How to Increase Your Fruit and Vegetable Intake

I am a good fruit and vegetable eater in the evening. I cook my meals with lots of vegetables, eat plenty of salads and typically serve some sort of fresh fruit for dessert. For me, my challenge is to get an adequate fruit and vegetable intake during the day. The primary reason for lower daytime fruit and vegetable intake is I generally eat my breakfast and lunch on the fly and put 90% of my culinary effort into dinner. There is a reason this site is named Something New For Dinner, breakfast and lunch are just not my thing.

The benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables are irrefutable. For me, the challenge is finding a fast and tasty way to make it happen. The best answer for me is the green smoothie. I have vowed to make these healthy, whole food drinks a big part of my breakfast, lunch and snack repertoire. 

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Jamba Juice Blender Product Review

So lucky me, when I received a request from Jamba Juice to review their new Quiet Blend Blender available at Amazon. As a food blogger, I get a lot of requests to review products, but only occasionally does the product truly fit my needs and cooking style. Jamba Juice's Quiet Blender delivered more than I expected. Here's why I like this blender:

• It does an exceptional job at pureeing. It grinds up whole fruit, kale leaves, ice, frozen fruit and turns it all into a very smooth blend. I love this blender for smoothies and can't wait to use it for pureed soups. I am sure it will deliver silky smooth results.

  

• The sound shield really works. At first it seemed like an unnecessary accessory, but after you use the shield you appreciate it. It definitely filters out the harsher noise levels that accompany blending.

  

• I like the dial that gives you infinite control over the blender speed. The dial allows you to easily increase or decrease the power without stopping and starting the blender.
• The blender jar and accessories are dishwasher safe, which is always a plus for me. 
• The blender jar and components that come into contact with food are all BPA-free, which is important to me.

Jamba Juice provided me with this blender free of charge. The opinions on its performance are solely my own. I received no cash payment for my review.

Jamba Juice Blender Product Giveaway

In addition to giving me a blender to try, Jamba Juice has graciously offered to give a blender to one of Something New For Dinner's readers. To participate in this product give away:

1. Click here to enter.
2. Input your first name and email address.
3. Confirm your entry via email.
4. Share the giveaway on social media to increase your odds of winning!

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

I have rheumatoid arthritis, which is fortunately fairly mild and under control. I take medication to control it and so far the meds have been very effective, but I am interested in adding specific foods to my diet that have anti-inflammatory properties to assist in keeping my body healthy and free of pain. In developing this recipe, my goals were to: 1) incorporate healthy greens, 2) include foods that have some science behind them for fighting inflammation, and 3) to create a good tasting smoothie that I will want to drink often.

These were the ingredients I chose and the reasons I chose them:

Kale

Kale is an undisputed superfood that has been shown to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of cancer and support the body's natural detoxification system. Kale is rich in Omega-3's and vitamin K, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties. To learn more about the health benefits of kale, the different varieties of kale and how to prepare it, click on my kale post. 

Pineapple

Loaded with vitamin C and a wonderful compound called Bromelain, pineapple is said to alleviate respiratory problems, aid in digestion and fight inflammation. For more information on the health benefits of pineapple and how to cut and prepare pineapple click on my pineapple post. You can use frozen pineapple for this recipe, and depending on the season, it may be better than the fresh pineapple you can purchase. If you have access to good pineapple you will love my favorite pineapple tool. It makes preparing a pineapple no more difficult than using a can opener. 

Kiwi

I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the many health benefits of this cute little green fruit. Rich in Vitamin C, K, A, E, and B6, as well as Omega 3 fatty acids, there are many studies that support adding this fruit to your diet. Eating kiwi has been shown to reduce asthma and IBA symptoms, protect eyes against macular degeneration, support the immune system and promote cardiovascular health. And by the way, you can eat the peel! If eating the peel doesn't sit well with you simply slice the kiwi in half and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh.

Turmeric

Part of the ginger family, turmeric has long been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. Turmeric has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Curcumin is the primary active ingredient in turmeric and has been shown to treat IBS, provide relief for RA pain, enhance liver function, reduce blood cholesterol levels and may protect against Alzheimer's.

Turmeric is much milder tasting than ginger. You can peel the skin off with a spoon using the same method I use to remove the peel from ginger. I recommend adding a 1/2" piece to your smoothie to start and to increase the quantity as you become accustomed to the taste. 

Banana

My reason for adding banana to this smoothie was for a little natural sweetness and for the nice texture it adds to a smoothie. Bananas, however have their own health list of benefits, they are low calorie, low on the glycemic index and rich in potassium and B6. 

Coconut Water

I used coconut water because I wanted to make this smoothie dairy-free and wanted a lighter, fruit and vegetable forward smoothie and not a rich and creamy smoothie. Yogurt, almond milk or coconut milk could be used to achieve a creamier smoothie.

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Pineapple, Kale Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

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Make this Pineapple and Kale Anti-Inflammatory smoothie to increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

• Author: Something New For Dinner
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 smoothie 1x
• Cuisine: New American

Ingredients

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• 3 – 4 kale leaves, stemmed
• 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen
• 1 kiwi, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1/2‘ to 1″ piece turmeric, peeled

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Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender, cover and blend until smooth.

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