I love my green smoothies. I always use at least 1 banana and 1 other fruit in my smoothies, along with loads of leafy greens (5 cups minimum) and sometimes other veggies (celery, carrot, beet, etc.)

But I'm leaning toward trying to leave out the fruit. The first time I did this, it was difficult to enjoy. I know there is a "something" that makes savory (as opposed to sweet) smoothies tasty, but I'm not sure what it is.

Perhaps tomato as a base instead of banana?

Need your input! Any ideas for smoothies you made without fruit?

Thanks in advance,
Jackie

I use non sweet fruit in my smoothies, no water, most of the times celery juice, or cucumber.

I'm with Madinah. I use non-sweet Fruit (Tomato and mini-Pepper)
in my Green Smoothies. I use Celery too, but don't juice it....
also Carrots, in addition to Greens. I've ordered some Sea Vegetables
to try instead of the Greens. I know Quantum Eating doesn't allow
Water in Smoothies, but I use Water in mine. I even use a few Nuts
in my Fruit Smoothies....not good maybe, but if anyone is Perfect out
there I wish they'd let us know.......WY

I haven't read the theory behind quantum eating, but even if we can hydrate ourselves better with the water in fresh fruits and veggies than from plain water, I don't see why consuming water could be considered an inherently bad thing. I nearly always add water to my smoothies, and I don't think it is a bad thing in any way.

I have found myself leaning toward higher greens ratios in my smoothies, but I haven't considered making the leap into non-fruit green smoothies. I would be interested to hear, though, if people are making it work. I might then be tempted to try it.

There is technically no need to add water to a smoothies, the veggies and fruit have already plenty of water. One cucumber and couple of tomatoes can be blended first to give a water base for adding other leaves. We should strive to reducing water because the water in fruit and veggies is living water, adding water is diluting the nutrients. Some choose to sweeten the smoothies with stevia



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2008 03:39PM by madinah.

I think that a green smoothie without the fruit is called a soup, so there should be lots of soup recipes around!

Something to consider for those like me who don't have a vitamix or blendtec yet, you have to add water to cover the blades in most regular blenders.

I usually have 90:10 ratio of greens to fruit in my smoothies. I usually add apples, especially with kale to offset bitterness. But as my taste buds change, I don't taste the bitterness in some greens as much so maybe one day I can skip the apple altogether. I like the idea of adding red pepper. I'm going to try this, thanks.

Hippocrates institute recommends not combining fruit and vegetables.
RULE 2.
[www.naturallyhealthylifestyles.com]

i think lemon juice and fresh herbs (like dill or cilantro) go a long way toward making a fruitless green smoothie tasty...

This might sound weird to you guys but I use parsnips to sweeten up my green smoothies. Adds a lovely, earthy flavor too...but only when they're in season. Other than the occasional one here or there, I'm not able to process carrots. Turn my hands orange for some reason. Am I doing something wrong you think?

~lanie

Lanie,

Why do you think its you that doing something wrong, rather than the carrots?

Actually, it may be that your body doesn't like carrots. And this may not be permanent, that is, over time, your body will be able to deal with them without symptoms.

I was wondering what hippicraties institute says not to combine fruit with vegitables. I have read some of ann wigmores recepies and her energy soup consists of apple, avacado, greens, and some dulsa. That sure looks like a combo of fruit and vegi. I do wonder about the smoothie though and have wanted to make them with less fruit. I think that the longer I eat raw the more my taste buds change. This topic is helpful for me.

I know this is a long shot, but if you have access to coconut water try it!! It is quite tasty!!!!

!!!

green smoothies ( green soup)

spectacular stuff

<Why do you think its you that doing something wrong, rather than the carrots? >

Bryan: It's because until I went raw I used to eat carrots all the time without turning orange. I thought there might be some nutritional deficiency in my diet that's preventing me from metabolizing the beta carotene. Guess I always assume it's me.

I've been vegan for over decade but only about a year raw so you're probably right about my body just needing to do its thing. I'll give it some time as you suggest and see what happens. Thanks!

~lanie

Ginger and lemon are indeed great for spicing up those green soups. Sunflower sprouts and dulse also add interesting flavors. So does fresh fennel.

WOW...the Hippocrates Institute seems a bit much, no? And who in the heck wrote all those rules? Sounds like a bunch of nonsense if you ask me.

So, if I don't follow their stringent food combining "rules" then my body "will soon wither and the bowels become impacted?" Double WOW. Pretty extreme claim there.

I do know that eating too many fruits and veggies together upsets my stomach, so, naturally, I don't. But a small apple added to my otherwise totally green smoothie suits my colon just fine...and no problem with the ol' movement either. I also must confess to both fat AND protein in my salads in the form of seeds and/or nuts and olive oil, again, with no ill effects.

So far so good. My body appears to be holding steady...no "withering" going on that I'm aware of at least. :-)

~lanie

pampam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was wondering what hippicraties institute says
> not to combine fruit with vegitables. I have read
> some of ann wigmores recepies and her energy soup
> consists of apple, avacado, greens, and some
> dulsa. That sure looks like a combo of fruit and
> vegi. I do wonder about the smoothie though and
> have wanted to make them with less fruit. I think
> that the longer I eat raw the more my taste buds
> change. This topic is helpful for me.

Fruits should be eaten alone, combine with nothing else.

It is the NEW hypprocates institute with Brian Clements that does not recommend mixing fruit and vegetables. They have done extended studies on these. Ann wigmore was more like common sense and belief, the new institute is more science.

Quote

Eat fruit alone, or leave it alone. Whether you are eating or juicing, fruit should be consumed by itself. The apple is the only exception to this basic rule. Apples combine with all fruits and vegetables. Try not to combine acid fruits with sweet fruits. Do not combine fruit and vegetables for any reason. They are incompatible and will clash enzymatically. All melons should be eaten alone. And never, never, never eat fruit after a meal - this will totally slow down, if not stop the entire digestion process. Eating sweets after a meal is also a no-no. It may sound a little crazy, but if you want to eat fruit or sweets with a meal, then eat them before the meal - wait a little while - and then eat your meal.

[www.suite101.com]



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2008 01:39AM by madinah.

<<Quantum Eating doesn't allow Water in Smoothies>>

I think that the reason behind suggestions such as this, that is
* having water primarily from water-rich fruit/vegies instead of added water,
is about having what's best. So, although water per se is not inherently bad, there is an even better level of health, in which body gets hydrated/nourished by obtaining water/nutrients in their most superior form. In my personal experience, the level of hydration I achieve when I eat lots of fresh, juicy fruit/vegies exceeds the level I get when I drink water but consume not enough juicy stuff, by far. I think there is a huge nutritional difference between the two types of water, and science only begins to understand it.

Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

rawgosia Wrote:
-----------------------------------------------------
> I think there is a huge nutritional difference between
> the two types of water, and science only begins to understand
> it.
Gosia.....That's very insightful of you. I use Water
in my Green Smoothies because many of the ingredients I use
lack sufficient water content. I'm sure the Best Diet doesn't
allow any Water....getting all you need in the Food itself.....WY

' but i also consider water to be food though
esp. if from a good source

people in the cavemen(women) days used to also drink water ( not from SPARKLETTS)

so....

natural springs
rivers
etc.

thats why i say water is also food

I think drinking water is a natural and healthy thing to do. I like to use both high water content foods and clean water. I like to separate mono meals drinking distilled water to cleanse my palette and provide a refreshing drink of pure water that hydrates as only H2O2 can. The two forms of water used in their respective places compliment each other beautifully. The best way to find out if drinking plenty of clean water AND getting plenty of water in high water content foods resonates with your body in a healthy way is to try it with an open mind and let your body signals speak to you.

Thanks for all the feedback!

Funny you all should mention it: I'm heading out to the Hippocrates center this Thursday for their open house. I had heard about the theory re: not mixing fruits and veggies, but that was not the reason for my question.

Actually, I was just looking to explore something different. I LOLd after reading the comment about fruitless green smoothies being soup! Hahaha! You're right - but cooked stuff has a tendency to blend flavors better than raw stuff, IMHO.

Today's smoothie is

one banana
10 almonds, 1 brazil nut
1 tbsp each: sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, vegan formula nutritional yeast, flaxseed, 1 tsp cinnamon
ginger root (about 1/2 size of my thumb)
1 cup parsley
1 cup spinach
4 cups turnip greens
1/2 large cucumber

and I gotta tell ya, it's a bit harsh. Doable, but not lip-smacking, exclamatory WOW great. Would have been terrific with 1/2 mango or 1 apple added. Or some lemon.

I don't have any lemons or limes, but I'm adding those to my shopping list. And fresh tomatoes, yep, I'll give that another try.

I've used fresh young coconuts in smoothies, and I like them a lot. I wait until the trees make them, then scarf up as many as I can. Gotta use them quickly, or they don't stay fresh.

Also, I add water to just under the edge of the greens before blending. I have a water purification system that makes DEElicious water, and not adding it seems just ~wrong~ somehow. I like to be able to pour this stuff out of my thermos for lunch! not scoop it out! Hahaha!

So, I'll give it a try with lemon, tomato etc. and I will look at soup recipes - I honestly just never thought of it before!

Again, thanks SO much for your information!

If you blend two cucumbers first you will get enough water to blend the greens