Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor Review

The Green Girl's Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

The Green Girl purchased a Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor 67650 a couple of months ago to replace an older model Hamilton Beach juicer.

When I initially researched juicers, I was overwhelmed. The majority of consumers judged the appliances based on efficacy and ease of cleaning.

I discovered there are two types of juicers: masticating and centrifugal.

Masticating juicers are more expensive and use a single gear or auger that breaks up the fruit and vegetable fibers, resulting in more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals in the juice. Centrifugal juicers spin at high speeds, grind the fruits and vegetables, and then force the juice away from the pulp.

The Green Girl's first 400 watt Hamilton Beach HealthSmart Juice Extractor

I ultimately purchased a Hamilton Beach juicer because I wasn't willing to make the financial investment in a masticating juicer. I got my first juicer at Kmart for $34.99.

After 5 years or so, the blades became dull and the time came to replace the unit so without hesitation, I purchased the newest Hamilton Beach model.

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor 67650 Overview

• Retail price $79.99
• 9.3 x 13 x 16 inches
• 3-inch wide chute
• 8.8 pounds
• 800 watt motor
• Dishwasher safe parts
• Includes recipes, tips, juicing cup, and cleaning brush
• One year limited warranty

Making Apple Carrot Ginger juice with the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

In comparison to my old 400 watt HealthSmart Juice Extractor, the 800 watt Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor is a beast.

I love the wider chute because I don't have to spend as much time chopping up fruits and vegetables.

Disassembling the unit after use is straightforward. Since I tend to juice a few times a week, I've streamlined the process. The key is to washing the five pieces as soon as you are done so the pulp doesn't dry up and become difficult to remove.

Disassembling Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor cutter/strainer

I immediately rinse each component under hot water, starting with the pusher and the chute cover.

The cutter/strainer screen is tricky to remove because you need to pinch the rim and rotate it until it comes loose. I rinse it and then place it in the sink.

Next, I rinse the separator with the juice sprout. I don't wash the bin until after I've deposited the pulp into my compost bin.

Washing Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

Once all the components have been rinsed, I wash them with dishsoap and a sponge.

Since I've already rinsed with hot water, all the juice and pulp has already been removed.

I always leave the cutter/strainer screen for last.

Taking apart Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

I start by rubbing the inside of the round screen with the sponge, avoiding the blades in the center.

Then, I rub the outside. Finally, I carefully use a corner of the sponge to remove any remaining bits of pulp.

I've gotten to the point where I can wash the fruits and/or vegetables, chop, juice, and wash the juicer in about 15 minutes.

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

I love being able to make fresh juices at home and experimenting with ingredients is a lot of fun.

If you are on the market for an reasonably priced centrifugal juicers, I highly recommend the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor.

ING Runner's Nation - ING Class of 2012

The Green Girl's running coach, Steve Mackel, has been chosen to be an ambassador for the ING New York City Marathon ING Runner's Nation ING Class of 2012.

The ING New York City Marathon ING Runner's Nation is a virtual community for runners. Coach Steve and three other running bloggers will be the official Hosts for the interactive ING Runner's Nation.

The RNG Runner's Nation Hosts were chosen to represent the diversity of the running community.

According to New York City Marathon officials, 50% of the marathon participants are from outside of the US.

Coach Steve from SoCalRunning.com is the Coach. Monica from Run Eat Repeat is the Foodie. Dave from Run Like A Clydesdale is the Clydesdale. Jen from Mad Cool Fitness is the New York City Local.

The ING Runner's Nation ING Class of 2012 hosts: Monica from Run Eat Repeat, Dave from Run Like A Clydesdale, Jen from Mad Cool Fitness, and Coach Steve from SoCalRunning.com

The running hosts recently spent three days in New York City filming footage for the ING Runner's Nation web series.

Coach Steve will have the opportunity to share his some of his expertise and personal experiences through weekly webisodes.

In addition to offering support and advice in the ING Runner's Nation forum, Coach Steve will also train 50 ING Runner's Nation runners virtually through his Sole Runners training program.

Behind the scenes: Coach Steve from SoCalRunning.com filming a yoga segment

Coach Steve is currently training for Mt. Baldy Run-to-the-Top, Malibu Triathlon, Berlin Marathon, Long Beach Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon.

If you see Coach Steve at any of these races, stop by and let him know you're a friend of The Running Green Girl.

Here's Coach Steve's introductory video:



If you would like to join the ING Runner's Nation, simply 'Like' them on Facebook or 'Follow' them on Twitter using hashtags #ingclassof2012‬ ‪#ingnycm‬ ‪#ingnation‬.

If you would like to follow Coach Steve, you may 'Friend' him on Facebook or 'Follow' him on Twitter.

The Green Girl's Beef 101 Class

The Green Girl attended her first formal cooking class, Simple Gourmet Beef 101.

The course, taught by Founder/Chef Melanie Barsuk, covered USDA grades, the cuts of beef in the United States, and cooking techniques.

Simple Gourmet Beef 101

USDA Grades

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors assign a grade to each beef carcass during processing based on the meat's maturity and level of fat marbling. These factors are good indicators of the meat's tenderness and flavor.

USDA Beef Grade	Description
	The highest grade of meat containing the greatest degree of marbling. Higher priced because it is produced in very limited quantities. (Blue packaging at Costco)
	Grade that is generally sold at retail stores. Preferred because it contains sufficient marbling for taste and tenderness but is less costly than Prime.
	Lower-priced grade of meat with less marbling than Choice. Do not buy and do not be fooled by 'fancy names'.

She warned us many grocery stores will try to hide the fact that they are selling Select Grade meat by giving it a fancy name. For example, Von's only carries Select Grade meat but refers to it as 'Rancher's Reserve'.

Primal Cuts

Simple Gourmet Beef 101: Primal Cuts

A primal is one of the eight cuts of meat from the carcass during butchering:

1. Chuck
2. Brisket/Shank
3. Rib
4. Plate
5. Loin
6. Flank
7. Sirloin
8. Round

It is helpful to understand from what part of the carcass each primal cut originates because the frequently used muscles of the animal will yield tougher meat. The most exercised muscle and toughest part of the steer is the shoulder (chuck). The second most exercised part is the round which contains a mixture of tough and fairly tender meat. The rib and loin muscles are worked the least and are the most tender and most expensive.

The primal cuts are further broken down into subprimal cuts and then into portions known as fabricated cuts. These cut names may vary by region so when buying beef focus on the primal cut.

When shopping, you want the raw beef to be a light, rosy color. Dark meat is an indication of an old cow. Avoid packages containing excessive blood (purge) which may be a sign of dry/cottony meat.

Simple Gourmet Beef 101

Beef Cooking Techniques

We learned it's important to allow frozen meat to thaw to room temperature before cooking.

Chef Melanie recommended a combination of dry (stove) and moist (oven) heat for cooking protein. When BBQing, grilling is dry heat but closing the lid changes it to moist.

She recommended a Finger Test to identify the degrees of doneness. The meat will gradually get firmer as it cooks. To gauge how well done the beef is, poke the center of the steak and then use the comparison table below:

Touch Test Steak Cooking Chart
Rare	Will feel like the fleshy part of your palm right below the thumb when your palm is open
Medium	Will feel like the fleshy part of your palm right below the thumb when your middle finger and thumb touch like an OK sign
Well Done	Will feel like your forehead

Simple Gourmet Beef 101 with Chef Melanie

At the conclusion of our class, Chef Melanie brought out some weekly grocery store ads and asked quizzed us about the advertised sales.

By focusing on USDA Grade and primal cut, we were able to look past the confusing names and identify quality cuts.

Wrigley River Run 10k Race Report

Wrigley River Run & Tadpole Trot

The Green Girl did the Wrigley River Run 10k on Saturday, June 2nd.

The proceeds from this event benefited the Long Beach Neighborhood Foundation (LBNF) to support educational and athletic events and programs for local youth.

Wrigley River Run sponsors

My running group, the Sole Runners, was one of the race sponsors.

The event consisted of a 10k run/walk, a 5k run/walk (with an official stroller start), and a 1k Tadpole Trot.

The 10k started an hour before the 5k so runners who could finish the 10k in time were given the option to run both races.

Sole Runners at the Wrigley River Run

Wrigley River Run 10k

The route went through the residential Wrigley district of Long Beach with one switchback up and back down the concrete Los Angeles riverbed.

The course was well marked and there were many enthusiastic volunteers to guide and cheer participants.

Sole Runner LeAnn heading up onto the Los Angeles riverbed

I've been dealing with Achilles tendon bursitis (retrocalcaneal bursitis) in my right heel so my strategy was to take it easy and listen to my body.

The switchback nature of the course enabled me to cheer on Sole Runners who were racing towards the Finish as I was still heading out.

Wrigley River Run 1k Tadpole Trot

For me, the 1k Tadpole Trot is the highlight of the Wrigley River Run.

I love watching the kids sprint from the Starting Line.

The overall male and female winners of the 5k and 10k races were awarded gift certificates for a pair of shoes from Road Runner Sports.

The top 3 male and female in 14 age categories received medals.


The top male and female for the combined 5k/10k received trophies.

Wrigley River Run Medals

A number of Sole Runners, including Coach Steve placed in their respective age divisions.

Despite achieving a Personal Worst for the distance, I had a really good time at one of my favorite races.

The Green Girl's Ragnar So Cal Race Report

The Green Girl participated in her first relay this weekend as a member of the Ragnar So Cal team '12 peas in a pod'.

The 203.5 mile Ragnar So Cal course was divided into 36 legs of varying difficulty and distances between 3-11 miles, with designed exchange points. The teams consisted of 6-12 individuals split evenly into two vans.

Ragnar So Cal Course Map For teams of 12, Van 1 contains runners 1-6 and Van 2 contains runners 7-12. Van 1 Runner #1 begins at the starting line. Once the race starts, Van 1 goes to the first exchange point where runner #2 will prepare to run. Runners from Van 1 continue to run in order up to exchange point 6; this is the first major exchange in the race. At exchange 6, Van 2 should be waiting. At this point, runner #6 from Van 1 will hand the slap bracelet off to runner #7 from Van 2. Then, Van 2 continues along the race course rotating runners until the next major exchange point, exchange 12, where they will hand off to Van 1 again. This pattern continues until the Finish.

Each team registration cost $1,260 and a portion benefited the San Diego chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training. There were an estimated 550 teams participating in this year's event. Many teams dressed up in costumes and decorated their vans according to their group theme.

Team 12 peas in a pod comprised Sole Runners and friends of Sole Runners:

1. Hector - Legs: 1, 13, 25
2. Phil - Legs: 2, 14, 26
3. Steven- Legs: 3, 15, 27
4. Anna - Legs: 4, 16, 28
5. Sandra - Legs: 5, 17, 29
6. Jamie - Legs: 6, 18, 30
7. Jose - Legs: 7, 19, 31
8. Sarah (Team Captain)- Legs: 8, 20, 32
9. Mary - Legs: 9, 21, 33
10. Russ -Legs: 10, 22, 34
11. Felicia - Legs: 11, 23, 35
12. Suze- Legs: 12, 24, 36

Prior to the relay, each team plugged their respective 10k paces into a Ragnar calculator and the results determined the start and estimated finish time.

Loading up 12 peas in a pod Van 1

12 peas in a pod's official pace was a 10:30 minute mile (all teams must average an 11:00 minute mile or less). We were assigned a 5:00 am race start and our estimated finish was 5:30 pm the following evening.

Technically, Van 2 does not need to wake up for the early start but us peas are team players so we all met up at 3:00 am to load up our vans and see Van 1 off.

12 peas in a pod Van 1 Runner #1 Hector is ready to go

After the requisite Van 1 safety check to verify headlamps, reflective vests, flashing lights, and first aid kit, our first runner, Hector, lined up at the first wave Start.

We all cheered Hector on and then Van 2 wished Van 1 the best of luck before heading off to get some breakfast.

12 peas in a pod Van 2 Safety Check

It was starting to warm up by the time the first hand-off from Van 1 to Van 2 took place at Exchange 6 where Jamie handed the slap bracelet off to Jose.

In anticipation of the heat, we all started increasing our hydration intake and supplementing with electrolyte capsules.

The Green Girl and 12 peas in a pod Team Captain Sarah at Exchange 7

At Exchange 8, Team Captain Sarah handed off to me and I headed out into the heat for my first leg.

I did my best to ration the two 10 ounce bottles of sports drink and water attached to my Nathan Trail Mix hydration belt but when I noticed other runners struggling without hydration, I offered them sips which they gratefully accepted.

It was after my first leg that I fell head over heels in love with Target up & up Sensitive Skin Wipes. I felt like a whole new Green Girl after I wiped my entire body with those amazing wipes.

Team Captain Sarah bogarted a random hose to cool runners off as they ran by

As the heat reached unbearable temperatures, runners switched from competitive to survival mode.

We kept a close eye on our runners and when we spotted someone that looked like they were struggling, we would offer them water or sports drink.

At one point, we spotted a runner from Team #179 stumbling and suffering from heat stroke. We quickly pulled her into the van, gave her electrolytes, and did our best to cool her until we were able to get her to a medic and locate her team.

Team #203 'Yeah... I work out!' Van 2

Suze completed the blistering Leg 12 and we handed the bracelet back off to Van 1.

Grateful for a reprieve from the heat, we stopped for some dinner and then crashed in the parking lot of a middle school in Temecula to catch some shut eye before our night legs.

12 peas in a pod runners Hector, Steven, and Jose at Exchange 12

Sleep was not an option for me as I was still wired from the caffeine from the cup and a half of coffee I'd had at breakfast. I just lay on a surprisingly comfortable inflatable sleeping pad on the sidewalk and stared up at the constellations.

After the scorching day runs, Van 2 was looking forward to the night legs. When we reached Exchange 12, we were ready to tally up more 'roadkills' and make up for lost time.

Tallied roadkills on 'My third leg is very hard and long' van

Tallying up roadkills on the side of the team van are a Ragnar tradition and each hash indicates a runner you passed.

Since our vans were not decorated, we kept a mental running list of tally marks.

I felt good as I headed out for my second leg but everyone was so much faster than me that time and time again, I ended up being the roadkill.

Caution Runners on Road

It was morning when Suze finished up Leg 24 and we handed back off to Van 1 at Exchange 24.

Van 2 decided to go all out so we hit up the breakfast buffet at an upscale hotel. The omelette station made my day.

Exchange 30

After filling up our tummies, we crashed in the parking lot of a nearby park. Over 24 hours later, the caffeine had finally worn off and I passed out.

Exchange 30 was the last van hand off. Van 1 was officially done as soon as Jamie finished her leg and Van 2's Jose ran out.

The Green Girl with a Ragnar So Cal Chicken

On my last leg, I inadvertently stopped Mr. Green Garmin and lost track of time and distance.

For some reason, with no point of reference, I suddenly decided I had only gone 2 miles and was averaging a 15 minute mile. I called Team Captain Sarah to apologize for my dismal performance and felt so defeated that I even stopped to get a picture taken with a supportive chicken.

Ragnar So Cal 2012 Finish Line

It turns out I had it all wrong and before I knew it, I spotted a sign indicating there was only a mile left. My team was surprised to see me so soon after my piteous phone call.

With our last runner, Suze, out there on Leg 36, Van 2 headed to the Finish Line to meet up with Van 1 at the beer garden.

Ragnar So Cal 2012 Finishers - 12 peas in a pod

There was a definite sense of accomplishment when our team haphazardly crossed the Finish and we received our giant Ragnar can opener medals.

I want to thank all 12 peas in a pod for an unforgettable experience.

A special thank you goes to our fearless leader, Team Captain Sarah. Without you, this would not have been possible.

Run Drive Sleep? Repeat

Thank you to Hector for keeping it sexy and Steven for your non-stop PR's.

Van 2 - I could not have asked for a better team. Thank you for all the laughs. And I promise to rent Dodgeball so I can pick up on all the references next time.

And a very special thank you to our tireless volunteers, LeAnn, Lynn, and Mary.