The Democratic National Convention is over and my mind is really spinning. The amount of information I’ve learned and discovered about our leaders in Washington and what they think regarding our food policy here in America is mind blowing.
Until I get all my thoughts, notes, etc. organized, I want to share the special shake recipe I made for WCNC – NBC News Channel 6 last week when they came to my home for breakfast to interview me about being an elected North Carolina delegate to the DNC.
It’s a new version of the infamous Hari Shake (Hari, my last name, means green in Hindi) and it’s by far my favorite these days. This recipe tastes like a sweet tart (you know, the candy from Willy Wonka) that I haven’t had in years.
To my surprise both the camera man and reporter Ann Sheridan drank their entire shake. They didn’t leave a single drop, which of course left a huge smile on my face and a lasting impression about the impact one can have on changing people’s impression about eating healthy food.
Come inside my kitchen, watch the video and read the whole story here:
WCNC NBC News Channel 6: Food Blogger and DNC Delegate Hopes to Get Obama’s Attention (August 29, 2012)
- 2 cups kale removed from stem
- 2 large stalks of celery chopped
- ½ cucumber chopped
- ⅓ grapefruit
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- 6 ounces of water
- Wash all vegetables thoroughly and place into a large bowl
- Add 6 ounces of water into a blender with celery, cucumber, and grapefruit
- Blend for 30 secs until just incorporated
- Add all other ingredients and keep blending for another 30 secs – 1min
I have a feeling you will really love this combination as much as I do – please let me know if you try it.
It’s been a wild week – Thank you for all your support and love. I totally feel it.
Food Babe
P.S. Check out more recent press below -
The Washington Times: Delegate’s front-row seat a bully pulpit on what we eat (September 5, 2012)
WLOS News 13 – ABC: The Politics Of Food (September 4, 2012)
Lawyers Weekly: The lonely protester: While everyone else is talking about Wall Street, one NC delegate is focused on food (September 3, 2012)
That actually sounds/looks really yummy! Thanks so much for putting yourself out there at the DNC! You are incredibly brave! Can’t wait to read about it!!
You do realize that both current Federal and State governments are illegal and no doubt corrupt to the core. Democratic party being by far one of the worst for introducing the nanny state which only empowers the illegal governments. I think you should stick to making recipes and food blogs, because you seem very good at that.
I’m not here to debate any other political topics other than food policy. If you’d like to discuss how only 1 republican voted for the recent farm bill amendment to allow states to label GMOs – I’d be happy to discuss.
I am far from a troll and actually a newer fan of yours, little over a month now. I tell you that current federal and state governments are illegal because that is the reason they do not care about farming or your health or the small time farmer. They are in the business of making money and they do it the evil way. They want you sick, so your dependent on big pharma because that is who is in their pockets. R and D are both equally EVIL and their intentions are about money not about your health or organic produce unfortunately. To all your fans that hate on me, calling me a troll, get real and understand what is being done to you.
Thanks for clarifying. You are definitely on to something.
i am going to have to agree with Oz. Dont get me wrong I would love to be able to vote for things like food labeling, gay marriage, abortion issues; but with the country we live in today there are way worse things going on that I believe need our attention. Like the economy, a country so in debt that we decide to invest 92 billion into healthcare for people. I could go on and on. I think that it is great that you are trying to make people aware, you have helped me but not my being a delegate by having your blog…i think your social media is working well. I have sent many of my friends your way. Good luck on your quest, I hope to be in a position one day to be able to vote for a party based solely on food.
Would you ever consider running as a libertarian or an independent? I mean you obviously know that the government as we know it is simply a revolving door of corruption when it comes to food policy. And we have to realize that everything’s connected – it’s not fair just to say we only care about food politics because the crappy food policies our nation has instituted is a direct result of an overbearing government, and too many favors to big agribusiness (favors that are a result of donations to both democrats and republicans – failure of our democratic process). The effects extend to everything from our taxation policies, to subsidies, to education, to the economy, and of course, to healthcare. Either way, I totally admire what you’re doing – I just wish you were on our side (libertarian).
“Our side”….good grief, enough with the “sides”…aren’t we all supposed to be on the same “side?”
Hi, Food Babe! This recipe sounds delicious, thanks for sharing! Question- How do you measure 2 C. kale?
I usually just eye ball it – about 2 big handfuls
thanks, food babe!! i am anxious to try this once i get the ingredients! might be a silly question, but do you buy frozen pineapple somewhere of do you just freeze it yourself?? also, what kind of kale do you buy? does it matter? just wondering if a certain kinds tastes better when used in a green smoothie. thanks!!!
Yes – I buy it frozen because I can get it organic and avoid the companies that I am currently boycotting.
I finally made this! I didn’t have grapefruit so i added a little frozen banana instead. It’s great! I’m drinking it now!! thanks!!!
where do you get it? What brand?
Oz, please stop trolling this site and impeding on FoodBabe’s mission to spread wellness and awareness of nutrition and the food that we eat.
Thanks Dana for keeping everyone on message. Fans like you are the best
i am not a troll and I understand her mission to spread wellness and awareness. Your not going to get it done politically.
Oz, I am sure that is what people originally thought about the disgusting practice of slavery as well. Surely, as it is a moral/humane issue but guess what, people pressed on and it was ended politically. It is politics that keep GMOs from being labeled, so common sense dictates that change will be attained politically. Politics dictate everything else in our lives, so why wouldn’t she be able to get this done politically?
Thank you, Vani for what you do for all of us. I only learned about GMOs recently and I am currently on a very personal health and awareness journey of my own. It is people like you who give me hope just when things seem overwhelming. So again, thank you, from the bottom of my heart! Keep up the good fight!
Politics has gotten us to where we are now.. You like that?? GMOs are growing they are making more of them and soon our whole food supply will have some form of gmos in them. What has politics done to change this?? NOTHING and in fact politics and Americans cluelessness is why they are in full steam ahead mode. The current political systems are ILLEGAL and only in power by our voluntary consent. When you can understand this you will understand why we as individuals need to change this, not politicians. peace and love
If I liked it, I certainly wouldn’t be on this awesome website supporting Vani’s efforts now would I? I am not going to debate the legitimacy of the current political system with you. I will say this, I understand plenty, thank you. You need to come down off that high horse you are sitting on and realize you do not know something everyone does not. This is not the place for that. My point is that if all these things are allowed to happen because of politics, then it will also take politics to stop them. Politics has done nothing to stop them because the things Americans are clueless about are GMOs and about food and nutrition in general. I know because I come from a whole family of uninformed, food-obsessed people… and I use the term food loosely there. As a result of the poisons I have been fed my entire life, I have two auto-immune disorders and 2 additional endocrine disorders and I am paying the price in that respect. It is only recently that I have started educating myself about this stuff and it’s tough to find unbiased information (which is why I am grateful for this site) because everybody has an agenda. Anyway, the clueless mentality of Americans is why the politicians can get away with this stuff. It will take us as a collective to educate ourselves and demand these changes from those who allowed it in the first place. Do you REALLY think if we took an active role in our own health instead of letting others decide what is good for us and informed ourselves that politicians could let this continue? Not hardly because none of them would get re-elected! The information on these topics wasn’t out there to begin with, but it is out there now if only we take the time to find it. The politicians got this started by playing to corporate interests but we have let this continue by remaining ignorant. At this point in time, I say the politicians and “we the people” are equally responsible.
Way to go Vani! Thanks for representing ALL OF US.
Absolutely – you are welcome!
That looks like a great smoothie! I love the entire spot they did on you and the message about better food. I hope the DNC went well!
Thanks Jasanna – I am hoping the awareness I brought about for GMOs has a lasting impression with my delegation and the leaders I spoke to. I’ll be doing a recap soon – stay tuned!
I definitely will! Can’t wait to see how the delegation handles this, and hopefully legislation gets passed, and GMO’s will be a topic everyone is concerned about!
I will certainly give it a try. I LOVE the original and my teenager also LOVES it.
Question for you – I made this smoothie this AM and I think I did something wrong. The aftertaste is not great, so I’m assuming I did something wrong. Do you peel the cucumber first? It’s the only thing I can think of. Or, maybe I didn’t “eyeball” the ingredients right…hmm. Will try again.
And, thanks for your efforts and your blog. It’s maddening what the food industry is doing.
Oh no. Send me exactly what you did? What kind of kale did you use? I do not peel my organic cucumbers, but if you have conventional – I would peel it. What was your aftertaste like?
I get my produce from a local fruit market where most of it is homegrown, but not specifically organic. So, maybe that’s why. I was planning to half the recipe and used one big leaf of kale (removed from stem), 1 celery chopped, half of a cucumber (with skin), a couple of slices of grapefruit and about 3/4 cup pineapple. I sprinkled some chia seeds in as well. (Sorry for not “exact” measurements, I’m horrible at actually measuring and usually go by taste!) I did end up adding a bit more pineapple and grapefruit thinking it would help with the taste. Will try again…
Mine turned out pretty bitter. I used lacinato kale, and grapefruit juice instead of the water because I couldn’t find any whole grapefruits today. I ended up adding more pineapple and some frozen peach slices.
I made this smoothie this morning for breakfast and it was quite delicious! The citrus-y fruit definitely cut the “grassy” taste and what’s best is how amazing I felt after.
I’ve made this recipe twice with different results: sectioning the grapefruit makes a huge difference for me. The first time, I just peeled the grapefruit and threw in a third of it. I found it quite bitter for my taste. Today, I sectioned the grapefruit (removing all of the peel so you’re left only with the pulp pieces) and it was DELICIOUS.
I am definitely doing to try this smoothie. I have trouble using kale in smoothies because it tastes more bitter to me than spinach, but I think this recipe will be great. Thank you for your strength and dedication to the cause! You’re an inspiration.
I made this smoothie last night with enough left over for breakfast. I added ice cubes, protein and chia seeds. I think the ice cubes are what made it taste best for me! Thanks for sharing.
Hello Food Babe I was wondering what you thought about the NutriBullet by author Wolfe of Eating for Beauty? Have you tried this product and if so would you recommend it? The infomercial did seem to make some valid points about the loss of fiber with juicing. I would very much like to do away with all the washing and cleaning of my juicer plus feel a little fuller by making smoothies such as the one featured in this article. Plus my kids are on board with juicing! Wondering what you think…
Hello, I just bought a NutriBullet as well so would appreciate your thoughts on it!
Thanks
Helly,
Do you like the Nutribullet thus far? I was curious to know if it performed as well as it seemed to in the infomercial. Looking forward to your response!
Soni
I’ve been using a NutriBullet for almost a month and I love it. One thing I learned is to peel the fruit. My smoothies are smooth and delicious. I will try this recipe next. Good luck with the NutriBullet!
If you peel the fruit aren’t you still loosing the fiber? Your just doing manually what a juicer does? I was looking into getting it if it really shreds the skins of the fruits and veggies like it says.
This was the first time ever making one of your shakes and I have to admit, it’s pretty tasty. I love the citrus flavors in this! Very yummy, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Delicious smoothie! I added a little cilantro and it added a nice kick
That’s a great blood cleanser… I sometimes add some in too!
I just had to chime in and say that OZ is not a troll, OZ is simply speaking the truth. Forget the delegate thing, do what you do best as far as getting the truth out on your blog. Federal and State governments are illegal and corrupt to the core, they will only use you and your fan base if given the opportunity! Democrat or Republican, remember it’s the same party, just different marketing, and both run completely by the international bankster’s! All you have to do is look where the contributions come from…. be well
Thanks for the Recipe(s) Food Babe…
Shoutout to OZ and Verita too…. I agree with them… and just to piggyback what they said- i’d like to add that ‘politicians’ aren’t putting items in my cart when I’m doing groceries…. in other words, passing laws or not passing laws will not deter me from cooking homemade meals and choosing organic, hormone-free, cage-free, etc.
I applaud you for running for candidacy and admire your chutzpa but I’m sure it will take time away from this here blog/site. ( thats what all of your subscribers fear !)
I think you’re doing the world more good by informing those of us that are pro-actively seeking this wholesome information and putting it to use.
I’ve tried ‘educating’ family & friends about eating right, etc…. only to be jeered at and made fun of while they sip their cola & scarf down double burgers with cheese.
With that said, dont bother fighting for people who dont wish to be defended…
case in point:
http://foodbabe.com/2011/07/24/chick-fil-a-now-open-on-sunday/
Hi! Just stumbled onto your website. Am enjoying it and can’t wait to try some new recipes. Your info on Sitting = Death! was just the reminder I needed to get off the couch.
Just wondering if it would matter much to make juices like these with a juicer as opposed to a blender? Would I be missing out on much, such as fiber or nutrients?
Thanks!
The green smoothies diet was made by Robyn Openshaw, who is an expert in nutrition and a health educator. The diet doesn’t just involve drinking green smoothies, as you can continue to have other nutritious foods during the day to ensure you get a number of nutrients. Leafy green vegetables are the most nutritious foods, only one of the hardest foods to include into your diet simply because they aren’t so tasty. The green smoothies diet was made to help you incorporate these foods to your diet by blending vegetables with fruits along with other sweeteners to make them more fun.
I made this smoothie today – I used non-frozen pineapple and added some ice cubes. It has a very unusual flavor which was good but, like others, I did not love the aftertaste. Interestingly enough, my 11.5 month old daughter loved it, and had as much as she could.
Smoothie recipe to try!!
Smoothie recipe to try
Dear Food Babe-
Thank you for this! My first attempt turned out bitter (and I commented above). But, I kept on trying, and now I’ve made one every day for the last 3 weeks. I’ve tweaked it to make it perfect for me, and I’ve even gotten my husband to ASK for his daily smoothie!
To make it easier, I pureed kale and spinach and cucumbers and froze the puree in ice cube trays, so now I have a constant supply right at hand. I also use coconut water (unsweetened) as the liquid, and add lots of fresh ginger and a dash of cayenne. (Other sometimes additions include apples, pears, mango, banana, lemon, lime). It’s delicious!
I just wanted to know if you old tell me what sugars are in the raw protein powder? Thanks.
Hi Rosa,
The sweetener is Raw Organic Stevia. Here is a link to view ALL the ingredients, but if you go to buy the product, it’s cheapest from Amazon.
=) Lori
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=GU-7030
I am drinking my first one of these right now, and I cannot believe I like it!! Yay!!! I added a whole grapefruit instead because I was a little scared. What is the best time of day to drink one…after a workout? Thanks!
For “The Green Smoothie that made the news”, what can I replace the grapefruit with. For now, I’m on a med I hope TO GET OFF OF, that requires no grapefruit or gf juice.
Hi Carolyn – an orange would work fine.
Hey is your website new??? If so it looks really really good……If not it still looks great
hi there, how would you feel about using homemade almond milk as the liquid here. is that a bad idea? thanks!
Leah, I used coconut milk and it was fine. There should be no issue with using almond milk. Of course which type of liquid you choose will affect the taste, short of using Drano or the like, all should be good ; ).
using it in the smoothie, i meant!
HI Vani,
This was a great smoothie for sure. You definitely put out some tremendous info and I thank you for that. I hope I win the waffle make so I can try those Banan Nut Waffles: http://foodbabe.com/2013/03/01/banana-nut-waffles/
On a side note to all the political comments; I don’t wish to see any political comments or references what so ever unless I am in a political toned arena. With that being said, this particular blog had ties to a political reference, so no worries.
Thanks for all your wonderful blogs. You are so inspiring and informative.
Hi Vani, do you peel the grapefruit before putting it in the blender? Thanks!
Yes peel it first Victoria. Hope you like it!
Hi Vani-Ive been making the kale smoothies and was wondering with this particular one, could an orange be substituted? I have never liked grapefruit but did use it this time but to me it tastes bitter. Would this make any significant change in the nutrition of the smoothie?
Thanks!
Hi Nikki, yes that is a great substitution. Grapefruit and oranges have very similiar nutritional values. Most juice and smoothie recipes can be changed around based on your tastes.
Is there something you can suggest I substitute for the pineapple? I’m allergic :/ I know It will probably alter the flavor a lot. Thanks!
I have had one of these shakes (well, actually I make half the recipe at a time, but probably with the full amount of kale) basically every day for the last month. It makes me feel soooo good! I think I can actually hear my body say “thank you!”
I have done some substitutions depending on what I had in the house – I used clementine in place of the grapefruit, and I’ve done frozen blackberries in place of the pineapple sometimes. It does alter the flavor, of course, but I actually haven’t found the pineapple to be the dominant flavor anyway. The citrus and cucumber come through the most for me. Love, love, love this shake! Just wish I had a VitaMix to make it come out a little bit smoother…someday!
The 1929 Ruby Red patent was associated with real commercial success, which came after the discovery of a red grapefruit growing on a pink variety. Only with the introduction of the Ruby Red did the grapefruit transform into a real agricultural success.,
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I had this for breakfast this morning and it was DELICIOUS! The thing I’d recommend for anyone trying it for the first time is sectioning the grapefruit (it’s a lot less bitter when you remove all skin/membrane, which I didn’t do the first time I made the recipe). It makes such a difference in the flavor!
This looks delicious and sounds amazing. I’m allergic to pineapple though and was wondering if you would have a recommendation of what you would use in place of the pineapple.
I just made this shake for the first time tonight, and was really excited for it! I’m having to give up dairy for a while to see if I’m allergic. So I followed the recipe to a tee, but I’m having trouble with the taste. I added a little orange juice to it, but it still tastes very grassy. I tried but couldn’t choke it down. Any suggestions? Could it be better with berries instead of pineapple/grapefruit? The texture was hard to swallow as well. It made the grassiness stand out even more. Thoughts? I want to like this recipe!
Hi Allison – don’t give up on it! Just try and adjust to your taste. If you are new to green shakes, it might be helpful to use more fruit and less veggies and then gradually add more greens back in. Berries would be great and a frozen banana would also give it some more sweetness. As far as the texture goes, I like them better with lots of ice. Just experiment! If you don’t have a high powered blender, it can sometimes leave more leaves in there. Make sure you blend a lot. Good luck!!