Smoothies

[wolf63]

I have bought a smoothie maker - a gadget that I just had to have.

Now I realise that I have no idea how to make a smoothie. The little booklet with the machine is not really very helpful.

I know that I should cram fruit into the machine but am unsure about what is best to use as a base.

I know that it is very much trial and error but I want to cut down on the errors.

I am trying to lose weight so don't want to use orange juice all the time. Can I also use vegetables?

Help - please!

Susan

[heathfield]

You might find help here

[wolf63]

Thanks - it seems to give me all the basic information, which is exactly what I need.

I will go and buy some frozen fruit tomorrow in Tesco and have a try later tomorrow.

I wonder if this gadget will last longer than the popcorn maker, the laminator, the spiral binder, the laptop, the big shredder and the fountain cat water dish!

[heathfield]

It'll probably outlast those silly chocolate fountains, at any rate! lol

[Karen2005]

This is lovely:

One small banana (or half a large one) chopped into slices

Handful of raspberries or other red berries - I use frozen ones - once they are washed under cold water they tend to defrost a little bit

Milk (skimmed if you're weight watching) I tend to measure it out by pouring it into the glass I'm using first - but not all the way to the brim because the fruit!

A little bit of honey

Whiz it all up in a blender/smoothie maker. Hmmm... lovely!

[B00]

I want a laminator!!! I've no idea why, i just want one.

And ummmm, sorry, can't help with the smoothie quandary, good luck though :-)

[wolf63]

Karen - that sounds great. I love bananas.

heathfield - the first time I saw a chocolate fountain was in a designer village outside Nottingham when I was down from Scotland visiting my little brother. I thought it was great. I love chocolate. But they are really 'one hit wonders'. Not something you can use every day and they can't be very hygienic either. I will stick to bars of chocolate.

Boo - I thought you were a girl. Don't tell me that you have the infamous 'male gadget gene'! I don't have the 'female shopping gene' - unless it is shopping for a gadget.

My 'boss' has just come into the room to advise me that he is hungry and wants to be fed. Not a nice little meow but a long strand of "yowl, yowl, yowl". Wonder if it is possible to get a gadget to make cats vanish.

Susan
meow/yowl from Frankie and Princess Merlin.

[B00]

lol yes i'm a girl- well female anyway....sort of, if you squint anyway.

I dunno, there's just something about something covered in shiny, shiny plastic that fascinates me. I'm sure if I got one, i'd go on a laminating frenzy for a few days, laminating everything that doesn't move out the way quick enough - then it'd be assigned to the Junk Cupboard.

[BBWCHATT]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Search/default. asp?SearchText=smoothie&searchType=site&x=27&y =7

[pastafreak]

Hiya wolf63-the catlady!....my favourite smoothie is equal amounts of Sainsbury's frozen mango & pineapple, a banana, and yogurt-Total greek if not watching cals...or YeoValley lo fat mango/pineapple. I whizz it with one of those hand blender thingys...filling and yummy. MY pest cleo says 'hello' to your 2 moggies...meowf!

[pastafreak]

PS,wolf--regarding your post on hungry cats-my cat is only 5 but a BIG girl...i can hear her when she thumps down the stairs!!

[thugulike]

I make smoothies with coconut milk and fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, banana, well just about anything I've got in. Using a lot of plums at the moment.

[mindymoo]

Apple juice, blueberries, a banana.....yum x

[sunflower68]

You could invest in a juicer too - throw in anything you can find; pears, carrots, pineapple, apple, orange (rind off). Add this juice, in the smoothie maker, with a handful of frozen berries (makes the drink cold), about a mugful of natural yogurt and a mug of apple juice, a banana too (they don't work in the juicer).
This should do 2 people.
Only trouble is the flipping washing up but I make this for my kids every morning, they love it. : )

[jeanette1976]

My personal fave is watermelon, banana and strawberries... blend and either mix with milk and/or icecream or yoghurt - DEEEEEEEEEE-LICIOUS!!!

If you like chocolate, mix milk, banana and choc ice cream!

Basically, mix any fruit you like in with either water, milk , ice cream or yoghurt.. but try not to mix loads of different flavours and it will just spoil, meaning 'too many cooks spoil the broth...) you'll find some fruits are more flavoursome than others, ie. berries will overpower most flavours.

[WendyS]

If you want something different my husband recently experimented trying to make a savoury smoothie with:

Half an avocado,
A medium sized tomato
A tablespoon of oats
Some plain yoghurt
A teaspoon of chopped onion

I thought it would be disgusting, but actually it was quite pleasant !

[wolf63]

Avocado and tomatoes?

I am not sure which end of me that would come rushing out of. Sounds disgusting.

I am still drinking the smoothies that are stocked up in the fridge - shop bought ones.