Do Not Just Add Water

I did my first official 24-hr recall with a classmate. This is a type of nutrition assessment. I've done them before, but not to the full entirety - portion sizes, time, etc. I've also haven't been subjected to one myself. I learned that it's quite a task to remember everything you ingested from sunrise to sun-up, but it's a good activity to try out once in a while.

During my recall, I told my classmate that I use carnation instant breakfast packets to blend into my coffee. He was a little intrigued. Then, when I told him I finished my day with cocoa, he was also intrigued, as I don't use water for instant cocoa. I use tea, usually a nice roobios or black from Teavana. Water is great, and you should drink it, but as a drink base, it can be pretty bland at times. I like blending other liquids with instant drink packets, you reap extra vitamins and minerals from various liquids (tea, milk) and amp up the taste. A chocolate flavored tea with hot chocolate can yield a very chocolate-y beverage without the extra calories.

And brewing tea is simple. Get a nice pot, mind the time, and cool it off. That way you have tea on hand to blend to your heart's content. Also, have in mind the kind of beverage you want, hot instant cocoa doesn't work well with cold liquids, some brands don't readily dissolve with a spoon..you'll need a blender, frother or hand mixer/immersion blender. Once you know what you're working with, all the adding comes to place.

Frankensteining Fun

I've created a monster! IT'S ALIVVVEEEEEEEE!

It's......................a raw smoothie.

Had to do it!

You can freeze avocados! I know, I'm a kook for being excited about that. I've debated with my produce guy, he kept whining about how it'll be black if I keep it too long. But, with the help of a good blade, a lime, and well sealed container, you can freeze an avocado. Simply slice it in the middle, rub down the innards with a touch of lime, and freeze. When you want to thaw, microwave the avocado on a low power, defrost of 30%, for 25-30 seconds. You can actually eat it like this, but I used it to make another green monster smoothie.

I didn't use any spinach or dates this time around. Instead, I blended a black tea, dried mint, a carnation packet and vanilla with the avocado. This makes a great breakfast start because it has vitamin E, (GOOD FAT!!), it's nicer green color than the other monster, and it has calcium, digestive powers of black tea and mint, and added vitamins from the packet.

You want to use items that play up the nutty part of the avocado, so think sweet and nutty, or bright and nutty. Perhaps spicy and citrus-y could work. The monster is yours to create, but of course, you can use DIY:Smoothie as a starting point.

There's a monster in the blender...

One of my co-workers will periodically ask me about leafy greens, although I don't know why. I suppose she figures that since I eat healthy that I must love to eat all healthy things.

So, I tell her leafy greens are probably some of the best nutritional bargains out there. They're full of vitamins, minerals, and very low in calories. They're gorgeous to look at while they're still in bunches. You can get several pounds of them (when frozen) for a mere 1-2 dollars at the grocery.

They also are notoriously bitter. Ugh. I can eat them, but I have to hide them in casseroles, wraps, soups and omelets. I kind of hate them, but I won't tell her that.

Incidentally, we discovered green monsters: shakes or juices that incorporate greens and yield a drink mixture. Google it!

Her doctor recommended blending greens such as spinach, kale, and collard with a bit of ginger. It was horrible. I suspect her doctor has no taste buds because they all committed suicide from drinking that thing.

Fear not! There's a better way. One of my healthy obsessions, Herbal Flavors, serves its own variety of a green monster, and it's pretty good. The banana in it kills the bitterness, but since it's a smoothie, it's raw, so little or no nutrients are lost. It also keeps your taste buds from committing suicide. I make a copycat of their green monster because their green monster is five bucks-a-pop. Their green monster eats all the green out of my wallet if I indulge too often.

It's pretty nifty when you can replicate dining out faves at home. For a green monster, use my smoothie guide and a basic/bland base (milk/juice -thickener- sweetener - extra: vanilla) . Adjust it by adding a cup of leafy greens. I also like to add nutmeg, it's spicy and pungent which compliments well with baby spinach (my green of choice).

I have pics, but have no idea how to get them out of my phone. That's a whole different monster to contend with.

DIY: Fruit Smoothie

The perfect fruit smoothie is usually a combination of 4 key ingredients: fruit, duh, a thickener, frozen items and liquid. There's also the optional items, sugar and spice, but a perfect smoothie can stand alone without those items.

Smoothies take a lot of practice, and even with practice, don't always come out right, but man are they tasty even when it's a mess.

Proper prep + key items = jamba what? jamba who?

First, wash/peel/dice your fruit. Take half of it and freeze it overnight.

Next, chill your liquid for 30 minutes up to an hour. You want the top of the liquid to freeze, but you don't want an ice cube.


Now, you take out your frozen fruit, allowing it to slightly thaw.

Break out your blender and add your liquid. Here's where you also can add your sugar and spices, if your like, and now you add your thickener and set it on the lowest speed that provides continuous motion (i.e. no need to press or pulse). If you have a blender with a feeder, add your fruit, frozen fruit, and lastly ice, gently as the blender goes. Once the last ice cubes is smashed you should have a nice, thick fruit smoothie.

Here I have spent hours.....researching......compiling.....the ultimate smoothie list:

Liquids	Frozen Items	Thickeners
for 16 oz, keep liquid at 6-8 oz
	Ice	yogurt
Liquid - Acidic		frozen yogurt
mango	blueberries	instant shake packets
orange	strawberries	(such as carnation instant
100% juice blends		breakfast)
	Frozen - High sugar Items
Low -cal liquids		pudding mix
	bananas	protein shake powder
Unsweetened almond milk	mangos	peanut butter
water
crystal light	Spice	Accent
coffee
Trop 50	mint	lemon juice
skim milk	cinnamon	canola oil
tea	nutmeg	vanilla extract
silken tofu		rum extract
		chocolate syrup
		lime juice

Sugar

Artifical sweetners

Honey

sugar

agave nectar

fruit nectar

I really didn't spend hours, but I find it a pretty solid list. The first 3 columns are essentials (liquid, frozen item, thickeners), which I placed in bold. The last 3 are accessories (spice, accent, sugar), which I put in italics. You can add all 3 from the bottom, or one, or none at all, but either way it makes a healthy, delicious smoothie. You can even adventure with more items, such as spinach, kiwi, soda (smoothie to float), the idea is the same, although with soda you have to adjust for the carbonation.