Thar’s Change Afoot My Friends

Went to Lowe’s Friday evening to do some research about Christmas trees.  I regret to report that there was no positive news on that front.  However I did become part of a suprisingly uplifting conversation.  Once the salesperson realized my bent toward the clean and green if you will he proudly told me how his wife has him drinking organic green smoothies.  Spinach and kale work he reported but chard is just too bitter.  “I added a pear”, he said.  “Then a banana, then yet another apple”.  “Still bitter.”

I laughed andd nodded and was in the process of suggesting my secret weapon – a heaping tablespoon of  cinnamon – when another shopper who had stopped and was listening, chimed in to share Dr. Oz’s green drink recipe.

I came home, Googled “Dr. Oz green drink” and tried it today.  I halved the recipe and added extra lemon and ginger and the result was indeed delicious – refreshing and densely packed with nutrients.  Gave the old Vitamix a better work out than my traditional grees/apple/cinnamon and water smoothie.  A nice change indeed.

So thank you to Greg and the mystery shopper for turning an otherwise depressing fact finding mission into proof that the good word is spreading.

 

 

Cookin’ Without Gas

Howard called me out on the Spanx entry.  No, I admitted, Spanx have nothing to do with this blog's mandate.  Some things are just funny.

When not struggling into my Spanx I am busy, between working and numerous other projects, exploring the world of raw food.  Am having a blast.  This week I met a woman named Cynthia through an email conversation with one of the women who runs Bailey's Local Foods.  Cynthia is a raw food chef and entrepreneur who runs Divinely Raw.

During our email conversation Cynthia mentioned that she had made a chocolate/hemp shake.  After two days of wondering if it was appropriate to ask a chef for a recipe when it is her business to sell her wares I went ahead and did so.  Cynthia kindly obliged. 

I've since tried my own versions of this shake and am enamoured of the banana/chocolate version.  Even though all I changed was the fruit, it is a big deal to me that my vision panned out aka o.k it's delicious! as I in no way, shape or form even remotely resemble a chef.  I need a clear, functional recipe – unlike my parents who can just whip something up!

Cynthia's shake contains 1 cup of water, 1 cup mashed bananas (if frozen so much the better)(can sub any fruit you like), 1 heaping T raw cacao powder, 1T raw honey and 1/2 c hemp seeds.   My mixing advice is to add the hemp seeds after blending because they stick to the sides of the blender and are too precious to waste.

I look forward to meeting Cynthia on Monday when I pickup my Bailey's order.  She is now selling her products through Bailey's and will be there Monday offering samples.  If the rest of her food is anything like her shake we are all in for a treat!

I am of course making the shake in my beloved Vita Mix.  Cynthia does not share this devotion and, as you will read on her site, is a staunch proponent of the Blendtec blender instead.  I wonder if the Blentec pulverizes the hemp seeds because my machine does not.

Happy sipping!

Competition for the Vita-Mix?

Was flipping channels over the weekend and … O.K. I was watching the
Shopping Channel.  Hey, I was exercising and there was
no 'design emergency' on HGTV to distract me.  Anyway, there
appeared on my screen what appeared to be a doppleganger for the
Vita-Mix. 

According to the guest, this blender replaces not one, not two, but nine
appliances. In addition to the usual demonstrations of smoothie and soup
making, viewers were treated to an ice pulverizing demonstration that was
indeed impressive. The blender is called the Blendtec
Total Blender.

Priced at $100 less than the Vita-Mix, the Blendtec model looks to be
similar in design and function although the warranty is significantly shorter
at three years to the Vita-Mix's seven. 

I'm curious about this blender.  How well does it work?  Does
one container really work for both wet and dry foods?  The Vita-Mix offers
two distinct containers with different blades for wet and dry ingredients –
superior engineering or just good marketing?

If anyone out there has
experience with the Blendtec I would appreciate hearing what you think of it.