Yes, we've talked about them before, and they really are a staple at our house. My day just goes better when it starts out with one of these. My top 5 tips have been requested, so here goes:
It's Dave's job to make them, (because when it's left up to me, it ususally doesn't get made before he leaves for work, so he doesn't get one until lunch), and according to Kelvin, he makes them better. I'm happy to let him make them. Here's what works for us.
1 - Grind your flaxseeds in a coffee grinder first. It just makes for a smoother drink. You can find them for under $20 at Wal-mart or Target.
2 - Ice - it's optional. We use all frozen fruit (except for the banana) so I don't mind not having it in there, but some think it's a must. Try it and decide what you like best.
3 - When strawberries are cheap (like right now - there is an abundance of them on the market, so the price is good) I buy them fresh, then wash and freeze them myself.
4 - Yogurt - it works with out it, but it's oh so much better with it. I like Vanilla best, but plain or strawberry is fine too.
5 - Protein Powder. I've heard a lot of studies lately saying that soy protein is not as good for you as they once thought. We like to use Whey protein. You can get it in different flavors (keep in mind this also adds sugar) or get it plain. I kind of like the vanilla flavored. Sometimes we get a kind that is packed with other vitamins too. Most health food stores will offer you all sorts of kinds. Read labels, see what works for you. And for our entire family (2 adult size portions and 2 childs portions - Mollie won't touch the stuff) we only do enough for one serving. We aren't trying to bulk up or anything, we just want to have the added protein in our diet. We also add a fiber powder to it. Right now it's the Melaleuca one which uses psyllium husks for it's source. It's a good one.
There's 5. I could probably list more, but there are my 2 bits. If I were to add another optional one, it would be to get a good blender. Frozen stuff, day after day, can be hard on some blenders. Plus, ones I've had in the past tend to leave chunks of frozen fruit in it. I've had my vita-mix for quite a few years now and haven't had a problem with it. My mom (who made drinks and everything else with it) burned hers up after several years, so she got a blend-tech. So far she really likes it.
I knew you would come through for me, now I have to get a coffee grinder, flax seeds and a wheat grinder and wheat....hum this is getting to be a lot of stuff. Love Fiber Wise, never thought about putting that in the smoothie, good tip, they also have a protein powder I will have to read the label. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! Like Torrie I need to work on getting some products :) Maybe if I start simple by just making one that would get me going :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously these are hard to mess up on. We don't measure anything that goes in it (except the protein and fiber). If it's too thick, add more juice, if you want it thicker, add more ice or frozen fruit. After a while, you get the hang of it and you are able to just throw stuff in. I think you guys would like them, but getting into the habit of doing it takes time (just like everything else).
ReplyDeleteOh, and Torrie, I just ordered some of the melaleuca protein powder. We'll see how we like it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting these smoothie recipe I'm so excited to get going on them.
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