MamaSheppard
08-02-2010, 08:28 AM
I'm no longer a green smoothie virgin! Made my first one today!
I bought a Hamilton Beach Blend Master (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hamilton-Beach-BlendMaster-10-Speed-Blender-50200/5984255) (10 speed, 350 watt) refurbished after I broke the jar on my old yard sale blender a year ago. It was $22 (CAD) and worked far better than my previous blender, though the lid was a little warped And doesn't fit quite tightly in the jar. I was wary, thinking it couldn't possibly blend the greens up so they aren't chunky or need to be scraped off the side of the jar. I mean, it's a cheap blender piece of crap right?
Anyway, today I decided to try my very first green smoothie. I usually make them out of a cup of chocolate almond milk, a cup of frozen berries and a blob of peanut butter. But today, I decided I wanted to get a start on my RAW diet the right way.
So, gritting my teeth, I put a huge handful of spinach, a cup of frozen berries, and a banana, followed by a cup of water. And, wishing it was a Vitamix, I pushed power on the Smoothie button.
At first, I was worried. I had put the spinach in first, at the bottom, where it would be blended first, thinking that would better my chances of the greens breaking up. When the blender started, it looked like mushy green water with bananas and berries floating on top. But soon my little HB sucked the fruit down and it became it's usual berry purple...with a greenish tinge.
To my absolute delight, it purred along until everything was smooth and lovely. The only thing it couldn't do was the seeds, but that is nothing unusual for my little HB.
And to my even further delight, it tasted pretty darn good, too! I think next time I will add in the almond milk instead (it was a little watery for my liking) but on the whole, it was much nicer than eating all that food in solid form. And I feel comfortably full, too!
So I am on my way! Yippee! Green smoothies aren't scary anymore!
I bought a Hamilton Beach Blend Master (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hamilton-Beach-BlendMaster-10-Speed-Blender-50200/5984255) (10 speed, 350 watt) refurbished after I broke the jar on my old yard sale blender a year ago. It was $22 (CAD) and worked far better than my previous blender, though the lid was a little warped And doesn't fit quite tightly in the jar. I was wary, thinking it couldn't possibly blend the greens up so they aren't chunky or need to be scraped off the side of the jar. I mean, it's a cheap blender piece of crap right?
Anyway, today I decided to try my very first green smoothie. I usually make them out of a cup of chocolate almond milk, a cup of frozen berries and a blob of peanut butter. But today, I decided I wanted to get a start on my RAW diet the right way.
So, gritting my teeth, I put a huge handful of spinach, a cup of frozen berries, and a banana, followed by a cup of water. And, wishing it was a Vitamix, I pushed power on the Smoothie button.
At first, I was worried. I had put the spinach in first, at the bottom, where it would be blended first, thinking that would better my chances of the greens breaking up. When the blender started, it looked like mushy green water with bananas and berries floating on top. But soon my little HB sucked the fruit down and it became it's usual berry purple...with a greenish tinge.
To my absolute delight, it purred along until everything was smooth and lovely. The only thing it couldn't do was the seeds, but that is nothing unusual for my little HB.
And to my even further delight, it tasted pretty darn good, too! I think next time I will add in the almond milk instead (it was a little watery for my liking) but on the whole, it was much nicer than eating all that food in solid form. And I feel comfortably full, too!
So I am on my way! Yippee! Green smoothies aren't scary anymore!