Saturday Mango Smoothie

Its been many Saturdays, when I got up with the sun shining bright. It's an unusually hot day for this time of the year. In another year, it would be the middle of Monsoons, raining. If there is anything good in this, than it's Mangos. They will keep rolling in till the first Monsoon shower, and disappear after that.
Anyway, it's a no work day and Ritu is still in bed. There is a farm to visit this morning and we need to eat well before that.
So here I find 2 Mangos (langada) and set out for my 2 min smoothie. Quickly chopped them into the jar. Grated 1 inch of ginger, a hefty pinch of mint leaves, Grainny's home made seed mix, 2 spoons of brown Sugar (it is weekend dude!) Handful of ice cubes, and that is it.
Blended it, topping with water to 900ml mark. After 30 -45 seconds the smoothie is ready.

Took the picture, drank my glass, and settled the remaining in fridge, because the girls are still sleeping.

Notes- Mango comes with various aromas, colors and tastes. This one is traditionally not used for smoothies. Exactly why I had to. The ginger compliments the intensely sweet pungency of this variety.

Used to Sugarless smoothies, this added sugar felt a bit too sweet to me. But guess will go well with the other two. Anyway if you are making it, use your own spoon.

The color was rather pale, as the mango is inherently light yellow in color. With added mint, the color became more green. I would not think much of it. I like'em yellow blonde.

Musk melon smoothie

Check out @manasarvind1's Tweet: https://twitter.com/manasarvind1/status/485952722957369344

Mango Salsa

So Ritu got this recipe from somewhere, and than we added a bit of our twist also to it.
Take everything you see here in the picture.
2 medium mangoes (using Kesar here, but I guess Langada will be better with its unique pungent sweetness)
7-8 Garlic cloves (hand pound fine)
1 onion
2 celery stalk sticks
2-3 green chilies
2-3 tomatoes
Juice from 2 lime
Salt, chilli flakes, oragano to taste
Can add fresh mint/pepper mint
And a spoon of mildly roasted Sesame seeds and peanuts for some crunchiness.

Coarsely mash the Mango Pulp with hand. Now lick those fingers, before washing the hands.
Chop everything finally, and mix together.
Give it a hearty whisk with a spoon, after adding the condiments.

Hard part - Leave this in fridge for 12 hrs/overnight.

Eating Ideas - Eat a bowlful of this Raw for supper, or pep it with Grainny's Trail Mix 50:50 for a hearty energetic meal any time.

Grilled potatoes and Avocado Dip.

Ritu and I have been away to attend a Natueco meet in Rajkot. It turned out to be a non stop feast of traditional Gujarati food and Kesar Mangos. Along with the meet, there ensued a huge side discussion on Vegetarian and Vegan food with Saroj and Amrish, syphoning off impossible numbers of mangos... Anyway what does it have to do with today's breakfast?

While left potatoes to boil on gas, grossly chopped Basil, green chillies and opened one Anaar (pomegranate)... Anaar is simpler to write ;)

On the the side crushed some dried tomatoes and seeds in a grinder.

Process- grilled potato in pan with a spoon of Coconut oil. Added chillies and Basil towards the end. Once done, sprinkled the seed mix and some dried tomatoes on top. Salt+pepper as per taste.

Great for a Breakfast. With ample good carbs, vitamins, minerals and some proteins. Club this to a Banana+mint smoothie (finished before I could click), and it becomes a super charger for the day.

10 mins to prepare and cook.
(All the smoothies I make are without any animal products and added sugars. On a special day, I may add some coconut or bean/nut milk but otherwise its just water.)

What you see in the dip dish is Avocado Spread Ritu made yesterday. Very Raw and Very yummy.

Kesar from Saurashtra.

Kesar, a variety of Mango, can even be called state fruit of Saurashtra. Last 2 days we witnessed almost a celebration, of this fruit in every meal, every one taking pride in the fruit and it's aroma and taste.  This lot is hand picked from a Natuco method orchard. I would call it organic++. Our prized delicacy for the next few days.

Mango peach Smoothie

When you want a Smoothie in a jiffy, and still make a meal out it, this is the one. 

All that you need...
-1 mango,
-2 peaches,
-spoon of crushed and soaked Tukhmaria/chia seeds. Can also add Flax and Sesame seeds along.
-mint leaves,
-Cold water (half a glass would still keep it very nice and thick)
-some heart and star shaped ice cubes :) -electricity
-and a blender.

Note
I neither add sugar/honey nor milk/yogurt.
So this is Vegan. You can add if you wish

Process...
Chop all in blender and whizzzzz. I like to keep it a bit coarse.

This made around 700 ml. It's like 2 big servings, but am going to have both. :)

Yesterday
...could finally see that www.grainnys.com is up and running. Celebrating with this rich coloured and textured smoothie.

Green Smoothie

Did I talk about eating my greens today? Actually drinking it...

1 cucumber
handful of spinach leaves
30 odd mint leaves..
3-4 celery sticks and leaves
Blended into a coarse smoothy with some water.
Missed - some coconut milk/ a raw mango/ green apple...

2-3 mins to prepare, 1-2 mins to blend.

Insisted on not adding any salt, sugar, or lime. But Why?
... because we should learn how to survive in difficult situations 

Honestly it would have been impossible to eat it all, but to drink it down was much easier. For greens (or fruits), unless required, am rather a blender than a juicer. I like to not let go of anything. Even if the carotenoids take bit of a hit, all other nutrients are well delivered as a full package.

Most important is to have the greens from your own or from a very trusted source. Don't try this with the supermarket greens.

I want to ask the friends here, weather they are a blender or a juicer? and why so...

(Had to find a similar looking image on net, as was in too much of hurry to take one of mine. Courtsey:youngandraw.com)