Mattm's smoothies...watch out the Double, Triple, Quadruple Deckers are landing!!

[mattm]

Hi guys,

As a lot of you know I've been writing a lot recently about my green smoothie diet, the praise I have for them and passing helping others out with their questions regarding them. I thought it was time that I start showing everyone some of my creations I come up with over the years and what we youngins are made of!! The pictures are of tonight’s meal, it's one I love and I haven't had to think of a name for it until know so for the moment I'll call it the 'Double Decker' referring to something that I came up with a while back now with the small blending jug I have. In this recipe I blend up a green smoothie including water, a small banana, a small mango, loads of baby spinach, half cucumber, some romaine lettuce leaves, 1tbsp maca,1 heaped tsp pure synergy, 1tbsp flaxseed oil and a squeeze of lemon to create a green looking, relatively sweet for me smoothie which I pour into a bowl. I then make a bitter chocolate topping made from 1 very heaped tbsp cocoa, 1 small courgette/zucchini, a load more baby spinach, water, 1 apple, squeeze lemon and 1tbsp of flaxseed oil using the jug that I just prepared the first half of the smoothie in. I pour this brown looking green smoothie into the centre of the green-looking smoothie and finish it off with some chopped up mango reserved from the very beginning. This creates a great looking meal with contrast in colours...the green around the edge, then the brown and finally the yellow mango in the centre...I can tell you now a lot of my SAD eater friends say how good this one looks and tastes!!! The thing I love about this is the idea of making separate smoothies with distinct, very intense flavours separate and then combining them like this. In this dish you have the slightly sweet but earthly green taste of the first concoction, contrasted with the bitterness of the chocolate of the second concoction and then all of this contrasted with pure sweetness of the chopped mango...a definite taste sensation!!

I like to make a lot of my green smoothies in what I've called a 'layered' way and they always look amazing through the contrast in colour. One on my favourites is the granddaddy of them all and that's the QUADRUPLE DECKER which, as you might have guessed, involves four layers...I'll be posting a pic soon but basically it has 1 very salty layer (celery based and deeply green looking from the green powder Pure Synergy), 1 really sweet layer (mango and banana based with a bit of purple corn extract in it to make this layer deeply purple contrasting stunningly with the others), 1 bitter layer (chocolate based and thus brown looking), one small bit of an intensely sour layer (lemon based and very light green from lemon and water combined with some cucumber) and finally a bright orange fruit garnish (chopped mango centered as in the first recipe). When looking at the dish you see four rings of sharply contrasting colours (working inwards...deep green, brown, deep purple, light green) and then the stunning vibrancy of the orange mango at the centre. Also the intensity of the individual layers allow the eater to be knocked for ten by trying them individually (and trust me trying the sour one will do this:D ) or mix them up to get a complete taste sensation. I love this concept and share it to all you guys for your experimentation.

All the best, please let me know what you think of this idea (I'll be posting many more pics on this thread for everyone) and if you guys make any 'layered' smoothies whether they be double, triple, quadruple deckers or even more please posts your pics on here...I'll be interested to see what you inventive lot come up with.

[Zella Juice]

sweet!...my son calls these Rainbow Juice. We own a juice bar and sometimes when I have leftovers from making them for customers, I pour them all into one cup and give it to him. He made up the name Rainbow Juice and asks for them all the time.

[mattm]

Hi zella juice, so yours are different juices mixed up, not smoothies? I find the intensity and contrast in flavour of the different layers (sweet, sour, bitter etc) presented in a bowl like this the great fun of this idea I had and it's real selling point...there a bit like Cadbury Cream Egg's...you know..."How do you eat Yours"!!! Do you dare start with the sour part (brave souls may you rest in peace:D)? The sweet part? The bitter chocolatly sensation part? Are you feeling a bit salty? Or do you just dive right in and go for a combo?! I've made them here for students at uni and they love the idea...you don't know what the different layers are so it's sort of lucky dip in choosing one...maybe I should rename them DO YOU DARE SMOOTHIES...I see a business opportunity...MATT'S EXTREME SMOOTHIE COMPANY...you heard it here first!!! No longer will we have extreme sports competitions...it'll be extreme smoothies...okay I admit maybe that's getting a bit carried away but I really feel strongly this lifestyle should be as fun and tasty as possible to entice others in and keep them going as well as doing their body wonders...the reactions I'm getting from SAD eaters with this smoothie idea of mine reminds me of the possibilities the appeal of raw food has. Keep up with your replies...as I said I'll be interested to know what you think.

All the best...smoothly does it!!

[Zella Juice]

oh yeah..these are smoothies. Sometimes he calls smoothies "juice"...

Your idea made me think of another thing he said...I have been making all these new raw dishes that he likes...he said we were "Super Crazy Raw"...I was like..what do you mean?...he says.."when we first started raw..we were just raw...then we got crazy raw...now we are super crazy raw."

It's just amazing to me how much creativity being raw gives us. I am an artist and not a cook. So for me to be able to be creative with food is totally awesome.

I think you are onto something with your smoothies. people do love layers with different flavors. That's how I like my salads too. I don't like to toss it...I like to eat it in layers..and choose what I eat with what...then at the end..I might mix up the last little bit..just to taste it that way too.

Raw is such an adventure.

When you make your smoothies...don't forget to take some pics for us. :)

[mattm]

Thanks for the sypport Zella Juice and I agree we are all artists here and this forum is the greatest testament to that and if you look up some of my past posts you'll see I have written quite a lot on my feelings about the relation between art and our lifestyles (e.g. http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=28068&highlight=consideration) ...I think this concpt is really novel (though now I've posted it on the web they will probably start popping up everywhere called different things:D ) and the reactions I'm getting back from these adventurous/daring smoothies add another dimension to the eating experience...as said even the SAD eaters have taken to the idea that these can be made so you don't know what type of flavour (sweet, sour, bitter etc) you are going to get...just a bit of fun I guess..."crazy" as your son might say:).

By the way, my computer froze up on me last night (think it's getting a bit old now!) just as I was going to post another reply corncerning your rainbow juice name. I called these layered smoothie rainbow smoothies initially when I came up with the idea for the "layering technique" as I call it about 3 years ago as soon as my mum actually looked at what I had said and commented "That's pretty, looks like ar rainbow!". I even added the idea of the mango at the centre because (other than looking really cool:D ) it was meant to represent "the gold at the end of te rainbow" thing. But I've since changed the name to ... Deckers because I leave the rainbow smoothie name for something I call "Rainbow Delight". This is literally the seven colours of the rainbow presented in a wide bowl as in the other recipe already posted with the mango in the centre for the "pot of gold". This really is absolutely stunning and if I was to have a signature dish it would be the one (with the Quadruple Decker coming in second!). I'm desparate to get the ingredients together to post a pic of this one for the raw food world to see (!) but for the moment I'll run over how I basically make the layers...1st layer red - soaked goji berry blended with soaking water based, 2nd layer orange - mango based, 3rd layer yellow - lunuma and banana based, 4th layer green - (no prizes for guesses here!) green leafy and green powder based, 5th layer - blackcurrent, blueberry etc based, 6th layer indigo - (hard one) combo of last layer and INCREDIBLY small amount of purple corn extract, 7th layer violet -purple corn extract based and all finished off with a few pieces of chopped mango right at the centre. It might not neccessarily be the absolute quikest smoothie I've ever made but if you can visualise what this looks like then I'm sure you'll agree the time is worth it. When I get the exact ingredients together and make it I post the recipe in full and all the various bits and pieces I add to the various layers to make this stunner!

All the best, Zella and everyone keep writing like to know what you think and wait for "Rainbow Delight"...its coming plus loads more!

[vwinters]

Hi Mattm,
What an interesting thread. I make three quarts of green smoothies every day. I make them all at once, but I have to fill the blender up and run it three times. I usually make the same flavor for all three, and I try to use 1/3 of each ingredient (spinach, mango, celery, flax seeds, etc.) in each batch. My goal has always been to have all three batches taste exactly the same. I actually measure the total ingredients I use but not how much I put into each smoothie, I just try to eyeball the 1/3 thing. Then I have three large mugs and I divide each batch among the three different cups. That way if one batch has slightly more or less onion or cilantro it will all even out as each cup with have smoothie from each blender batch.


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These are the mugs I use.

Now even though I’m using the same ingredients these batches of green smoothie are never exactly the same color. A few extra blueberries or a few extra spinach leaves changes the color and when I pour it into the mug with the smoothie from the last batch I get a marbling effect.

What I find so interesting about your post is that it never occurred to me to purposely leave the marbling or layering thing, or to even make it more pronounced. I’ve been doing just the opposite. When I get my three batches blended up and poured into the cups I actually put lids on them and shake them up good so that the color/flavor is even or consistent through the whole smoothie.

I love your idea. Very Fun!
VW


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[sport]

Matt
I do not know if this matter has been brought up before.
I get the impression that you practically live on smoothies. I read an article by Victoria Butenko where she said that her family were bringing out a range of jaw exercisers for the benifit of people who were not getting to exercise their jaw muscles because of the smoothies.
It has been some time since I read this so they should be available now.
Does anyone know anything about them.

[vwinters]

Yes, Victoria has a short chapter about a Jaw Exercising device in her book “Green for Life” She said she was perfecting it and hoped to start distributing it in 2006 but I don’t see them on her website (http://www.rawfamily.com/index.htm). I’m also living on green smoothies and I figure every six months I’ll try chewing up a piece of gum and if I can do that then I’m not going to worry about it.
VW
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[Princess Elaine]

I love these posts on green smoothies...I think I started drinking them about 6 months ago as part of my daily food ...

Mattm...your posts are a joy to read and I've learned so much....keep 'em coming...

...and Valerie...I follow your blog almost everyday....I love reading about your day and your certainly an inspiration and when I log on I hope there's something new from you. I'm starting to feel like you and Mary are part of my day...

I don't have a lot to lose yet have been stuck for a while...you've helped me to drink MORE green smoothies with one salad ....I'm going down slowly....which is good....(easier said then what I'm really feeling, hahaha!!!)....

I like your dream that we'll all be drinking green smoothies....

I love green smoothies though sometimes though I'm full I still want to CHEW something hard....I'm wondering if that feeling will go away or to not be bothered and just eat something chewy??? I think I answered my own question...

Have a wonderful day, love, Elaine

[vwinters]

...and Valerie...I follow your blog almost everyday....I love reading about your day and your certainly an inspiration and when I log on I hope there's something new from you. I'm starting to feel like you and Mary are part of my day...


Hi Elaine,
I have met and talked to so many wonderful people on-line through this forum, other raw food forums, and my blog. I have been repeatedly amazed by how supportive and compassionate and interesting people can be. I glad to count you among my many raw food friends.
VW
http://www.tagworldresources.com/Tagworld-Graphics/Best-Friend-Graphics/226b44e8363178363980605fb3f783ea.jpg


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[queenb]

Val- My friends live in my computer too!
Hope you love the Auromere stuff. Great products and the people who make them are sooooo cool. I spent some time in their ashram in India and it is practically my fav. place on earth! Also, thanks a bunch for linking to my blog. What fun. I finally figured out how to do it and now I'm linked to your blog too!

MattM- you have definately take green smoothies to the next level! Wow! They sound great!

Keep up the good work smoothie-ites!:p

[LightLover]

This is smashing all boarders:)

LL

[mattm]

Hi guys, just want to say how great it is to see that we're getting this green smoothie community together as well so what does everyone think of a separate forum:D...okay maybe pushing luck after just getting one!!! But seriously nice to see so many people thriving of this food which as you all know I've endless praise for both taste and health-wise. Any more of you green smoothie guys out there join in....your very welcome.

I also want to thank everyone so much for their support and encouragement with these layered smoothies of mine...as I said, since coming up with the idea 3 years ago everyone I've come across loves them...starting to think I should have patented this idea or whatever you do:D Anyway sent off the recipes and pic for inclusion in Alissa's upocoming recipe book with promise of pics of the QUADRUPLE DECKER or DO YOU DARE SMOOTHIE! and best of all (I soooooo wish I could show this to you guys now!!) the RAINBOW DELIGHT...hopefully the recipes are good enough but really what I'm hoping is the inclusion of the CONCEPT of the layering which can be used to create a number of different concotions through varying the intensity and colout of the layers as I've demonstrated.

All the best and keep writing because...as always....smoothly does it!!

Matthew

[LightLover]

I don't think you can patent plain nature :D

LL

[mattm]

Never know LL...might find a good tree for a lawyer that could do the job...don't know if you've heard but they have quite a deep rooted history of doing this type of thing!!!! I know it's bad...sorry...it's late over here and should probably go to sleep:D

[LightLover]

Mattm, I also doubt you can sell the "rainbow smoothie" in a shop:
there are so much ingredients involved, the price will be to "high".
Although I have read in some restaurants in New York they charge a few hundered dollars (!) for 4 ounces of Kobe beef, so all you have to do is make the rainbow smoothie as sexy for business people to eat as the Kobe beef.
Of course you can hire me...:)

LL

[mattm]

New York...business people...few hundred dollars for Kobe beef:eek:...I'm moving:D...anyone in NY that I can stay with whilst this takes off!!! I'm thinking...throw in some things like blue manna, some E3 live frozen algae and whatever other superfood there is in sight and soon I'll be able to give that beef a run for its money! LightLover, I really like your thinkning and of course you'll be my first employee...now...returning to reality!!! Actually, these things aren't completely stupid...they're complete meals in every sense of the word (especially if you've ever read the Rainbow Diet book!)...they are AMAZINGLY satisfying and will fill you up as much as some fancy SAD food in a restaurant will and (leaving out the plethora of superfoods!) still cost less than that expensive steak or whatever. Also they look totally stunning (again wait for the Rainbow Delight pic) and presented in the right way and in the right setting, marketable but i think for the moment it's best to finish off university before taking over world with smoothies :D

All the best everyone.

Matthew

[LightLover]

Forget to ask MAttM: is there anything/product that you can't blend?

BTW: what are you studiying?

LL

[mattm]

Hi LightLover, in answer to can you blend 'anything'...could give some really silly answers here:)...but (sticking to fruit and veg:) ) I've blended virtually everything in sight but there are some obvious things like skins of fruits (pineapples, melons) that aren't good ideas and might even cause an Excalibur to blow a fuse. Also I find things like the very ends of asparagus blended are too stringy and unpalatable. It's not so much a question of what you can and can't blend but what is palatable and not. I know from experience that MY BODY can't handle an overload of fat in one sitting (2tbsp oil or 1 small avocado being optimal for me) nor does an overload of spicy vegetables (ones from mustard family i.e. watercress, rocket/aragula, radishes, spicy cabbage) sit well with me...plus a few other things here and there.

As for uni...I'm studying a 4 years masters in electronic engineering...I know...complements the whole nutrition thing wonderfully:confused: But I'm like that, I've got sooooo many different interests and need them to keep myself occupied, active and energisied. Like, I'm also heavily into the film and television business and I'm doing some entrepreneurial type stuff to that end at the moment here and in America so...as I said...doing lots of stuff.

All the best and great talking

Matthew