New ingredients for smoothies

• By cheshl
• Posted July 26, 2009 at 11:01 pm
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oh, Mphotographer, your advice sets me in a good direction ! I wanted millet so badly, was afraid, but now that I know you do well with it, I'm going to go for it! You've adjusted so well in this maelstrom, that I regard you as a pro. Besides your recommendations, I'm going to try baby bulghur "1, even though the drs say no bulgur. It's creamy like baby food, not so coarse...

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• By mphotographer
• Posted July 26, 2009 at 7:43 pm
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Hi Cheshl-
Thanks for all the helpful tips on things to buy and eat. Unfortunately, most of what you mention does not sound good to me, but I am glad it works for you! I used to love Thai food and spices, but...my stomach doesn't want it now.

I cook couscous, quinoa, millet and grits (separately) and put them in individual purees. I tolerate them all well and seem to digest the quinoa. That's interesting that it goes right through you! Couscous is my favorite. Hope this helps!
Mphotographer
P.S. Mashed potatoes is good too, although it doesn't have much in it for you

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 7:48 pm
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I don't know. I can digest it, too.

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• By cheshl
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 12:09 pm
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Here are results of some experiments: you can freeze congee (rice porridge), with the happy unexpected result that the freezing breaks the structure down even further. This is an ideal vehicle for meat purees, and broths, and can be frozen in ice cube trays per busyteacher's method for instant convenience food later. I make my congee in a thermal cooker, which uses almost no energy (you don't plug it in!) In a thermal cooker, you boil it for 10 minutes on the stove, lock the inner pan into the outer vessel, then can just let foods thermally slow cook (no gas or electricity!) for hours, as long as you reboil them on the stove every 4-6 hours. I wrap my thermal cooker in thick beach towels to insulate it even further. To give you an idea of plain congee, I use 1 cup of enriched white rice to 9 cups water, total cooking time 4-8 hours for white rice, including a quick half-time reboil. Still haven't tried it in a slow cooker which I intend to do to let you guys know; the online crockpot recipes don't cook it long enough at 2 hrs nor add enough water. Also my (japanese) rice cooker on 'porridge' setting doesn't break the rice grains down enough; the Japanese style congee I've had is firmer and thicker than the southern Chinese style that is more diluted, broken down, gentler and smoother for gp digestion. I've also made congee with brown rice; it takes twice as long to break down and is heavier, but maybe I can work up the courage to try it, and that would be another whole grain.

The other day I tried to eat canned salmon; just out of the can it made me sick, but when mixed into congee with a smidgeon of soy sauce it was wonderful and easy to digest! Also was nifty to have pretty pink congee! My husband was enchanted...

Other experiments: Cream of Buckwheat, a whole grain that I got away with eating small portions of. You can get it at amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Pocono-Organic-Cereal-Buckwheat-13-Ounce/dp/B000LKZCQ Q

My reasoning for this one was to get better grains (reflecting on busyteacher's experience of magnesium deficiency from lacking whole grains--thank you). I'm thinking that other grains could be cooked longer with more water until broken down, in the same manner as congee, and themselves become nutritious vehicles for meat or seafood dishes. Basmati rice does not work for this, nor do sticky or sweet rice. But I'm thinking millet, even quinoa, which strangely goes right through me intact -- how can I be digesting this?

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• By cheshl
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 11:39 am
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mphotographer: You're so right about the importance of chewing! I never realized this until I heard about it on the View!! Elizabeth Hasselback has either crohn's or celiac (I forgot which) and she mentioned that "chewing signals the start of digestion." It rung a bell with me; this may well have been my error 4 years ago, of not chewing for weeks at a time. Nowadays if I can't tolerate chewable foods, I chew gum (nonsugar) or pieces of raw ginger without swallowing it (also helps nausea).

Also if you can handle sugar (I really can't), candied ginger can be more palatable. One place to get it online: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/crystallized-ginger/premium.html

Busyteacher: I'm really bummed out that you have less ethnic grocers where you live; I wish I could invite you on a shopping trip here in NJ, if only to spare you all the shipping costs. Here's one online place to get the moist pack precooked, peeled chestnuts. Does amazon still have free shipping?

http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Precooked-Peeled-Roasted-Chestnut/dp/B0009VZKRS --
in chinese new year desserts it is sweetened and made into a smooth paste to insert into dumplings and cakes, but it is already naturally sweet, and you may be able to eat a little at a time without even using power tools to blend them -- I got away with it just last week.

Another atavistically satisfying smoothie flavor that would blend well with nut paste/smoothie (pistachios?): babaganoush. Amazon has it:

http://www.amazon.com/Cortas-Ghanoush-Eggplant-grams-Lebannon/dp/B000KELCA8

It is already smooth, you can stir in just a dash of oil, lemon juice and garlic (can use garlic powder if you're in a hurry). I use a 3 or 4 drops of smoke flavor and it really tastes like the real deal you'd get in a Turkish restaurant. It is lighter than hummus, which I'm afraid to try nowadays.

Eggplant itself isn't known for its high nutritional content, but tahini is an ingredient (pureed sesame seeds), and if you can have any kind of chip or white toast, maybe little toasted triangles of pita, this dip may just send you over the moon. Just for the fun of it, I'm going to try to concoct some smoothies with it.

Pomegranate molasses is also at Amazon. Nicely, it has no added sugar:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gf?url=search-alias%3Dgourmet&field-keywo rds=pomegranate+molasses

This is a wonderful complex sour/sweet flavor is so toe-curlingly, beseechingly delicious that I can and have just savored it by the spoonful. Mmmmmmmm!!!

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 10:37 am
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You, my friend, are very creative. Other than making sure what I buy has decent ingredients and making my own almond milk, I am miles behind you. I have frozen some almond milk to see if it's still usable after it freezes (it should be--just almonds and water), so I can make it half as often when the year gets into full swing.
Will have to try some of your recipes. We have a lot of latino groceries, but not many health food or other stores. There is one Chinese grocery, but it is forty minutes away.

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 10:34 am
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Almond milk is a actually a good replacement for regular milk--and works well in smoothies. I use coconut oil (I prefer things I can keep up with online that don't take up a ton of space), but I also use coconut milk (the kind you mix into margaritas--has some sugar) for flavor. The oil is supposed to be the most beneficial, I think. I've found if I space anything out--fiber, yogurt, coconut oil--that may be hard to tolerate, it goes better. I've started blending all of my smoothies at the end of the day and "spreading" the necessary ingredients, so I don't taste them, or have to deal with them all at once.

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• By mphotographer
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 9:46 am
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So which is better, coconut oil or coconut milk as far as helping you absorb nutrients? The coconut milk sounds better as far as adding to smoothies. Thanks to everyone for posting food ideas. I agree, that we should have one giant list! The AGMD team is working on a GP recipe book and hopefully that will come out soon.

I agree with you Busyteacher, that it's good to chew a bit. Especially when you develop jaw problems like you and I have (have not heard back from my dentist on the bite plate yet). You can do quick purees too where there are chunks of meat instead of total puree.

I do almond butter in my smoothie at night (1-2 tablespoons) and tolerate this well if I sip it very slowly (over 1/2 hour) like someone else mentioned. I think almonds have more nutrition and a bit of fiber, more so than peanuts.

Keep those ideas coming!!
Mphotographer

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• By cheshl
• Posted July 24, 2009 at 9:12 am
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my new approach for a hybrid nut butter/smoothie that isn't so milkshake-like:

3 T tahini sauce
1 c ____ nuts (I used brazil nuts for a big selenium boost)
1/2 c precooked moist pack chestnuts (found them in both Chinese grocer -GreenFood- and middle eastern grocer
I used just enough tofu and soy milk to blend--approx 8 oz tofu, 1/4 cup. Using hemp milk, coconut water (newly arrived in my healthfood store), almond milk, etc, could make it as thick or thin as needed.

I waited two days before reporting results, to see if I could tolerate this, and it worked out fine...

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 23, 2009 at 2:48 pm
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I like to save my energy--the chronic fatigue is killer, so grocery shopping just never tops the list.

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• By wasunflwr
• Posted July 23, 2009 at 10:21 am
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Amazon is a good idea, I enjoy grocery shopping even now so I still go out. Thai Kitchen coconut milk is my favorite and Garden of Life oil is also good. The milk should be in any grocery store in the asian section and oil in a natural store, coop or supplement store. I'm fortunate to live on the west coast with an abundant selection of foods. Good luck, let me know how it goes!

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 21, 2009 at 3:22 pm
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Let me know when you get a handle on the coconut flour....

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 21, 2009 at 3:16 pm
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Amazon. I get everything on Amazon. Less shopping, less stress, and usually free shipping. If you're going to eat weird things, they may as well be delivered to your door.

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• By mphotographer
• Posted July 21, 2009 at 9:02 am
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Thanks for the info. about coconut oil. Do you get it at the health food store or at the regular store and is there one better than the other? I am sure you all have posted this somewhere before, but I am too lazy to look for it this a.m. :-)). Thanks! It's great to hear about something that helps in the aide of absorbing nutrients and decreasing bad bacteria. Thanks again ladies!! Have a good tummy day everyone-
Mphotographer

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• By wasunflwr
• Posted July 21, 2009 at 12:19 am
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Yes, coconut is high in fat but its all about the baby bites! It is a anti-viral and anti-bacterial which could be good for our slow stomachs. I mix a small amount of oil in morning smoothie, milk in soups and even indulge in a couple spoons of Coconut Bliss icecream when I'm having a good day. I'm really working on not fearing food and trying small amounts to see how they work for me. Are bodies all take foods and meds differently but I suggest experimenting, its worth the extra calories and benefits.

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 20, 2009 at 3:45 pm
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I have just made mango nectar "cubes". Perhaps ripe papaya "cubes" are next. Tomorrow, I am making pureed chicken "cubes". I think I need to go back to the days when I made fresh babyfood in icecube trays and froze it ahead of time. I do better dealing with portioning a whole chicken and having a bunch of "cubes" to choose from than trying to be creative every day.
Thanks!

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• By cheshl
• Posted July 20, 2009 at 12:44 pm
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very ripe papaya is so soft, it practically melts in my mouth, and cubes of it are nearly a smoothie. It is laxative and is a potent enzyme--commercially it is injected into meat as a tenderizer. Papaya is rich in potassium, too.

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 19, 2009 at 5:03 pm
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The Target aisle is very....tempting lately. Especially the little container that flips out a (useless) spoon. I may be making some purchases, once I get this pureeing under my belt.
The coconut oil is supposed to help with nutrient absorption. I find it helps to level appetite (blood sugar?), and I only take between a teaspoon and a tablespoonful a day. It's a gentle fat, but my skin is also looking better, I am noticing.
I can tolerate the fiber in quinoa, but not wheat, so I think it really depends on the structure of the fiber. The coconut flour had the same effect. I just have "issues" with texture, and it tends to make smoothies thicker than I want them. I may try just using tiny amounts (a teaspoon), instead of trying to use it as the thickener.
I have purchased several aluminum water bottles at Target lately. It helps to fill it in the morning and ration it through the day. Also, I think the aluminum somehow makes the water taste better. I need the tapwater for the fluoride, though.

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• By mphotographer
• Posted July 19, 2009 at 8:49 am
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Doesn't coconut have a lot of fat in it? This sounds like a scary thing to try, but it sounds like a number of you tolerate it well. Why is it so good for us? Oh and Busyteacher: I found screw top tupperware containers at Target that are almost impossible to spill! I found another one that has a flip top lid. If you snap that lid (small piece on top of a screw top lid) and hold your finger over the snap top lid, it won't spill :-)). I hear you about "spillitis". I have it too....
Mphotographer

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• By busyteacher
• Posted July 18, 2009 at 7:31 pm
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I ordered it on Amazon. I rely on that and the Magic Bullet. I also discovered that I can order some routine smoothie ingredients (whey powder, organic peanut butter, oranges packed in juice, etc.) with my prime membership for similar cost to Costco. The fresh stuff I have to shop for, but ordering the dry stuff in bulk and blending in the morning will help.
I can also order the supplements and the gelcaps and press to make supplements there. I make my own paprika supplements.
I gave in to an evil craving for bologna (low salt, low fat), and my ankle swelling went down. I ate about two pieces a day for four days. I realize this is the least healthy meat in the world, but it does combine many meat sources (leftovers of every animal), so I am thinking the swelling is part of an enzyme imbalance, since my proteins are not from varied sources.
Today is a no-solids day, but I will have a few RiceWorks chips tonight. They are salsa flavored and made from brown rice, so three or four chips will kill the craving, make me full, and let me chew--tiny bites.
I guess that's why I am having trouble with the meat. I would rather chew a little well than puree it.
The Soy Quick has paid for itself. The almond milk in the grocery store is flavored and loaded with sugar--and expensive. The machine was well worth it. and I don't have to worry about hormones in dairy or the effects of soy on perimenopause.
I am not really afraid to eat. I would just like to eat well, and can't get the right foods in to do that without pureeing a good part of it.

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