Pat Crocker - The Smoothies Bible - the Complete Guide to Energy and Vitality Through Smoothies and Natural Remedies

the
smoothies
bible

the
smoothies
bible

The complete guide to energy
and vitality through smoothies
and natural remedies

Pat Crocker

The Smoothies Bible is intended to provide information about the preparation and use of smoothies containing whole foods and medicinal herbs. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. The publisher and authors do not represent or warrant that the use of recipes or other information contained in this book will necessarily aid in the prevention or treatment of any disease, and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. Readers must assume sole responsibility for any diet, lifestyle and/or treatment program that they choose to follow. If you have questions regarding the impact of diet and health, you should speak to a healthcare professional.

Published in Australia in 2004 by
Hardie Grant Books
85 High Street
Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia
www.hardiegrant.com.au

Published in Canada in 2003 by
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue E., Suite 1000
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 1E2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Copyright text Pat Crocker 2003
Copyright photographs Robert Rose Inc.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data:
Crocker, Pat.

The smoothies bible : the complete guide to health and vitality through smoothies & natural remedies.
Bibliography.
ISBN 1 74066 197 4.
1. Smoothies (Beverages). 2. Smoothies (Beverages)
Therapeutic use. 3. Naturopathy. I. Title.

641.875

Cover design by Robert Bertagni
Cover photography: Photolibrary
Text design by PageWave Graphics Inc.
Edited by Judith Finlayson
Printed and bound in Australia by Griffin Books

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Ive been blessed with good friends.
This book is dedicated to the women
with whom I have raised a glass or two.
Claudia Wisdom-Good, Ruth MacDonald,
Joanna Esch, Pam Story, Susan Belsinger,
Myrna Ingleton, Gail Johnston, Helen Grant,
Joan McVean, Pie Aitkinson,
this ones for you.

DEVELOPING AND TESTING RECIPES IS CREATIVE, CHALLENGING AND, MOST often, fun. Still, its always a daunting task. My work on this book took me further than I would have thought possible within the category of smoothies. When I began, my concept of smoothies revolved around the typical fruit juice combo that originated on the beaches of California. Developing the recipes for The Smoothies Bible forced me to expand that definition. I came to understand that there are myriad great combinations of vegetables, herbs and a wide variety of liquids that can also claim the moniker smoothie.

The challenges of writing this book were made easier with the support of the small-appliance industry. I thank the following blender manufacturers for providing the machines that tested the recipes in this book.

Braun (www.braun.com)

Cuisinart (www.cuisinart.com)

Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex (www.hamiltonbeach.com)

KitchenAid (www.kitchenaid.com)

Krups (www.krups.com)

Vitamix (www.vitamix.com)

Waring (www.waringproducts.com)

In our family, depending on the season, we drink at least one smoothie a day. Our daughter, Shannon, helped design and name many of the recipes in this book. Thank you, Shannon and Gary, for your love and support in all my endeavours.

Once again, a personal thank-you goes to Susan Eagles, a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists, who provided the section on health conditions. Susans work encompasses a positive framework for health and she teaches by example in living and eating to be well.

WE KNOW WE NEED THEM. WE KNOW THEY PREVENT A HOST OF MODERN degenerative diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Although nutritionists recommend that you eat five servings of fresh vegetables and three servings of fresh fruit each day, research shows that significant numbers of people are not meeting these dietary objectives. One of the easiest ways to eat your fruits and vegetables is to drink them. And every year, more and more people are doing just that. Fast and easy to make, smoothies are also becoming the beverage of choice at home, where you can choose the ingredients you use, ensuring their freshness and quality.

Children are probably the biggest fans and beneficiaries of smoothies, which deliver the phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals that are so essential for growing bodies. By nine or 10 years of age, children are capable of learning the basics of operating a blender safely and cleaning it when they are finished. Teaching them how to make their own satisfying and nutritious drinks will build a healthy habit that will last a lifetime.

People at every point in the life cycle, from singles to empty nesters to the elderly, are discovering the simplicity and nutritional benefits of smoothies. Because they are so quick and easy to make and require minimal clean-up, smoothies are ideal to make in the small quantities that suit one or two people. They are also a delicious medium through which to take herbal or pharmaceutical medicine and nutritional supplements. Whisking in other healthful ingredients, such as soy protein, ginseng or wheat germ, boosts their already high nutritional value.

If your immune system is compromised, or if you are recovering from surgery or a major illness, vegetable smoothies will be of tremendous help. Make them with fresh vegetables and the healing herbs recommended for your health condition . All of the vegetable smoothies may be served hot. They are especially beneficial to people who may not be able to take whole meals.

It has been said that you dont need a recipe book to make a smoothie. Although thats basically true liquid and fresh fruits or vegetables are all it takes to make a basic blended drink there is so much more to smoothies. In addition to a cornucopia of tangy fruit concoctions, this book offers hot smoothies, healing smoothies, vegetable smoothies, cheese smoothies and smoothies made with milk substitutes all new and delicious ways to drink to your health.

Skoal, Pat Crocker

www.riversongherbals.com