Smoothie ideas

ms_havisham

So I need some smoothie ideas within certain parameters.

First, I have Crohn's disease and an ileostomy so raw fiber in any high quantity is out, so I am hoping smoothie form might be easier to handle.

Second, because of the above I need something high in potassium, calcium, and iron. I just can't eat enough of the foods that will help in large enough quantities on a daily basis without...well, problems.

I really prefer something not banana. I know, it is my best bet. It really is the one food I hate above others, though if someone has any ideas where the banana is not noticeable or at least not dominant I am willing to try.

I would like my breakfast smoothie to be on the lower end calorie wise but am willing to sacrifice calories on other meals to make it work.

I would love to fit the nutrients in throughout the day but with my family there is already a bit of being a short order cook and it is just one challenge to many to stretch that role further.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

RodaRose

Cook foods ahead of time that work for you and use them for smoothies: carrots, apples, butternut squash, sweet potatoes. Also cooked greens like swiss chard, romaine.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259625/carrot-smoothie/ --- a variation of this will work:

Cooked carrots or cooked apples with lemon or lime juice and coconut water (it is relatively low calorie)
If you are o.k. with milk or soy milk use that instead of coconut water for more protein.

amgreenwell

I make smoothies every morning for my family. You can substitute any other fruit that you enjoy for the banana. Mango is exceptional in this:
this makes enough smoothie for two adults and one 2 year old:
2 bananas
1/2 cup of oj
1 cup+ of fat free milk (or soy milk or almond milk,etc)
1 large handful of kale or spinach
1 cup of frozen mixed fruit

ms_havisham

Thank you all for the ideas. I was already considering using cooked spinach instead of raw for the boost of iron, but I really didn't want to experiment on my own without some recipes to go by---I would hate to end up with an undrinkable mess! My mornings are hectic enough as it is I can't wait to give these a try.

fitoverfortymom

Mango is a great alternative to banana. I use grapes, too. Not sure if grape skin would be problematic for you. I have a friend in a similar situation who couldn't handle skin on food like apples and such. I have used zucchini in my smoothies and I cut it into chunks and freeze it in pre-measured portions. If I don't add fruit, I will toss in a Stevia packet for a little sweetness.

I have heard good things about avocado in smoothies, but have yet to try it.

ms_havisham

I was thinking about avocado, curious about how it works, I just can't get savory out of my head when I think of it. I can do grapes as long as they are a rare thing, but blended might be more doable. Zucchini is a great idea! I love the idea of zucchini, sweet potato, and squash. It would be so easy to toss in a little cinnamon and nutmeg and go spice cake/bread or sweet potato pie with the flavor profile.

It is definitely a struggle at times, especially during mini flares, to get the right nutrients within calories without doing damage. An illness that sends you straight to a low fiber diet during recovery does not make the food side of things easy.

I am closely watching calories and the nutrients that I fall short on, but sugar isn't on the list. I tend to fall fairly consistently below my recommended intake (sometimes under half) without even trying to, and I am starting to think that might be part of why I have been tired (lightbulb moment) lately. I rarely go over...so I think I can squeeze in a bit of honey to sweeten a smoothie if I skip the fruit...in fact I might have to.

My nutrition profile is a bit wacky compared to what is advised on some things---I need way more sodium with the ileostomy, dehydration happens fast and is a long hard recovery. I did okay pre-weightloss, but cutting calories definitely makes it tricky to squeeze everything in.

lemurcat12

I adore avocado in smoothies, and sometimes use mango too (I am also not a big banana fan unless it's cooked, oddly enough).

Mine tend to be veg heavy, and to focus on getting some fat and protein. Whether they would work with your Crohn's, dunno, I'd of course talk to your RD.

My current favorite recipe:

half an avocado
winter squash (currently using spaghetti squash) -- about 100 g
spinach or kale (about 100 g, sometimes more (160 g today just by accident, it was fine) -- I use frozen, I eat lots of cooked greens at other times)
a small cucumber or half a cucumber (about 80-100 g)
protein powder (I use vanilla)
flaxseed (tbsp)
homemade cashew milk (I log based on the # of cashews in the portion I use)
berries to taste -- today I used a cup of frozen strawberries

That one was about 400 cal, although it was a smallish avocado. You can cut calories by using less of the nuts or flaxseed, obviously.

It's not super sweet as that's not my preference.

Adding fennel or fresh herbs like mint works really well IMO. I mostly work with what I have on hand and change it up. I have used zucchini and it's fine, but I like it better savory and cooked and prefer the winter squash, but if I don't have roasted winter squash on hand it's a decent sub. Cauliflower rice frozen works fine too, you barely notice it (but again I prefer ingredients I notice and enjoy, and like cooking my cauliflower -- for your purposes it might work, though).

If you do dairy, obviously that would work better for calcium than my cashew milk.

This one had about 15 g of fiber, but if fiber is an issue for you I wouldn't go nuts assuming it will be fine in smoothie form, start slow. For that reason I might not add the flaxseeds (I add them for their fat and a bit of extra protein), or the extra oats or the like that some have recommended.

Just a caution -- I expect you are working with a dietitian on what works for you, but my sister has IBS and finds that raw veg are really hard for her, especially cruciferous veg, so tends to consume them only cooked. Might be a concern with smoothies.

ms_havisham

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I adore avocado in smoothies, and sometimes use mango too (I am also not a big banana fan unless it's cooked, oddly enough).

Mine tend to be veg heavy, and to focus on getting some fat and protein. Whether they would work with your Crohn's, dunno, I'd of course talk to your RD.

My current favorite recipe:

half an avocado
winter squash (currently using spaghetti squash) -- about 100 g
spinach or kale (about 100 g, sometimes more (160 g today just by accident, it was fine) -- I use frozen, I eat lots of cooked greens at other times)
a small cucumber or half a cucumber (about 80-100 g)
protein powder (I use vanilla)
flaxseed (tbsp)
homemade cashew milk (I log based on the # of cashews in the portion I use)
berries to taste -- today I used a cup of frozen strawberries

That one was about 400 cal, although it was a smallish avocado. You can cut calories by using less of the nuts or flaxseed, obviously.

It's not super sweet as that's not my preference.

Adding fennel or fresh herbs like mint works really well IMO. I mostly work with what I have on hand and change it up. I have used zucchini and it's fine, but I like it better savory and cooked and prefer the winter squash, but if I don't have roasted winter squash on hand it's a decent sub. Cauliflower rice frozen works fine too, you barely notice it (but again I prefer ingredients I notice and enjoy, and like cooking my cauliflower -- for your purposes it might work, though).

If you do dairy, obviously that would work better for calcium than my cashew milk.

This one had about 15 g of fiber, but if fiber is an issue for you I wouldn't go nuts assuming it will be fine in smoothie form, start slow. For that reason I might not add the flaxseeds (I add them for their fat and a bit of extra protein), or the extra oats or the like that some have recommended.

Just a caution -- I expect you are working with a dietitian on what works for you, but my sister has IBS and finds that raw veg are really hard for her, especially cruciferous veg, so tends to consume them only cooked. Might be a concern with smoothies.

Thank you so much. I would probably avoid the flaxseed and protein powder, protein is one area I do well in. Dairy works for me so that is definitely an option. Seeds are on the "no" list, nuts are a rare treat, but veggies and fruits tend to be fine if they are broken down enough. Pureeing tends to make a big difference, almost as much as cooking, but my problems with fiber tend to come mostly from strictures and the ileostomy as long as I am not flaring up. I plan on using cooked spinach just because of the difference in iron and potassium between the portion size. I love that give alternatives to some of the ingredients...and the idea of using fresh herbs in a more savory smoothie sounds amazing.

And I am totally with you on cooked bananas. Give me fried plantains or banana bread anytime, or even bananas foster, but don't expect me to take a bite of raw banana. Eeeewwwwww!