Now Showing: The Junk and Ugly Truth

Not only that I am a smoothie junkie but also a movie and TV series aficionado. I have this daily habit of watching one movie per day, not necessarily in the big screen but at home before sleeping and usually a DVD marathon of my favourite TV series during the weekends (The Big Bang Theory is my current obsession). However, the downside of this habit is the snacks. As For me junk food and soda is always the top food choice to go with a good movie, it takes two to tango, right?

But then eventually I realized I have to break the unhealthy snack habit and change the pattern of my eating behaviour. Here's why: I gained weight so fast that my jeans wont fit anymore and I was once dizzy the whole day after I consumed a bag of MSG-packed chips. Well, that was my body pleading to cut down my intake of preservative rich foods and I have to listen for my own good. The idea is excruciating for my palate but beneficial to my health. I do not want to die young, overweight and depressed! Do you? I don't think so.

So the idea popped out at once. Since I love popcorn and smoothies why not splurge on it rather than chips and sodas. FYI: all homemade ingredients.

Popcorn:

1/2 cup Corn seeds/kernels
 2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil/Olive oil
1 tbsp. Light Butter

-Coat the bottom part of the pan with Olive oil at medium- high heat

- Add the corn Kernels. Make sure to cover the pan

- Let the Kernels cook and shake it once in awhile
-In 3-5 minutes when it stopped popping turn off the stove, let it cool, out it in a bowl, add some butter and serve.

Smoothies:

Mango smoothie

1 ripe Mango

1/2 cup milk

Ice cubes

Honey/ Agave nectar
Flaxseeds

Process everything on a blender at 60 second cycle (I use my OMNI BLENDER V) or until its creamy. Add some honey to taste.

There you go. Nothing fancy just homemade, msg-free and healthy. Oh by the way, I buy organic chips once in awhile for a change but the smoothies...oh! I love it! I can have those creamy and smooth beverage every hour of every day =)

Smoothie Junkie

Organic versus Conventional food products

Organic Farming is a natural way of agriculture. This method produces crops using crop rotation, green manure, biological pest control and the use of natural fertilizers. The aim of organic farming is to produce good quality crops with high nutrition values with no damage to mother earth by completely breaking the habit of using synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, etc. Organic food saves us from the alarming effects of conventional foods that are chock-full of fertilizers that will eventually take its toll on our body's immune system.

It is surprising that nowadays a lot of consumers are changing, from conventional to healthy organic lifestyle. People are now wiser and more cautious on what they cook for dinner for their families. But then the problem is, not everyone can afford it. Organic is generally expensive than conventional food. Is it really? Let see.

• Organic food production is limited as compared to conventional. It is a fight over quality versus quantity. The fact is that non-organic products produce more because of the fertilizers they use to increase production. However, with organic products, they may be lesser in production but it is jam-packed with nutrients that makes it tastier, juicier (fruits), greener and healthier of course.
•  Farmers do not use fertilizers and pesticides so hard labour is exerted to meet the demands of organic farming. Natural ways of soil fertilization, pest control and production is very toilsome for farmers growing organic foods.
• The demand exceeds the supply. Because of the sudden increase in demand of organic food, people who are selling them peddle the goods at a higher price in the market.
• No government subsidies allocation for Organic farming unlike conventional farming. The government funds conventional farming because they are in dire need of fertilizers for mass and fast production. Or else, we will all starve. Like what happened after World War II where food is scarce and people are dying out of starvation. In lieu of this horrible event, the government decided to load the farms with chemicals to increase growth and production without the realization that the quality of the crops perished.

So it seems like, Organic food products are more expensive than conventional but come to think of the benefits. Some studies show that habitual intake of organic food reduces the risk for cancer and other diseases. Also, you are not only saving yourself but the planet as well. You see with Organic farming, the soil life will be preserved until the next generations to come. Water pollution from the chemicals that is washed out into the bodies of water will be reduced.

There is no doubt that money-wise organic products is a pretty penny but come to think of it, does it really burn a hole in your pocket ?

SmoothieJunkie








The images are not mine unless otherwise stated. Courtesy of google.com

Apple-orange smoothie for breakfast

 Just as I was doing my research on oxidation process and blending smoothies, my gastronomic urge hit me and my palate is craving for something to eat. So because of the fact that I am in the middle of something very important  that I do not want to be disturbed and tempting as it can be I do not want to open the bag of chips on top of my refrigerator (for calorie burning reasons). I opt to (of course), make myself a smoothie which in all aspects we all agree that is healthy, heavy on the tummy and refreshing not to mention easy to prepare on a hot and sunny afternoon.

Anyways, going back to my cravings, I decided to make an apple-orange smoothie. Why? because they are both rich in Vitamin C and fiber. Oh! Seriously? Well, It's all that I've got from my chiller. There, guilty as charged. Again I just used whatever I have in my kitchen to make one decent smoothie.

Apple- Orange smoothie

Serves 2

1 apple (chopped)

1 orange (sliced)

1 1/2 cup milk

3 tbsp Honey

2 tsp flax seed (ground)

6 ice cubes

• Process everything in a blender. I use my favorite high performance blender of all time THE OMNIBLENDER V. at 60 second cycle or until desired consistency is reached.
• Pour into a glass and enjoy your easy to prepare 1 minute smoothie creation.

Before I get back to my research, let's evaluate the taste and nutrient content of the smoothie I just made:

Taste: Not to sweet and not too bland, just right for my taste buds. But if you prefer it sweet just add more honey or agave syrup.

Consistency: Not too creamy. I lack a fruit base to make it rich and smooth. So I suggest you add a 1 banana or other base fruit you prefer (Refer to http://smoothiejunkie.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-guiltless-refreshment.html).

Color: Pale yellow-orange

Nutrient Content: Vitamin C, flavonoids, fiber, anti-oxidants, calcium.

Healthily Yours, 

Smoothie junkie

Pumpkin Soup on a bad weather

Imagine a week long non-stop cloud burst with no sunlight peeping from the sky and all you want to do is hibernate under the sheets for as long as you want. Would you be very kind to your bed and relish the comforts the bed weather brings or kill your own fantasy by getting up and work. Of course, the latter is more realistic isn't it?

Well, the advantage of working from home is that you just have to literally get up, take a shower and face your computer to work. No hassles of commuting and jammed traffic on your way to and from work and in this case where the typhoon is unstoppable, scuffling against the downpour is impossible.

While I was shut inside my abode, my food supply was not sufficient enough to last for 7 days and as much as I would love to go for a quick run at a near grocery store, the gust of wind and flooded streets made me give up on the attempt to go out. So, I checked the kitchen for something to eat and all I have are bread, vegetables  such as spinach, eggplant, carrots and pumpkin. Now, due to my in dire need to eat, I came up with an idea cook something using the resources that I have. Went to check on the internet for some recipes and off to my kitchen to perform some magic! FYI, I am neither a chef nor a cook. I am just.... HUNGRY! So, i consider it a miracle if i can pull it off.

Here is the recipe I found on the internet: (I replaced some that I cannot find in my kitchen)

PUMPKIN SOUP

3 cups Pumpkin/ squash (chopped)
2  small carrots (chopped)
3 cups milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp salt 
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic
1 small chopped onions

• Boil the chopped pumpkin and carrots for 3 minutes. Just enough to soften the vegetables.
• Process all the ingredients using a blender. I used my high performance Omniblender V at 90 sec. cycle. or until smooth and creamy.
• Add more hot water as needed, until the desired consistency is reached.

So, there it is in less than 30 minutes I managed to make something out of nothing. Pumpkin soup together with slices of wheat bread is enough to satisfy my hunger.

Pumpkin Soup

Healthily Yours,

Smoothie Junkie

Omni Blender V Review

Who would have thought that Blenders nowadays is one of the most essential kitchen appliances in a regular household.  When Blender companies started to innovate their blenders limited capacity to not just make purees and smoothies but evolved into a more sophisticated little machine that can chop, grind, make soups, sauces and spreads, blenders became a multifunctional kitchen must-have.

I have been receiving emails regarding the blender that I am using and questions on why I chose Omniblender over Blendtec and other competitors. Well, for the obvious reason Omniblender V have the same functionality but cheaper at half the price simple as that! I am just being practical.

Like you, I did my own research on what to consider in buying not just a typical Blender but I opt for multi functionality with reasonable price for a blender. I don’t want to be disappointed and waste my money in buying cheap with limited functions ( Blenders that cannot even crush ice) or  a multifunctional high performance blender but is very expensive. So I decided to narrow down my search  to two criterias:

• Inexpensive
• Multi functional

And my search landed me to Omniblender V. It is not perfect, it has flaws (Of course!) but it is sufficient enough to meet my needs. Anyways, let’s cut the chase and move on to un-boxing Omniblebder V’s parts and features.

1.       3 Horse Power Motor-  This explains why high performance blenders such as OmniBlender, BlendTec and others are pricey (in the $400's and $500's) compared to other blenders. A 3 HP Blender can almost do anything because it is durable, blends stronger and lasts longer.

2.       Quick touch pulse buttons - This actually caught my eye. I love the soft touch buttons, very easy to manipulate and I just love the fact that it looks very trendy, don’t you think?

3.       Multi speed- I found out that the speed of Omniblender is not as fast as some competitors. Let’s say Omniblender blends smoothies in a 60-second cycle well, others and more expensive blenders can do it in 45 seconds.

And for this reason, the Omniblender is not as noisy as these other competitors and it runs cooler, lasts probably longer, etc. But “hey”, we are talking “just” seconds here.  What is a 15 second delay compared to a $200 price advantage?

4.       Multi Purpose blade- the Omni blade is made up from a stainless steel alloy and has 6 very sharp knives which explain the wide array of its functionality from smoothies to grinding nuts and seeds into powder form.

Here’s a video blending flaxseeds into flaxseed flour.  http://www.youtube.com/user/3blenders#p/u/14/mDw7kvfSqfw

5.   The Jar- The good thing with the container is it is lightweight considering it is plastic (food grade polycarbonate which I believe is safe for food preparations) with rubber lid.  I also like the fact that the metric conversion is not only evident but it is etched in litres, Millilitres, Ounce and cups which is very useful.  However, because it is not the typical pitcher shaped blender, sometimes it needs a hand for stirring- The wooden dowel. Which I believe you need to purchase differently.

6. Overload Reset Button- A manual switch where you can just push the switch and reset it in cases of overload or your fruit is stuck on the blades.

7. Price- It costs $250 plus $25 shipping with a 7 year warranty from Omniblender. I am in the Philippines so International shipping is cost more. For more details check on their website http://3blenders.com/index.html

A Blender is an investment so you have to make sure that it is worth every penny.  There is a wide array of Blenders in the market and the best way to purchase is to research brands and models available. Go for the one that fulfils your needs. As for me, Omniblender V is a very practical choice and I am very happy and always excited to use and test if it can keep up. So far…It has not failed me yet.

Yours Truly,

Smoothie Junkie

The Body's Kryptonite: Trans Fat 101

What is Transaturated Fats?

Transaturated  fat increases the bad cholesterol in the body. We usually get it from the unhealthy food we eat. Unfortunately, 80 percent of what we eat is unhealthy. We love processed, deep fried, packaged and frozen foods and we cannot help but to dig in every time.  

Trans fat are man- made fats created from Hydrogenation process. Hydrogenating vegetable-based oils is generally less expensive than using saturated animal fats, and partial hydrogenation gives processed foods a longer shelf life.

Foods with Transaturated Fats

• Pastries and cakes
• French fries (unless fried in lard / dripping)
• Doughnuts
• Cookies / biscuits
• Chocolate
• Margarine
• Shortening
• Fried chicken
• Crackers
• Potato chips
• Hamburgers
• Toppings and Dips

Risk of too much Trans Fat

·         Heart disease

·         Cancer

·         Obesity

How to avoid/reduce Trans Fat

·         Read the label and the ingredients- Reading nutritional facts on your processed food labels will help you identify what contains Trans Fat. Also, not all 0% trans fat is safe, check the ingredients for shortenings or hydrogenated virgin oil.

·         Avoid restaurants and fast foods- Where else can you find a chock-full of trans fat rich foods. Fast foods are irresistible and extremely addictive but try to make it healthier one meal at a time.

·        Use extra virgin olive oil- Studies shows that people in the Mediterranean are healthier than most of the people around the world. They also have the lowest rate of heart disease for the past 10 years. This is because they eat healthy and extra virgin olive oil (helps lower bad cholesterol) is like salt in their day to day meal.

·         Eat natural/ organic foods- It all boils down to the GREENS! We ignore so much of nature’s gift not knowing that at the end of the day, these miracle foods will always save the day. Try making smoothies out of your vegetables, this way you can learn how to love your vegetables and fruits out from your plate and into your glass.

·         Eat in moderation especially fried foods- Trans fat is no doubt dangerous, kills slowly but surely but then you cannot dare to kill the habit abruptly as well. So take it a day at a time. Learn to choose what you eat and try to follow the abovementioned to start the cleaning process.

    

Healthily Yours,

Smoothie Junkie

The images are not mine unless otherwise stated (Courtesy of Google Images)

Who needs EXERCISE?

I am always the lazy daisy type of person when it comes to physical activity. Working out and hitting the gym is not my thing at all, I find it very exhausting, boring and not very helpful at all because right after burning all the calories it makes me very hungry that I can eat half a pie of pizza or a plateful of pasta not to mention the ice cold soda plus cake for dessert. How about that?!?!

Don’t get me wrong, I really love the idea of being a fit and healthy. Actually I am into my green smoothie diet for quite some time now because I really want to live healthy but I envy those people who give time to exercise and made it their daily routine. My mind is not closed for a lifestyle change, I always wanted to be addicted to sports, exercise and healthy living the only thing that is getting on my way is my endless excuses to not start hitting the gym but hitting the sack instead.

 So, I set a goal for myself (finally!) and a few inspirations to get me going along the way, something that will motivate me and to not give up the (self) challenge I imposed. Well, here are a few that I want to accomplish.

1.       A healthy Heart

2.       A gorgeous body to die for

3.       Youthful glow

4.       Increase in Self esteem

5.       A happier you

6.       Increase in mental focus

7.       Increase in energy, strength and stamina

8.       A longer healthy life

I love number two the most! I cannot wait to see myself lose those pounds and gain those abs. Exercise plus my green smoothie diet is a perfect combination to a healthy lifestyle. All I need to do is to START.  The beginning of everything is always the hardest part but once you get used to it, you will savor all the benefits and the glory of your hard work.

This time, I cannot wait to kick off and set my mind into burning those calories and gaining a lifetime of healthy pleasurable benefits.

Here’s one energizing brew of smoothies before you start kicking off those unwanted calories:

APRICOT BLUEBERRY AMBROSIA (Serves 2)

2 Bananas

1 2 cups apricots
1 Orange peeled and seeded
1 cup blueberries
Juice of ½ lemon
2 cups of water

Process all ingredients in the OMNI Blender using the 60 second cycle, or until the greens are completely broken down.

If necessary, adjust sweetness by adding raw agave nectar or honey and blending again briefly.

From Chef Carmella Soleil’s (The Sunny Raw Kitchen) healthy smoothie recipe from the Deliciously Raw Book

Healthily Yours,


Smoothie Junkie





Images are not mine unless otherwise stated (courtesy of Google Images)