Passion Fruit

Another delightful smoothie.  This one Passion Fruit; actually it's a blend of white grape, pineapple, apple and passion fruit.  It's from Welch's 100% Tropical Passion Fruit, and the passion Fruit does dominate the taste.

Usually I do nearly equal portions of milk to juice or near equal.  However lately the flavor has been somewhat disappointing, in part the yogurt is plain, so no added flavors.  So being the mad scientist I am, we reduced the portion of the milk and viola a much better smoothie.

So here it is:

1 cup  Tropical Passion Fruit juice (Welch's 100%)
1/2 cup Whole Milk
about 4-6 ounces plain yogurt (of course with Active cultures)
1 banana

Start blending on low and progressing to whole for about 1 -2 minutes, or till thoroughly blended and frothy.  makes better then 2 servings.  Rates about 7 in taste for me. 


Health tip:  When taking Calcium supplements, take also Vitamin D too or a combination supplement.  This supposedly helps with the absorption ( this hasn't been FDA verified).  We need both for our bones, but Calcium is crucial for preventing or minimizing Osteoporosis.  Of course good natural sources are Broccoli, cheese yogurt, or milk. 

The body also uses Calcium for proper muscle contraction and nerve function.  With the Vitamin D helping the immune system..

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A Cherry pie smoothie

Alright this is a little bit more off the path of just being outright healthy.  It is healthy but could be more decadent too.

1 cup whole milk
1 cup Pomegranate Juice  (something very good for the heart)
1/3 cup Cherry Pie filling (Actually this was taken from a cherry pie so there was a few bits of crust in it but hardly noticeable - I really didn't want the cherry pie )

Blend from low to high in stages until thoroughly mixed.  Continue to blend for about a minute to two more to add some froth to it.  Yields 3 servings.
The taste is very close to that of cherry pie, the cherry flavor easily overpowers the Pomegranate.  It is worth repeating, so as taste goes 6+ ( I would prefer my pies to be more chewy than drinkable).


Health Tip: 
A treatment for Cold sores using Vinegar. 
You can usually dry up a cold sore in short order by dabbing it with a cotton ball saturated in white vinegar three times a day.  The vinegar will quickly soothe the pain and swelling.

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Probiotics Smoothie

Sounds medical doesn't it.   But my previous post had a health tip on the benefits of Probiotics.  Well we have on hand some yogurt with prodiotics in them plus Acai and Blueberries.  Too healthy for you junk addicts, so you may excuse yourself.

1 cup Whole milk
1 cup 100% Ruby Kist Pomegranate Juice blend (Apple, Pomegranate, Gape, and Aronia )
1 ounce of Drinkables which has a good mix of antioxidants from fruit and herbs.
4 ounces  of Yoplus (Acai and Blueberry yogurt with Probiotics)

Combine all the above ingredients in a blender, and starting from low work up to high.
Makes 3 servings.

With the whole milk instead of the soymilk we have a slightly creamer taste, this is rates a 7+, for my taste buds, and not as tart.


Health Tip:
Cold Sores and Yogurt.  Eating plain yogurt (with live cultures) is a good way to quickly get rid of cold sores.   As part of a daily diet, it is a good way to prevent them also.  From my own experience, I have found that with an onslaught of cold sores coming on, yogurt as quickly nipped them within a day or two.  Plain yogurt may be more effective, but flavored yogurt has achieved the same results for me.  The active bacteria culture in yogurt is what helps in the fight of cold sores which are brought on by a form of Herpes virus.

It should be stressed that two factors are needed to be watched for in obtaining yogurt:
    -does it contain active cultures ( the yogurt itself can be made from pasteurized milk, but the yogurt shouldn't be pasteurized), it should be clearly labeled containing active cultures.
    - No gelatin listed in the ingredients.  Gelatin can cause a cold sore outbreak, by triggering the Herpes virus.

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A good Antioxidant

Well as previously listed in my previous blog, some of the miracle plants available to us.  Their benefits where highlighted.  These goodies where combined in a Drinkable solution.  A recommended dosage of 1 ounce a day.

So we will oblige them, but mix it in a smoothie, combined with the goodness of Soymilk.

3/4 cup Soymilk 8th Continent used
3/4 cup 100% Ruby Kist Pomegranate Juice blend (Apple, Pomegranate, Gape, and Aronia )
1/2 cup Raspberry yogurt (Yoplait for this one)
1 ounce Drinkable blend

In combine all, the Soymilk curdles just like milk in reaction to the Juice.  We start blending on low working up to High for a good frothy mix. 
Servings about 3. 
Definitely repeatable and rates a 7.  Will have to try with regular whole milk to see how it tastes too.  But for now it tends towards the tart side, with the raspberry seeming to compete with the pomegranate.

Health Tip:

Bacteria lives inside us both friendly and unfriendly.  But there is a balance to these two forces.  We need the good ones to help maintain good health.  "Friendly Bacteria" - such as the lactobacillus and bifda cultures in yogurt - inhibit growth of yeast and other disease causing organisms.  There is evidence they even lower cholesterol levels.

However there is a problem one we get ill, and you take an antibiotic, you kill bacteria in your body (both the good and the bad).  Unfortunately this usually creates an imbalance, and raises your risk of diarrhea, yeast infection, food sensitivity or worse yet Clostridiun Difficile (a bacteria gone out of control in your body).  Also other pills or substances we take can kill the good guys too.  Such as : cortisone, prednisone, birth control pills, and antacids, and our lifestyle - STRESS.

Help is here:   A family of supplements known as probiotics.   These blends of bacteria and rice or milk powder repopulates the bowel with friendly bacteria.  

It has been found that women who ate a daily cup of yogurt had fewer vaginal infections than women who didn't eat yogurt.  The effect would have been even more significant had the women taken probiotics.

To keep your intestinal flora healthy, I recommend eating yogurt regularly.  Most brands contain active cultures (check labels and buy only active culture brands).

Take probiotics in addition to yogurt (there are now yogurts out there with probiotics in them), especially if you suffer from yeast infections or high cholesterol, while traveling, or taking antibiotics, steroids, birth control pills or antacids.

If looking for probiotics in the pill form, watch for those contain at least one billion live organisms per gram.  Check the package's expiration date too.

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A new fruit and herbal mixture for a healthier smoothie.

A list of some very beneficial plants. These are contained in liquid mixture (98% Juice). It should be interesting to see the results in my smoothies. The taste isn't bad, a slightly tart tangy taste. It is put out by Remington Health Products.


Pomegranate (Pomica granatum)

First cultivated by the Egyptians and Phoenician. Pomegranates contain high amounts of hydrolysable tannin (punicalagan) – a powerful ployphenol known for its antioxidant properties.


Noni (Morinda citrifolia)

Also know as the “Great Morinda”. Noni serves as a tonic in China, Japan and Hawaii for a variety of traditional health applications. The tree is native to Southeast Asia yet has spread throughout India and into the Pacific Islands.


Grape Seed Extract (Vitis vinifera)

The seeds in grapes are known to contain procryanidolic oligomers, also know as PCOs. Researchers have concluded that PCOs help strengthen blood vessels, and improve blood circulation. Grape Seed Extract is also a powerful antioxidant.


Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum)

Also know as the Chinese Wolfberry or Snowberry. The fruit plays an important role in traditional Chinese medicine and is nicknamed the “happy berry” because of the sense of will being it is said to induce. Goji's richness in carotenoids, phenolics and Vitamin C creates potential for an extra-ordinary synergy of antioxidant strength.


Acai (Euterpe oleracea)

Very popular as an energy drink among surfers and celebrities. Acai is the fruit from a palm tree native to tropical Central and South America. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, and anthrocryanin (antioxidant flavonoid).


Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostina)

A tropical evergreen tree believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas. Mangosteen contains an abundance of healthy alkaloids including xanthones, gartanin and nomangostin.


Cherry (Prunus avium)

Greater attention is now being paid to the cherry for its health properties. In addition to high levels of anthocyanin antioxidants, the cherry contains Melatonin. Melatonin plays important roles in both immune system support and stress level reduction.


Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

Native to the United States the blueberry is highly rated for its antioxidant properties. The fruit's pigment contains phyonutrients called anthocyanidins which help neutralize free radical damage. Antioxidant compounds such as pterositilbene and ellagic acid are also present.


Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadoes)

Used throughout the world as an external balm to relieve skin discomfort, people are now starting to drink Aloe Vera for it's intriguing ability to support the immune system.


Green Tea ( Camellia sinesis)

First cultivated in China, green tea is a tea that has undergone minimal oxidation: leaving abundant polyphenol levels. The antioxidant, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), has been recently identified in tea. Green Tea has also been shown to raise metabolic rates, thermogenesis and fat oxidation.


Ginkgo Biloba

The Ginkgo Tree is a living fossil, its plant family dates back to the middle Jurassic, Very long-lived, some tree specimens are more than 2,500 years old. The extract of Ginkgo leaves contain flavonoid glycosides and ginkgolides which demonstrate alleged nootropic properties, improved blood flow to most body tissue and protection against oxidative cell damage from free radicals.


Concord Grape Concentrate (Vitis vinifera)

The French Paradox: why do the French people, who eat higher levels of animal fat, also have a lower incidence of heart disease? Researchers speculate that the relatively large amount of red wine consumed by the French people has positively benefited them. Researchers are focusing their attention on the special health properties of resveratrol, a polyphenol abundant in grape skin.

Apple Strawberry.

Well outta milk, used last bit for French Toast.  Got to go grocery shopping tomorrow.

So here we go a largely fruit based smoothie.

1 cup Apple Juice
3 halves cooked apple (my stomach is slightly sensitive to raw apples)
1 banana
6 0unces Yoplait Strawberry Mango Yogurt.

Start blending on low working up to high.  Blend on high for about 2 minutes.

Yields about 3 servings.

The Strawberry was the stronger flavor, with mango next.  The apple was despite being the majority of the ingredients just a hint.  And the surprising thing with the banana and yogurt it was creamy tasting.

Definitely a 8+

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Tomato Juice

  Tomato Juice

A cheaper way of getting tomato Juice.  I accidentally came across this suggest from some other internet sites.  Using either Tomato Paste or Sauce.

So being the mad scientist that I am.  (The kitchen is nothing but a differently designed laboratory).  I had to do some experiments on this.  Pity my poor taste buds that have to endure some of the failures in these kind of experiments.  But other times there are breakthroughs, and they are delighted.

Well initially follow the tomato paste suggestion:

3 to 4 portions water to 1 portion of tomato paste. 
Using a blender empty the contents of 1 6 0unce can.
Add 3 - 4 cans of water.  ( I have found that using the 3+ was more successful and 4 seemed too watered down)
I can't make any recommendations on adding any salt or sugar as I haven't done that with the paste. (yet)

Another alternative is too use tomato Sauce.

Now the sauces used so far have all contained some onion and garlic powders added. Or maybe other spices.
Results for me:
1 8 ounces  can
2 equal portions of water (any more and it seems watery or watered down)
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt (I use salt from Real Salt - some extra mineral benefits)
2-3 teaspoons of sugar
The addition of salt and sugar seem to help offset some of the onion/garlic/spices in the tomato sauce. 
The result is about 3-4 servings of Tomato Juice.

As a result of this trial and error, I will be adding a little salt and sugar to the tomato paste mix too.  As I do remember it passed but wasn't a hit like the sauce.

Paste mix:  rating 6-7
Sauce mix rating 8

So in a pinch for tomato Juice, there is an alternative way of having it if you have tomato Paste or Sauce on hand.

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