Blend Better Green Smoothies

This post continues my series on improving favorite foods, like Baking Better Kale Chips and 10 Steps For Slow Cooker Perfection. Green smoothies have been a huge help to me with my latest EAT BETTER efforts. I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t like munching on salads, so sometimes the only way I get roughage in my diet is through a straw. Whatever works, right?

Sipping green smoothies on the regular is just another way of making healthy eating more automatic. So, if you are new to this way of drinking -- take note. And if you’re a veteran, I’d love to hear some of your favorite ways to make a perfect blend.

// Follow 60/40

I’ve tried to make almost 100% vegetable green smoothies in the past. And if you can drink them this way, more power to you. For the rest of us, a 60 (fruit) / 40 (veggie) ratio works out best. This way, the fruit dominates the overall flavor, yet you’re still getting a hefty dose of the greens you need.

I save the all veggie stuff for when I juice. (And here’s more on juicing, if you’re into that. I’d say we do it once or twice a month. It’s more expensive than smoothies and -- as healthy as it is -- it’s also really important to get all the fiber from the fruits and veggies that blending in a smoothie provides versus juicing.)

// Try Different Liquids, Etc.

Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of liquid bases for my smoothies. I always try to stick with unsweetened versions of anything I pour into the blender. My favorite right now is unsweetened coconut milk. You can also do almond milk, hemp milk, soy milk, and even plain water if you’re strapped. In addition, I often toss in yogurt -- plain or Greek -- for some extra creamy + tart goodness. You can totally change the taste and texture (and nutrition) with the liquid you choose, so be sure to experiment!

// Add Protein

If you like to drink green smoothies after you work out (like I do), adding protein is key to replenish your muscles. There are a number of ways you can add protein to a green smoothie and take its healthy qualities to a new level. Try tossing in a tablespoon or two of nut butter, a serving of Greek yogurt, some spirulina powder, or a scoop of your favorite protein powder. If you want to use a green smoothie as a meal replacement, try and add a few hardboiled eggs on the side or something small to get a more complete mini-meal.

// Blend Well

As much as I hate to spend tons of money, it does pay to invest in a quality blender if you want to drink green smoothies regularly. That doesn’t mean you need to drop bank on a Vitamix or Blendtec. Those are incredibly nice machines, but a Ninja Blender is worth the extra over standard blenders because it blends those greens smooth. I’ve used standard blenders and they will work on maybe spinach -- but if you like kale and other heartier greens, consider saving up. A blender with more than 800-1000 watts should do the trick.

Regardless of what machine you use, it’s helpful to first blend the fruit and liquid, then add the greens and keep pulsing until smooth. If you find your greens are too chunky and not incorporating well, try adding a bit more liquid (a couple tablespoons at a time), and that should help.

// Freeze Ingredients

I might be alone in this, but if most of my ingredients in the smoothie are fresh, I don’t love the texture. So, I’ve started freezing cubes of yogurt and milk to act like ice cubes (after all, ice cubes don’t add nutrition beyond hydration). Furthermore, I always use frozen bananas for the best, thick texture.

BONUS: You can take this concept a step beyond by making your smoothie in big batches and freezing it into cubes so all you need to do is pop a few out and thaw in a glass for quick weekday drinking.

// Recipes

We have a ton of smoothie recipes -- green and “normal” -- on this site. You can browse through a lot of the recipes right here, and some of the latest and greatest ones can be found over here.

Now onto other fun stuff. 

What was your favorite Super Bowl snack? I made a delicious spinach + artichoke dip with hummus and pickles. It sounds really strange, but I can’t get enough of it, so I’ll be sure to share that recipe with you guys soon!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...

Homemade Brown Rice Milk

I grew up in a town geographically isolated from many food trends and dietary necessities. When I decided to go vegetarian at age 12, there were few options for me beyond frozen peas, a stray tub of tofu, and rice milk. So, yes. Before I started sipping Homemade Almond Milk or soy milk or other substitutes at all, I drank my share of sweet, shelf-stable rice milk.

Have you ever noticed how rice milk -- Rice Dream, for example -- as oil has an added ingredient? In fact, the mention is kind of weird, as it lists "Safflower Oil and/or Sunflower Oil and/or Canola Oil” -- I mean, which is it? I guess they add it for mouthfeel -- texture. And otherwise, the ingredients in rice milk aren’t anything to be wary of. Still, I like homemade best for price point and full control of ingredients.

So, I started making my own.

HOMEMADE BROWN RICE MILK
Once you get the hang, feel free to double the recipe.

What you’ll need . . .

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 4-5 cups water

Pssst: You don’t need to cook rice specifically for this recipe. Leftover Coconut Rice (minus all the extras) would be interesting! I’d just say make sure the rice isn’t old (signs of spoilage, mold, etc.) before blending. 

Method . . . 

1. If you’re using rice that’s already cooked, make sure it’s cool then combine with the water and let sit for an hour to let the flavors mingle.
2. If you’re making your rice fresh, you’ll want to remove it from heat and pour in the 4 cups of water (5 if you want a thinner milk) and let cool and sit for an hour or two. Do not skip this step -- otherwise, your milk will turn out quite goopy.
3. Either way: Place the rice + water mixture in a VitaMix or Ninja Blender -- and pulse. 
4. At this point, you can add in any extras like a splash of vanilla extract, maple syrup, and even cinnamon. I’ve even read of people pulsing in pitted dates for natural sweetness.
5. Blend for around 3-5 minutes and then strain into Ball jars or another container using cheesecloth or a sieve. 
6. Just FYI: My French Press Almond Milk trick DOES NOT work as well for the semi-solids in this rice milk recipe. 
7. Use within 5-7 days. 

(I made a big batch!)

NOTES: 

• Stephen likes this rice milk alone or on cereal -- no sweeteners or spices added.
• I actually prefer using this milk in baking and save Homemade Almond Milk for drinking, etc.
• Whatever you do, this milk is suitable for most sensitive tummies.
• You can also make RAW Rice Milk. I just haven’t tried it yet.
• I use the leftover rice bits in my veggie burgers, which I hope to share with you soon.

And tomorrow I’ll be back with my recipe for this delicious “buttermilk” cinnamon swirl bread made using this homemade brown rice milk! It turned out beautifully . . . and I have a huge stash of it in my freezer. Well, a dwindling stash, I should say.

Behold!

Oh, and if you want to see my diary from 1998, click over to Writing Chapter Three today!

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...

Breakfast Beans // Chocolate Smoothie

You guys have so many questions about beans! I'm not really the queen of beans, but I do eat my fair share. As some of you pointed out in my post about soaking/cooking them, beans that have been frozen do tend to lose their original form. If you're making foods where texture doesn't matter much, it's all good. So, I thought I'd share the types of recipes I make with my beans after they've been frozen, starting with this delicious smoothie!

There's some CSA spinach in there, too:

I usually thaw my beans in the refrigerator since I'm using them for other things like quesadillas, soups, burgers, etc. -- which I'll get into in another post -- but I imagine you could also use the beans frozen if you have a talented enough blender. As I've mentioned before, we have a Ninja Blender. It does the trick without the huge price tag.

Behold!


CHOCOLATE + BLACK BEAN SMOOTHIE
Makes 24 ounces -- or two 12 ounce servings.

Blend together the following:

• 2/3 cup black beans
• 1-1/3 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 gigantic handfuls spinach
• 1 cup frozen banana coins*
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

* What the heck? Well, I just use the bananas that I freeze for Frozen Banana Bites and Banana Ice Cream and Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches, etc, etc, etc,, since they are convenient and blend well.


More chocolatey bean recipes:

• Black Bean + Carrot Brownies
• Red Velvet Black Bean Brownies
• Healthy Chocolate + PB Brownies
• Peanut Butter Blondies

More breakfast proteins:

• 12 Recipe-Lite, Protein-Packed Breakfasts
• 8 Vegetarian Proteins Perfect for Breakfast 
• Cheap Protein: Beans + Meals for the ENTIRE Week!

And don't miss our 90 healthiest recipes of 2013! Lots of delicious, wholesome foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beyond. Includes both vegan and vegetarian recipes to please the entire family -- even toddlers!




Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...

(Tea)ser: Roasted Red Quinoa "Tea"

Even I think I'm a little crazy for doing this. So, keep that in mind as you feast your eyes on my latest drink invention: Roasted Quinoa "Tea" -- that's right. It's what you get when you roast red quinoa on your stove-top . . . pulverize it in your food processor . . . and run it through your espresso machine.

Would you like a taste?

Roasted quinoa turns such a rich, beautiful, d.e.e.p. shade of red . . . it's a shame to turn it into powder, really. But necessary.

At least I think . . .


My decision to run it through the espresso machine was made purely by smell. Yeah -- roasted quinoa smells somewhat like ground coffee. Plus, I was in a rush -- it was the fastest way to turn the grinds into a warm beverage.


It sure looks convincing. And it tastes pretty great, too!


Just add almond milk and a spoonful of maple syrup -- it's sort of like chai minus the spice . . . with some added nutty flavor, but totally caffeine-free.


Then, package the rest to save for another day.


No recipe for this concoction -- yet.

I'm waiting to have Stephen try it . . . to make sure I'm not just a crazy person. And then more taste-testing by me, of course. Plus, I'm interested to see if the turning-it-into-powder and espresso-madness are necessary. One of our favorite drinks -- roasted corn tea -- can be made with the kernels left whole.

What's your favorite warm beverage? Of course, I love my chai lattes -- especially since I came up with my own, top-secret blend of the stuff. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...

Make Your Own: Coconut Milk

We go through coconut milk in this house probably more than we go through soy milk. We can't get enough of the rich, creamy stuff -- whether we use it to make curry sauces or smoothies, substitute for "regular" milk in baked goods, etc. And we may start using it more. I read an article the other day about soy . . . and no matter you opinion on how much is too much, I think the two of us are both consuming a bit over the limit. So, coconut milk it is!

A can of coconut milk costs about $3.50 at our grocery store. This coconut? $2.99. The yield was pretty much the same amount. The taste? Fresh coconut equals fresher milk. And the process is so incredibly easy, we just couldn't wait to share it with all of you.


Please note: The cats, as always, were of no use to us in this process. They didn't lift a paw or even feign interest.


STEP 1: Crack open the coconut. The instructions on the coconut (we purchased one from Amy's Organic, which was in the produce section at our local Wegmans) said to cut off the diamond-shaped tip. I'm not sure if that meant the entire top, but that's what we did. Stephen used a hammer to gently guide our knife and crack it. I suggest you place the coconut in a shallow bowl or other container because the coconut water will spill out at bit and you want to collect as much of it as possible.


STEP 2: Enjoy your accomplishment. That first step is the most difficult in the entire process. And I had never broken into a real coconut before. (As opposed to a FAKE one? I don't know what I'm talking about). But what's inside is, for lack of better words, cool! Enjoy it!


STEP 3: Scrape away. First make sure you collect all the coconut water in bowl. Then, take a regular spoon and scrape all that fatty white flesh that's inside. That's what you'll blend with the coconut water to create the milk. You'll notice some brown stuff sticking to the white . . . just gently peel that away. If you don't get all of it, no worries. We didn't either, but hardly noticed it in the end product.


STEP 4: Blend. Just combine all the coconut water and flesh in your blender and pulse on high until fully combined. The texture will be frothy. And the milk will taste fantastic.

Now you have coconut milk. Pretty amazing, right? Use it in your favorite recipes. We'll be giving you one later today for our favorite red curry tofu dish. Until then, tell us -- how do you use coconut milk? Have any tips on opening the thing without using a hammer? Leave us a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...