[.ca] Super Smoothies: 50 Recipes for Health and Energy (ISBN 0811832848)

From Amazon.com:
Twin sisters Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford have whipped up yet another yummy title with Super Smoothies, a lusciously illustrated collection of 50 healthy drinks perfect for folks who do not cook but do look after their health. The sisters give explanations of everything--such as how to peel and cut up all the fruits and vegetables involved--while introducing such unfamiliar ingredients as wheat-grass juice and calming kava. The easy-to-follow advice includes all sorts of tips, like using only the ripest seasonal fruit and crushing ice cubes before placing them in the blender. Not only are these smoothies delicious, they're packed with serious nutrients, all assessed by a registered dietitian. Protein Jolt provides 10 grams of protein from milk, yogurt, and tofu, plus 717 milligrams of potassium. Hydro-Tonic, designed to send you into a workout full of energy, meets 95 percent of your daily need for vitamin C and is a mere 112 calories, thanks to its blend of honeydew melon, green grapes, and Gatorade. But these recipes aren't just for health nuts; kids, moms, and guys will find their drinks of choice here, too. School-Bus Breakfast fortifies youngsters with six grams of protein and other important nutrients from yogurt, strawberries, and bananas. Bone Builder gives Mom 283 milligrams of calcium, plus needed magnesium, phosphorous, and vitamin D. Men can choose from various virility and libido builders, while would-be dads can slurp down before intercourse Dr. Shettle's Secret with caffeine, which research shows can increase the odds of producing a son.

I've never had so much fruit in my life!:
This deck is one of the most practical ways I've ever seen to get healthy...and enjoy it! I've been so excited ever since I got this deck to try a new one every day. The fact that each recipe is on a card proves very efficient: it is small enough to store in your kitchen without taking up space, and you can organize it so that your all your faves are right towards the front. The cards are catagorized to meet certain needs, and color coded. For example, there are recipes to boost you immune system, smoothies that are particularly suited for men and women, smoothies for kids and babies, etc. On the bottom of each card the nutrition values are broken down by gram (ie. how much protien, carbohydrate, etc. per serving) so you can be very intentional about your goals. Whether you're looking for a high protein breakfast , or something to help you relax and unwind at the end of the day, this deck allows you to get exactly what you want, when you want it. The cards themselves are thick and durable, and easy to wipe off if you get a little crazy. :) My advice for getting the most out of this deck is to be adventurous. These recipes use a wide variety of ingredients, which keeps it interesting. Many ingredients can be frozen overnight, and the advance preparation is convenient if you're pressed for time when you are actually ready to make your smoothie. The only downside I can see to this is that there's not a lot of room to be spontaneous. Because there are so many ingredients and the freshness of those ingredients is a factor, you need to plan out your shopping trips accordingly. I don't typically have apricot nectar around, for example, or tofu, so I need to put a little effort into it. But, it's well worth it. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this purchase.

energy rush:
it's user friendly style, simple fruit/vegatable index, unusual smoothie ideas, and bright images motivate the reader to drink healthy.

Not Such A Smooth Move:
Since I had been so happy with the Corpening sisters' first smoothie book, I was eager to give this second one a try, too. Unfortunately, I find these *specialty* smoothies quite off-putting. *All* of the smoothies are made with healthful ingredients, and to imply that some are particularly beneficial for your immune system, heart, energy level, decreasing stress, etc., is just plain misleading! Then there are separate smoothies for men, women, and children, including one calling for breast milk or formula! As a single mom, I want to make just one smoothie that is suitable for both myself and my son! This is just plain silly! I'm sure that the majority of these recipes could be altered so that you could/would serve them to everybody in your family at the same time, (my son does not want to share a smoothie called "pms potion" with me!) but why bother when the recipes in the first book are already completely drinker friendly.

Healthy alternative:
I got a smoothie machine for Xmas and decided to pull out this book I had purchased a few years ago. I have NO complaints. The smoothies I have tried are delicious and I have lost 10 pounds (need I say more). I use them as a meal replacement and am full and satisfied. I even cut down on some snacks so I can have a smoothie instead!! The recipes are easy, and you can substitute canned fruits and make other substitutions (milk and canned peaches instead of peach yogurt) and it still tastes great! Many of the recipes use the same fruits over so I just buy some bags of frozen fruit from the store and I am good to go for a few recipes. Great for those wishing to lose a few pounds or up their nutrition.

Allot of ingredients or steps:
While the smoothies may be yummy, they require ALLOT of ingredients. Oranges, apples, strawberries AND then ginger or tofu or youghurt. If that doesn't bother you then the prep can be a bummer: pear nectar (make that first), then oranges with silken tofu AND soy milk & then blackberries! Don't know about you but I really don't have that kind of space or pantry. Some of these ingredients are expensive thus cutting down on homemade cheapness vs the store expense when you factor clean up in! Whew this not an easy book to tackle. If after all that I haven't dissuaded you then you'll truly enjoy it. It's got a lovely hand and beautifully coloured. A joy to the senses but it would have been IF more substitutions had been given but then the colour coordination would have been off.