juices

[MadGastronomer]

Hey, Bear? Still flipping through old LJ posts by the Team, and saw Chaz's posts on the Marvelous Juices. I am once again having trouble putting food (esp. protein) into me as often as I ought, and am contemplating solutions. One of my standards is to put whey powder and a little cream into OJ. Now I'm wondering what that (as in, whey powder, with or without cream) would be like in some of the juice mixes Chaz concocted, especially the orange-carrot-ginger and the beet-carrot-orange-grapefruit-ginger. Any input? See, given me, this means buying a juicer, because yah, I could do it the old fashioned way, but realistically, I won't. The bouncing baby restaurant distracts me. So, yeah, looking for input before making the purchase. (Although, I am reminded by my own comment in one of those posts, a juicer would also let me make that amazing-looking purple cabbage soup from The Big Fat Duck Cookbook.)

[Edmund Schweppe]

The bouncing baby restaurant doesn't have a juicer?

[MadGastronomer]

We're not a juice bar, Ed. We've got a citrus press, but no juicer. We have no need for one. Besides, I'm looking at one for home.

[jimsmyth]

The restaurant should learn about that amazing purple cabbage soup, and get a juicer.

Of course, that would make you go to the restaurant to get juice, so you should get one too, as I'd imagine some tiny portion of your day not at the restaurant might be a good thing.

[tylik]

I'm not particularly a juicer person, but I am a smoothie person. In addition, the local health club* has a smoothie bar. Through them I was introduced to soy protein powder, which is lovely - no whey powder for me, as it interferes with my ability to breathe. My favorites of there's are a seasonal pumpkin smoothie - pumpkin, chai mix (I usually hate chai mix, but it works in this) vanilla soy protein (okay, everyone else gets whey) soy milk (or milk) and ice. Or their Strawberry classic with a shot of the chocolate soy.

At home my morning favorite is frozen blueberries, green tea, soy milk, agave syrup, and a little vanilla. (Culinary green tea, of course. Actually, I've been drinking culinary green tea on the mornings when I don't have the time or focus to appreciate the good stuff.) Or my own pumpkin, which is pumpkin puree, honey, spices, silken tofu, ice, and maybe some water or soy milk. Actually, at home, half a box of silken tofu is my favorite source of protein for them. Or strawberry banana. Or vanilla raspberry. (Blueberry banana green tea was just odd, though.)

Hmm. In fact, I think I will make some pumpkin now. And maybe include fresh ginger, since I have a bunch on hand.

How is the restaurant going, generally? I have been taunting the hackers out here with its existence... (And taunting K with descriptions of the Kale in that stew.)

* So the best health club in Cleveland is on campus, and relatively cheap. However, it's more or less right next to be gym, which is free. And I am a grad student. (Though really, plenty of grad students have health club memberships. I am a traditionalist, darn it. I will spend my money on important things - like electronics equipment, books, five finger shoes and training trips.) However, the smoothie bar is open to non-members, so I figure I get the best of both worlds there.

[Edmund Schweppe]

We're not a juice bar, Ed. We've got a citrus press, but no juicer. We have no need for one. Besides, I'm looking at one for home.

Thus do I demonstrate my complete ignorance regarding how one equips a bouncing baby restaurant.

(Especially as I was thinking that you were looking to test the taste of the whey powder plus Marvelous Juices, rather than assuming goodness and looking for input on what juicer to obtain.)

[Elizabeth Bear]

I am not a juicer expert, but i have a perfectly nice black & decker one that works fine...

[MadGastronomer]

I haven't really tried smoothies. I'll think it sounds like a good idea, then try to pick up a bottled one from Odwalla or somebody, but they always have bananas in, and I'm allergic. So I don't.

Hrm. I shall consider. But I definitely need protein in 'em. I'll look into soy powder. I think I started out using whey because at the time, I could find it unflavored, and didn't immediately spy unflavored soy. Or possibly just because someone recommended it.

ETA: I just googled around for some smoothie recipes, specifically protein ones, and was completely horrified. Bleah, those sounded disgusting. And mostly had fricking bananas. On the other hand, yogurt may be a possibility.

[tylik]

Commercial smoothies are often kind of weird. Kind of like commercial chai.  But the concept is simple, and you can make them out of almost anything. I guess some people would argue that what we make at home are actually slushies, as they don't contain yogurt. (I do use soy yogurt occasionally, but really, I like the texture and smoothness of silken tofu better.) K's favorites are mango based. (Well, he does the blueberry and green tea things too, sometimes.) Mine are generally something frozen, blended with something bland and smooth (which is why banana gets used so often - but yogurt, tofu, soy milk, whatever) and various flavoring agents.

[Elizabeth Bear]

I am not a big fan of smoothies, personally. Especially ones with banana. Omg, slimy and gross.

But there are some varieties that work well. Lassi, which is essentially yogurt, a thinner, and rosewater (salt and sugar optional) is nice. You can also add mango.

Strawberries and yogurt are okay, too. Although often, especially with commercial fruit, one has to add sweetener to get something that is drinkable. (I prefer my yogurt yogurt plain, not fruit-riddled.)

I really intensely dislike the ones that have crushed ice or frozen fruit in them. They're too cold and the ice destroys the nuances in the flavor of the fruit.

Also, carrot smoothie? Beet smoothie? Not so much. (Chaz's carrot/orange/beet/ginger juice, on the other hand, is FABULOUS. You can about feel the phytochemicals leaching into your cells. It does turn your pee pink, though.)

[tylik]

But there are some varieties that work well. Lassi, which is essentially yogurt, a thinner, and rosewater (salt and sugar optional) is nice. You can also add mango.

Gods, I miss lassi. I miss buttermilk, for that matter.

I really intensely dislike the ones that have crushed ice or frozen fruit in them. They're too cold and the ice destroys the nuances in the flavor of the fruit.

*wry* That's likely one of the reasons I like them - especially since smoothies are one of the things I hit when I need to eat but when food is kind of overwhelming. I am rather sensitive to bitters (and, well, flavors, and scents, and...). It's generally not a problem for me - with a few exceptions - dear gods, that people can eat grapefruit...! - but some days it's really all too much. Conceptually, I like the idea of vegetable juices. In practice... I can enjoy them, especially in smallish quantities, when I'm in the right headspace, but they are challenging.

Also, carrot smoothie? Beet smoothie? Not so much. (Chaz's carrot/orange/beet/ginger juice, on the other hand, is FABULOUS. You can about feel the phytochemicals leaching into your cells. It does turn your pee pink, though.)

I get that whenever I get all beet happy. Though on the smoothie side, wild blueberries with matcha? Do you have any idea of the anti-oxidant density of that stuff?

[kayjayoh]

I love making smoothies. And my 3y/o nephew likes them, too, so it's a good way to get him to have something healthier than Cheerios. (He'll eat all sorts of things if you are the one eating it first: "Can I have some?" but give him a plate of something and he'll push it around and ask for Cheerios or Kix.)

Yogurt, whatever frozen fruit I have on hand, and whatever juice I have on hand. Sometimes I'll add a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate.

[nebula]

Also, carrot smoothie? Beet smoothie? Not so much. (Chaz's carrot/orange/beet/ginger juice, on the other hand, is FABULOUS. You can about feel the phytochemicals leaching into your cells. It does turn your pee pink, though.)

My husband is still scarred by a carrot, orange and beetroot juice he had in a cafe once. The overwhelming aftertaste was mud and he still shudders (10 years later) if he remembers it. Bless him - he hates waste and so he drank it all.

(I suspect the proportions - or the vegetable washing - were not optimal)

[Elizabeth Bear]

Or perhaps they were just bad, bad beets.... which can taste muddy.

[Jezabella49]

My sympathy to your husband.  I've had awful beets that tasted like something you'd bury, not eat.

My youngest daughter has a heavy duty juicer with which she makes carrot and apple juice.  I find it quite good, only have it when I go visit her, but I sometimes think she drinks too much, since it's an every day thing with her.