale is one of the most nutritionally dense foods (per calorie) on the planet, however it's also got the worst taste in my opinion. I usually always do 1-2 bananas when Kale day comes.

I alternate the base for the Smoothie and do a different base everyday. Some of my favorite things to mix and match with the greens are Apples, Pears, Bananas, Young Thai Coconuts, Mango, and Oranges.

I add super foods into my smoothie aswell, Usually a shot of Amazing Grass Wheatgrass Powder or some wild herbs (currently putting in Stinging Nettle, how exotic! haha)

I'm sure someone has already recommended the Victoria Boutenko books (Green For Life, Green Smoothie Revolution, or 12 Steps to Raw Food are all good) but another good one is "Eating for Beauty" by David Wolfe. He goes beyond Green Smoothies, but several other good-for-skin recipes. Smile

I can't wait to read more of this thread!
-Nemo

free skin care · Sun May 09, 2010 8:11 pm

cm5597 wrote:

I'm not big on green powders, but one that I do love is Vitamineral Green. It's great, but it's not cheap. It contains green leafy vegetables (kale, wheatgrass, nettle, etc.), sea vegetables (dulse, spirulina, etc.), and probiotics. Here is a link to it:

http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=6&category_id=1

I do use it when I am in a pinch, traveling, or just feel like mixing things up. Smile

cm5597 wrote:

Hi Sistersweets Smile

,

A few reasons:

(1) I like that it has land greens, sea greens, and probiotics, including natural soil organisms. So I love the triple threat there Smile

(2) It's the only powdered food supplement that I felt a major difference with (taking 2 tbsps a day), even when eating mostly fruits and vegetables. I've only tried a handful of green food supplements and another handful of other superfood supplements, so you might want to take that with a grain of salt, as I don't have a lot of experience in this area Wink

(3) I like the high-quality and the reputation of the company. They are always trying to improve the formula, pushing the boundaries, and I like that constant commitment to improvement. To give a more concrete example, I heard an interview with the product formulator where he said that to be able to call spirulina "organic", there were some complicated regulations about what you can and can't feed the algae. As it turns out, you can't feed them their natural food source, which involves some inorganic matter and call the algae organically grown. He thought it was better to be true to nature and feed spirulina their natural food sources (which are totally pesticide free, but are still not able to be labeled as organic), because in good conscience, that produces a better product, even though he can't label it as organic. I like that sort of integrity Smile

(4) It's not diluted with grains, beans, seeds, fiber, or other fillers. BUT, the big drawback is that it's expensive, otherwise, I would probably use more. If you are interested in trying it out, you can always buy smaller sizes or their trial size for like $3 (+ shipping).

FWIW, my boyfriend likes it, too, and just purchased another 4.5 pounds (!) of it. He does not eat like I do, but he does have a giant green smoothie in the morning with 2/3 a lb of greens, 1 tbsp of Vitamineral Green, and 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil.

But, I'm sure there are other great green powders out there too...just wanted to weigh in on one that I like and feel comfortable recommending.

HTH Smile

MACrisis recommended that one to me a few months ago because it has no fillers (unlike my current GreensFirst Embarassed

), and I am going to try it as soon as my supply runs out.

Here is a review link on it, as well as a bunch of other green drinks:

http://www.greendrinkreviews.com/wp/2009/06/20/vitamineral-green/

BTW, I just read yet another book that recommended superfood green drinks as one of the best things that you could (and should) be doing for yourself each day.

free skin care · Sun May 09, 2010 8:31 pm

Here's a Green Smoothie story.

As some of you know I teach Nutrition classes at a college. This year I made green smoothies during one of my final sessions with my first year class.

They saw me bring them in during the school year and kept asking about them so as a final review I set up stations and the Last station was the "make your smoothie" station. We had Kale, spinach, cucumbers, celery, fresh cut pineapple, apples, bananas, blueberries, rasperries, flaxseed oil and an assorted omega oil that I bought - Barleens Total Omega swirl. I also had a *green smoothies for dummies* handout Very Happy

(please note - these men and women are not dummies - they are the Cream of the Crop but it was with humor!)...I need to stand up for my kids!

Anyway some that I thought were going to be so not into it were very adventurous and kept trying more and more. That was COOL. Cool

Some, I think they were expecting a SWEET taste (like sugar) and were surprised to find a different sweetness.
Many were aware that they were very fresh tasting and were happy to point out the variances they could tell.

It was a neat exercise and worth repeating next year.
Happily with my very cool blender I will be doing it again.
Moral of the story - let others try your smoothie - they might be surprised how much they LOVE IT>

free skin care · Sun May 09, 2010 8:40 pm

Sis, what an awesome idea!

Mon May 10, 2010 11:25 am

Please excuse a rather stupid newbie question, but how do you prepare those leafy vegetables like kale and spinach? Because I'm using a juicer which extracts almost nothing from these vegetables... Should I blend those instead?

Thanks in advance Smile

!

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 12:53 pm

ABB... You've got to pulverize those veges in a blender... add water, or if you want juice... take it to a liquid...

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 2:25 pm

I'm a fruit smoothie pro, but wanted to try the green ones because of the benefits. My first attempt was today. I used frozen spinach because I do not like the texture of fresh in my mouth (too alkaline, it makes me pucker if consume more than 1/2 a cup).

I used 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, one apple, one cup ice, 1/2 cup frozen spinach, apple juice to blend.

The taste was so-so. I need to try again with banana and pineapple.

Here was my issue. I LOVE greens, but am not eating enough. I have a sensitive gag reflex. My "head" could not get past that I was drinking and smelling spinach, and by the time i was finished, and even now, I feel like I might vomit.

I feel like if I could eraficate the smell and the color, I'd be fine.

So... tips on reducing the spinach SMELL and the dark green color? My toddlers, by the way, RAN from the room screaming "nasty smoothie". Only one of them tried it, and after a few moments she said it was "too green". The color turned them off as well.

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 2:52 pm

As other members have posted, I find myself doing the green smoothie thing in spurts as well.

I do love the idea of juicing and green smoothies. While it does may take a little while to get used to the taste, I do love the taste.

However, I juiced a normal smoothie, nothing special: baby spinach, lemon, ice, and water. (Greens + packet makes it special!) To my surprise, I had a horrible headache. This was around midnight and I was still very hungry. I thought I needed more substance, so I put in protein powder. (Sometimes eating just fruit or vegetables make me more hungry. I HAVE to have my protein!) I don't know why, but after I drank it with the protein, I had a very bad headache. It wasn't a sugar rush (which I rarely get) since it was just spinach, ice, lemon, and the powder had 0 grams of sugar. Crazy, isn't it?

In either case, I do love green smoothies. But I can't say yet if they help my skin or not.

It's great that when I have a green smoothie, I get water because I really can't stand the taste of water. It tastes like nothing to me. It gives me headaches!!! Iced tea is my calling. Plus, if you drink decaf tea it counts as water!!!

Good to see you back, Nemo!

I love arugula. I'll try it in a drink!

Never tried Dandelion in a drink. I'll have to look into this.

I have tried parsely. I didn't like it.

Big agree on spinach- any kind. LOVE the taste.
Cooked and raw.

Love kale!

Wheatgrass is amazing!

Ooh, when you get a chance, please let us know about David Wolfe's skin recipes. Yum! It's fun to "Eat for Beauty." (Though I'd rather "Eat for Taste.")

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 6:43 pm

Sis,
What a treat for your students (and fun for you)! They're lucky to have you!!
Jan

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 6:47 pm

hi gossamer,

you might try my recipe (posted earlier on this thread) for green smoothie. i don't have any special powders i add, but they are full of great greens and do NOT taste like kale or spinach.

in my opinion, raw spinach and kale have a MUCH more palatable taste in smoothies than cooked spinach and kale. greens become bitter and metallic when cooked. i would probably feel like vomiting after eating that, too!
i find kale especially to go really well with fruits in raw form. i make a raw kale orange strawberry salad that even the most die-hard kale haters enjoy. most greens hate comes from people eating them cooked!

i honestly cannot taste kale or spinach in my smoothie, or any green, "off" flavor. it's as if i'm eating a smoothie of blackberries and pineapple.

--avalange

gossamerwings wrote:

I'm a fruit smoothie pro, but wanted to try the green ones because of the benefits. My first attempt was today. I used frozen spinach because I do not like the texture of fresh in my mouth (too alkaline, it makes me pucker if consume more than 1/2 a cup).

I used 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, one apple, one cup ice, 1/2 cup frozen spinach, apple juice to blend.

The taste was so-so. I need to try again with banana and pineapple.

Here was my issue. I LOVE greens, but am not eating enough. I have a sensitive gag reflex. My "head" could not get past that I was drinking and smelling spinach, and by the time i was finished, and even now, I feel like I might vomit.

I feel like if I could eraficate the smell and the color, I'd be fine.

So... tips on reducing the spinach SMELL and the dark green color? My toddlers, by the way, RAN from the room screaming "nasty smoothie". Only one of them tried it, and after a few moments she said it was "too green". The color turned them off as well.

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 6:53 pm

gossamerwings wrote:

So... tips on reducing the spinach SMELL and the dark green color? .

Frozen blueberries and pomegranate juice (for the liquid) totally covers the taste of the spinach and makes it a deep purple. I add a bit of stevia to mine for sweetness but not really necessary.

For kale I use pineapple and banana and I find it delicious. Color is still green though.

I've also recently tried grating fresh ginger into my smoothies for variety and find it yummy. It might help with the smell.

Good luck!

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 7:02 pm

Gossamar...

Frozen spinach... BLECH... it must be fresh...

Cover the flavor with pineapple... and scoop of coconut oil makes it like a fresh pina colada sans the best part... but you know!

Cover the color with Acai Powder...

OR serve it as a Monster Smoothie (which is why it's GREEN)...OR in a sippy cup with a lid that no one can SEE...

Doesn't it just tick you off when they decide the color is wrong...OMG... drives me INSANE

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 9:10 pm

Thanks to this thread, we are now a beginner smoothie family. I've made fresh baby spinach with banana, strawberry, apple and pear and my 6 yr old loved it! Today we tried kale with frozen berries, frozen mango, banana and pineapple/passion fruit juice and I was scared that my son would be turned off but he loved it as well! He had 3 servings!

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 9:51 pm

Blueberries definitely change the color if that's an issue. I'd just put it in an opaque glass. Agree with Claudia - frozen spinach - sounds really bad Laughing

If you don't like spinach try mixed greens or kale.

I ordered the Healthforce Vitagreen powder for travelling, etc. It's not the same as the real thing.

One more thought - Children tend to mimic what parents do - so if they see Mom loving the smoothie and praising the fruit and berries that go in, they might come around. Start off with a lot more fruit than anything = maybe 80/20 and move up to more green from there.

free skin care · Mon May 10, 2010 11:32 pm

Has anyone measured the carbs/protein/ratios of these tasty treats?

Many of them seem to be very fruit heavy, and I am wondering if they could be bad for those of us that need to watch our blood sugar and/or carb ratios. I'm also wondering if the blending reduces the fiber content, which would increase the blood sugar aspect as well?

FYI...I am NOT asking to criticize in any manner! I am only asking because I personally have to monitor my carbs and blood sugar if I ever want to get rid of this thyroid-related weight gain. Mad

And most people with stomach fat are insulin resistant, so they are in the same boat with me. Sad

I may have to do some more research to see if I can actually participate in this green goodness, or if I should stick with the green powder and protein drink (which sounds MUCH less appetizing, sigh).

Any insight is greatly appreciated!!

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 7:02 am

Hi Bethany. I would think the fibre is there whether it is more whole or finely minced. I find when I drink it too fast I have some digestion problems (probably also having too much at once ---tastes so good!!---and not chewing as I would with food in its non pureed state). I usually have my smoothie with a light meal and have it as desert as I agree that it is best to have sugars with protein. I don't eat fruit on its own anymore. But I think some consider the detoxifying effect and have the smoothie on its own for that reason...at least that is my take on it.

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 8:52 am

Hey Bethany... if you add ALL the fruit... it is higher in sugar than you probably want.

The fiber is fiber no matter what. The idea that you get more nutrient from the smoothie as it's TOTALLY "CHEWED", and doesn't end up just passing through your body.

That said... I would get on a calorie counter program (lots are free on the web), and input a smoothie recipe to your liking. Analyze that quickly and see what happens when you remove the banana, and lessen the pineapple. (or what ever fruit you are using) I find over time (granted I haven't had a smoothie in a while) that I can tolerate a more green, less fruit sweetened smoothie. My kids? not so much. And I'm not worried about their perfect little bodies... as long as their "sugar" is from fruit, and not from cookies and crackers... Their pedi is fully on board...

You def. need to cater to YOUR bodies needs here.

Also, although your weather is likely to call for cooler foods, you can go with the more savory green hot soups... and there are plenty of cold soups you could make... spicy is always nice...

I think the goal for many is to get in lots of EXTRA veges, and a decent amount of fruit. A very cleansing deal.

HTHs

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 9:18 am

Great post Claudia and a valid point Bethany. I choose the smoothies for the jam-packed antioxidant punch, phytochemicals, the fiber and the de-tox, cleansing potential. I also add Flax seed oil to mine (or ground up seeds) for the EFA component.

Probably upping the greens and lessening the fruit is the ticket for you Bethany. I tend to do this myself and it isn't as sweet but that doesn't bother me. Barleans has a 3-6-9 blend called Pmegranate Blueberry Omega Swirl and it tastes great - add it to the smoothies. Xylitol is the sweetener in it - has anticariogenic properties and is recommended sweetener by the ADA.

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 10:14 am

My kids never had the YUCK GREEN reaction, lucky I know. I found they really liked granny smith apples for fruit even with broccoli thrown in the smoothies and the white part does make for a lighter green color, maybe that helps?

On the Xylitol it's great for the teeth, just be aware it's a natural laxative so with all the veggies, fruit and fiber if you start having issues that may be the cause! Smile

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 11:00 am

Xylitol, like all sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect, especially at high doses.

At small doses it is easily tolerated by most people. Xylitol is very low on the ingredient list for the one Tablespoon recommended Barleans so I doubt it's an issue - and you'll get the added cariostatic effect for your teeth (Happy teeth, happy tummy Very Happy

)

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 11:05 am

sister sweets wrote:

Xylitol, like all sugar alcohols can have a laxative effect, especially at high doses.

At small doses it is easily tolerated by most people. Xylitol is very low on the ingredient list for the one Tablespoon recommended Barleans so I doubt it's an issue - and you'll get the added cariostatic effect for your teeth (Happy teeth, happy tummy Very Happy

)

That was just a note to those who might buy Xylitol as a separate sweetener and kids are especially susceptible to the laxative effects. Smile

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 11:55 am

For those (like me) who just can't abide a strictly green and bland smoothie, you'll probably love this;

Add as written for best results (especially 'Blendtec' folks.) For those with smaller blenders, 2 steps might be best. (Step #1 all ingredients till frozen fruit, step #2 frozen fruits to already liquified ingredients.)

Fruit Green Smoothie with Flax

Makes about 32oz

- handful fresh spinach
- handful fresh kale
- 1 banana
- 1 cut up apple with skin
- 2 cut up fresh carrots
- 2 TBS flax seeds
- 1 cup orange or pineapple juice
- 1 cup bottled water
- 12 to 15 drops stevia extract
(Stop here and mix for 2 step process!)
- 8-ish lg frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Blend till fully pureed, put in a nice glass and enjoy... Very Happy

(I use the smoothie button and do 2 cycles through.) The dominant flavor is most definitely strawberry, and it's nice and sweet. For me the stevia makes the difference between tolerable and YUMMO! Of course if you are feeding this to kiddies, you can leave that out.

*** Makes great smoothie-sicles for the kids *** Freeze in ice cube trays, and put the little sticks in when it's semi-solid. Just leave out the stevia!

Here's what it looks like, albeit a little darker color than the picture is showing;

And y'all thought I only knew how to make vitamin C serum ... Laughing

free skin care · Tue May 11, 2010 4:44 pm

You GO Kassy. My son would probably LOVE that. And I love my new blendtec and the smoothie cycle - My class thought it was so cool how it would cycle down and then back up. It was great entertainment.

free skin care · Wed May 12, 2010 1:17 pm

Bethany,

I've checked out my dessert (kale/pomegranate juice/blueberry) smoothie:

cal 153 fat 1 carbs 35 fiber 6 protein 3

I make this one specifically for my eye condition but it's very tasty.... I get to feel virtuous as a bonus! Very Happy

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