Smoothies

I became drawn to smoothies, particularly those with greens, in 2012 after reading about them on the internet and then buying the book, Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko. One thing I learned is that it was important to break down the cell walls of your produce to unleash the fullest nutritional potential and for better absorption. Smoothies have been an efficient way for our family to get many servings of fruits and vegetables a day. In addition to all the nutrients, green smoothies are alkalizing which in turn lowers the risk of many disease processes which cannot survive in that environment. Smoothies can be conducive to nearly any diet too. This of course led to lots of blender research and I chose to get a Vitamix. I was lucky in that this was gifted to me but I was fully ready to invest in one. Aside from the aforementioned science, I wanted the a machine powerful enough to fully pulverize larger pieces of frozen fruit and ice quickly and smoothly. It is too bad that I don\’t receive commission from Vitamix after convincing literally a dozen other people to purchase one! The best \”deal\” (still an arm and a leg) is Costco where you can get a basic model for around $350 and the programmable 6300 model for $500; cookbooks included with both. I have the 6300 which also makes frozen desserts and hot soup. Excluding trips, I have used it 5-7 days a week since getting it in December 2012!

  • Orange Berry Vanilla Green Smoothie

    Here’s a super duper quick post. Whenever I make a smoothie that turns out exceptionally yummy, I have to share it with you. Normally I just toss this and that in trying to incorporate greens, 1-2 fruits, protein, and fiber. The below combination turned out perfect for a morning smoothie with its bright citrus influence. [...]

  • Pre-Thanksgiving: Cran-apple Cinnamon Smoothie

    Although cranberries come to mind in the fall, I appreciate using the frozen and dried form year round. As well as known benefits for the urinary system, cranberries tout antioxidants and I appreciate the tarter profile as well as low glycemic index. Even natural sugars can cause glucose overload and make smoothies high calorie as [...]

  • Wake Up & Workout Smoothie

    I’m aiming to quit regular coffee consumption. Again. There are a few reasons for this: It really doesn’t pep me up. More than anything, a hot drink in the morning is comforting. I like the taste of coffee very much but I like the warm cup even more. I feel wasteful. I rarely get through a cup. [...]

  • Family Smoothies With Frozen Nectarines & Pumpkin Pie Spice

    Have you seen the bags of frozen sliced peaches and nectarines at Trader Joe’s? They are a nice change from my usual go-to ingredients. Sometimes I need just a little more sweetness and some tartness to complete what I’m blending into my smoothie. I made these two smoothies during my next-day prep last night and [...]

  • Bright & Balanced Banana-less Green Smoothie

    If you are not a green smoothie novice, want something less sweet, but still very palatable, look no further. This blend is refreshing and full of immune boosting vitamin C. It feels detoxing, fatigue fighting, and is just plain satisfying after travel or a major sweat session! Bright & Balanced Banana-less Green Smoothie Charlotte Veggie Original DF, GF [...]

  • Hunger Curbing Pre-Party Smoothie

    This was my smoothie before a friend’s 40th birthday celebration last weekend. The danger for me was that the festivities were at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants and it requires great restraint to control my intake of chips and salsa! One of the added advantages as to why I drink green smoothies is that they [...]

  • Freezing Extra Bananas & Banana Berry Base Smoothie

    There was a time when extra overripe bananas meant the pleasure or pressure to bake. Once I made the banana ice scream recipe from the Vitamix cookbook, I realized that bananas were just as useful frozen as any other frozen fruit. This is an easy way to preserve those spare bananas without them sticking together! [...]

  • Autumn Apples: Sweet & Spice & Everything Nice Smoothie

    Fall is just around the corner meaning the well priced bags of organic apples at Trader Joe’s are back! You can bet I snagged a few bags. I was standing in my kitchen doing my usual smoothie-for-the-next-day prep when I saw my overflowing basket of apples. Thoughts of apple pie followed. This smoothie is a bit sweeter [...]

  • Sleepy Eyed School Morning Smoothie

    Is anyone else finding it hard to get up and into the routine since school started? Smoothies are a great and efficient option for when you can barely butter the toast and the kids can barely pick it up and chew. Stick a straw into a tall glass of healthy sweet nutrients and the kids can keep [...]

  • Workout to Pool Smoothie

    Summer is calling for lots of smoothies! I don’t think I will ever get over how convenient they are as a snack as well as squeezing in so many servings of fruits and veggies. I whipped up this refreshing shake when I was pretty hungry. I had an intense workout, came home to rinse off, got [...]

Charlotte Veggie