Archive for 2012
Posted by terrepruitt on October 20, 2012
People ask me about my blender. Just this week we were talking about super blenders after our Nia class. A lot of people are interested in making green smoothies. I was never interested in them because they sound so gross and the ones I had seen looked gross. I also really like to EAT my fruits and veggies and felt I was eating enough, but I realized I could use more in my diet. Eating more is sometimes difficult and that is why people have been making and drinking smoothies for so long. It is a great way to get some additional vegetables in your diet. I chose the Blendtec for a few reasons. I started looking at it because it was on sale at Costco. From there I started looking at prices on the internet. I found that I could get a Blendtec for less than a Vitamix. That was a big selling point to me, but not the only one. I did more research. The decision will just come down to what you prefer. In addition to the Blendtec being less expensive I feel the one I got at Costco was a great deal. At Costco they sell the blender and two containers/jars for less than the price I’ve seen elsewhere for the blend with just one container/jar .
To save you time, nutshell list:
–two jars; WildSide and FourSide
–easy to clean “buttons”
–it fits under most cabinets (Company claim)
–no tamping
–preset buttons/controls
–variable speed buttons/controls
–pulse button/control
–3 HP
If you are looking at buying one of these super blenders you might notice that not only are the blenders different but the containers they sell are different. They have tall ones, short ones, round ones, square ones . . . all types. With the Blendtec you can buy the blender with what they call the FourSide Jar or the blender with the WildSide Jar. Now I didn’t know the difference and I didn’t know if I would want both jars, but when I saw that the jar alone was $100 and that Costco was selling the blender with BOTH containers for less than what I was seeing it cost for the blender with one container, I thought that was a good deal. (I am now seeing the same deal on Amazon so if you don’t belong to Costco you can get the same deal on Amazon.)
Now the bummer to me was that this one was only sold in black. All of my appliances are white and I would have loved to have a white one, but I wasn’t planning on leaving it on my counter anyway so I didn’t want to spend the extra money for white.
The features on the Blendtec that sold me were the “buttons”. I am an old school girl so I like to be able to control things and I think knobs are better than those electronic squishy “buttons”. With the knob on the Vitamix I was assuming I could get better control over the speed of the blender. But then I realized, I don’t need more control. What I need is not to have a knob that I have to clean under, on, and around. The Blendtec has been amazing in how easy it is to clean. I always seem to drip green smoothie all down the front so every time I do I am thankful I don’t have knobs and “real” buttons to clean all around.
The Blendtec is shorter than the Vitamix and will fit under most cabinets. Even though I was not planning on leaving mine out on the counter, being a shorter blender means it would fit IN the cabinet better. Being a shorter blender also means it is easier to use because you can add things easier, as in you don’t have to get the step stool to reach the top of the container! 🙂
The real thing that sold me is the information I read which said you don’t need a tamper with the WildSide Jar. Now, I am not certain, but I think the Blendtec containers don’t need tamping because the lids are vented so I think the air gets in there and that does the job of tamping. I liked the idea of just turning the blender on and letting it do its thing.
That is another thing, in addition to not tamping, the Blendtec has push-and-go buttons. You just push the button for what you want and it does it itself. I decided I didn’t need the control of doing it myself and if I do, the Blendtec has variable speed buttons and a pulse. So I can turn on the blender to whatever speed I want or pulse it. So I still have the control if I want.
Also the Blendtec has more horsepower than the Vitamix, that might be another reason a tamper is not required.
Please keep in mind I am comparing base models. There are a lot of different models that are high-end and professional, but I was just looking at the two comparable models and these are the things that “sold” me on the Blendtec.
I would love to learn more about the Vitamix if you have one and you would like to share? Any of you out there wanting to get a super blender? Do any of these things sound like features you’d like?
Posted in Misc | Tagged: Amazon, Blendtec, Costco, FourSide Jar, green smoothies, horsepower, Nia, Nia class, super blender, tamper, tamping, Vitamix, WildSide Jar | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 18, 2012
I teach a Nia Class for the city of San Jose. The city has it set up pretty cool in that instructors can have a day and a time at a specific community center that we can call “my” class and we can also teach other people’s classes as a substitute. We have this forum where we post requests and needs. 
Many instructors have full time jobs and kids so they have other responsibilities that call them away from their regularly schedule class. Plus there is always a cold, a serious illness, or a bump/bruise or strain. This network of teachers allows us to live our lives and take care of ourselves when necessary. It also helps expose our community to different types of workouts and different teachers. I have shared before how at one point I was trying to make Nia be more like whatever it was I was subbing for. If you haven’t read that post, I am sure you might be able to imagine how that turned out. It made this Nia teacher very unhappy and I don’t think it was a great service for the attendees either. One of the reasons I applied for the job with the city was so that I could share Nia with the community. Recently I taught Nia as a substitute class for Zumba, and my thoughts on Zumba and agility were confirmed.
A few of the student came up afterwards to talk to me about Nia. Some shared how they like it because it was gentle yet allowed them to work up a sweat and get a great workout. One woman made me giddy because she said the same thing that I had just decided about Zumba. It took me a while to get to this conclusion and she jumped to it her very first time. She said that Nia is more complete. She said that she loves Zumba, she does it three times a week, but the moves are not completed. She said it was nice to be able to finish a move. Nia allows you to move through the entire range of motion, through the entire range of the joint. I loved that she was able to get that from one class. I also love and appreciate that she can like both, Nia and Zumba. They are both cardio dance exercise workouts, but they are different. Seeming to always have to explain the two together, I am always thinking about it and just recently reached the agility conclusion. I explained in one of my posts how I feel Zumba seems to only move in one sensation. Well, having gone to a training and experienced the Zumba Fitness Program I believe a Zumba class can move in all five, but it concentrates on agility and touches on the rest. But they are in there if you know to look for them.
So this student who was talking to me after class picked up on that fact that in Nia we move through all five sensations and Zumba focuses on one. This is not to say that is bad, this is just again pointing out how they are different. Also this is me sharing that it is not just other Nia teachers and my Nia students that think that, it is other people who are more familiar with Zumba than Nia. This is just a happy confirmation post sharing that I felt I got it right when I explained Nia and Zumba in that way. Yay.
Both Nia and Zumba are great fun. I encourage you to do whatever it is that will get you up and moving! If you decide what type of movement you want it can help you decide what you can do to get it.
Do you like to take different types of exercise classes? Do you like to just stick to one type of class?
Posted in Nia, Zumba | Tagged: agility, cardio dance, cardio workout, City of San Jose Nia Classes, dance exercise, Dance Workout, Nia class, Nia five sensations, Nia instructors, Nia network, Nia San Jose, Nia students, Nia teachers, San Jose Nia, San Jose Nia class, Zumba, Zumba class, Zumba Fitness | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 16, 2012
I stopped at the grocery store today on the way home from teaching my Tuesday morning Nia class for the City of San Jose and I had to stop myself from buying mushrooms. I love mushrooms. It would be nice to enjoy some mushrooms this week, but I have way too many other veggies from both the organic box that was delivered and from my trip to the Berryessa Farmers market. I need to make sure we eat those vegetables and don’t need to buy more . . . although I did by additional greens. When I went to the Farmers market I went to buy greens, but didn’t see any I wanted to I ended up with other veggies. I have gone to the store for spinach. So many greens means we don’t need the mushrooms. Which is fine because we have had them twice in the past seven days, so we will survive. We usually have them at least once a week. I always wash my mushrooms. If I don’t buy them already cut I wash them. If I buy them already cut it is too difficult to wash them. And I’ve learned that sliced mushrooms must be used the day I purchase them or the very next day. They cannot sit in the fridge for a couple of days. When I buy whole mushrooms I wash them. There are many, many, many who say not to wash mushrooms. Some say there is no need, while others give specific reasons as to why not to wash them. The reasons I hear for NOT washing them is that they absorb too much water or they will taste woody.
Well, I have always washed my mushrooms just because I like the thought of getting matter in which they grow off before I eat them. 😉 And a long time ago, about twelve years ago, I saw Alton Brown on Good Eats do an experiment that showed mushrooms really don’t absorb that much water when they are washed. It was a little, but not enough in his (and my) opinion to affect the mushroom. If you would like to see the weighing and washing for yourself it is on YouTube. Good Eats S02E13 The Fungal Gourmet. Alton starts talking about the waterlog theory about 2:30 into the video and true to the silliness of the show, he doesn’t actually get to the result until 3:50.
Some people still prefer to just use a brush to get the clods of dirt off the mushrooms. Some people use a damp cloth or a damp paper towel and wipe the mushrooms. I really like to wash them. Sometimes as I am working to get the dirt off they start to peel, it is as if they have an outer layer that just peels right off. When that happens that feels like a REALLY clean mushroom. It shed its outer skin. Now that I think about it, I think I am going to start running the sliced ones under water. Why I haven’t been all along I don’t know.
So what about you? Do you wash your mushrooms?
Posted in Food | Tagged: Alton Brown, Berryessa Farmer’s Market, Farmers Market, Good Eats, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, teaching classes for the City of San Jose, The Fungal Gourmet, washing mushrooms, wet mushrooms | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 13, 2012
After subbing with Nia for a Zumba class today, I made a quick stop at the Farmers Market in our corner of San Jose. I wanted to buy some greens and remembered I could get some pita bread for my hummus. I finally made hummus with my new blender. I pretty much followed the hummus recipe I have and I like, but I think I put six teaspoons of the “bean juice” because I was thinking more liquid would make it a little creamier. I enjoy the creaminess of a specific brand that we used to buy. As I mentioned in my blender post the last few times I made hummus I ended up with whole-bean hummus which isn’t hummus at all, it is just garbanzo beans. So I was thinking that with a super blender it would make creamier hummus. Well, it is not creamier. So the creaminess is not just from blending. And there were still a few bean pieces, but not whole beans as in my last batch and not as many. This batch was also not as grainy, in general, as the last batch. I like making hummus in this blender as opposed to the other blenders or small chopper I have because it is easier to get it out. I have been told the best way to do it is in a food processor, but I don’t have one of those. And I think I have enough appliances at the moment, I will make do with my new super blender.
I made hummus for my niece once and I was talking about how I wanted it creamier so she jumped on the internet and found a website where a woman claimed that the secret to creamy hummus was taking of the HULLS or whatever that “shell” is on the bean. Do you know what I am talking about? That odd ectoskeleton that the beans seem to have? Well, my thought process is that the hull of the bean is part of what give the bean its fiber so I don’t want to remove it. That and, who wants to sit there and pull, pick, peel, or just make sure that the hull is off all the beans? Not me. I want the fiber AND that is one thing I am not willing to spend time on. The “uncreamy” hummus is not THAT bad. I think I will experiment with more liquid. More oil maybe? Or maybe more been juice? Maybe that will help it been more creamy. I don’t want it more watery, I want it more CREAMY. But it was a good batch.
I think the WildSide container that came with the blender allows for a lot of air to be whipped into the blends. I believe that is how this blender does not require a tamper as some blenders do. But it does whip air into things. I think it whipped a bit of air into the hummus, which is fine. Made it a little light and fluffy.
So I have been using my blender and I have been using for what I wanted it for. I use it almost everyday for smoothies and today, I used it for hummus. I am satisfied with the way it made the hummus. I am a little disappointed that it is not as creamy as I was hoping, but I have learned (I believe) that the secret to creamy hummus must be in the ingredients. If it truly is the peeling of the hulls then creamy hummus will not come out of my kitchen. Ha! Well, I guess one day I could experiment to see if that really does make a difference, but it will not become the norm. I don’t need creamy hummus that badly, my new blender does it just fine!
Besides buying it, what is the key to creamy hummus?
Posted in Food | Tagged: creamy hummus, Garbanzo beans, hummus, Nia class, Nia San Jose, San Jose Farmer's market, San Jose Nia, smoothies, substitute instructor, super blender, Zumba | 4 Comments »
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?
Posted in Misc, Smoothies | Tagged: cucumber smoothies, frozen banana, green smoothies, Kale, mask the bitter, Nia, Nia class, protein powder | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 9, 2012
As I have shared with you before, there are four different levels to Nia Training; White, Blue, Brown, Black. These are trainings anyone can take. Each level has its own focus, intent, and principles. You do not have to be interested in teaching. If you are interested in teaching and hold a current license there is an additional level, Green, that may be taken. The Green belt does not have its own principles because it focuses on teaching skills. I have been a White Belt since December 2008. In November 2012, I am going to be turning blue. The focus for the Blue Belt is Communication, Relationship and Intimacy with the intent to energize personal connection through self-discovery and communication by following The Body’s Way. I’m excited to see all that entails. I do know that when I stepped into my White Belt I had NO IDEA the type of training I would be receiving. I thought that I would spend 40 hours learning routines and learning how to teach. But that is not what it was. The White Belt is currently about (Focus) physical sensation with the intent to embody the foundation of Nia. Back in 2008 is was (focus) the physical body, the anatomy of the body, the Nia Technique, and the Nia moves. Which did not equate to learning routines. I can’t wait to see what the Blue Belt Intensive has in store.
Nia’s training is very intense. It is very deep. It is very detailed, well-thought out, well presented, and well documented. Recently a graduating Green Belt said it was “stellar”. That is a great description.
Per the main Nia website the description for the Blue Belt states:
“Blue Belt, the second level of Nia education, explores how to create healthy relationships through body-centered communication. This intensive introduces the next set of 13 Nia principles, which focus on the mental, emotional and spiritual realms of the body. While the White Belt curriculum focuses entirely on awareness of physical sensation, Blue Belt applies these skills to explore internal sensations as perceived through – but distinct from – physical sensations in the body.
Blue Belt Principle #1: The Joy of Being in Relationship, integrates the sensation of Joy with the awareness that Joy is something outside the self, which we can invite into our physical experience. As a result, we begin to deepen our ability to listen with clarity and sustain awareness of details outside our body.“
If you have never been to a Nia Intensive it is impossible to describe, but I know it will be wonderful. I know I will learn a lot. I know that it is what I need because it is happening, so I am going to do my best to keep my energy allies present along with having a beginner’s mind so that I am able to get all that I can out of it. You know that I will be sharing a lot when I get back. I am so excited to be changing from White to Blue. Just because I am moving to the next level doesn’t mean there won’t more posts about White Belt things, there is still a lot to share and learn about the White Belt, I will just have that much more to share!
Can I get a, “Woohoo Blue!”
**update: I forgot to clarify and tie in to my title, silly me! First I went Green as in drinking green smoothies and now I am going Blue. I have not yet taken the Nia Green Belt. I am hoping that there will be one in this area again. There has only been one.
Posted in Nia | Tagged: 13 Nia principles, beginner's mind, Black Belt, Blue Belt, Brown Belt, communication, Energy Allies, focus and intent, Green Belt, https://terrepruitt.com/2010/03/30/energy-allies/, Nia Belt levels, Nia Blue Belt Intensive, Nia Intensive, Nia license, Nia Teacher, Nia training, Nia website, NiaNow.com, relationships, White Belt | 12 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 6, 2012
Ok, I really am not going to turn this blog into a Green Smoothie blog, but . . . I have been making them almost every day and I really would like to share so we will see where it goes. And, as I have told you in the past, food posts are VERY popular. So my third ever green smoothie was Pear, Cucumber, Baby Bok Choy, and Rainbow Chard. It was pretty good. I don’t usually eat pears. There is a salad that I make in which I include pears, but beyond that, I don’t eat them. Cucumber I have almost every night in my salad. If you have read my blog for a bit you know I am in LOVE with baby bok choy. And this is my introduction to chard. I think that cucumber is a great equalizer. It really helps mellow out flavors. The pear worked well to sweeten the smoothie. I am thinking that chard is not that bitter because this was not a bitter smoothie. It was nice. It was smooth. This one goes on my list of likes. 
But right now I am just experimenting and putting whatever I have in the smoothies. I am not doing it to lose weight, or detox, or cleanse, or any other reason but to get more fruits and vegetables in my diet. So for now anything goes. And let me say, that everything does not really go!
Third Green Smoothie
1 C water
1 pear
2 inches of large cucumber
1 SMALL bunch of baby bok choy
2 leaves rainbow chard
With my fourth smoothie I was using watermelon and I thought I had read that if you use a really watery fruit such as watermelon you can skip the water. Since I was using such a large amount of watermelon I didn’t use any water. Worked out fine. It was not a pretty green so I used a dark blue glass, which made it even less pretty. But it was tasty. I really like watermelon in the smoothie.
Fourth Green Smoothie
1 1/2 C Watermelon
1/2 apple
1 small bunch baby bok choy
2 leaves rainbow chard
My fifth smoothie I wanted to make very green so I used a HUGE amount of kale. Four kale leaves equates to a lot of kale. This was the most bitter of the smoothies that I had at this point. That was a lot of kale. You may notice in the recipe I ended up with a lot of fruit. That is because I ended up adding the banana after I tasted it because it was really bitter. Since my point of doing this is to get more fruits and veggies and not anything else (as I’ve stated above), I don’t feel I have to suffer through my smoothies. This is not a torture, it is
supposed to be an enjoyable way to get some veggies and provide my body with additional nutrition, not make me suffer. So I added the banana. I will just use less kale next time. Because I really do want to be drinking more of a veggie smoothie than a fruit smoothie.
Fifth Green Smoothie
1.5 C Watermelon
1 apple
3 pieces baby bok choy
4 kale leaves
1 banana
It is really funny because cooking kale in foods and putting it in salad does not taste as bitter to me. But for some reason, whirred up in a smoothie . . . whew. Could be I don’t usually have THAT much kale. That was a lot of kale.
I actually have made more smoothies than I am putting in this post. So . . . I have learned a lot of things so far. That will probably be my next post. “Things I have learned on my smoothie journey so far . . . ” 🙂
Maybe there is a recipe here you might enjoy. Let me know if you try one. Or share what you are putting in your blender.
Posted in "Recipes", Food, Smoothies | Tagged: baby bok choy, bitter smoothie, fruit smoothies, Fruits and vegetables, green smoothies, Kale, rainbow chard, smoothies | 5 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 4, 2012
I don’t like to waste my bananas. My husband won’t eat them if they have one little tiny spot of brown. And I don’t usually eat that many bananas. So you might have learned from some of my posts that I usually use the over ripe bananas in banana bread or Banana Oatmeal Walnut Cookies. Both of these items are not low calorie nor low fat, they are just a way for me to use up my bananas and put a treat in my hubby’s lunch. I have a great recipe I found on the internet for banana bread. I think it was called the World’s Best Banana Bread and I actually think it is. I have issues cooking it though, it never seems cooked all the way through, but that could because it is hand mixed and the bananas kind of chunk up in the batter. Well, since I got a fancy new blender I have been trying to find things to use it for. In the recipe book there is a recipe for banana bread so I thought I would give it a try. Even though the ingredients get mixed in the blender the recipe calls for the bananas to be mashed. Before I stared I grabbed my camera fully intending on taking pictures along the way. The next thing I knew I was putting the pan in the oven. DRAT! I forgot to take pictures as I was making it. But I took some of the finished product. Can you see how smooth it is? Blender bread is really like “commercially made” bread.
I liked the taste ok. It was actually good. I think the vanilla yogurt added the extra sweet, yumminess. Since it has no butter it has to be less calories and grams of fat then my other recipe. And it really was good, but it was so . . . “commercial”. It was like a loaf of bread from the store. There was no texture, no chunks, no . . . personality.
In addition to using my blender the other reason I wanted to try this recipe is because it called for two bananas and that is what I had.
I can’t find the recipe on the Blendtec website and, of course, I did some modifying anyway, so here is what I did:
_________________________________
Blender Banana Bread
Using the WildSide Jar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1/2 C low-fat vanilla yogurt
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 C wheat flour
3/4 C white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add first six ingredients to the container and secure lid. Select “Batters.” After that has blended, add the remaining four ingredients to the container and secure the lid. Press “Pulse” 3-5 times until dry ingredients are incorporated. (Do not over blend.) Pour batter into greased 9″X5″ loan pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
_______________________________
I guess the WildSide Jar and the FourSide Jar for this blender are very different because there are additional/different instructions if you are using the FourSide Jar.
Well, I know that I have been posting a lot about my blender, but . . . I am trying to get a fraction of the money’s worth out of it! I will not turn this blog into a blender blog, I will post about Nia, exercises, other health stuff, and even Zumba, but I am getting some post out of my first uses of the blender.
Do you like your banana bread smooth? Or do you like it more rustic and chunky?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: banana bread, Banana Oatmeal Walnut Cookies, blender bread, exercise, FourSide Jar, homemade bread, low calorie, low fat, Nia, Nia exercise, power blender, WildSide Jar, Zumba | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 2, 2012
When you do something, like Nia or use a blender every day, it gives you a lot of material to post on a blog! I’ve been using my birthday present almost every day. When I first heard of “super” blenders that made soup I thought that was crazy.
I thought that the blender had a heating element to heat up the soup. And there are some like that. But with the high-speed blenders, I didn’t realize the blades go fast enough to cause heat and heat up the soup. They go so fast it is hot! I didn’t think it would be something I would like. As you may know I love to make soup and one of the things I love about the soup I make is the fact that I do it all in one pot and then I use my immersion blender. I really like that. I don’t like having to pour cooked soup into a blender then blend it then pour it back into the pot to re-warm it. The soup recipes that I have seen for blender soup either have you doing that or have you cooking some if not the majority of ingredients before putting them in the blender. At this point, for some of my soups I will stick to my one pot and stick blender recipes. Another reason I like to make the soup in a pot is because I believe that cooking some of the ingredients as you go allows you to layer the flavors. Now, I know that phrase from cooking shows and I could be off base with what it means and what I am doing, but that is what I consider myself doing when I sauté onions and then garlic and then add the butternut squash and sauté it. Then add other spices, etc. It layers the flavors. But in a lot of the blender soup recipes you just dump it all in. Well, since I got the dang thing I decided to at least try one of the recipes for soup. I picked a recipe that does not require any other cooking. Just dump all the ingredients in the blender container and press soup. Now with that kind of ease I could maybe live without the layer of flavor if I liked the soup.
I like it ok. I think that if I followed the recipe exactly it would have more flavor, but I also think that if I follow the recipe exactly it would be too hot for me.
The recipe that came with the Blendtec Blender and is on their website is for Tortilla Soup.
Tortilla Soup
2 cups warm water
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 large carrot
1 1 inch strip of red pepper
1/4 avocado
an onion wedge
1 1 inch X 1/2 inch chunk of pepper jack cheese Monterey jack
2 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon no-salt herb seasoning Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
The ingredients go into the blender in the order that they are listed then you press “Soups” on the blender and let it do its thing. It does really go so fast that it actually does get hot! Some people might like their soup piping hot so this MIGHT not be hot enough for them. But this type of soup is perfect at the temperature that the blender makes it.
It was not spicy because I didn’t use the pepper jack. I bet if you like that hot (spicy) cheese the soup is good with it. I will make it one day with the pepper jack because even if it ends up being too spicy hot for me, my hubby will eat it. For now, I am just using the Monterey jack.
The first time I made this it took me 30 minutes because I was going slow. The second time I made it, it was ready to eat in 20 minutes. So my title, So Fast It’s Hot, applies to the blades of the blender AND to the fact that this can be made and in a bowl in 20 minutes. Now that is HOT!
Before I got the blender I had an opinion about blender soup, what about you? What do you think about blender soup?
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: 20 minute meal, 20 minute soup, blender soup, Blendtec, fast soup, hot soup, immersion blender, Nia, pepper cheese, Tomatoes, Tortilla Soup | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on September 29, 2012
Squats are great for the legs. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of a squat is sitting in a chair. So with the legs somewhat close together, the feet about shoulder width apart you then lowering your pelvis/buttocks down as if you are going to sit in a chair. When in reality a squat CAN be with a wider stance. I am vaguely remembering a “conversation” via comments on my blog about squats in Nia. We were talking about Nia squats being different from the squats in my Ten Minute Workout. I believe squats with weights are different from squats without weights. And I think that since I was focused on squats with weights I was not really thinking about side squats. We do side squats in Nia but now I think of that as Sumo Stance. The routine I am looking at right now has many squats in it. The squat works the legs, both front and back. The wider apart the feet the more the movement works the inner thighs. Since I am looking at a routine that has a lot of side squats or sumo stances it had me thinking . . . In addition to squats a way to get the adductors is to do movements where the leg is brought in towards the midline of the body. One exercise you might be familiar with is the inner thigh lift/raise. As with many exercises there are different versions and variations, but the basic of this one is lying on one side of your body with your torso propped up on your elbow. The “top” leg is back behind you with your foot flat on the floor. The other leg is straight down and lying on the floor. Then you lift the leg up toward the sky, keeping it parallel with the earth. So the inner thigh is being lifted toward the ceiling.
Well, this is a great one to use the weighted bar with. I had forgotten about my bar until recently. Then I remembered this exercise. I would recommend using shoes with the bar. I did it without shoes and I had to hold my foot at an odd angle to keep the bar from hurting my foot. I decided to continue my set without putting on shoes – because I didn’t want to stop – but I made a mental note to use shoes in the future.
One end of the bar rests on the foot of your straight leg. The bar runs the length of your body. The other end is up near your hands where you can secure it to the ground. Then you simply lift your leg. Make sure that the bar is resting firmly on your foot so it does not roll off and cause an injury. This exercise really targets the leg/hip adductors, the muscles that pull the thigh towards your body.
As I stated there are variations of this, some could be: dumbbells place on the thigh (and held securely!), instead of using the weighted bar. It can be done without any weights at all. And/or without weight, the upper leg and be in front.
I think it is a great idea to do different exercises to target the same muscles. Especially since when you do a different exercise to target a specific muscle or muscle group there are usually different or additional muscles that end up getting used. So it is nice to switch it up.
Might you switch it up and do thigh raises instead of squats? Are you familiar with the inner thigh lift?
Posted in Exercise and Working Out | Tagged: adductors, dumbbells, inner thigh lift, inner thigh raise, Nia, Nia exercise, squats, Sumo Stance, ten minute workout, weighted bar, weighted squats, wide stance squats | 4 Comments »
Terre Pruitt's Blog 