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And at fast food places many are sky high in calories.

Mine run maybe 150- 200 calories. The banana is the most caloric at around 100.

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Inflammation is just as bad for your brain as it is for your body. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which experts believe are necessary for transmitting signals between brain cells. Blueberries and raspberries are also known for encouraging healthy connections between the cells of the brain.

SERVINGS: 1

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 small banana, peeled and frozen
1/4 cup diced pineapple
2 Tbsp chia seeds
3 ice cubes
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1 serving whey protein powder (vanilla)

1. COMBINE all the ingredients except the protein powder in a blender, and blend at high speed until smooth.
2. ADD the protein powder and lightly blend until incorporated.

NUTRITION (per serving) 380 cal, 24 g pro, 67 g carb, 14 g fiber, 4.4 g fat, 1.1 g sat fat, 59 mg sodium

Prevention.com

Blueberry Beet Almond Smoothie

Beets are high in fiber, phytonutrients, folate, beta carotene, and natural nitrates that increase blood flow to the brain. (Try this beet smoothie for high blood pressure.)

SERVINGS: 1

1/2 cup unsweetened carrot juice
1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 cup peeled and grated raw beet
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup unsalted raw whole almonds
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 tsp fresh lime juice
dash of ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION (per serving) 325 cal, 10 g pro, 35 g carb, 8 g fiber, 18.9 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 65 mg sodium

Prevention.com

I've never thought about adding applesauce to my smoothies. Great idea!

Mango-Avocado Smoothie

Avocados are rich in vitamin E, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The spinach offers up brain-supporting omega-3s and also help replenish your iron supply

SERVINGS: 1

1/2 fresh mango
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup chilled low-fat vanilla soymilk
1/4 avocado
5 tsp agave nectar

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

NUTRITION (per serving) 304 cal, 8 g pro, 57 g carb, 6 g fiber, 7.5 g fat, 0.8 g sat fat, 145 mg sodium

Prevention.com

Mango-Avocado Smoothie is a great way to use up an avocado. They go bad so quickly.

Winter Greens Smoothie

A Harvard Medical School study of more than 13,000 women found that those who ate the most cruciferous veggies (like the spinach, kale, and broccoli in this smoothie) lowered their brain age by 1 to 2 years.

SERVINGS: 2

1/4 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup spinach
1 cup roughly chopped kale, ribs removed
4 small broccoli florets, sliced and frozen
1 banana, peeled, sliced and frozen
1 apple, cored and roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 258 cal, 5 g pro, 63 g carb, 8 g fiber, 1.3 g fat, 0.3 g sat fat, 76.3 mg sodium

Prevention.com

I was just thinking about putting broccoli in a smoothie today. ---Yes that is the type of crazy things I think about-- :O
What great timing to see this smoothie from Prevention magazine.

I'll have to give it a try next week. I don't know if my blender will blend frozen broccoli enough. It would be awesome if it does. If not, I can always steam it first.

I went out last night to Maggie McFlys
Menu -
with my friends from the museum.

I had an organic mixed greens salad with candied pecans, grilled asparagus, and sliced (regular) beets. (I eliminated the goat cheese) with Balsamic vinaigrette.

Mango- Avocado smoothie-- Do you like the whey powder? My son drinks protein drinks. We have many LARGE containers of Whey. (I find that It makes his breath smell like moth-balls.)

Do you use a juicer for your carrots? (Winter Green Smoothie) I have a juicer, but I hate to throw away the discarded carrots.

Mango-Avocado Smoothie -- I haven't eaten Avocado because of the calories - for one whole avocado it is: 276 calories, 27.5 Total fat (42% of Daily value), Carbs: 1.4 g; Dietary fiber: 4.3 (17% Daily value), and Protein 1.4 g

Carol wrote: I had an organic mixed greens salad with candied pecans, grilled asparagus, and sliced (regular) beets. (I eliminated the goat cheese) with Balsamic vinaigrette.

That sounds divine, Carol! Good for you to sticking to your low fat vegan plan. I think you show that low fat vegan doesn't have to taste bad or be boring.

Your salad is similar to one of my favorites.
Mixed greens, candied walnuts, apples and Gorgonzola cheese.

I used to use rice powder but don't anymore. No reason.

I read in Martha Stewart's new book, Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and OthersMartha Stewart that she uses whey powder.

Her green smoothie includes:
Whey powder
spinach
parsley
cucumber
ginger
orange peel

I usually just use the smoothie recipes for ideas and make my own concoction up.

I was going to buy the Whey powder, but I have enough problems without smelling like a
mothball !!! Yikes. Maybe a different brand would be better. What brand does your son use?

As to avocado, I never use a whole one in a single serving. I usually use 1/4- 1/3 in a salad.

There is a lot of good press about avocados health benefits. Though if you are watching fats, I can see why you might want to limit or avoid them.

Here are just a few things I found online

What's New and Beneficial about Avocados

Consider adding avocado to salads, and not only on account of taste! Recent research has shown that absorption of two key carotenoid antioxidants—lycopene and beta-carotene—increases significantly when fresh avocado (or avocado oil) is added to an otherwise avocado-free salad. One cup of fresh avocado (150 grams) added to a salad of romaine lettuce, spinach, and carrots increased absorption of carotenoids from this salad between 200-400%. This research result makes perfect sense to us because carotenoids are fat-soluble and would be provided with the fat they need for absorption from the addition of avocado.

The method you use to peel an avocado can make a difference to your health. Research has shown that the greatest concentration of carotenoids in avocado occurs in the dark green flesh that lies just beneath the skin. You don't want to slice into that dark green portion any more than necessary when you are peeling an avocado. For this reason, the best method is what the California Avocado Commission has called the "nick and peel" method. In this method, you actually end up peeling the avocado with your hands in the same way that you would peel a banana. The first step in the nick-and-peel method is to cut into the avocado lengthwise, producing two long avocado halves that are still connected in the middle by the seed. Next you take hold of both halves and twist them in opposite directions until they naturally separate. At this point, remove the seed and cut each of the halves lengthwise to produce long quartered sections of the avocado. You can use your thumb and index finger to grip the edge of the skin on each quarter and peel it off, just as you would do with a banana skin. The final result is a peeled avocado that contains most of that dark green outermost flesh so rich in carotenoid antioxidants!

We tend to think about carotenoids as most concentrated in bright orange or red vegetables like carrots or tomatoes. While these vegetables are fantastic sources of carotenoids, avocado—despite its dark green skin and largely greenish inner pulp—is now known to contain a spectacular array of carotenoids. Researchers believe that avocado's amazing carotenoid diversity is a key factor in the anti-inflammatory properties of this vegetable. The list of carotenoids found in avocado include well-known carotenoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein, but also many lesser known carotenoids including neochrome, neoxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin.

Avocado has sometimes received a "bad rap" as a vegetable too high in fat. While it is true that avocado is a high-fat food (about 85% of its calories come from fat), the fat contained in avocado is unusual and provides research-based health benefits. The unusual nature of avocado fat is threefold. First are the phytosterols that account for a major portion of avocado fats. These phytosterols include beta-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol and they are key supporters of our inflammatory system that help keep inflammation under control. The anti-inflammatory benefits of these avocado fats are particularly well-documented with problems involving arthritis. Second are avocado's polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols (PFAs). PFAs are widely present in ocean plants but fairly unique among land plants—making the avocado tree (and its fruit) unusual in this regard. Like the avocado's phytosterols, its PFAs also provide us with anti-inflammatory benefits. Third is the unusually high amount of a fatty acid called oleic acid in avocado. Over half of the total fat in avocado is provided in the form of oleic acid—a situation very similar to the fat composition of olives and olive oil. Oleic acid helps our digestive tract form transport molecules for fat that can increase our absorption of fat-soluble nutrients like carotenoids. As a monounsaturated fatty acid, it has also been shown to help lower our risk of heart disease. So don't be fooled by avocado's bad rap as a high-fat food. Like other high-fat plant foods (for example, walnuts and flaxseeds), avocado can provide us with unique health benefits precisely because of its unusual fat composition.


3. Good for the Heart

The fat content of an avocado provides protection against heart diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves cardiovascular health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocadoes. Many people now take supplements in order to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to lower their risk of heart disease. Avocadoes are rich in omega-3, delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linolenic acid.
4. Vegetarians and Vegans Rejoice � Protein!

Avocadoes provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocadoes also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian or vegan seeking more protein, avocadoes are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.


Here is a good link from LiveStrong (used to be Lance Armstrongs website. I find a lot of good info there.
All About Avocados

Re: Carrot juice

I had a juicer at one time but gave it away. It took a million pounds of fruit/veggie to make a glass of juice. It seemed a small glass of juice would cost $$$$ with all the fruit I had to buy. And it was a bit of a hassle to clean up.

Also I was getting none of the fiber.

That is why I switched to smoothies.

So until I win the lotto and can buy a Vitamix, no carrots in my smoothies. I guess I could buy the juice and add it to the smoothie. However, it's a bit too expensive for me.

So I eat my baby carrots as snacks. :)

When our daughter visited this summer, she insisted on the avocado addition to our smoothies. I couldn't taste a difference, so didn't really object but it seemed like a waste to me. This is from a fan of scooping the fruit right out of its shell onto my Ritz. :-)

Another thing she did which sang for me was used fresh ginger. Yum! I'm a big fan of ginger anyway but grating a couple of teaspoons into the mix was a delight. On my own i added more because i didn't mind the strength at all.

I have a question about the fiber content in smoothies. I thought what made fresh vegetables & fruit more beneficial than others is the fiber. Is that not lost in making a smoothie? It seems as though it would but, then again, it's all still in there. From what i see online about this, there haven't been many studies. This page offered both sides...

I think if you juice you lose the fiber as you extract the skin from the juice.

I don't see why the fiber would be lost in a smoothie.

I guess i just always equated fresh, raw vegetables & the chewing involved with fiber. I thought that was the genesis of the "roughage" idea. Where such ideas arose is tough to declare. There does seem to be some discussion about this, though.

Thanks, never thought about how leaving the greens on might compromise the root. Good information. BTW, recently had roasted beets, cut into slivers atop a crostini spread with fresh ricotta cheese. Very nice, simple appetizer. I would think goat cheese could be substituted too.

Alias Reader wrote: "I tried the beet smoothie and I really loved it. The color is beautiful. Like rubies in a glass.

I grated the beet with a box grater. About a handful.
1- banana
6- green grapes
6- raspberries
2..."

Was any of this stuff frozen?

Lisa wrote: "Thanks, never thought about how leaving the greens on might compromise the root. Good information. BTW, recently had roasted beets, cut into slivers atop a crostini spread with fresh ricotta cheese..."

---------

I would think it would look very nice, too.

Alias Reader wrote:I tried the beet smoothie and I really loved it. The color is beautiful. Like rubies in a glass.

I grated the beet with a box grater. About a handful.
1- banana
6- green grapes
6- raspberries
2 tsp flax meal
water
-------------------------------
message by Julie Was any of this stuff frozen?
-------------------------------

Only the raspberries were frozen. Raspberries tend to go bad quickly, so when I buy them fresh I usually put them in the freezer right away. I may keep out a handful for cereal for one day.

I also freeze bananas, but in this case they were not frozen. If you like the drink colder, you can always put a few ice cubes in the blender or pour it over ice.

I don't have any grapes, but I think I might try something similar to this. I need to use my beets!

I only used grapes because I had them for a few days.

I usually use berries.

The two things that I put in all my smoothies is a banana and flax meal.

I also use water. I don't use milk or milk alternatives.

I like to add some veggies- I've used kale, spinach, cucumber. I want to try broccoli next.

Other- frozen pumpkin. I buy the canned and put it in a ice cube tray. When frozen I take out the cubes and put in a freezer bag. A cinnamon and banana go well with this.

I also have started using fresh parsley

I've also put these fruits in smoothies:
various berries
banana
cantaloupe
watermelon
pomegranate seeds
apple
apricot
kiwi
mango
pineapple

Alias Reader wrote: "Other- frozen pumpkin. I buy the canned and put it in a ice cube tray. When frozen I take out the cubes and put in a freezer bag. A cinnamon and banana go well with this. ..."

Oooh...interesting idea!

Maker sure you get 100% pure pumpkin. You don't want the pumpkin for a pie mix. I get Libby brand.

I didn't even know pum[pkin pie mix existed. My mom uses Libby pumpkin to make her pies.

Yes. There are two kinds. Just make sure you pick up the one that says 100% pure pumpkin.

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NOT
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Neat idea about the pumpkin. I'll have to pass that on to my daughter.

just in time for the fall holidays . . .

Some additional ideas for the frozen ice cube tray pumpkin.

You can pop one cube into your oatmeal.

You can thaw one cube and put it into pancake mix or muffin mix.

Another smoothie idea that I did today was add a cup of no sugar added natural applesauce cup to my drink.

Pumpkin Nutrition

The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)
Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Zinc 1 mg

See link for recipes and more pumpkin info-

I think I remember you mentioning the oatmeal thing before. I was going to try it but never did. The first problem is that I don't own ice cube trays because our freezer has an icemaker. :-)

You can go to the 99 cent store and buy them usually for $1.

I freeze my broth in cubes, too. Great for sautéing food.

I also froze my tomato paste into cubes and put them in a freezer bag. A cube is usually just the right amount needed.

I need to do the tomato paste thing! I always waste that stuff....

Those ice cube trays come in so handy. We froze our leftover coffee & tea in them, thus not diluting our cold drinks when we add them. It all started with baby food--we froze a few cubes of their leftovers, and ended up with about a jar a week. And we'd mash our own leftover vegetables, too. Ah, those were the (busy) days.

Alias, I forgot to tell you that I tried shredded beet in a smoothie. It worked well. It was a candy beet, not sure what the taste difference is between them and regular ones because I never eat them alone! (They look different inside)

I'm glad to hear they worked well in your smoothie. :)

I've never heard or seen candy beets. I looked them up and it said "The hearty mild flavor of candy cane beets is a tender variety and not as strong as common large beets"

They also look pretty. Stripped like a candy cane. I'll have to keep an eye out for them.

I got them in my CSA. I never saw them in the store (not that I actually have a habit of looking at the beets in the store!)
I was boiling some of them last night to make hummus with, and unfortunately forgot all about it until I had a burnt mess with no water left in the pot. Oops.

Julie wrote:I was boiling some of them last night to make hummus with, and unfortunately forgot all about it until I had a burnt mess with no water left in the pot. Oops."
--------------

:(

I have a large skillet which still bears the stains of burnt on food. In this case it wasn't my negligence, but the recipe. It used no oil for browning chicken breasts but insisted on high heat. Awful.

Luckily my pot cleaned up fine. But I have a pan that is discolored AND slightly warped from my husband cooking sausage and boiling away all the water.

I had a pot like that, Julie. It wobbled every time we used it, so we hammered it back to something close to the original. Later, we just tossed it, as it seemed unstable.

I am sorry to say we've had far too many experiences akin to yours. We ended up making a rule that we couldn't leave the room if we were boiling water. That solved so much. Even timers didn't help us, unless we just sat waiting for it to sound.

Peach Yogurt Scone Coffecake

1.5 boxes Jiffy biscuit mix, one egg, 1/4 c sugar, 2 tbls melted butter and one 6-oz tub of peach yogurt, stir just til moistened, put in greased round pan, 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Since it only uses a box and a half of the Jiffy mix, buy three boxes, make two, and try another yogurt flavor.

Seriously, if you spend more than 10 minutes in the kitchen on this one, you're dawdling.

Jennifer wrote: "Peach Yogurt Scone Coffecake

1.5 boxes Jiffy biscuit mix, one egg, 1/4 c sugar, 2 tbls melted butter and one 6-oz tub of peach yogurt, stir just til moistened, put in greased round pan, 20 minutes..."

---------------
What a great recipe, Jennifer ! That's a good one to have when company suddenly drops in. Thanks !

I've used the Jiffy corn muffin mix. Is that the mix you are talking about?

Jiffy makes all sorts of mixes, although i've only regularly seen the corn muffin & biscuit. I know i've seen pie crust by them, as well as brownies. They are very handy.

Jennifer, i presume that's your own photo. I like the pot holder under the pan. Your dawdling comment is delightful, too.

Alias Reader wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Peach Yogurt Scone Coffecake

1.5 boxes Jiffy biscuit mix, one egg, 1/4 c sugar, 2 tbls melted butter and one 6-oz tub of peach yogurt, stir just til moistened, put in greased roun..."

Yep, except it's the biscuit version.

Madrano wrote: "Jiffy makes all sorts of mixes, although i've only regularly seen the corn muffin & biscuit. I know i've seen pie crust by them, as well as brownies. They are very handy.

Jennifer, i presume that..."

My photo, my comment, mom's old pot holders. :-)

Jiffy used to make a honey-date muffin mix that I loved. It's been gone for years, and come to think of it I haven't seen their brownie mix in a couple decades either, although I had brownies made with it throughout my childhood. They have a bran date muffin mix now that's not as good as the old honey-date. Alas.



So I got curious and looked. They still make the brownie mix. No love on the honey date though.

Deb: this is the front and back of those old pot holders. They're probably two decades old.



I made some for the holidays (there's special quilt batting that has a heat-resistant coating for that purpose) which are much newer and therefore in much better shape!

Jennifer wrote: Yep, except it's the biscuit version. ."
--------

I don't think I ever saw the biscuit version. I'll have to look closer next time I am at the store. Thanks !

Jennifer wrote: I made some for the holidays (there's special quilt batting that has a heat-resistant coating for that purpose) which are much newer and therefore in much better shape!
===============

Very nice, Jennifer, alias Martha Stewart. :)

Jennifer wrote: "I made some for the holidays (there's special quilt batting that has a heat-resistant coating for that purpose) which are much newer and therefore in much better shape! ..."

Well, i do wish i'd known that when i made a foray into potholder making! Those were awful & i thought i didn't use enough batting. Now i know. Thanks for the photos, too. This would be a neat way to learn quilting methods, i think. The stitching is such a neat contribution to the entire effect but most casual users don't seem to notice it unless it's faulty.