Facing FAQs (Green Smoothies stripped)

What is a smoothie?

Smoothies- a blended, chilled beverage made from fresh fruits or artificial flavourings.      They are milkshake-like in taste and texture and can also contain milk, chocolate and whatever is pleasing to the taste buds. It is a very classic refreshment as well. Milk from the cow, however, is for cows. Unless you looked in the mirror lately and you saw a cow, a substitute milk from almonds or cashews is very likely better for human consumption.

What is a green smoothie?

A GREEN smoothie is from all-natural blended whole ingredients such as fruits and vegetables. Raw green smoothies are healthy and flooded with nutrients the body needs. Vegans use RAW organic ingredients and non-dairy products. But for starters it is not a must since organic ingredients are a little bit pricey.

How do I prepare a smoothie?

Piece of cake [smoothie]! All you need is your favourite fruits and vegetables, a base, ice and/or water and a high performance blender. Best is a 3 horsepower Blender. Rule of thumb: Make your smoothies as simple as possible, lesser ingredients promote better digestion.

Can I mix fruits and vegetables at the same time?

You can mix anything your heart desires. Some fruits and vegetables go together better than others. Fruits like apple, oranges, grapes, and vegetables like carrot and spinach complement each other. Some fruits can be too sweet; vegetables can sometimes be too bitter or bland. Some vegetables like cabbage can turn spicy in the blending process with a high power blender. Mixing them carefully together, considering the compatibility, makes perfect smoothies. Following recipes from Chef’s like Carmella Soleil can help you learn and also avoid vegetable and fruit clashes.

How often should I have a green smoothie?

1 liter per day is the ideal ratio. You can start with 16 oz twice daily, which makes 1 liter. You can never go wrong with your smoothies drink till you drop [and you won’t]! At least you are drinking healthy, right?

How can I make it sweet without adding artificial sweeteners?

Use ripe fruits. A fruit is sweetest when it is ripe (not over ripe please). I recommend ripe bananas, mangoes, figs, plums, berries, agave nectar or honey.

Can I store my smoothies for days before I consume it?

Fresh is still the best!  Right after you blend it drink it. But yes you can store it inside your freezer or refrigerator in an air-tight jar or any container. The taste and the nutrient level will likely change some what. You need to keep the smoothie in an air-tight container to reduce oxidation as much as possible. If you ever have seen a green smoothie that was brown, you know what we mean with oxidation.

Can GREEN smoothies help me with my unhealthy food cravings?

Yes but not right away. It takes time for your palate to get used to it. But once it did, you will be surprised to crave for more healthy foods instead. You will likely be able to notice a difference in energy levels. Green smoothies increase your energy levels and and when you go back to your hamburger habit, your energy will slow down.

My friend lost weight eating just vegetables but I hate eating green leafs, do you think smoothies can make me love vegetables?

Vegetables are not everyone’s choice of food but in order to be fit and healthy you need to add some greens to your diet. Smoothies’ is a health conscious man’s best friend. It is considered as nature’s way of making people (not only) love vegetables but also addicted to it. So, yes! You will love your veggies in the glass.

How long will it take for me to make a smoothies?

It depends on your blender and what you drop into it. It should take 1-2 minutes maximum for a high performance blender to do the job with fruits and vegetables.  It can take longer if you blend nuts, seeds and other solid foods with your smoothie ingredients. So if you do not have a high performance blender it is better to mince, slice, cut everything into halves if you have to, to save time and also to get it blended up at least to a drinkable consumable smoothie texture.

Do I need a specific type of blender or are they all the same?

You need a high performance blender to make your smoothies perfect. Meaning, the texture, consistency (no chunks) and taste is way better than buying just “a” blender. The good thing with 3 horsepower high powered blenders is that you don’t need to chop everything to make sure it won’t stop in the middle of blending. It saves time and energy. It breaks up the cell walls and thus your micronized veggies and fruits  will yield a much higher level of phyto-nutrition.

Generally a smoothie made in a high-performance-blender yields more nutrients with less ingredients than a low-powered blender. And that means also savings in ingredients.

What you need to consider when buying a blender :

OMNI Blender V 3HP

• At least 3 Horsepower Motor
• Heavy duty applications for tough ingredients
• Quick touch pulse Button Feature
• Multi-Speed is great. Consider user-friendliness and avoid those that have too many technical gimmicks and programs. One with 3 Speeds (low, medium, high) with integrated auto speed adjustment is probably the best.
• A multi purpose blade
• Blends grains, nuts, avocado pits, ice cubes, etc.
• Make hot soups, sauces, cream, nut butters, ice cream, and fantastically fine smoothies (breaks cell walls)
• Not too expensive and with a long term warranty – A good blender with a 7 years warranty is available at $ 250.00.

I was about to consider buying the $500 high performance Blender when the OMNI BLENDER caught my attention. I was at first hesitant to believe how a cheaper by half the price can perform the abovementioned but I was convinced with the reviews about it. So I got one. Guess what? It is no doubt worth every penny. I am enjoying the smoothie experience with my OMNI BLENDER.

I ran out of smoothies recipe and some ingredients are not available in my area. Where can I find more recipes?

There are a lot of recipe guide books that can be bought in the stores or even online. But if you don’t have enough money to buy one, you can always surf the net for free recipes. Also, if you buy a blender most of them come with a recipe guidebook to help you start the smoothie habit.  DELICIOUSLY RAW Recipe Book by Chef Carmella Soleil is a perfect recipe for ALL-RAW-ALL-GREEN juices, sauces, dressings, smoothies, soups, deserts, pastes, and cheeses.

Have fun experimenting with your smoothies, being healthy is not boring at all!  

Healthily Yours,
Smoothie Junkie

Photos courtesy of Google Images