Merry Christmas to me…
For Christmas, my parents bought me a Vitamix. If you have one of these babies…you know how I feel right now.
I never knew how much I needed/wanted/desired/craved/adored a blender until this little gem made its way into my kitchen. Yes, they’re very expensive (which is why I never bought one for myself) but now after using mine every single day for almost a month, I can testify that they are absolutely amazing. They’re unlike any blender you’ve ever had before. People…this thing can make everything from ice cream to hot soup. Yes! It has a freezing and a heating mechanism! And the best part, it self cleans.
Yes. That’s right. Self cleans.
As in…you hit a button and it cleans itself. No hand washing or dish washing. Ever.
If my house catches on fire, you will find me across the street holding my children in one arm and my Vitamix in the other (hopefully, Andrew will remember to get the dog…).
Every morning when I make my smoothie, I have been snapping quick little picture and jotting down the ingredients. From time to time, I will post my little concoctions here for you guys to make too. Since it’s 6:15 am on these days, these aren’t fab photos, they’re quick i-Phone pics…so be warned.
I’m totally loving the smoothies right now!
I add a lot of ice to my smoothies because I like them really cold and the consistency of a milk shake. But if you want your smoothie to be more like a liquid you could drink through a straw, eliminate the ice or just add a piece or two. Other tips at the bottom!
Layer 1 scoop of Vanilla Whey Protein, 1 handful of spinach, 1/2 a frozen banana, 1 handful of blueberries, 1 Granny Smith Apple (cut into 4 chunks without seeds), a big splash of almond milk and a cup of ice. Blend.
This one was so good that I drank half before remembering to take a picture :). It’s one scoop of Chocolate Whey Protein, 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter, 1/2 a frozen banana, a big splash of almond milk and a cup of ice. Blend.
1 cup of frozen blackberries, 1 frozen banana, a big splash of almond milk and ice. Blend.
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, 4 big slices of cucumber, 1 celery stalk, 1/2 a frozen banana, a big splash of almond milk and ice. Blend.
4 slices of cucumber, 1 stalk of celery, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup frozen coconut, a big splash of almond milk, and ice. Blend.
1 scoop of Vanilla Whey Protein, 1/2 cup of frozen blackberries, 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, one big handful of spinach, a big splash of almond milk and ice. Blend.
I like adding a big scoop of Whey Protein (found at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe and other places like that) to my smoothies because it adds great flavor and wonderful protein. However, sometimes, I’ll eat a piece of toast with almond butter and have a veggie smoothie on the side instead.
Freezing bananas is a great way to keep them for longer periods of time! When I get home from the grocery store, I cut each banana I have in half and place it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in my freezer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I put all of the frozen banana halves in a big freezer bag and keep them in the freezer all week for smoothie making. They last up to two weeks in the fridge!
Frozen and fresh fruit work well in smoothies. Some fruit like blackberries are just staples in my freezer while others like strawberries and pineapple are staples in my fridge. Mix and match them according to what your family will eat. I love, love, love frozen coconut! It’s right there in your freezer section at the grocery store.
I really don’t eat a lot of dairy. And if I’m going to have some…I want it in my latte or as cheese on my supper…so when making smoothies I use almond or coconut milk instead. Both are delicious! They both come flavored (chocolate, vanilla, etc) but I find that the basic unflavored versions works best for smoothies because it doesn’t compete with the other flavors.
Let me know what you like to throw in your smoothies! I would love to know!!
Happy drinking!
