Thursday, December 30th, 2010

Homemade Curry Powder Recipe

by Kristen in curry powder, Dr. Oz, vita-mix 5200

I was watching Dr. Oz on TV a couple of weeks back and he had Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary on as a guest. Dr. Chaudhary shared a homemade curry recipe that sounded and looked delicious. I am a big fan of “disease fighting” curry because it’s a nutritional powerhouse. I thought to myself, wow, making it in my own Vita-mix by grinding up the spices – that’s got to be even BETTER! I was right. It’s amazing. Here is a link to the recipe if you want to make your own. I can’t wait to use it in my recipes.

So far, I sprinkled it on my romaine salad: Yum!

Purple Smoothie (Raw Vegan Recipe)

by Kristen in blackberries, blueberries, cardamom, ejuva, hemp seeds, mango, moflora, probiotic, smoothie, sunflower lecithin, vita-mix 5200

Purple Smoothie
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield 3 cups

1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 mango, peeled and pitted
2 large handfuls spinach
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon raw sunflower lecithin
1 teaspoon raw agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 serving probiotic powder

Blend these nutritious ingredients up and enjoy! *Update: It was brought to my attention that I didn’t list water as an ingredient. Oops. My bad. I don’t remember now, but I suspect I had a cup of water in there.

Raw Food Appliances For A Raw Food Newbie

by Kristen in blendtec blender, high powered blender, MAC knife, vita-mix 5200

A fully functioning raw food kitchen can be filled with all kinds of fun tools, appliances and gadgets. But, what do I recommend for a newbie? There are a couple of definite must haves. The list is longer once you get your groove on with your raw lifestyle, but these are a couple of items that I think every newbie should have.

1) A Great Knife!
The thing you’ll do the most in your raw food kitchen is chopping, dicing, and mincing… more than anything else. Even if you’re going to use your blender, you’re usually still chopping something before you put it into your blender. So! Get a great knife! Here is my favorite: MAC Knife. I’ve had it for years and I love it. It’s light in my hand so I can chop for hours and my wrist and hand don’t get tired. A great, quality knife makes chopping fun! Seriously… FUN! Although, I think some people think I should reevaluate my idea of fun – haha.

2) A High Powered Blender!
I’ll start by saying that I cannot imagine my foodie life without one of these bad boys! It’s true that you can make smoothies easily with a normal blender. But. If you want extra powerful smoothies (the high powered blender can bust through cell walls and pulverize seeds to release more nutrition) as well as the ability to make other great foods like raw ice cream, raw cheesecake, raw soup, raw juice (Yes, juice! By using a nutmilk bag to strain your blended mixture, you can have fresh juice), raw mousse, raw pesto, raw slaw, and so much more… then treat your health to a high powered blender. Obviously, if you don’t have a high powered blender, you can still successfully make some raw foods. It’s just easier, more fun, and usually healthier with a high powered blender. Here are the two brands that I have:
Blendtec
Vita-Mix

For my reviews on the two brands of blenders I have (Blendtec and Vita-Mix), read my blog post here. (Note: Since my baby Kamea came into our lives, I have been using my Vita-Mix more because it’s quieter.)

Like I wrote earlier, there are a bunch of other tools and appliances that I recommend in the long run, but to get you started… those are the two best items (a quality knife and high powered blender). Other things for down the road… food processor, spiralizer or turning slicer, juicer, dehydrator, fruit scoopers, water filter, mandoline, ceramic knives, fermenting crock pot, etc. Links to these great products (and more!) available in my Kristen’s Raw store.

Apricot Banana Smoothie (Raw Vegan Recipe)

by Kristen in apricot, banana, hemp protein, hemp seeds, vita-mix 5200

I’m enjoying this smoothie right now, Apricot Banana Smoothie. Sweet. Creamy. Delicious.

Apricot Banana Smoothie
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield 3 1/4 cups

1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup water
2 frozen bananas, chopped
1 cup apricots, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup hemp protein powder
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

Blend it all up and enjoy! (I’ve been using my Vita-Mix 5200 more often these days because it seems quieter than my mega noisy Blendtec.)

Gold To Green Smoothie (Raw Vegan Recipe)

by Kristen in blendtec blender, gold to green smoothie, green mommy blog, vita-mix 5200

I’m glad you are all excited about the Avocado Cucumber Smish-Smash recipe I posted.

Today’s recipe is a wonderful nutritious smoothie that starts out filled with gorgeous golden colors in the blender, but quickly turns to a vibrant green after blending. It’s unique and addicting. My kind of smoothie!

The nutrition is top of the line, too! Spinach (vitamins K, C, A, B2, and E, as well as iron, manganese, zinc, folate, calcium, protein, fiber, and more). Banana (vitamins B6, C, potassium, manganese, and fiber). Golden Kiwi (loads of vitamin C, as well as vitamin E, fiber, potassium, copper, and more). Hemp foods (complete protein, essential fatty acids, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, and more). Turmeric (manganese, iron, vitamin B6, and loads of antioxidants). How can you NOT get excited about all of that delicious nutrition that will make your heart, mind, and soul sing?

Gold To Green Smoothie
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com
Yield approximately 1 quart

1 cup water (more if desired)
1 cup ice
1 banana
2 golden kiwi
2 big handfuls spinach
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
2 heaping tablespoons hemp protein powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (or more!)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (or more! yum yum!)

Blend it up and enjoy!

I’m frequently asked which blender I like better: Vita-Mix or Blendtec. I love both my Vita-Mix and Blendtec blenders! Although, I tend to use my Blendtec more… it’s easier to clean. For a more detailed review, check out my blog post here.

Green Mommy Blog posts of interest:
Baking Soda: 51 Uses!
Review: Primal Strips Vegan Meat Alternatives
Formula Fed America
My Pre-Labor Activities and Experiences

New Review For The Blendtec Blender

by Kristen in blendtec blender, pumpkin pie, vita-mix 5200

(Keep in mind that companies change warranties and features so be sure to check with them after reading this post… I wrote this a few years ago!) Previously I wrote a comparison review for the new Vita-Mix 5200 versus the Blendtec that I’d had for quite a few years (and adored). Even though I loved my Blendtec for a long time, at the time of the review, I was impressed with Vita-mix’s BPA-free container as well as their warranty. I’ll say this… When it comes down to it, both blenders are phenomenal. They’re both high-powered and they both get the job done. (That picture is with the normal Blendtec container.)

Well, as you know from the last comparison, I decided to give more of my love to the Vita-Mix 5200 because of the aforementioned reasons. However! As of this writing, not only does Blendtec offer a BPA-free container, but they offer a new BIG container (I purchased mine separately). Nearly 3 quarts big!!! When I saw that, I knew I had to try it out. Some people say that the big container (and therefore, the longer blades) makes for faster blending… as a result, it seems that cold things, such as smoothies, are colder (as compared to using another blender) when you’re done making them because it didn’t take as long to blend them.

Here is my new review on Vita-Mix vs Blendtec:

I found that I am back to using my Blendtec more than the Vita-Mix. It’s so easy to clean and I really like that. I do notice, however, that my Blendtec blender seems to bounce around on my counter a bit more when I’m blending certain things. For example, I made two Raw vegan pumpkin pies yesterday (recipe for this delicious pie is in my Holiday recipe book). The large container really helped in this situation because the old container would get quite full once all of the ingredients were in it. The mixture is thick, too, so that probably explains the dancing of the machine that required placing my hands on it to hold it still. Keep in mind, my blender motor is probably 5 years old and perhaps it wouldn’t bounce around as much if I had a newer model – not sure. It’s also possible that because the Vita-Mix is heavier, it stays put better. Anyway… I love the big container I purchased from Blendtec. I love that it’s BPA-free. I love that it’s so easy to clean. I love how it fits on my counter top and doesn’t take up as much room.

However… the Vita-Mix 5200′s 7-year warranty still kicks the Blendtec’s ass (3 years). And, having a plunger, like with the Vita-Mix, can be helpful at times. I also like the controls of the Vita-mix 5200 better than the pre-programmed controls of the Blendtec. I find it easier to control and use. Gosh, my praise for certain aspects of the Vita-Mix 5200 would make you think I liked that blender more. Not only that, but the Vita-Mix is popular with chefs around the world. Do you ever watch cooking shows and notice that they’re always using a Vita-Mix? I’ve yet to see a chef on TV using a Blendtec, so Vita-Mix is definitely worthy.

Bottom line… in spite of the pre-programmed controls on the Blendtec and in spite of not having a plunger… I still find myself grabbing the Blendtec before I use the Vita-Mix 5200. It’s easier to clean, gets the job done, has a huge container now, and fits perfectly on my counter top. Therefore, I must be a Blendtec gal again. (They both rock though and you can’t go wrong with either one!)

PS… I’ve been trying out a new juicer these past few days. I’m still in the testing phase and will report on it in the near future!

UPDATE {Aug 2010}

I have been using my Vita-Mix 5200 a lot more these days because I have a newborn and the Vita-Mix is a little quieter than the Blendtec.
I also want to mention, however, that another reason for loving the Blendtec is that it’s easier to travel with because the base of it is smaller than the Vita-Mix. We spent a month in New York in 2009 and I packed my Blendtec Blender (sacrificing a couple of pairs of shoes – haha).

Fertility Update: A Fresh Transfer(?), NY Apartment, And Monkeys On The Ride Home

by Kristen in blendtec blender, fertility, jet blue, moby baby wearing, monkey, new york, vita-mix 5200

We arrived in New York safely. I love flying Jet Blue. They have Direct TV / movies and XM radio. They offer plenty of complimentary bottled water and snacks (although I passed on those because they’re not particularly healthy, ehem). We also opted to purchase seats with extra leg room, which was especially nice for my husband. And, we arrived in NY about 20 minutes early.

Here we are at the airport before departure. We checked our luggage, and mine just barely squeaked by, weighing in at 49.5 pounds. Yikes. I’m guessing the culprit is my Blendtec blender. A Raw girl’s gotta do what a Raw girl’s gotta do! Although I love my Vita-Mix 5200 (read my blog post reviewing the Blendtec vs Vita-mix), that thing is a monster in size and weight, so if I travel and have a kitchen accessible then I like taking my Blendtec. But, if I’m in a hotel room, then I like taking this awesome travel blender.

For my carry on backpack I came prepared with plenty of fresh Raw vegan foods for the flight. Ummm…. apparently I couldn’t wait for the flight before my stomach started grumbling so I’m munching away on an organic carrot here, while waiting to board the plane. I also packed a cucumber, red bell pepper, celery, prunes, Garlic Basil Chia Crisps, and an apple.

Here is a pic of some things I packed… water filter, sponge, glass mason jars, protein shaker bottles, Sun Warrior’s Raw Rice Protein Powder, as well as raw cashews, supplements, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, LOTS of prunes (you know the travel thing and making sure you’re pooping), dates, chia seeds, raspberry leaf tea, Dr. Bronner soap, and more. I wanted to make sure I had some stuff from home so I didn’t have to buy everything when we arrived. You can guess my luggage on the trip back will be considerably lighter. Too bad we’re not flying home for it to matter.

We’re going to have an awesome (long) drive home through the south, stopping off in Florida for a quick visit with my father-in-law as well as my friend in Texas (whom I met online), and she has MONKEYS!!!!! And, they love my Raw vegan recipes… check it out here. It can’t hurt to be around monkeys while I’m trying to get my own little Monkey to “stick” right?

We arrived at the apartment we rented and were very happy with it. It’s gorgeous. Small (of course, it’s New York), but gorgeous. We’re staying in an apartment in Trump’s Heritage building on the Hudson River. Here’s our living room. We have a nice kitchen with a huge refrigerator so I plan on shopping at Whole Foods today. Will share more pics and video soon.

Possible changes to our fertility plan. (I love this photo. I grabbed it from a blog discussing a documentary, A Child Against All Odds, but I can’t find the blog now.)

As you know, we came here with the intent on transferring a frozen embryo. But, while at the doctor’s office yesterday, where they did a sonogram of my ovaries and uterus, I inquired about the egg that I’m about to release naturally in the next few days. I thought it would be a waste to just let it go and asked whether we shouldn’t grab that egg while we’re here, fertilize it, and transfer it back this trip, if it makes it to 5 days successfully in the petri dish… and leave the frozen embryos in my “embryo bank” for future use (or to use on this trip in the event that the fresh retrieval doesn’t work). I’m all about getting as many healthy eggs at my young-ish age while I can, so I can store them for future attempts (whether for this first child or the next child), therefore giving me a better chance for success.

The doctor agreed that we could try that. We’ll see how things go. I’m due back at New Hope Fertility on Saturday for another sonogram and blood work to see if we can do this or if we should just proceed with the frozen transfer.

I’m Cheating on My Blendtec… Oh My!

by Kristen in blendtec blender, comparison, Kristen's Raw, review, vita-mix 5200

I’m having an affair with a Vita-Mix 5200. Am I ashamed? Well, it’s hard to be when you experience this awesome piece of machinery. For many years, I’ve had both a Blendtec and a Professional Series Vita-Mix blender, and I’ve always told people that both are great, but if I had to pick one, I would have gone for the Blendtec. The primary reasons for me being that it fits neatly on my counter (under the cupboard – due to its overall height being shorter than the Vita-Mix) and because it’s easier to scrape food out from the bottom due to its two-pronged blade vs. the 4-pronged Vita-Mix blade. I’ve had both side by side all these years and I always just went to use the Blendtec. I figured that meant it was my blender of choice, not realizing that I was probably partial to the machine since I had it first and was very comfortable with it.

Well, all that has changed now. I recently got my hot little hands on the new Vita-Mix 5200 and immediately fell in love. First of all, the container is BPA-free (Hello! BPA-FREE!) with improved sound dampening so it’s not crazy loud. Secondly, obviously the blender is powerful, reliable, and awesome. Thirdly, the warranty kicks butt! Vita-Mix offers a 7-year warranty on both the container and base (under normal household use), while Blendtec offers a measly 3-year warranty on the base and only 1 year on the container (this is important for me which I’ll detail in a moment). There are other improvements in the Vita-Mix which make it easier to use such as the new lid (now it’s super easy to take on and off). Finally, the Vita-Mix has excellent customer service, which is important to me and always weighs heavily in the equation of whether I buy a product. I still feel like the food (most notably Raw cheeses and dips) are a little easier to get out of the Blendtec container, but not so much that I would now choose the Blendtec over Vitamix.

I wrote that the warranty was important earlier, as well as customer service. Regarding my Blendtec, I’ve recently not had the best experience. My Blendtec started blending at an unbelievably loud pitch. So loud you must plug your ears or it pieces them with pain. When I attempted contact with Blendtec about this – three times! – I received no response. After researching their website about the warranty, I read that my container was only under a 1 year warranty (testing the Blendtec’s sound with and without the container leads me to believe that it’s the container causing the new nasty noise). On top of that, my mom’s Blendtec (much newer than mine, but still over a year old) is doing the same thing!

My Blendtec (container noise problem) and new Vita-Mix 5200 experience both occurred within the last couple of months, and I wanted to share it with you, since for so long I’ve been saying, “They’re both great, but I’m a Blendtec gal.” Not so much anymore.

Move over Blendtec, it’s time for something greater! Vita-Mix 5200, you’ve won my heart.

UPDATE: I have updated my thoughts on the two blenders here.