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# Keeping you on the go
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/keeping-you-on-the-go/
- Published: 2008-09-04T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T00:52:48.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Amanda Cushman Simple Real Food*

I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GET my vitamins and minerals without having to necessarily eat them in the form of food. I don’t have time when I am running out the door to the gym or for a bike ride to eat something nor do I want to have food in my stomach right before exercising, so I have discovered a few products that can substitute for food and give you energy without caffeine or added sugar.

One of the drinks I have recently discovered is carpe diem kombucha ice tea and often drink it instead of water. It is a delicious blend of hibiscus bloom, rose hips, blackberry leaf, elder bloom, peppermint lefaf, lemon balm leaf and other herbs. Carpe diem kombucha’s unique fermentation gives this complex tea a slightly fruity taste.

As a bit of background information, since kombucha was discovered around 200 B.C. as the “immortal health elixir” to the Qin Dynasty in China, this ancient tea has been associated with a holistic sense of well being and inner harmony between mind and body. With the trend gaining steam, many companies are jumping on board to create their own kombucha tea-based drinks made from this ancient elixir. Still, Whole Foods currently carries eight different brands of kombucha based drinks.

Fermented with pro-biotic-rich lactobacilli on a base of herbal tea, Carpe Diem kombucha’s active enzyme culture is believed to stimulate the metabolism, increase blood circulation and strengthen the immune system.

When I am on the go and rushing around, water is not always enough for me. Sometimes I need that boost of energy but don’t want caffeine or sugar as this leaves me feeling down within an hour.

Emergen-C is another great product which can be added to water as a flavoring and you can then get your vitamin C in without taking it in pill form. It can also be mixed into a smoothie with fresh fruit and is delicious.

Available in most markets and food stores, Emergen-C is available in a large variety of flavors such as lemon, tangerine, super orange and cranberry.

I often carry it with me when I travel to insure I have a healthy amount of C in my system.

I have a friend who recently completed a triathlon and introduced me to Shot Blok chews which are a semi-solid, easily chewable source of carbohydrates, your body’s preferred source of fuel during activity Made by the company that makes CLIF bars, the bloks are all about delivering great-tasting, scientifically-backed products to performance athletes. In other words, energy food can taste great and be made from good-for-the-planet ingredients.

Amanda’s Favorite Smoothie Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 packet of Emergen C fruit flavored powder 1 1/2 cups organic Almond milk 1 scoop protein powder 1 cup frozen organic fruit such as blueberries, strawberries or mixed fruit 1 ripe banana Procedure: Blend the above in a blender until smooth and pour into two glasses. Serve cold.

All of the Shot Blok chews contain at least 70 mg of sodium and 20mg of potassium per serving (3 pieces). Shot Blok chews were designed for endurance athletes like cyclists, runners, mountain bikers, triath-letes, adventure racers who were looking for increased eating options in their sports nutrition products. I must confess they are yummy and have a texture like Gummy Bears, so they are quite enjoyable.

I am not some kind of health freak, but I do like to get out there and exercise, and find mornings are the time to get it done.

I am not someone who enjoys eating when I just got up so if I am going to work out in whatever form, I often make a smoothie before leaving the house or enjoy one of the products mentioned above.

Here’s how to make a smoothie of your own to keep you going.

AMANDA CUSHMAN is a culinary educator who has cooked professionally for 25 years. She teaches privately for groups of two to 20 students. She has developed hundreds of recipes for cookbooks as well as food magazines and Web sites. She

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 4, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/090408.pdf?ref=smdp.com)