"----Am I nuts? -----
Thanks,
Ginny"

Tofu smoothies are very popular. Nuts are good too.

dcarch

I'm trying a "elimination diet" to see if it will help with my psoriasis. Many foods are off limits including soy/tofu.

My breakfast shake is full of goodies - rice milk (used to be milk,kefir or yogurt,) cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, almonds, walnuts, raisins, prunes, oatmeal, banana and sometimes kale. It tastes yummy and is quick.

Ginny

I think it would taste okay, especially with banana which will sweeten it considerably and help with the texture.

I'd also recommend hemp seeds. Great protein (11g for 3 tablespoons), low carb, convenient (just grab out of the bag, no cooking required), they have an awesome nutty crunch, blends well and they have all of the essential amino acids. They're also high in iron, zinc and the omegas. It scores higher for protein content percentage than dairy, meat, or tofu (only edged out by soybeans). (http://www.innvista.com/health/foods/hemp/seedprot.htm)

Hemp milk is also good but I usually just throw a small handful of the seeds into my green smoothies. Hemp protein powder is also nice. I rotate between that and raw brown rice protein.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1527051}}

I don't know anything about hemp, thanks for the introduction and recommendation. I love to learn about new and healthy foods.

I will stop by Whole Foods tomorrow and purchase some!!

Since you think lentils could work, I'll try that as well.

Thanks!!

Ginny

I haven't tried lentils in my smoothie yet - most of my lentils are cooked with curry, and I don't think I could face that for breakfast. My friend was telling me a few days ago that she puts cooked quinoa in hers. She cooks up a plain batch and stores in refrigerator, using a scoop each day.

I'm curious to see what your lentil results are like. Lentils are definitely cheaper but I like the convenience and the health profile of the hemp. I would try one at a time though so you can tell which ones you like :)

At my Whole Foods, the hemp seeds are either in the supplement section or in the baking section near the flours so you might want to check both places! Let us know what you think!

I also make a protein shake to drink with my smoothies. It has 2 cups of almond milk, 2 scoops of sun warrior raw vegan protein, a banana and pumpkin pie spices. It tastes like a milkshake and packs in 37 grams of protein, less than 350 calories, it's low fat and it keeps me full all morning.

So if you already have the blender out, that could be a good option too. :)

Those ideas sound great - thank you so much. I will let you know about the lentils - Will try tomorrow night.

The sun warrior raw vegan protein is another good idea.

You're the greatest!!

Ginny

Well, now you've gotta try it! :-P

If it doesn't strike your fancy, I think you can probably find a protein powder that works with your requirements. I've heard of rice and pea protein, if the usual egg white and whey don't work for you.

Wouldn't it be a pain to have to cook the lentils first? Or will you add them uncooked (seems like a gritty smoothie?)

I'd go with red lentils. They're a little milder, cook faster, and will LOOK more appealing. :P

Are you looking for a vegan solution? If not, I'd use cottage cheese for added protein.

When you blend cottage cheese it gets very smooth, and I've noticed that when I add it to my smoothies, it acts as a thickener. The longer the smoothie rests, the thicker it gets.

There are 13g of protein in 1 cup of cottage cheese.

Adding one or two tablespoons of almond or peanut butter will also up the protein value considerably.

Are you married to the idea of putting lentils in a sweet smoothie? What about a savory lentil soup that has been pureed until smooth after it was cooked with carrots, onions, herbs, etc? You could make a pot full then nuke as needed or drink it chilled if that is what you are looking for.... I think I would enjoy that more than putting the lentils with fruit... but that is just me.

Alexa

Hey Ginny, I was on the elimination diet last month and it went great. Really great results, hope you are getting the same. You should check out sprouting chia seeds for your smoothies. It is supposed to be a super food. I just picked some up today so I don't have any comments on it other than I am giving them a try tomorrow. Anyways, it contains protein, fiber and omega-3s, high in oxidants, low glycemic.
Here is a bit about smoothies...
How to make a Chia Smoothie?

The key to making a perfect chia smoothie is to use no more than 1 tablespoon of seeds to 8 ounce of liquid added to the smoothie. Chia seeds have the ability to soak up 12 times its weight in water. Unless you want a thick chia gel smoothie, you will need to drink your smoothie immediately after blending.

It is beneficial to soak the seeds with the liquid of the smoothie for about an hour prior to blending. Pour the chia gel into the blender with the frozen fruit of choice and blend. Add more liquid, if needed.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/028013_chia_seeds_smoothies.html#ixzz1OozqsDwB

What a wonderful conversation we have going here!!

The elimination diet I'm on is no dairy, gluten,eggs, meat, no peanut butter, coffee, sugar, oranges, soy. At first it seemed like a lot of restrictions but I think it will be ok once I get off the coffee and once I figure out how to get protein at all meals.

The idea of the lentils in the evening meal was so I could quickly drink a good dinner and get outside into the garden now that spring is finally here.

I took a big plunge and bought a Vitamix blender today at Whole Foods. There was a demo going on with a $50 discount. Actually it was probably meant to be since I only go to WF once a week. I've been thinking of getting a better blender and now I've done it.

It was exciting to hear all the different things you can use the Vitamix for; it sounds a bit like a food processor which I don't have.

I also bought the hemp seeds for a protein source. I'll look into the chia seeds - so much to learn, I love it!!

In my case I will be using this expensive blender as an easy way to get lots more vegetables into me.

Thanks again,
Ginny

You are going to LOVE your new blender! I could never go back to a regular blender after using my Vitamix. It sounds like a jet engine but smoothies are so much more pleasant without any weird chunks or seeds or foamy texture. You can also easily make your own nut milks. I think it's also a good bargain because not only does it deliver a superior product but you will likely never need to replace it for many, many years.

Please give feedback on what you try and your results!

I agree with chi83, you're going to love the Vitamix. It has completely changed the way my family approaches eating fruits and vegetables. For example, when I make ice cream now I always add a few servings of spinach, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and red or green cabbage. I learned that those particular vegetables can be added to any fruit preparation without any noticeable difference in taste.

I have also started using parts of fruits I never tried before. Adding whole strawberries, hull and leaves included, adds chlorophyll to our diet with no noticeable flavor difference. Cantaloupe and watermelon seeds are liquidized in the machine and you would not believe how much nutrition they offer. You can add the pineapple core to your smoothies and benefit from the bromelain. Instead of buying grape seed extract just buy whole grapes and process with the stem and seeds. Keep the pith on oranges and lemons when you blend and you will load up on flavonoids and phytochemicals. I love to be able to get nutrition from food instead of buying a bunch of supplements.

Ok I think I gushed too long but if you would like to learn more come join the Vitamix Yahoo Group. It has over 1100 members and plenty of great tips, recipes and advice.

I can't post the link but google VitamixEnthusiasts