Adding Agave to a Green Smoothie

[sjpersonal]

Just curious, has anyone felt the need to add agave to their smoothie? I just made one with Mixed Baby Greens, Frozen Strawberries, Spiralina, Powdered Kelp, Powdered Gingerroot and Coconut Water. I like the fact that I had all of the nutrients but the taste was a bit bitter so I added 1 teaspoon of Raw Agave and it was perfect.

Any thoughts?

[Veganforlife]

Sure! I add it periodically if mine are too bitter from the sea veggies I add.

It's your taste and me personally? If it doesn't taste good, I'm not gonna eat it.

Perfectly fine!

Lately I've been adding cinnamon to mine. Just to give it that "warming" feeling...

Like Revvell says, "It's okay to play with your food!"

[Eva]

I haven't felt the need to with the frozen bananas or whatever else added. But if you want to -- it's your taste buds and your prerogative! :)

[RawKnitster]

Yes! But I'm running low on agave and trying to release some weight. Lately I've been saving the agave and adding a sprinkle of stevia to smoothies like you describe. Usually I can taste the stevia in foods, but not in a smoothie that strong. It just takes the edge off the bitterness.

[JennaBoBenna]

Yes! I do, especially when I don't have any juice(or I'm lazy) and use water. I like my smoothies to be sweet, so I add a squirt or so of agave.

[sjpersonal]

Yes! But I'm running low on agave and trying to release some weight. Lately I've been saving the agave and adding a sprinkle of stevia to smoothies like you describe. Usually I can taste the stevia in foods, but not in a smoothie that strong. It just tastes the edge off the bitterness.


I too am trying to drop some weight, 60 lbs. So you think that the agave will hinder the weight loss on a GS feast? Stevia is entirely too bitter for me it reminds me of the old Sweet n Low.

[sjpersonal]

I haven't felt the need to with the frozen bananas or whatever else added. But if you want to -- it's your taste buds and your prerogative! :)

Bananas are much sweeter than strawberries, more than likely if I had used bananas I would not have needed the Agave. I will pick up some this evening as I would much rather use them for sweetening the smoothie.

[JennaBoBenna]

I too am trying to drop some weight, 60 lbs. So you think that the agave will hinder the weight loss on a GS feast? Stevia is entirely too bitter for me it reminds me of the old Sweet n Low.

I don't see why it would. There's not much you could do during a GS fast that would cause you not to lost weight

[sjpersonal]

I don't see why it would. There's not much you could do during a GS fast that would cause you not to lost weight

Thank you thank you thank you. I need these to taste good for me to stick with them and they are much more filling than juice. Plus I have always had a serious sweet tooth.

[RawKnitster]

I don't think a little agave on a GS fast will hinder weight loss. I'm just hoarding what I have left to use for the occassional raw dessert. My goal is same as yours, shed 60 pounds! But that doesn't mean we have to give up everything sweet. Not possible anyway. :p

Good for you doing the GS fast. I'm looking forward to knowing how that works for you.

[Eva]

Bananas are much sweeter than strawberries, more than likely if I had used bananas I would not have needed the Agave. I will pick up some this evening as I would much rather use them for sweetening the smoothie.

Hmmm, I would be willing to bet on it!

I almost always have some ripe bananas on hand. One or two soaked medjool dates is also great if I'm going with just berries and greens, didn't think about that earlier. :)

Things I ALWAYS have on hand for smoothies -- several types of frozen berries, ripe bananas, some sort of green leaves, ripe avocados and sun-dried tomatoes (both for savory green smoothies that end up being like soups or V8), dates. That covers being able to whip SOMEthing yummy up, whether it's sweet or savory.

[sjpersonal]

Hmmm, I would be willing to bet on it!

I almost always have some ripe bananas on hand. One or two soaked medjool dates is also great if I'm going with just berries and greens, didn't think about that earlier. :)

Things I ALWAYS have on hand for smoothies -- several types of frozen berries, ripe bananas, some sort of green leaves, ripe avocados and sun-dried tomatoes (both for savory green smoothies that end up being like soups or V8), dates. That covers being able to whip SOMEthing yummy up, whether it's sweet or savory.

I keep reading that some members use medjool dates to sweeten smoothies and other drinks. I haven't tried that yet, I do use dates for raw puddings. There is just a really big world of raw that I have yet to explore, but I will get there:o

[sjpersonal]

I don't think a little agave on a GS fast will hinder weight loss. I'm just hoarding what I have left to use for the occassional raw dessert. My goal is same as yours, shed 60 pounds! But that doesn't mean we have to give up everything sweet. Not possible anyway. :p

Good for you doing the GS fast. I'm looking forward to knowing how that works for you.

Thanks, I just started a blog on this site. Smoothies are definitely more filling than juice alone and I need to feel full.

On question what do you do for warm food and/or drinks. Do you drink herbal teas? I would think that they would be fine as long as I do not use sugar or creamers.

[RawKnitster]

I do drink herbals teas steeped in boiling water, sometimes sweetened with a teaspoon of honey. I don't consider it any less raw to drink hot tea. I drink it as a snack, not usually with meals.

Do you have a vitamix? I put nut milk, dates, agave and cacao in the vitamix and let it blend on high until it reaches 105 degrees. I use an instant read meat thermometor to check the temp. Also soups can be heated that way. When you are used to raw foods, 105 is plenty warm. Soups can be warmed in the dehydrator, too.

Deglet dates make good sweeteners, too. If you soak them 20 minutes they blend just like medjols. Being in California you must have access to a lot of good dates...?

[sjpersonal]

I do drink herbals teas steeped in boiling water, sometimes sweetened with a teaspoon of honey. I don't consider it any less raw to drink hot tea. I drink it as a snack, not usually with meals.

Do you have a vitamix? I put nut milk, dates, agave and cacao in the vitamix and let it blend on high until it reaches 105 degrees. I use an instant read meat thermometor to check the temp. Also soups can be heated that way. When you are used to raw foods, 105 is plenty warm. Soups can be warmed in the dehydrator, too.

Deglet dates make good sweeteners, too. If you soak them 20 minutes they blend just like medjols. Being in California you must have access to a lot of good dates...?


Your recipe sounds like a raw version of hot chocolate (delicious). Regarding dates in California the type that I usually buy are the dried sugary dates, there is no sugar in them but they are sticky and sweet :). Please Please do not tell me that these are not considered raw:confused:! I love these, they come in a plastic container I have a container of them in my fridge and for the life of me I cannot remember the brand name, will check them tonight. I did read the ingredients and there are no additional ingredients.

I just subscribed to Purely Delicious? the raw magazine and it lists a date grower in California that offers a lot of different organic dates.

So far today I have had two 24 oz. smoothies and lots of water. I feel tingley and full YEA! When you do green smoothies how much do you drink a day or is there not a rule for this?

[RawKnitster]

I didn't know dates were dried until recently when I was introduced to "wet" dates. I don't think it matters, a date is a date. Never heard anybody say they aren't raw (covering ears).

I'm drinking about 32 oz of GS right now. I have a hard time making them smaller and don't like to save them. There is a thread around here asking how much GS you drink. Lots of people responded. http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=47317&highlight=green+smoothie+drink

[sjpersonal]

I didn't know dates were dried until recently when I was introduced to "wet" dates. I don't think it matters, a date is a date. Never heard anybody say they aren't raw (covering ears).

I'm drinking about 32 oz of GS right now. I have a hard time making them smaller and don't like to save them. There is a thread around here asking how much GS you drink. Lots of people responded. http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=47317&highlight=green+smoothie+drink

Great, thanks I just read through the thread, lots of information. I will probably drink one more of between 24-32 oz. this evening.