Smoothies and Juicing for health and weight loss!

[specialmom]

Okay people, I got my new Ninja pro juicing and smoothing blender.  Can make big containers or single serving. And plan to go to town. Anyone do this on a regular basis?  I have the smoothing recipe I've made since my kids were little but am branching out. Recipes? Thoughts? I'm going to try some new ones and I'll post them.  Smoothies are a good way to get the 'good stuff' we need easily.

[Barb135]

I went through a period some years ago, during which my doctor had me drinking protein shakes for breakfast, then, at least one more during the day.  I did this for about 6 months and consistently kept gaining weight.   I was getting the protein powder from my doctor, so assumed it was "healthy"... yeah!!  No - when I really started researching ingredients, I found it had tons of sugar in it, so no wonder I gained weight on it.    I've noticed that my doctor no longer sells this protein powder.   All that said, I did so many shakes that to this day, I can barely stand the thought of one, let alone actually get one into my stomach!!    

Once I got off the shakes and started following my own eating plan, I ended up losing 26 lbs, which, of course, have since come home to roost on my hips and butt and are what I'm trying to encourage to leave the nest (ummm hips and butt).   :-)

I can do a smoothie once in a while, if the consistency is good ... I like my smoothies to be a consistency more like ice cream, so I use frozen fruit and often toss in some baby spinach or lettuce leaves, etc.  Raw (fresh) ginger is great in a smoothie and I always use almond milk in them vs cow's milk.   Think:  frozen banana, a few frozen berries, tablespoon fresh ginger, 1/2 cup almond milk.  Blend it all up and eat.  I often put other spices (cinnamon is a favorite), as well.  Real vanilla works well with some things, etc.  

I have tons of recipes for smoothies/shakes, using everything from powdered peanut butter to sugar-free jello/pudding mixes.    Of course, we know that "sugar-free" isn't necessarily good for us and can derail a diet just as easily as sugar.  I try to steer clear of artificial sweeteners and opt for honey, stevia or a spice (cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg) for the sweetness.

I have a Ninja blender that has 2 containers - one for larger batches and one for a single smoothie, but it's not a juicer.  I'm anxious to see what you come up with and if you're interested in any of my recipes, I'll be happy to post a few of them.  

Oh- BTW - as we know, a smoothie is typically a drink containing fresh fruits/veggies, etc, whereas a "shake" often contains a protein powder.  My blood protein levels are usually low or rock bottom, so I've been looking for a powder that actually tastes like food, but haven't been able to.  If you have a favorite, I'd love to know what brand and the best place to get it.  

[Burgund]

IDK, smoothies? I've heard that it's not so good for loosing weight.

[AnnieBrooke]

A blended drink I buy a lot in the summer is one consisting of cucumber, mint and lime, plus sparkling water. I suspect there is some sweetener in it, but not a lot. Maybe you can improvise something with those three flavors, in a smoothie.

[Barb135]

Yummmm - you drink sounds really good.  What brand is it and where do you buy it?  Thanks

[AnnieBrooke]

It would be nice if it were available at a store -- it's at California Pizza Kitchen, called a "Cucumber Reviver." When a restaurant makes a favorite like that, people try to guess what's in the recipe, and I've seen people online saying that it starts with pureed fresh cucumber and pineapple with a dash of agave, and other people saying it's cucumber and lemonade (though I don't think so). It does get a lime garnish, and mint, and even has long cucumber strips in it (like you'd do with a peeler). It's blended (iced and pureed) and then topped with sparkling water. It's great. my drink of choice when my husband and I eat there. If you have a California Pizza Kitchen in your area, you might stop in. My husband always gets a Thai salad bowl and I usually get a bowl [forget the name] with veggies, grains and beans; it's not like the only thing they serve is pizza. But in any case, it wouldn't be impossible to figure out how to make something similar at home.

[Barb135]

We don't have California Pizza Kitchen that I know of, but I'll certainly look for one.  I found several recipes for cucumber revivers, cucumber coolers, etc.  Most of them have lemon juice.  I only found one with lime juice.  Unfortunately, I don't have any of the ingredients to make them!!  Most of the recipes use either agave or honey.  I don't have the agave but I always have honey on hand.   I'll write down, what looks like, the best recipe and get the ingredients when I buy groceries.  

[AnnieBrooke]

I think the lime in the one I like is mostly sliced or quartered limes used as garnish, though they might also pour in some Roses' Lime (like people put in margaritas). It wouldn't actually surprise me if there is some pineapple pureed with the cucumber, the one at California Pizza Kitchen tastes more like that than like it's made with lemonade. Anyway, it would be interesting to experiment. My thought of the way the Cucumber Revivers taste that I'm used to, is that the primary flavors are cucumber, mint, and lime, though there is definitely something sweet there which is why pineapple might not be surprising.