Super Lessons Of A Super Blender
Posted by terrepruitt on October 11, 2012
A few things I have learned having a super blender and making smoothies. I really wish I would have had the presence of mind during some of these lessons to have taken pictures because I know that being able to see for yourself would have really helped bring the lesson home for you.
I learned kale is really bitter.
I’ve had kale cooked as part of my meal. I have had kale in a salad, but for some reason kale in a smoothie is really bitter. It could be that I used A LOT.
I learned a banana should be peeled before freezing.
One night I decided I wanted to try the frozen banana that everyone was talking about was so wonderful in a smoothie. So I put a banana in the freezer. The next day it was frozen solid. It can’t be peeled. I left it to defrost on my counter and it couldn’t be peeled after that either. It kind of just poured from the peel into a container. I refroze it and used it the next day.
I learned not to use more water and/or soap than the instructions instruct you to use when cleaning the blender.
I decided that I wanted the blender to get the lid clean too, so I put a lot of water in it and a lot of soup. I am not sure that the lid was even secured because it blew off the blender and the water went straight up in the air then landed all over my counter. And it was magic water because it seemed as if it doubled in volume.
I learned cucumbers do really mellow out the bitter flavors.
I have not used as much kale as that one time, but I have used it and every time I do I think the smoothie is going to be too bitter, but when there is a cucumber involved it is not. I really like cucumbers in my smoothies.
I learned protein powder also helps mellow out the flavors.
Protein powder DOES make the smoothie chalky and I have not had the desire to drink a completely chalky smoothie so I have not added a whole scoop. But even a half makes it chalky. I always taste the smoothie before I add the powder and yup, it makes it chalky, but I think maybe chalky is a flavor because the bitterness of some vegetables are mellowed with the powder.
I have confirmed (because I heard it before I started making them) that smoothies taste better cold.
I was drinking them without ice, then I remembered I had read that they are better cold and so I added ice. Yes they are. Although the other day it was chilly here and the thought of ice in the smoothie made me dread wanting to drink one. So I didn’t have a smoothie in the morning after my Nia class. But then as the day wore on it warmed up a bit so I had one later.
So, do you have anything you have learned making smoothies that you can share with me so I don’t have to learn the hard way? Do you have any things to share about a super blender?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 
Angelia Sims said
I thought of you the other day. I saw an ecard that said, “I’m making a veggie smoothie. Then, I’m adding vodka. Don’t judge me.”
Cracked me up. I know you wouldn’t use vodka, but I totally pictured you in my head making those green smoothies. 🙂
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terrepruitt said
Ha, ha, ha. That IS funny. And I wouldn’t put vodka in my green smoothie. But I might put a bit of green smoothie in my vodka. The difference being I tend to drink the smoothies in the morning and for nutrients and if I were having vodka, I would admit it was a cocktail and maybe add some green to it!
I love when my friends that I have met over the internet share stories of them thinking of me. That makes me so happy. Yay! Thank you!
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Maggie said
Ahahahahahaha this is fantastic! I’m so glad you’ve jumped on the green smoothie boat! XD
I started out with about a cup of greens, but now I’m up to 3-4 cups of greens per cup of liquid. Kale is a bit strong to start out with, you might want to mix it with red lettuce or spinach. Also be sure to rotate the greens you put in your smoothie – kale is great, but eat too much of a green leafy vegetable and you start getting sick from the alkaloids of that particular type. I usually go 2-3 days of a particular kind before switching (although to be honest that’s because I’ve already run out of it).
Right now I like blending greens, frozen berries, and a bunch of fruit and veggie juices (Naked varieties), and I throw in some flax seed for the omega-3 fats, but I’ve also tried adding different nut butters (peanut, almond, and cashew) and some non-dairy milk and a banana, and it comes out really sweet and smooth.
P.S. I have my first Nia class here tomorrow night 😀
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terrepruitt said
MAGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT much kale (what I used) is just TOO much kale, but it is so weird because I was eating in my salad the other night and the bitter just does not come through the same as in a smoothie.
I’ve had some with spinach. I have had a lot more than I have posted about. I am mulling over whether to post on the blog or make a page on my site. Switch the greens. Yup!
I am not a berry fan, but I am thinking that they might be ok in smoothies. I have not yet tried them. The possibilites are pretty endless with smoothies!
Yay! Back to Nia for you! We miss you! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Christy said
I have been doing smoothies daily since a few months after my White Belt Intensive in November 2010. They have gotten increasingly green as time has passed. I ususally do at least a cup of almond milk per person, a banana per person, 3 oz. of spinach and 3 oz. of kale per person and 4 ounces of frozen berries per person(more or less). I add protein powder(not mandatory) and ground flax too. A great start to my day, gives me energy and tastes great!
Oh, and I enjoy your blog!
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terrepruitt said
Yay White Belt! I have not tried milk yet. I have just used water or the water in the fruit. I’m working towards more veggies than fruits, I want my ratio to be one fruit per two greens/veggies or if one of the veggies is a cucumber than 1 to 3. I haven’t tried berries yet either. I am not a berry fan so I think I can probably go through a lot of other fruits before I start using berries. Although I am hoping blueberries in a green smoothie will be something I like because they are touted as being sooooo good for you. I have flax and have yet to add it. I need to do that.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your smoothie recipe with us. And thank you for reading and commenting.
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