Re: mango? dates? ice cream?

[Guest guest]

The only thing I'm (sorta) qualified to comment on are mangoes--there are MANY different types, not just two. And the best thing to do is some online research--some are sweeter, some are more fibrous, some have more palatable flesh, are juicier, etc. In my neck of the woods, we now get them from India when they're in season; some of these varieties are supposed to be sublime but I haven't sampled them as yet.

mango? dates? ice cream?

I need some information about mangos. I read someone’s post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at the store today I decided to buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found myself facing a decision – they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were two kinds? The yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were hard as a rock, so I opted for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat. So, can the mango experts here tell me what is the difference between yellow and red, and which is preferred?

Also, I read in other posts that dates are a good natural sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good nutrients. But dates are dried, or processed, right? The produce-specialty store I was at had only dried dates, and also only dried figs. Can someone explain where fresh dates and figs can be found?

I’m on a diet, so I’m trying to learn to eat new foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and low in calories. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Also, I’ve read some of your ideas for making ice cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if it can be made without fruit juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be made with Carnation nonfat dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that calls for that. What I’d like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using only fruit, a sweetener (I do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the dry milk, water or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe?

One more thing – is it possible to make an “ice cream†using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened baking chocolate with a sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding mix?

Have I used up my quota of questions? (oops, that’s another question!)

[Guest guest]

You can replace dates with Stevia (check out the link on my website where I talk about sweeteners…)The basic guideline for making ice cream in the Vitamix is one cup of non-frozen to 3 cups of frozen. You could use half-n-half (or rice milk and carnation instant milk powder) to form the one cup of non-frozen and whatever frozen ingredients you'd like.

Blessings,Lea Ann SavageSatellite Beach, FL(321) 773-7088 (home)(321-961-9219 (cell)))><'>www.VitamixLady.comwww..com<))><

On Mar 22, 2011, at 7:07 PM, Bette Holzer wrote:

I need some information about mangos. I read someone’s

post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at the store today I decided to

buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found myself facing a decision –

they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were two kinds? The

yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were hard as a rock, so I opted

for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat. So, can the mango experts

here tell me what is the difference between yellow and red, and which is

preferred? Also, I read in other posts that dates are a good natural

sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good nutrients. But dates are dried,

or processed, right? The produce-specialty store I was at had only dried dates,

and also only dried figs. Can someone explain where fresh dates and figs can be

found? I’m on a diet, so I’m trying to learn to eat new

foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and low in calories. Any

suggestions will be appreciated. Also, I’ve read some of your ideas for making ice

cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if it can be made without fruit

juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be made with Carnation nonfat

dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that calls for that. What I’d

like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using only fruit, a sweetener (I

do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the dry milk, water

or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe? One more thing – is it possible to make an “ice

cream” using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened baking chocolate with a

sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding mix? Have I used up my quota of questions? (oops, that’s another

question!) Bette

[Guest guest]

There are different sorts of mangoes, just like there are different

sorts of apples or avocadoes. That's why they were different

colours. Try one this time and another one next time. They taste

very similar. You might find that one is stringier though. You do

want it to feel kind off soft - like a peach.

Re ice cream in the vitamix - we just put in frozen fruit -

anything, and enough water or milk (soy milk, nut milk, whatever you

have) to cover the blades of the blender. If we make a big jug full

with all frozen fruit I'll add a bit more liquid. You could use

nonfat yoghurt or anything else you like as the non-frozen bit.

I've never added sweetener, although I do put in a little frozen

pineapple, figuring that will make anything super sweet! With other

things if they need sweetening, I do put in one date, but haven't

needed it in the "ice creams".

I can't answer the fresh date question because I'm in Aus and the

answer will be different for the US.

Fiona

On 23/03/2011 10:07 AM, Bette Holzer wrote:

I need

some information about mangos. I read someone’s

post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at

the store today I decided to

buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found

myself facing a decision –

they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were

two kinds? The

yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were

hard as a rock, so I opted

for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat.

So, can the mango experts

here tell me what is the difference between yellow

and red, and which is

preferred?

Also, I

read in other posts that dates are a good natural

sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good

nutrients. But dates are dried,

or processed, right? The produce-specialty store I

was at had only dried dates,

and also only dried figs. Can someone explain where

fresh dates and figs can be

found?

I’m on

a diet, so I’m trying to learn to eat new

foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and

low in calories. Any

suggestions will be appreciated.

Also,

I’ve read some of your ideas for making ice

cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if

it can be made without fruit

juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be

made with Carnation nonfat

dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that

calls for that. What I’d

like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using

only fruit, a sweetener (I

do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the

dry milk, water

or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe?

One

more thing – is it possible to make an “ice

cream” using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened

baking chocolate with a

sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding

mix?

Have I

used up my quota of questions? (oops, that’s another

question!)

Bette

[Guest guest]

I've been getting champagne mangoes. They are very tasty. The frozen are nice for smoothies Sent from my iPadOn Mar 22, 2011, at 10:05 PM, Fiona <fiona.k@...> wrote:

There are different sorts of mangoes, just like there are different

sorts of apples or avocadoes. That's why they were different

colours. Try one this time and another one next time. They taste

very similar. You might find that one is stringier though. You do

want it to feel kind off soft - like a peach.

Re ice cream in the vitamix - we just put in frozen fruit -

anything, and enough water or milk (soy milk, nut milk, whatever you

have) to cover the blades of the blender. If we make a big jug full

with all frozen fruit I'll add a bit more liquid. You could use

nonfat yoghurt or anything else you like as the non-frozen bit.

I've never added sweetener, although I do put in a little frozen

pineapple, figuring that will make anything super sweet! With other

things if they need sweetening, I do put in one date, but haven't

needed it in the "ice creams".

I can't answer the fresh date question because I'm in Aus and the

answer will be different for the US.

Fiona

On 23/03/2011 10:07 AM, Bette Holzer wrote:

I need

some information about mangos. I read someone’s

post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at

the store today I decided to

buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found

myself facing a decision –

they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were

two kinds? The

yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were

hard as a rock, so I opted

for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat.

So, can the mango experts

here tell me what is the difference between yellow

and red, and which is

preferred?

Also, I

read in other posts that dates are a good natural

sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good

nutrients. But dates are dried,

or processed, right? The produce-specialty store I

was at had only dried dates,

and also only dried figs. Can someone explain where

fresh dates and figs can be

found?

I’m on

a diet, so I’m trying to learn to eat new

foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and

low in calories. Any

suggestions will be appreciated.

Also,

I’ve read some of your ideas for making ice

cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if

it can be made without fruit

juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be

made with Carnation nonfat

dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that

calls for that. What I’d

like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using

only fruit, a sweetener (I

do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the

dry milk, water

or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe?

One

more thing – is it possible to make an “ice

cream†using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened

baking chocolate with a

sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding

mix?

Have I

used up my quota of questions? (oops, that’s another

question!)

Bette

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my

question about mangos, dates and ice cream! I still don’t know where to buy

fresh dates or if there even is such a thing – but I’ll Google it and hopefully

find out. J

Bette

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 4:57

PM

;

victorianistnerd@...

Subject: Re:

mango? dates? ice cream?

The only thing I'm (sorta) qualified to

comment on are mangoes--there are MANY different types, not just two. And the

best thing to do is some online research--some are sweeter, some are more

fibrous, some have more palatable flesh, are juicier, etc. In my neck of the

woods, we now get them from India

when they're in season; some of these varieties are supposed to be sublime but

I haven't sampled them as yet.

-----Original

Message-----

From: Bette Holzer

<betteholzer@...>

;

nistnerd <victorianistnerd@...>

Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2011 7:07 pm

Subject: mango? dates? ice cream?

I need some information about

mangos. I read someone’s post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at the

store today I decided to buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found

myself facing a decision – they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were

two kinds? The yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were hard as a rock,

so I opted for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat. So, can the

mango experts here tell me what is the difference between yellow and red, and

which is preferred?

Also, I read in other posts that

dates are a good natural sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good

nutrients. But dates are dried, or processed, right? The produce-specialty

store I was at had only dried dates, and also only dried figs. Can someone

explain where fresh dates and figs can be found?

I’m on a diet, so I’m trying to

learn to eat new foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and low in

calories. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Also, I’ve read some of your ideas

for making ice cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if it can be

made without fruit juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be made with

Carnation nonfat dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that calls for

that. What I’d like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using only fruit,

a sweetener (I do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the dry milk,

water or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe?

One more thing – is it possible to

make an “ice cream” using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened baking chocolate

with a sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding mix?

Have I used up my quota of

questions? (oops, that’s another question!)

[Guest guest]

Oh, there's definitely such a thing! I bought some in Chinatown a few summers ago but never got around to using them and ended up having to toss them. It seems, though, that I recall someone here having posted that they'd tried them and was underwhelmed.

mango? dates? ice cream?

I need some information about mangos. I read someone’s post that mangos are high in nutrients, so when at the store today I decided to buy one and see if my family and I like it. I found myself facing a decision – they had yellow mangos and red – who knew there were two kinds? The yellow ones were somewhat soft while the reds were hard as a rock, so I opted for a yellow one, thinking it was more ready to eat. So, can the mango experts here tell me what is the difference between yellow and red, and which is preferred?

Also, I read in other posts that dates are a good natural sweetener in smoothies, plus they contain good nutrients. But dates are dried, or processed, right? The produce-specialty store I was at had only dried dates, and also only dried figs. Can someone explain where fresh dates and figs can be found?

I’m on a diet, so I’m trying to learn to eat new foods that are not dried, are high in nutrients and low in calories. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Also, I’ve read some of your ideas for making ice cream in the VM, but I am interested in knowing if it can be made without fruit juice (such as grape). And someone said it can be made with Carnation nonfat dry milk powder, but I can’t find a recipe that calls for that. What I’d like to do is make sorbets and maybe ice cream using only fruit, a sweetener (I do use artificial – don’t shoot me), and either the dry milk, water or maybe nonfat yogurt. Is there such a recipe?

One more thing – is it possible to make an “ice cream†using Greek yogurt and maybe unsweetened baking chocolate with a sweetener, or yogurt with SF FF chocolate pudding mix?

Have I used up my quota of questions? (oops, that’s another question!)

..

[Guest guest]

I could only find dried dates at local stores (and they didn't work well!) until I found some in the bulk section at Whole Foods.  Do you have one of those nearby?  I know I've seen on a blog that some can get non-dried dates at their regular grocery store, but I haven't found any.  

I know you can get them online too.  Here is one place: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/dates/Hope that helps!

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM, Bette Holzer <betteholzer@...> wrote:

Thanks to everyone who replied to my

question about mangos, dates and ice cream! I still don’t know where to buy

fresh dates or if there even is such a thing – but I’ll Google it and hopefully

find out. J

 

Bette

[Guest guest]

The ones I buy are very juicy and nice and work well in smoothies or

to sweeten nut milk etc.  They are labelled Medjool dates

(organic).  They are much nicer then ones in the packet at the

supermarket.  I buy them either in the fresh food (fruit and veg)

section of one of our supermarkets here (the other main one doesn't

have them) or from an organic nuts and seeds stall at a market.

Fiona

On 23/03/2011 5:00 PM, Kimble wrote:

 

I could only find dried dates at local stores (and they

didn't work well!) until I found some in the bulk section

at Whole Foods.  Do you have one of those nearby?  I know

I've seen on a blog that some can get non-dried dates at

their regular grocery store, but I haven't found any.  

I know you can get them online too.  Here is one

place: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/dates/

Hope that helps!

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM,

Bette Holzer <betteholzer@...>

wrote:

Thanks

to everyone who replied to my

question about mangos, dates and ice cream!

I still don’t know where to buy

fresh dates or if there even is such a thing

– but I’ll Google it and hopefully

find out. J

 

Bette

[Guest guest]

Fiona,You are so right, Medjool dates are just divine. They taste so decadent and sweet and dreamy - they could quite possibly be my favourite treat. Hmmm, now I am craving one.....or two!

Niki GloverCentral Coast, NSW, Australia

On 23 March 2011 19:32, Fiona <fiona.k@...> wrote:

 

The ones I buy are very juicy and nice and work well in smoothies or

to sweeten nut milk etc.  They are labelled Medjool dates

(organic).  They are much nicer then ones in the packet at the

supermarket.  I buy them either in the fresh food (fruit and veg)

section of one of our supermarkets here (the other main one doesn't

have them) or from an organic nuts and seeds stall at a market.

Fiona

On 23/03/2011 5:00 PM, Kimble wrote:

 

I could only find dried dates at local stores (and they

didn't work well!) until I found some in the bulk section

at Whole Foods.  Do you have one of those nearby?  I know

I've seen on a blog that some can get non-dried dates at

their regular grocery store, but I haven't found any.  

I know you can get them online too.  Here is one

place: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/dates/

Hope that helps!

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM,

Bette Holzer <betteholzer@...>

wrote:

Thanks

to everyone who replied to my

question about mangos, dates and ice cream!

I still don’t know where to buy

fresh dates or if there even is such a thing

– but I’ll Google it and hopefully

find out. J

 

Bette

[Guest guest]

,

I do have a Whole Foods nearby – thanks for

the idea!

Bette

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Kimble

Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011

11:01 PM

Subject: Re:

mango? dates? ice cream?

I could

only find dried dates at local stores (and they didn't work well!) until I

found some in the bulk section at Whole Foods. Do you have one of those

nearby? I know I've seen on a blog that some can get non-dried dates at

their regular grocery store, but I haven't found any.

I know you can get them online too. Here is one place: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/dates/

Hope that helps!

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM, Bette Holzer

<betteholzer@...>

wrote:

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question about mangos, dates

and ice cream! I still don’t know where to buy fresh dates or if there even is

such a thing – but I’ll Google it and hopefully find out. J

Bette

[Guest guest]

Lea Ann used dates a lot before she switched to stevia. Now personally, I don't like to use dates because you have to pit them and they just never seem to blend smooth enough for me. HOWEVER, I've been using date sugar for years. It's just commercially produced dehydrated dates that have been ground to powder--very free-flowing and unfortunately not cheap. But you don't need much and it blends really well. I just bought a bag of NOW (which I've used in the past)--they're all pretty much the same except, it would seem, Bob's Red Mill. I recently read customer reviews on Amazon to the effect that it was hard as a rock and wouldn't blend. I've never tried it nor even seen it for sale here but I'd avoid it or any other brand that seems hard in the bag.

Re: mango? dates? ice cream?

I could only find dried dates at local stores (and they didn't work well!) until I found some in the bulk section at Whole Foods. Do you have one of those nearby? I know I've seen on a blog that some can get non-dried dates at their regular grocery store, but I haven't found any.

I know you can get them online too. Here is one place: http://www.nutsonline.com/driedfruit/dates/

Hope that helps!

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 9:23 PM, Bette Holzer <betteholzer@...> wrote:

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question about mangos, dates and ice cream! I still don’t know where to buy fresh dates or if there even is such a thing – but I’ll Google it and hopefully find out. J

Bette

[Guest guest]

Bette and Fiona, I buy the organic Medjool dates also, but I get them at CostCo (they don't always have them). SO fresh and sensuously delicious. You don't even have to soak them first for use in a smoothie. But I consider these the top of the line, so I just eat them out of hand. Other dates work fine in smoothies if you soak them first (I usually do this overnight - in the same soaking as almonds for almond milk). I think someone here said that's a no-no, but I don't know why.Peggy

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Peggy!

Bette

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Peggy Rodgers

Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011

1:22 PM

Subject: Re:

mango? dates? ice cream?

Bette

and Fiona, I buy the organic Medjool dates also, but I get them at CostCo (they

don't always have them). SO fresh and sensuously delicious. You don't even have

to soak them first for use in a smoothie. But I consider these the top of the

line, so I just eat them out of hand. Other dates work fine in smoothies if you

soak them first (I usually do this overnight - in the same soaking as almonds

for almond milk). I think someone here said that's a no-no, but I don't know

why.

Peggy