KOMBUCHA , KIFER and PROBIOTICS: probiotics and weight loss

Sunday, December 30, 2012

KOMBUCHA GREEN SMOOTHIES WITH MY NINJA MEGA PRO 1500W

Blending my Kombucha Green Smoothie with my Ninja Mega
Kitchen System Pro 1500W.

Good morning everyone, and Happy New Years Eve to you all. I pray and HOPE you make the best out of this new year! Anway with that... I just made this tangy Kombucha Green Smoothie drink. What I like about this recipe is, there are no set rules. What I had on hand is what I used. Adding homemade kombucha has made it so much more alive with it's probiotics. What can I say, for me, probiotics and solulable fiber found in vegetables has helped me so much in my recovery to wellness, and a 50 lb. weight loss without dieting is just a plus! I just add drinks like this and other probiotics foods to my daily diet (See my blog, "What Probiotics Have Done For Me, part 1, 2. if interested) Anyway for me, as long as it is green and alive, I am a happy camper.

Well it's breakfast time and usually I don't go big on breakfast early in the morning. I will save the heavier meal for brunch, lunch or dinner. However I feel the need for energy now. What better way to wake up every thread in your body with with some homemade kombucha, a beautiful green salad, seeds, and some fruit. Only problem is I have a busy morning schedule and don't have time to sit and properly chew a salad in the morning. That's great if you do but most folks don't have time or take time to properly feed your body REAL NUTRITION so early in the morning.

I turned simple green salad turned into a liquid
smootie to get all the nutritional benefits
I could HOPE for. See Brenda Watson
on PBS. She's so full of HOPE.

Taking the time to chew you food is so important for proper digestion, and better nutritional absorbtion. Take the tiny but powerful sesame seed or flaxseed. We know they are very good for us as they are loaded with calcium, protein, and omega 3's. However the shell of the seed is so hard, it's just fiber if we don't chew it to breakdown the nutrition. They are so tiny they either get swallowed whole by eating fast, or caught between your teeth. Right? Also, it works only if you have the teeth to chew right? Listen up seniors! The whole seed gets passed right out without any nutrition being absorbed. What a waste of money. Non GMO seeds can get quite pricey too. Well anyway, lucky me I have my Ninja 1500W, However, my son has the Ninja Pulse and it does the same to help breakdown those tiny nutty seeds. Enough said, let's get busy.

I just made this tangy Kombucha Green Smoothie drink. What I like about this recipe is, there are no set rules. What I had on hand is what I used for my Kombucha Green Smoothie. Adding homemade kombucha (see my blog on how to make homemade kombucha) to my drink has made it so much more alive with it's probiotics. As long as it is green and alive, I am a happy camper.

Ingredients: Remember no rules

Actually this 16 oz. single serve can
serve two 8 oz glasses.

Kombucha GT, 1/4-1/2 cup (Can use water, or juice)
Green Organic baby Arugela, washed. 1/2 cup
Green Apple, 1/3 (any kind)
Mango, one slice
Cabbage heart, small slice
Ginger, 1/2-1 inch slice
Celery, 1/2 stalk
Flax seeds, 1-2 teaspoons
Sesame seeds, 1-2 teaspoons
Tumeric, 1 teaspoon
Water to max fill line

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in the blender
Add water to Max fill line and close carefully. The good thing about the Ninja is if it is not closed properly and tight, the machine will not start.
Blend with SEVERAL SHORT PULSES then a few long pulses until desired smoothness is obtained. Make sure the seeds are ground up well. It might take a minute...or two.

Now that you have this recipe, I feel great. I just drank up, to my health and feel like I had a jump start today. Nice:) It's so easy to make. No need to spend a lot of money elsewhere, when you can get this wonderful Kombucha Green Smoothie right at home. I might add, that that it has all the ingredients one can "HOPE" for. Brenda Watson a world known natural health practitioner who I heard on tv's PBS station said "for optimal health we must have HOPE". HOPE stands for...

H... High Fiber (check) Solulable fiber in fruits, vegetables, and oats, etc.
O... Omega 3's (check) Nuts, fish, and healthy oils
P... Probiotics (check) Kombucha, kifers, and yogurts, as well as fermented foods
E... Enzymes (check) Raw foods.

Please join me on this journey into wellness, by trying a few of the recipes I have posted here on my blogs. Feel free to share whatever you like. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again. If you don't like the taste try adding another fruit or veggie until you do find what works for you. Just don't give up. After all, there is HOPE. So till the next, Many Blessings to all, and again Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

LOOK WHAT PROBIOTICS HAVE DONE FOR ME WITH A LITTLE "HOPE". PART 2.

Happy New Year from Mary Helens Test Kitchen 2013!! I want to share with you some "HOPE".

H...High fiber.
O...Omega 3's
P...Probiotics
E...Enzymes

My bottled water kifer soda.
I bottle myself. Once
capped, it becomes
naturally carbonated, and
more probiotic

"HOPE" was said by Brenda Watson, a famous natural health practitioner who was recently on PBS television. I got the main message, . It was "HOPE". It caught my attention, because in the beginning, all I had was hope. I still do. HOPE, for me plants a good seed. And with that is my desire to plant this seed with you. But before I continue...

Mint Kifer Ice Cream. Made
with milk kifer and mint
herbs. Yes
I have total control. It's
all good and probiotic.

I want to take this time to pray you have a wonderful new year with all that you "HOPE" for. I "HOPE" you are blessed with all that you need in the future. I "Hope" for a cure for all that ails you. I Hope for Love, World Peace, and True Happiness. And with that said, I will continue.

Actually it wasn't just probiotics that has helped me with my wellness. It was healthy oils like coconut, real butter, extra virgin olive, and grapeseed oils, etc. I also give credit to fiber. Not just any fiber. Soluble fiber that comes from fruits and vegetables. I also thank my Ninja blender, my kitchen assistant for making a lot of my work easier. I realized I was following Barbara Watson and her "HOPE" plan without even knowing who she was until the other day.

H...High fiber.... Not just any fiber. Solulable fiber like fruits and vegetables, oats, etc.
O...Omega 3's... Fish, Oils, butter, olive oil, beans, and walnuts, etc.
P...Probiotics... Milk, Kifer, yogurt, kombucha, and fermented foods like sauerkraut, etc.
E...Enzymes... Raw foods again! Including Sushi etc.

Fermented Cabbage
Kombucha Green Tea drink.
So tangy, so tasty...so probiotic.

It was then I realized I really had to share this great news full heartedly. It's all good, but, it was probiotics where I began to see a difference with my health.

PROBIOTICS and MY RECOVERY

To begin with I am a 64 year young woman, getting better every day. One day it hit me that food can either harm me or help me. I got to choose which direction I wanted food to take me. I realized I had more control over my body than I realized. I also realized that food was medicine and with that I began my journey into wellness. One and 1/2 years later after including water kifers, milk kifers, kombucha's, as well and venturing on to other probiotic fermented foods, and the implementation of the "HOPE" plan (didn't know it at the time though). Today, I am still free of over 300+ pharmaceudical medications.

Milk Kifer Grains for milk
kifer, cheeses, ice cream
and desserts. So good, so
probiotic.

Also, I am so glad to say I show no sign of diabetes after being so out of control, and in and out of hospitals for years. My blood pressure and cholesterol are very much in control. My doctors visits are less frequent. My hospital visits are down to zero except for an episode of shingles. This is a big difference from before, because hospitals had become a home away from home. So sad, I was always depressed. I feel so much better now. My energy level has increased by 50%, to the tune of "I have so much energy, I lost 40 lbs. the first year, and another 10 lbs. these last 6 months without dieting". Did I mention how much softer, and healthier my skin looks and feels? What a plus at 63! I'm not saying life is perfect, or I am the perfect size...but life is better today without all that baggage. What a load that was.

Coconut Water Kifer soda.
Naturally carbonated,
naturally good and,
loaded with probiotics

I know I am headed in the right direction. Did I mention how cheap it is to brew/ferment your own probiotics at home? It is really cheap to get healthy. No need to pay for all those pharmaceudical pills that help mask what ails you, but does not cure you. Let's plant that seed of "HOPE" in all of us. Let's get busy, and check out my other healthy but truly tasty recipes here on Blogger. Feel free to share my posts with your family and friends. My last words for your today is to...have"HOPE". Remember food is medicine, and it doesn't take a lot of money either, just a little "HOPE". So till the next time, I will keep on doing what I am doing. To you all, many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Grape Kifer Soda, another
naturally carbonated
probiotic drink

Fermented Lemons. The
rinds are so tender and tasty
they just fall apart. Also
probiotic.

Rosemary Green Tea
Kombucha. A
probiotic tasty drink

Spicy Fermented Green Apple
Pickle, Indian style. Oh
so tasty, made with lots'
of herbs and spices. It's great
and great for the
winter months. Also rich
in probiotics