How do you create a smoothy?

[AznAnarchy99]

You just have to clean the thing every now and then. We use ours twice daily (wife's smoothie, my smoothie) at least, and so to clean the containers I soak them in hot soapy water on the weekend and rinse. Just like the problem people have with a Keurig growing shit- just freaking keep it clean!

There is literally nothing like a Vitamix. Its power, and finished result is simply amazing. Out of all the categories of kitchen products I have experienced where there is a cheap range of models and the expensive models (like knives, toaster ovens, food processor, juicer, etc.) nothing has the gap of quality like Vitamix/Blendtec and the rest.

If your blender isn't one of those it is crap, I am sorry but its true. Even if the "horse power" (which is always a lie) for your cheap chinese model lines up on their webpage it is not going to blend as nice, not going to have that amazing push to the middle effect. It also won't have all the pieces and container upgrades/replacements on Amazon. The overall experience won't be nearly as nice.

I don't know about Blendtec past the machines, but Vitamix support is amazing. If you have the black stuff problem within the warranty (which is long) they would send you a replacement container without blinking. When my container broke they second day-ed me a new one without question. It really is good warranty for the best kitchen appliance you can buy.

They are so worth the money. We have the travel kit because my wife takes ours on vacation. If mine dies out of warranty I will march down to Costco that day and buy another. They are the key to a perfect smoothie.

Agreed. There is a reason why Starbucks/Jamba Juice uses these blenders.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Nice mason jar lids!

 

[Ksyder]

my quick tips-

-all fruits frozen
-don't use ice, the texture will be grainy
-yogurt (plain) greek preferably
-honey (or other sweetener, I like liquid stevia)
-juice if you want it really sweet
-or enough water to get it to mix
-even frozen spinach is good if you want veggies

A cheaper alternative to vitamix or blendtec is the oster versa- I have one-

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-1400-wat.../dp/B00EO1AQUU


theres a less expensive version of the oster versa in places like walmart that aren't as good but they are cheaper. Also you can use it to make peanut butter, etc. all of the things you can do with a vitamix.

the cheaper one is here-
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-BLSTVB-1...tag=01-2300-20

its ugly but I guess the reviews are positive and its versatile.

 

[Kaido]

Nice mason jar lids!

Thanks! I don't recommend them for storing liquids (the plastic lids, that is), since they do tend to leak a bit, but they're great for flours & seeds and whatnot. I use some of the larger ones for rice & stuff as well:

They do tend to take up quite a bit of space in cupboards due to the jar size, so I still need to figure out a good DIY rack storage system, especially to keep the out of the light since they're clear glass. They do come in a cool blue color now too!

 

[Kaido]

my quick tips-

-all fruits frozen
-don't use ice, the texture will be grainy
-yogurt
-honey (or other sweetener, I like liquid stevia)
-juice if you want it really sweet
-or enough water to get it to mix
-even frozen spinach is good if you want veggies

A cheaper alternative to vitamix or blendtec is the oster versa- I have one-

http://www.amazon.com/Oster-1400-wat.../dp/B00EO1AQUU


theres a less expensive version of the oster versa in places like walmart that aren't as good but they are cheaper. Also you can use it to make peanut butter, etc. all of the things you can do with a vitamix.

the cheaper one is here-
http://www.amazon.com/Oster-BLSTVB-1...tag=01-2300-20

its ugly but I guess the reviews are positive and its versatile.

Wow nice, $129 with 2 on-the-go bottles? Great deal. Nice to see these things getting cheaper!

Oh yeah, as far as fruit smoothies go, my one other tip is don't mix berry types up too much...it gets too seedy. I used to get bags of mixed berries & it would get super gritty, bleh! I've also had good experience with spinach in smoothies, it actually sweetens it up a bit, if you can get past the green color (I think it looks like Slimer, which is hilarious, but a lot of people can't get past that haha).

 

[OverVolt]

milk, sugar, ice, bananas

 

[Ksyder]

I used to get bags of mixed berries & it would get super gritty, bleh!

I know what you mean, happens to me when I used the mixed berries from costco. Don't really mind the seeds too much myself, I kind of like the texture actually.

Nice smoothie guide btw, didn't get to look at it yet as I skimmed the thread earlier.

Also forgot to mention, for the basic fruit smoothie recipe I put up there, if you want to add protein powder, avoid chocolate and stick to vanilla flavor or another complimentary flavor. Made the mistake of buying chocolate. didn't taste good with my usual berry, spinach, yogurt smoothie.

 

[Linux23]

So many ideas in this thread. So many things to try as soon as the precious, er, I mean, my Vitamix arrives.

I can't even sleep right now. First thing I want to try is to pulverize an avocado pit in my smoothie based on a video I saw demoing the Vitamix.

 

[shortylickens]

 

[Linux23]

Wow nice, $129 with 2 on-the-go bottles? Great deal. Nice to see these things getting cheaper!

Oh yeah, as far as fruit smoothies go, my one other tip is don't mix berry types up too much...it gets too seedy. I used to get bags of mixed berries & it would get super gritty, bleh! I've also had good experience with spinach in smoothies, it actually sweetens it up a bit, if you can get past the green color (I think it looks like Slimer, which is hilarious, but a lot of people can't get past that haha).

I don't have my unit yet so I don't know how a high performance blender performs but don't you normally strain your smoothies? I made a smoothie today and mashed the pulp through a strainer then added some protein powder and it was awesome. Do HP blenders negate the use of a strainer because they are so much more powerful than a cheapie blender?

 

[RossMAN]

So many ideas in this thread. So many things to try as soon as the precious, er, I mean, my Vitamix arrives.

I can't even sleep right now. First thing I want to try is to pulverize an avocado pit in my smoothie based on a video I saw demoing the Vitamix.

Congrats and welcome to the club. Where did you purchase from and how much?

 

[Linux23]

Thanks and this. I'm actually really excited to try and make my own soup.

Was going to get it direct from Vitamix, but ordered from Amazon as i'm a Prime member and get free shipping. Paid $10 extra for next day for a total of $462.99.

Not the best deal but since i'm out of work for the next week and a half, I needed a new toy to play with.

 

[RossMAN]

This one? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008H4SLV6/

I know you want instant gratification (and who doesn't?) but have you considered buying from your local CostCo B&M? Assuming you live near one and are a member or know someone who is, they have this same model for $374.99 with a few extras and longer warranty. A few weeks ago they were on sale for $349.99 which might still be available.

 

[Ksyder]

I don't have my unit yet so I don't know how a high performance blender performs but don't you normally strain your smoothies? I made a smoothie today and mashed the pulp through a strainer then added some protein powder and it was awesome. Do HP blenders negate the use of a strainer because they are so much more powerful than a cheapie blender?

some smoothies are so thick they simply aren't going to go through a strainer, especially frozen ones.

 

[Kaido]

Also forgot to mention, for the basic fruit smoothie recipe I put up there, if you want to add protein powder, avoid chocolate and stick to vanilla flavor or another complimentary flavor. Made the mistake of buying chocolate. didn't taste good with my usual berry, spinach, yogurt smoothie.

Yeah, I haven't had too much luck with chocolate. Unflavored is good because then the other ingredients can shine through, but vanilla and cookies & cream are also excellent. Surprisingly, cookies & cream works awesome with a lot of different fruits & fruit juices in smoothies.

 

[Kaido]

I don't have my unit yet so I don't know how a high performance blender performs but don't you normally strain your smoothies? I made a smoothie today and mashed the pulp through a strainer then added some protein powder and it was awesome. Do HP blenders negate the use of a strainer because they are so much more powerful than a cheapie blender?

Right, the good ones actually liquify the ingredients properly, not just mash them up. It's a whole different ballgame! If you strain it, you lose out on all the fiber, which is the whole point of a smoothie - drinking the entire fruit (or vegetable) to get all of the nutritional benefits in a more fun way. You can adjust the liquid ratio in the mix to make the drink thicker or thinner. I like making it just thin enough that I can drink it through a straw. And that's what the plunger is for - when the mix gets too thick or freezes, you can stir it around to improve the consistency. You'll get the hang of it pretty quick!

I'd recommend setting up an Evernote account (if you don't already have one) and creating two folders - one called "My Recipes" (to store your favorite recipes) and another one called "Smoothie Resources" (to store links to recipe websites you come across). Since mentally we see them as "just a blender", it's easy to forget everything they can do & everything you like to make in them, so it's best to write them down somewhere for reference. Here's some more things to put in your list:

Soup recipes

Things you didn't know you could make in a blender

Restaurant-style salsa

I use my blender for other random stuff too. I mix up all of my pancake, waffle, crepe, and tortilla mixes in a few seconds in them. I also blend up my eggs in it for omelets & scrambled eggs, since it makes the whisked eggs super fluffy (protip: add some milk to make it fluffier & creamier when you blend them).

Also, for easy cleanup, right after using it put a squirt of liquid dish soap in the jar (the kind you put on a sponge when hand-washing dishes) and fill it up with a few ounces of water, and run it through a cycle, then just rinse it out in the sink. I keep a folded-up dish towel nearby so I can flip the jar upside down to let it dry...cleanup is a cinch that way, just make it a habit to do that little trick after every use & it will stay clean forever!

I don't know if Vitamixes rattle much on the bottom, but I have cheap laminate countertop and my Blendtec tends to get a bit noisy because it vibrates against it (it's a 1500-watt power tool, whoohoo!), so I put a few squares of corkboard underneath, which helps minimize the sound & vibration on my crappy countertops haha. Also, if no one has told you yet, these high-HP blenders are stupid crazy loud. Find some earplugs for when you run it

 

[Kaido]

Here's a good example of doing bulk make-ahead smoothies in a bag:

http://www.artsychicksrule.com/2014/01/green-smoothies-recipes-tip.html

You can dump all of the ingredients you want into freezer bags & then just grab a different flavor whenever you want to make one. You can just do a healthy mix with some protein & do various fruits & greens to change up the ingredient list, but I'd recommend trying out some different flavors & ratios so that you actually get something good tasting...there's a difference between just blending stuff together, and actually making a good-tasting recipe. The nice thing is that you can whip up a huge stockpile of smoothie kits in like 20 minutes since the only real effort involved is chopping up fruits:

http://www.artsychicksrule.com/wp-c...moothies-packed-and-ready-for-the-freezer.jpg

If you want to make something that is more dessert-oriented, check out the Jamba Juice recipes:

http://www.pinterest.com/explore/jamba-juice/

They use stuff like sherbet & sorbet, so they're more of a treat than a protein drink due to the added sugar.

 

[Kaido]

Thanks and this. I'm actually really excited to try and make my own soup.

Yeah, that's one of the better points of the Vitamix over the Blendtec...the Blendtec says they do soups, but it really only gets lukewarm. It's better to blend it & then throw it in a bowl in the microwave or a pan on the stovetop to heat it up. The Vitamix OTOH actually does a good job of heating the soup up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN1LlWjo2Rs

The downside is you have to listen to it drone on super-loud for 5 minutes, so go watch some Youtube videos in another room during that time :biggrin: And as long as I'm spamming you with links, here's some more ideas for stuff to make:

https://www.vitamix.com/Discover-Vitamix/What-You-Can-Make

 

[RossMAN]

That's actually a very cool (pun intended) idea and huge time saver especially in the morning. Might have to start batch freezin' things.

 

[Linux23]

This one? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008H4SLV6/

I know you want instant gratification (and who doesn't?) but have you considered buying from your local CostCo B&M? Assuming you live near one and are a member or know someone who is, they have this same model for $374.99 with a few extras and longer warranty. A few weeks ago they were on sale for $349.99 which might still be available.

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who is a member and where I live I have to fight so much traffic to get to my closest Costco it wasn't worth me losing my sanity to save the money. Although that is a good dam deal I must admit.

 

[Linux23]

Here's a good example of doing bulk make-ahead smoothies in a bag:

http://www.artsychicksrule.com/2014/01/green-smoothies-recipes-tip.html

You can dump all of the ingredients you want into freezer bags & then just grab a different flavor whenever you want to make one. You can just do a healthy mix with some protein & do various fruits & greens to change up the ingredient list, but I'd recommend trying out some different flavors & ratios so that you actually get something good tasting...there's a difference between just blending stuff together, and actually making a good-tasting recipe. The nice thing is that you can whip up a huge stockpile of smoothie kits in like 20 minutes since the only real effort involved is chopping up fruits:

http://www.artsychicksrule.com/wp-c...moothies-packed-and-ready-for-the-freezer.jpg

If you want to make something that is more dessert-oriented, check out the Jamba Juice recipes:

http://www.pinterest.com/explore/jamba-juice/

They use stuff like sherbet & sorbet, so they're more of a treat than a protein drink due to the added sugar.

That's actually a great idea. Would need to clear off some freezer shelf space from the frozen garbage my daughter and step daughter eats. Maybe I'll be able to convert my family over to eating healthy with me? What size freezer bags are you using Kaido?

 

[BurnItDwn]

I dont understand the smoothie or healthy shake thing. Why not just eat food? unless you have no teeth, or have no mobillity of the mouth and have to be on a liquid diet, why?

 

[Linux23]

Kaido. The mason jar idea is great because I have a dozen 8oz jars and ordered a dozen 16oz jars a while back so now I have a perfect way to use them. Like you I need to find shelf space as my kitchen is dreadfully small.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I dont understand the smoothie or healthy shake thing. Why not just eat food? unless you have no teeth, or have no mobillity of the mouth and have to be on a liquid diet, why?

I think the idea is that its a fast-ish way of eating. Minimal cooking and effort involved.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I use my blender for other random stuff too. I mix up all of my pancake, waffle, crepe, and tortilla mixes in a few seconds in them. I also blend up my eggs in it for omelets & scrambled eggs, since it makes the whisked eggs super fluffy (protip: add some milk to make it fluffier & creamier when you blend them)

Yup.

I also make our own almond milk in the Vitamix, hot sauce, kale chip sauce, and enough dry stuff I should really get the container.

I dont understand the smoothie or healthy shake thing. Why not just eat food?

Will you sit down and willingly eat a small salad of Kale, plus a pile of fruit every day? If so, then there is little benefit to you. If not, and by "eat food" you mean eat preprocessed crap food, then a smoothie is an easy way to consume healthy stuff without all the mastication and forcing down.

Eating food is often a chore. If it is easy, it is probably unhealthy (fast food, pre-processed food, cereal, etc.). It gets tiring cooking healthy meals for every meal. A smoothie is actually kind of a shortcut.