As you saw in my previous post, my teeny kitchen is less that four square meters and all the available space has already been allocated. So to introduce any new piece of kit, something existing would have to go. The new item would have to be something very special …

… like a Vitamix!

 

Goodbye toaster, hello Vitamix. Having given up wheat I don’t use the toaster anyway, and it is only still there because it matches my kettle, and in case one of my children fancy some toast when they visit (sorry kiddios, but I can always make you toast under the grill)!

This Vitamix – the ‘Total Nutrition Center’ really is something very special. It was my bf who got me thinking about getting a high-powered blender and at first I was sceptical – they are not cheap, and I have a food processor and a stick blender – what can this do that they can’t? He was quick to tell me – they can make icecream and sorbets, or piping hot soups, or homemade almond or coconut milk, or smoothies from whole fruits and vegetables without even peeling or chopping them. But it was when I tasted some amazing concoctions made in a Vitamix by their team at Britmumslive this year, that I was totally sold.

The Vitamix machine comes with a huge recipe book. (Note the Vitamix itself is quite a beast – it does not fit under my cupboards with the jug sitting atop the base). It is staggering to see the range of uses it lends itself to, and I look forward to trying out pretty much every one of the recipes.

 

 

However, I started simply, with a smoothie, as I had been , and had seen a recipe for blackberry and apple smoothie on Fuss Free Flavours blog just the day before my machine arrived.

 

 

I adapted the recipe slightly due to what I had to hand, but stayed true to the core principle – a smoothie based on the flavours of blackberry and apple crumble, with some flaxseeds for extra fibre and protein, and some greens (I used kale instead of spinach). Not only did it taste delicious, but was so quick and easy – and you are getting so much goodness in one glass (I definitely don’t eat enough green veg – and you would never know there was a handful of kale in here – would be a brilliant way to get some into vegophobic kids).

 

 

I was also surprised at just how much smoothie results from a small amount of fruit and veg with a bit of water (lots, lots more than in the photo above!) – the sum is definitely larger than the parts. Fabulous for making your fruit and veg go a long way.

Final observation on day one of using my Vitamix – it cleans itself! I had a juicer once when they were all the rage – but it took me so long to clean out all the bits that were left behind in its various filters that I soon ditched it. With the Vitamix, you just put some water in, turn it on, and then slosh out the water, result: a clean machine. Love it!

I am trialling the Vitamix for a month, so watch out for lots more recipes as I get more adventurous and explore the whole range of what it can do.

The model I am using is a Vitamix Total Nutrition Center – follow this link to find out more.