My sister and brother in law have a large organic garden where they
produce 100’s of different varieties of tomatoes, peppers and other
produce. We found a great variety of fruits that are in season as
well as the vegetables.

 I immediately came home and made a fresh peach smoothie. And will be
making strawberry peach jam on Saturday. My recipe is the best and
uses a different type of thickener which requires using less sugar.

 Sprouting – One of the rare finds was this woman selling a lid for
sprouting. She said " I know many people use the big sprouting trays,
but this is how my grandma taught me to sprout"

 It's a simple lid that attaches to a wide mouth mason jar and allows
you to soak and drain your water daily until the sprouts grow with
little to no mess. It really is quite ingenious.

 I currently am trying it out to see how it works. But I’m excited to
incorporate sprouts into my diet, in my smoothies and in my salads.

 Artisans – There were also many artisans with all their goods,
jewelry, clothing etc.

 Food Vendors – I always enjoy the different cuisines that are found at
the farmers markets.

 But what I love most about the farmers market is the fresh produce and
the bounty that I see when I go there.

Posted via email from Wendy's posterous

For most of us this is the reason to buy a blender. So what’s the difference between a smoothie blender and regular blender? Well, nothing, actually, they’re the same. So which blender makes the best smoothie? That all depends on what you’re looking for in a blender

Magic bullet blender

You can probably hear the echo of its annoying infomercial “makes anything you want in 10 seconds or less.” (And for the most part that is true, but you have to consider that the serving size on the magic bullet isn’t that big. Many other blenders if you were to shrink down to the size of a magic bullet could do the same.)

But the real genius of the silver bullet is its size. For those who aren’t making smoothies for the whole family or a lot of people in general the magic bullet is perfect. It not only performs well it makes just the perfect amount for those who only need one serving. Plus, if you’re dieting it helps to keep track of your servings.

Back to Basics Smoothie Blender

The original smoothie maker from Back to Basics® has demonstrated exceptional consumer appeal with its unique dispensing valve and stir stick. New features that emphasize convenience include a handle for easier pouring and an interchangeable blender cap for chopping and blending dry ingredients. The Smoothie Elite™ comes standard with a 430 watt/500-watt pulse-power motor, 56-ounce container and a heavy-duty ice crushing-blades Available in White and Brushed Chrome

Table Top Blenders

Technically every blender described in this page is a tabletop blender. Any blender that could sit on your tabletop could be considered a tabletop blender including the magic bullet and commercial grade blenders (magic bullet is a specific blender brand and commercial grade just means a super powerful blender.)

So on this site if you’re looking for you’re average blender look for a tabletop blender. The advantages are they’re fairly cheap and they’ll the get the job done for what many people are looking to do. They aren’t as powerful or come with the same warrantee of a commercial strength blender, but if money is an issue you can find a good blender for a sweet price.

Commercial Grade Blenders

These things are the mothers of all smoothie blenders. These blenders usually come with at least a five-year warrantee. Vita-mix offers the best warrantee in the business, which can be extended to up to a10 years. The other advantage to buying a commercial grade blender is the power.

These are the most popular Smoothie Blender on the market. Depending on your need will depend on the one you choose.

Looking for a Vita-Mix? Well you’re not the only. Vita-mix has become perhaps the most trusted name in commercial blending out there.

· Vita-mix a variety of powerful, easy to use, durable blenders. The vita-mix 5200 for example combines power and efficiency with the best warrantee in the business. All Vita-mix blenders come with at least a three-year warrantee which is extendable to up to 10 years.

· Portion Blending System- comes with a monster 5 quart hopper that automatically dispenses the exact amount of ice based on weight. This sweet gadget will save you a lot of time! It can be programmed to make up to four drinks at one time.

· THE Blending Station- Want to eliminate the guesswork out of blending? The Blending station comes with 34 blending programs for total control on your signature drinks so they come out just right every time.

· Mix’n Machine: Vita-mix doesn’t just make awesome blenders. The Mix’n Machine is currently the industries leading frozen treat maker! Not only is it easy to use like all vita-mix products it also is programmable so that you’ll be able to do other responsibilities while the machine performs it programmed function.

· Rinse-O-Matic: With this sweet device you can wash out blender containers in seconds and save on water. This nifty device will help you lower your water and electric bill and wash the blender containers a lot faster than the dishwasher.

· Blender Recipes – Included with your Vitamix purchase you receive a great recipe book – but don’t limit yourself to their recipes we have many tried and true recipes right here on smoothiesrecipes.net

Regardless of which Vita-mix product you buy , you’re getting an excellent product that will be crushing ice in mere seconds for years!

Perhaps one of the best-known personal blenders is the magic bullet blender. The magic bullet is famous for its infomercials at its slogan that it can blend “anything in 10 seconds or less.” Inevitably that promise is… (Ready for a hit magic blender fans?) not true. That said it is overall a good blender, it just won’t blend everything your little heart desires in 10 seconds. (It can blend softer things such as tomatoes within 10 seconds but not ice.)

The advantages to the magic blender are apparent: it’s small yet powerful. It saves on mess as its threaded lid can be used as a cup. Most packages come with more than one lid (cup) and a cookbook to teach you some of the recipes used on the infomercial. The magic bullet prices range from $30-55.

So I just made the best green smoothie, you’ve got to give this one a try.

¼ cantaloupe (including the seeds)

2 C water

2 bananas

1 C Blueberries

6 C greens (I used 2 of Kale, 2 C Collards and 2 C spinach)

4 T Flax Seed Oil

Add Ice if you need to.

Makes 4-6 pints

Blend on high in my Vita-Mix. The Cantaloupe made this smoothie amazing.

]]> http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/best-green-smoothie-recipe-ever/feed/ 0 Smoothie Lover So I just made the best green smoothie, you’ve got to give this one a try. (...) Blog, Add new tag, Green Smoothie, green Smoothies, Healthy Smoothie, smoothie recipe http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/fruit-smoothie-recipe/ http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/fruit-smoothie-recipe/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:27:39 +0000 Smoothie Lover http://smoothiesrecipes.net/?p=59 The fruit smoothie recipe is by far the most popular of the smoothie recipes. When people think of smoothies they think of fruit.

One of the great things about fruit smoothies is that fruit is known for its health benefits. Fruits are high in antioxidants and fiber. They are a nutrient dense food and as such contribute to maintaining and repairing many parts of our bodies.

Fruits supply us with some of the following vitamins

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin C

• Potassium

• Folic Acid

• Fiber

The Benefits are:

• Helps your skin and your sight (Vitamin A)

• Fights infection and helps you heal (Vitamin C)

• Regulates Fluids and helps with muscle/functions (Potassium)

• Maintains Heart rate

• Aids in digestion (Fiber)

• Aids in elimination (fiber)

• Helps blood cells (folic acid)

I just thought I’d mention all this – just in case you need an excuse for making a fruit smoothie recipe from this site.

Blueberry Beauty

Mango Mania

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

Orange Almond Banana Smoothie

Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

]]> http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/fruit-smoothie-recipe/feed/ 0 Smoothie Lover The fruit smoothie recipe is by far the most popular of the smoothie recipes. When people think of smoothies they think of fruit. (...) Fruit Smoothie Recipes, Berry Smoothie, Fruit Smoothie, Fruit Smoothie Recipe, Smoothies Recipes http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/how-to-make-a-smoothie/ http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/how-to-make-a-smoothie/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:42:54 +0000 Smoothie Lover http://smoothiesrecipes.net/?p=47

When asking yourself “how to make a smoothie” there are 6 simple steps to follow.

1. Experiment – Really let your taste buds be your guild. Because the flavor of fruit can differ so greatly between the fresh apple picked from your own tree to the apple bought at your local grocer that came from Mexico there is no firm rule. So let your taste bud be your guide.
2. Consistency – Consistency will depend a lot on the blender you use. Here at SmoothiesRecipes.com we recommend the Vita-Mix blender because of its ability to completely shred and breakdown even the toughest ingredients.                                                                           In the end if the smoothie is too thick just add a little bit more liquid such as water or milk or if it’s too thin more frozen ingredients such as frozen fruit, ice-cream, yogurt or ice.

1. Texture – This is all about what you like. If seeds bother you then strain the seeds or if you like a smoother smoothie than use crushed rather than cubed ice. (If you use a high-powered blender like the Vita-Mix you won’t notice the seeds and the type of ice won’t matter because of Vita-mix’s power)
2. Taste – Once again this really is the reason you’re making a smoothie in the first place – so enjoy it. If your smoothie is a bit tart add just a bit of juice, honey or agave syrup. If your smoothie is a bit sweet, add some mike, plain yogurt or ice.
3. Substitute – If when making a recipe you’re missing an ingredient – don’t fret it “substitute” is the word of the day. If it asks for apple juice and you have none, use any type of juice you have or use milk or water and a little sweetener. If missing one of the fruit ingredients experiment with another fresh or canned fruit, or just leave that one out.
4. Timing – Always serve a smoothie as soon as you finish making it. If you wait for very long the smoothie will become runny or the flavors will change especially when using greens in a green smoothie.

Drink to your health! When learning how to make a smoothie you’ll find the healthiest ones will always be those that use fresh fruits and vegetables. Make sure and take advantage of those recipes on a daily basis.

Green smoothies are ounce for ounce, the most nutritionally dense food on the planet. They are low in calories and very high in micronutrients. Most dark leafy greens are very high in antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. These antioxidants bind with and neutralize free radicals.

One of the reasons that the green smoothie is such a powerhouse food is because of the energy derived from chlorophyll. This is the “blood” if you will of plants and closely mirrors the makeup of the human body’s red cells.

Why should you drink green smoothies?

• The enzymes found in raw foods such as fruit and vegetables are easy for your body to utilize. Enzymes are uses to break down the food we eat. When we eat food rich in enzymes it is less work what our body for our body.

Have you ever noticed when you go to lunch and order a burger and fries, that within a short amount of time upon returning you’re ready for a nap? That’s because although you’re done with the work of eating your body is now hard at work. If instead you chose something “live” your body wouldn’t have to work so hard.

• Smoothies retain the fiber of the plant – unlike juicing.

Because most of us eat a diet full of processed foods we get very little fiber. Fiber is what is removed when they take that grain of whole wheat and produces a white loaf of bread.

Fiber is that little broom that cleans out the garbage in our digestive tract. The average American gets 11-14 grams of fiber a day. The FDA recommends 25-30 grams. You can get that much in your daily green smoothie.

• Improved Health

Start drinking green smoothies and you’ll be amazed at the improvement in your health, the energy you’ll feel and the decreased cravings for sweets and processed foods. Many people also get the side benefit of weight loss – a very healthy weight loss.

How often should you drink a Green Smoothie?

• You should drink green smoothies on a daily basis. Imagine giving yourself and your family one glass of smoothie that contains the recommended daily amount of all their fruit and vegetables.

I give them to my children with their breakfast. I like that they start their day with a couple of fruits and a couple cups of greens. When I try to wait until later many times I forget.

I credit green smoothies for the fact that my children are rarely ill, and when they are not feeling good they recover very quickly.

Green Smoothie Recipe

]]> http://smoothiesrecipes.net/2009/08/green-smoothie/feed/ 0 Smoothie Lover The green smoothie is a powerhouse of nutrition. I’ve been drinking this delicious concoction for the past 2 years or so and have watched it gain popularity at an amazing rate. (...) Green Smoothie, green Smoothies, Healthy Smoothie, Healthy smoothies