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Drink Your Vegetables!

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

I know how difficult it can be to get kids to eat their greens each day, but let’s face it, most of us adults struggle to get our recommended servings each day. And we have so many excuses – not enough time, always on the go, I skip lunch, I skip breakfast – trust me, I’ve tried them all.

ZolaSmoothie-SS Truth is, getting your daily fix of fruits and veggies is easy if you incorporate a green smoothie into your daily routine – here are a few recipe ideas for green smoothies at home or try Zola’s Superfood Smoothie, with 1500mg of green micronutrients such as Spirulina and Chlorella, as a grab and go option.

Sweet Veggie Smoothie Blend:

1 cup apple juice
1 cup of sliced apple
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup of cucumber (peeled and sliced)
2 cups of ice
a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon

Blend this vegetable smoothie until smooth.

Greener and Meaner Smoothie

1 Carrot (chopped)
4 Florets of Broccoli or handful of brussel sprouts (chopped)
2 Handfuls of Spinach
1 Apple (chopped)
2 Oranges (peeled and quartered)
Orange Juice to dilute

Blend this vegetable smoothie until smooth.

What’s in your blender today? Email me: drinkzola@gmail.com; Twitter @drinkzola.

Posted in The Blender Diaries | 2 Responses »
Tags: be healthy, Brazil, breakfast, calories, food, fruit, green and mean, greens, nutrients, protein, savory, smoothie, smoothie recipe, Smoothies, superfood, Superfruit, sweet, vegetables, veggies, weight loss, zola aca, Zola Açaí, Zola's superfood smoothie

Ask The Smoothie Guy: How to Thicken Your Smoothies

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

I have received a few emails in the past couple of weeks about making smoothies thicker. One of my favorite was from a mom in Englewood, Colorado – it read:

I hear you’re the smoothie guy – can you help me? I’m a busy mom of 3 located in Englewood, Colorado and I have been trying to add smoothies to my diet because they are quick, easy and relatively healthy. Problem is, I can’t seem to make my own at home because I hate and I mean, absolutely detest bananas!! What can I substitute in my smoothies to still give them that thickness they need without using those awful little yellow fruits?

There are a few different ways to add thickness to your smoothies:

If you like your smoothies really thick, you can cut up bananas into ½ inch pieces and freeze – blend those up
If you’re like our favorite mom from Englewood, and refuse to let a banana anywhere near your smoothie, try using avocado or even yogurt. You can substitute ½ banana with 2-3 oz yogurt (whatever flavor you want!).

Hope this helps!

Email me with any questions or ideas for smoothies at drinkzola@gmail.com; Twitter @drinkzola.

Posted in The Blender Diaries | No Responses »
Tags: blender, cooking, food, health, healthy, natural, recipes, smoothie, Smoothies, summer drinks, Zola Açaí

The Skinny on Smoothies – How Many Calories are Really in Your Cup?

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Calories. We’re either cutting them, counting them, burning them or obsessing over them. For most, they are worse than a four letter word. And when it comes to smoothies, many of them can cost you over a thousand of those precious calories.

Here are a few smoothie recipes that will cost you far less in calories but still have a big time taste. skinny bitches

Açaí Antioxidant Smoothie

This smoothie should replace the old saying about an apple a day – drink one of these a day and you’re guaranteed to keep the doctor away!

8-10oz Zola Açaí Juice
1 Cup Frozen Blueberries or Strawberries
½ Cup Frozen Banana Chunks

Pear-Ginger Delight:

This smoothie is delicious! I also love that it uses carrot juice, which gives this drink its orange color and lots of vitamin A.

Combine 1 ripe pear-peeled, cored and chopped, ¼ fresh carrot juice, ¼ cup skim milk, ½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger and ½ cup crushed ice
Blend until smooth.
You can also add in some wheat germ or flaxseed for a little added fiber or omega-3 fatty acid.

Orange Cherry Smoothie:

I love the combination of oranges and cherries – this smoothie is great when you’re in the mood for something with a little tang to it.

8-10oz Orange Juice
1 Cup Frozen Cherries
½ Cup Frozen Banana Chunks
Blend until smooth

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Tags: Açaí, antioxidants, blender, Brazilian, calories, Chris Cuvelier, counting calories, diet, food, free radicals, health, healthy, lose weight, mixer, natural, skinny, Smoothies, summer drinks, Superfruit, thin, vitamins, weight loss, Zola Açaí

Almond-Banana Flaxseed Smoothie Recipe

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

One of my favorite post surf session (or workout) smoothies is the banana, almond flaxseed smoothie. It packs a nice dose of protein from the flaxseed, probiotics from the Greek yogurt as well as a load of potassium from the bananas.

This is a great morning or afternoon smoothie. Give it a try!

Ingredients

2 large bananas
2 cups almond milk
2 cups ice cubes
1/4 cup Greek yogurt, plain
2 Tbsp. honey
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed (hempseed works as well)

Directions

Blend together all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Divide among glasses; serve cold.
Enjoy!

What’s in your blender today?

Email me at drinkzola@gmail.com or send me a Tweet @drinkzola.

Posted in Smoothie Recipes, The Blender Diaries | 1 Response »
Tags: blender, Brazilian, Chris Cuvelier, fitness, flax, flaxseed, food, health, healthy, nutrients, probiotics, protein, recipe, smoothie, Smoothies, Superfruit, workout, yogurt, Zola Açaí

The Blender Diaries: Dedicated to smoothies, juicing, Superfruits and healthy living.