juice/smoothie recipes

NatureGrrl

juice/smoothie recipes

NatureGrrl

A thread about juicers got me wondering what everyone does for juice and/or smoothie recipes.  I love to make them, especially in summer, and since I had treatment fruit and fresh veggies are one of the things that tastes best to me.  So what are your favorite combos?

I usually use OJ, homemade Greek yogurt, and then berries/mango/banana/peaches, depending on what I have fresh or in the freezer.

I've also tried celery, parsley, lime juice, but the parsley always tastes too much like grass to me and I don't care for it.  I might try a little fresh cilantro next time.

I'm always looking for new things to try, especially now that local produce season is starting!  Thanks for any inspiration!

balsie

NatureGrrl~ Hi there,  I have been doing a lot of juicing.  Carrots & Apple and then greens with leafy greens, cucumber, greenpepper, zuchunni , red cabbage.  We also have a fruit smoothie in the morning ...darker the berries the better.  I use a Vita mix for this one and a juicer for the veggie ones.  What kind of juicer do you use.  Have you looked into any of the juicing programs like Dr. Day or Max Geyson?  I haven't been able to find anything on any other threads have you?

I see you put this on here in April...so I hope you check it....just noticed it.  

warmly,

Balsie 

chainsawz

My family loves to make smoothies!  We freeze bananas and when we are ready to make a smoothie we add the banana, and any fresh or frozen fruit we have on hand, some lowfat milk and our secret ingredient....vanilla.  It tastes like ice cream!! 

NatureGrrl

Hi, balsie!  I don't have a juicer -- I use a medium-size food processor -- just the right size for one smoothie.  I haven't done many veggie ones yet because the food processor doesn't really pulverize stuff enough, but I might try with some of the softer veggies.  One of these days I'll invest in a juicer but for now the food processor has to do.  And no, I haven't looked up juicing programs, but that's not a bad idea.  Right now my appetite isn't very good (new med I'm on) and fresh fruits and veggies are about all that appeal to me, and very much time in the kitchen doesn't appeal to me most days, so more juicing seems in order!

Lisa, my fruit smoothies are similar to yours (except I use yogurt instead of milk) -- I like the idea of adding vanilla -- or other extracts!

Thanks for resurrecting this thread -- maybe more people will see it!

balsie

chainzsaw~ vanilla is actually suppose to be good for you! 

 NatureGrrl~ I use a champion juicer and have just invested in a press which takes the plup and presses the juice out of it.  I have been reading that this is were you get the best juice with the most nutrients.  It is a big investment but I figured it is for my health.  I didn't get the big Norwok which is the best on I guess.  I have also checked into Dr. Lorraine Day juicing program.  I guess I try to juice as much as i can ...and even plan ahead to have it in canning jars and sealed so I can bring it to work with me.  

Happy juicing~Balsie 

chainsawz

I'm glad to hear vanilla is good for me!!  I love the flavor! 

I also use OJ, yogurt and almond breeze in my smoothies.....I just love the milk but I try to put in skim. 

Balsie - I never thought about canning juice!  I just canned pickles and apricots this weekend so it's not like I don't have all the supplies.  What a great idea!  

balsie

Chainsawz~ I don't actually can them...I just put them in 8oz canning jars and seal them with my food saver. So is even saves more time that way. (this way I can do up to a three day supply) My mother used to can juice though...My dad had lung cancer. He did fresh carrot juice and then my mom would can a juice for him with greens and tomatoes in it.  

I think if you actually canned them it would take away some of the nutrients because of the heat involved.  What are your thoughts on this?

Juicy hugs to all

Balsie 

kayakgirl

I am drinking a smoothie right now--- made with nonfat milk,a  banana,lots of  blueberries and vanilla and ice. It's delicious

balsie

Sounds Yummy!

Balsie 

chainsawz

It's 108 degrees here today, so smoothie sounds really good! 

I didn't think heating involved with canning juice.  Shoot!  Does freezing also have a bad effect on the nutrients??

ruthbru

Here is how I make smoothies:

any flavor low fat yogart

a handfull of any kind of fresh or canned fruit that I have around

a handful of any kind of frozen fruit I have around (the frozeness gives it the frosty taste!)

a splash of any kind of juice I have around (usually 'lite')

blend it all up

yummy, no matter what the combination!

think I'll go make one right now

balsie

I think fresh is best and organic but we do use some frozen fruits in smoothies.  When I juice them I only use fresh. There is so much to this.  One blog that I like to read on is "my crazy sexy cancer" with Kris Karr.  I have learned a lot from her.  

Cheers!

Balsie 

ruthbru

You can buy fresh fruit & just throw it in the freezer yourself in zip lock bags. Or buy a bunch of fresh fruit; chop it up all together & then throw it in the freezer, that way all the juices pre-blend together. SLURP!

balsie

We cut up bananas and freeze them to throw in a smoothie....it really adds flavor !  I think I will do that with some of my raspberries this year...excellent idea! thanks Ruth

Balsie 

ruthbru

My raspberries rarely make it from the bush to the house; they are mostly consumed in route!

balsie

Oh I know mine too!  They are sooooo yummy!

NatureGrrl

chainsawz, the only juice I ever canned was grape juice (OMG, wild grapes make the best juice!) and yes, it had to be heated in a hot water bath to kill bacteria/yeast (molds)... I think most other fruits would be the same, and need either a hot water bath or time in a pressure cooker.  If you keep the juice in your refrigerator and use it up quickly, I don't see why a hot water bath would be necessary, but home-canned stuff can pick up problems if it's kept long and not processed. 

I buy big bags of frozen fruit at the box store.  I also peel my bananas, freeze, then throw in a ziploc bag.  Miss the days when I grew almost all my own fruit.  SO expensive to buy, even the pick-your-owns aren't cheap any more.  I avoid the fruits that are especially bad for pesticide accumulation (strawberries and apples) and buy organic when I can but selection is limited here.

I think lunch=smoothie today!

chainsawz

I just harvested my apricots and froze them for future smoothies since I have too many to eat now.....my peaches are almost ready next!  I also have a great little apple tree that gave me some nice apples for juice.  I love growing my own fruit, but it sure is a constant battle with the birds here!  I planted 14 fruit trees in my yard and when they get more mature I hope to have enough to fill my freezer! 

I didn't realize apples and strawberries accumulated more pesticides!  Good to know!  I have strawberry plants all over the place, but they don't produce very many because of the heat here.  How are peaches and apricots?  I tend to use those and a banana base the most so I hope those are better! 

ruthbru

Chainsawz, I think if you grow your own fruit you shouldn't really have to worry about pesticides (unless you are spraying them on yourself!). Also I have read that as long as you wash your fruit and get a wide variety of fruits (like don't just eat vast amounts of berries or apples to the exclusion of all other fruits), then really you are OK too. I'd say more people get in trouble with their health because they don't eat enought fruit than because they eat too many. I am in a smoothie frenzy now and drinking a different combination every day!

chainsawz

Thanks Ruth - good to know!!  I don't use pesticides...the birds are the only pests I deal with...they just don't like to share :>   It's so hot here in the desert, we have smoothies all the time, too!  Now that I add vanilla, I can pretend it's ice cream and it feels very decadent!  

ruthbru

Lisa, you need to get a cat !

ruthbru

Hi smoothie lovers: I noticed that McDonalds is advertizing 'real smoothies'. I googled them and they are indeed made out of fruit puree (wild berry or banana/strawberry), low fat yogurt and ice. 210 calories for a small, 260 for a medium. In the interest of scientific research , I ordered a berry smoothie, and it was actually quite tasty!

danger4vinger

I have been reading that this is were you get the best juice with the most nutrients . it is a big investment but i figured it is for  my health ......

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