Thirsty Dudes

The first thing I noticed about this was the kind of odd packaging, it being in a small carton, with a screw top lid, kind of like a medium sized orange juice container.  Upon opening, I was please that this wasn’t like a mango nectar (which tends to be heavy, and overly sugary), it passed the smell test, and it was a nice orange color. All seemed well, and at first it was, the initial taste was awesome, until I swallowed it.  Then came a strange mild body odor taste(which you can get with a unripe mango).  As I continued to drink it, the taste got more and more powerful.  I really wanted to like this, I just couldn’t get over the after taste.  It has hints of grape and peach, which doesn’t help the taste at all. Its only plus is that it’s cheap (about a dollar), but I still have half of it left and its been a week and a half. I would pass on this if I were you.

Warning: do not take a big sip of this the first time you try it.  You will be in for a big surprise as the strong taste of lemon juice stings your tongue and singes your insides all the way down until it settles into your stomach.  If you have ever drank pure lemon juice, then you know the feeling I’m talking about.

That being said, Columbia Gorge knows how to make a good lemonade. If you like yours extra tart, then this one is for you.  It’s sweetened with agave syrup, which i’ve never seen before but I welcome the change.  It really lets the lemon in the lemonade shine through when it’s not loaded with sugar.

I have yet to meet a cream soda I have not liked.  Luckily, Natural Brew’s Vanilla Creme Soda does not break my streak.  As the name states, it has a strong vanilla flavor that sits on the tongue very nicely.  One really nice thing about Natural Brew is they use evaporated cane juice as a sweetener.  Cane juice is processed much less than sugar, therefore it retains a lot more of the naturally occurring nutrients in the sugar cane.

Natural Brew is manufactured and distributed by Smucker Quality Beverages (yes, the same Smucker’s that makes jam).  I’m holding out for a peanut butter and jelly soda.
Other Blogs’ Take:

• Weird Soda Review
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I am on a smoothie kick.  Breakfast: smoothie.  Afternoon snack: smoothie.  Midnight snack: why, smoothie, of course.

Since I choose to abstain from animal products, my smoothies have no choice but to follow suit.  I am, after all, their ruling master.  Queen of blender-button-smooching.

Some fun things I have been adding to smoothies are:

• Frozen coconut water! Coconut water is a naturally isotonic, which means it helps to replenish electrolytes.  Just pour some into an ice cube tray and stick it in the freezer, and a few hours later you’ll have a perfectly icy smoothie base.
• Soy yogurt! I especially like Nancy’s brand, which is made locally in Eugene, OR.  It’s full of active culture’s, which is good news for your guts.  Pick some fun flavors, or go with the big bulk tub of  exciting and delicious “plain” in order to save some cash.
• Agave nectar! Need some extra sweet?  Berries and bananas just not kickin’ it?  Agave nectar is nature’s answer to your woes.   It’s glycemic index is much lower than most other forms of sugar and it’s tasty too!
• Hemp milk! Thicken things up with a good dose of all kind of vitamins, minerals, omega-6s and omega-3s.  Hemp milk is usually available in chocolate flavor (along with plain and vanilla), which is always good news.
• Cashews! Throw in a handful of cashews first, to make sure they are properly pulverized (this is a SMOOTHie, after all).  They’ll make your smoothie thicker and, more importantly, yummier.
• Flax oil! A lot of the vitamins you’ll be loading yourself full of in your smoothie drinking glory are fat soluble.  Flax oil is full of the ever-elusive Omega-3s.  It also boasts fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it perhaps the perfect fat to complement your smoothie.  Throw in a tablespoon and you won’t even know it’s there.
• Greens! Spinach! Kale! Wheat grass, if you want to be fancy!  Throw some in!
• Dates! Dates sweeten things up, a lot like agave, but with the added benefit of being full of fiber.  They’re also a natural energy booster, and the best natural source of potassium.  Add one or two whole dates to the mix for a quick pick-me-up.
• Silken tofu! Tofu is a great way to add some protein.  A quarter of a brick of silken tofu works perfectly in a one-serving smoothie.  If it seems to thick, add some hemp milk or coconut water.  Plain old water will do the trick, too.
• Frozen juice! Pomegranate and cranberry are my personal favorites, but any sort will work fine.   Just pour into ice cube trays and wait for it to freeze.  Lemonade also works great for this.  Another option is already-frozen juice concentrates, especially on hot days when there’s no time to wait for the freezer to do its magic.

The possibilities are endless!  Getting creative is half of the fun of smoothies.  Here’s a basic recipe you can elaborate on to your heart’s content.  You’ll need a blender, of course.

Basic Smoothie

4 cubes of ice

A handful of berries, or any other fruit (fresh or frozen, any variety)

1/2 banana

1/2 cup soy yogurt

Blend blend blend.

On first sip, Blue Sky Cola is a lot lighter than most colas.  It also lacks the sharp bitter taste that Coke and Pepsi have, which might please people who don’t normally like cola for that reason.  This may be due to the fact that Blue Sky uses real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, or possibly the lack of caffeine (which is uncommon among colas).

Blue Sky is owned by Hansen Natural Corporation (who also make Hansen Natural sodas).  These two brands seem to be the most prominent canned natural sodas so it’s interesting to see that they’re owned by the same company.

Overall, this is one of the best cola’s I’ve had recently.  The smooth taste and lack of high fructose corn syrup really puts it ahead of the rest.  Though the lack of caffeine throws me off as I usually associated coffee and colas with caffeine.

Other Blogs’ Take:

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