So today is day two of my green smoothie breakfast.. and I'm just not happy with my end products.

1) Alternatives to Celery. From my understanding, celery rocks. It's good for you and has all kinds of nutrients. The problem is that I don't like it. I have been cringing through my smoothie which should be delicious because of that bitter celery taste. What alternatives are there to celery?

2) Skins on fruits and veggies. Do you all leave the skins on or off of the fruits and veggies before you put them into the blender? Are there benefits to leaving it on or taking it off?

Thanks!

1. leaves, cucumber, asparagus, broccoli

2.

advantage: most of the protective phytochemicals are concentrated in or near the skin

disadvantage: this is also true for the pesticides

m. Try buying celery hearts--they're sweet.

Here is our family's favorite recipe:
In vita mix place:
1/2 fresh pinapple
2 org. oranges
1 large apple
2/3 c. dates
juice from 1 large lemon
2 1/2 to 3 c. water
6-8 oz spinach OR 1 small head romaine OR 1 small bunch kale
place water and fruit in blender and blend until fairly smooth. While blender is running, drop in the greens and blend until smooth. If you want a super creamy smoothies, add a ripe avocado and blend until smooth just before serving ...ENJOY!!

Hey Kris,

I was reading that spinach isn't as nutrishious as celery and other greens. Is this true? I would prefer to eat spinach allll the time, but I am also scared about not balancing my diet enough.

eat what tastes good - avoid what does not taste good

why smoothies?

why not eat foods one at a time?

I would agree with fresh to eat what tastes good and avoid what doesn't.

A green alternative to celery could be collard greens. They have a fairly mild taste. Maybe as time goes on you will begin to like celery more. I find that my tastes change when eating raw.

Kit

fresh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eat what tastes good - avoid what does not taste
> good
>
> why smoothies?
>
> why not eat foods one at a time?


Because it's the best way for me to transition. I am used to eating something from McDonalds in the morning on my way to work. Fruits tend to be juicey which make sticky messes in the car. Plus I have a terrible sweet tooth and I am pretty sure that I would focus more on the fruits rather than the greens, so its a way for me to get what I need.

My questions is:
Why not smoothies?

Some links:

[goneraw.com]

[www.rawfoods-livingfoods.com]

[www.rawfoodtalk.com]

and

[www.google.com]

I don't eat things that don't taste good to me. Sure, sometimes that means compost happens. But I'm happier that way.

Hang in there.

I was never keen on celery, but I liked it in my smoothies for the sodium and alkalinity. It's much cheaper than cucumbers.

Now I love celery. I can put up to 4 stalks in a smoothie. But if I put 2 I can't even taste it.

Try a handful of leafy greens, 2 stalks celery, and 4-6 cups of fruit. A little water, too. Oh, and frozen berries are good also to cancel out any remaining bitterness.

are you putting the leaves in to .. cuz i always find the celery leaves way more bitter then than the inner stalks

but if ya really dont dig the celery then skip it

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

I was using the entire stalk, including leaves.

I feel comfortable now leaving out the celery and substituting other greens. Thank you all for your input and suggestions.

m.cazee Wrote:
>
>
> Because it's the best way for me to transition. I
> am used to eating something from McDonalds in the
> morning on my way to work. Fruits tend to be
> juicey which make sticky messes in the car. Plus I
> have a terrible sweet tooth and I am pretty sure
> that I would focus more on the fruits rather than
> the greens, so its a way for me to get what I
> need.
>

i know it is common to do smoothies during transition.

i am merely questioning that practice

i do not believe it serves us well to do it although of course i'm not prescribing anything.

i'm sure you can use your imagination to avoid sticky messes.

and i would also question the assumption that you need a certain amount of greens rather than fruit. in fact i would suggest you feed the terrible sweet tooth and slay the beast. then you will naturally be drawn to greens when necessary.

good luck and power to you.

Hi Everyone,

I don't think I would've stayed 95% or more raw for the last 7 weeks if I didn't know about smoothies. After reading 12 steps to raw I started drinking them, mostly spinach & pairs or romaine & apples sometimes using red grapes instead. I've always liked to juice celery but I don't like eating it. In the book V.boutenko said green smoothies help break the addiction to cooked foods. For me, this is really true. I notice on the days I DON'T drink a smoothie I tend to be more tempted although I don't usually give in.

However, as we all know, 7weeks DOES NOT A RAW FOODIST MAKE!!!!

Till Later.......
Joe

Joe -
Those sound so simple, yet good. I've been throwing chunks of this and chunks of that into my smoothies. Tomorrow I will try a simpler mix.

I agree with fresh - eat masses of fruit. Bananas and grapes are easy car food.

Don't ruin your smoothies with things you don't like - that is so sad to hear. Your tastebuds will change all the time so don't worry about that.

It will be so much harder to avoid the hamburgers if you are replacing them with something you don't really like - wont work for long.

go for big, gorgeous (or as my daughter says gaw-jus) fruit smoothies. fill yourself up with something delicious that you look forward to everyday. my current favorite is banana and raspberry smoothie - a pint of - yum.

I eat all my greens in the evening as a big salad when i am ready for something other than fruit. Don't worry in the short term about not getting perfect nutrition - it's more important that you enjoy your raw lifestyle and it becomes second nature. Then as your taste buds change (they may not of course - maybe you will never like celery - it doesn't matter a bit) you can tweak your diet this way and that as YOU find what is best for YOU.

Please don't worry if other people say their favorite thing is 10lbs of greens in a juice - eat the raw foods that you like best - it will all fall into place in time. If you follow these boards for long enough you will discover that folk do it very differently from each other - there is no 'right' way. Adding fruit and leaving out the hamburger is a fantastic step in the right direction - well done you.

Hi All,

My wife eats about 90% SAD. However, she will have a fruit smoothie most days. Her current fav is strawberries mixed with red grapes with the occasional banana thrown in. Hey, it's a start in the right direction for her. I pray that she'll give up the hamburger one day but SHE must decide when that will be. All I can do is live the raw life by example. The simple fact is WE CAN ONLY CHANGE OURSELVES!!

I agree with flipper. I started on 1/1/09 & have only consumed those fruits & veggies that I like. I truly believe it will all work itself out as to what I'll like & not.

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not self-seeking, love ALWAYS protects,always endures. (1corinthians 13)

God IS love!! (1john4)
Jesus Christ...... The ONLY way to Heaven.
I am the Way, the Truth & the Life..(John 14:6)