I've got my Vitamix Back In Action

I am a BIG Vitamix fan.  I've had one since 2007 or 8 and it makes great soups and smoothies. 

I bought mine at the Vitality Show.  Because it cost me £399 I did not take the decision lightly and spent about an hour and a half at the stand watching about 8 different demos.  It saved me between £8 and £12 right there and then as I did not need to buy lunch or snacks as I sampled soup, ice cream, smoothies, frappuccino, and untold other things... very delicious... very nutritious and very filling. 

Back then I used to regularly buy frappuccinos at Starbucks and as they used to cost me about £3.50 a pop, I figured I'd get my money back relatively quickly.  Anyway I pondered it for quite some time, weighed it up against the cost of Innocent Smoothies and made my purchase.

I used it a lot and even more so when I brought it into work and my Managing Director made me soup every day.  But I did not take it home for my maternity leave and got completely out of the habit of using it.

Fast forward to 2010 and I popped into work during my maternity leave and decided to bring it home.  I used it once and then left it in the corner of the kitchen.

The next bit is rather embarrassing to say the least.  I left it dirty in the corner of the kitchen, and due to post natal depression that was where it stayed, like a dirty secret.  It was slightly out of sight down the side of the microwave.  Sometimes I'd barely have chance to wash the dishes, as I used to spend HOURS on the sofa breastfeeding Aaron, let alone do a big clear out.  Whenever I spied it, I couldn't face dealing with it as it looked black inside.  It represented all I wanted to avoid in life - it became symbolic.

Anyway roll on to Brit Mums Live 2012 and there was a Vitamix chap there (same one as Vitality) doing great demos, and again I stood and sampled lots of them, feeling embarrassed that I have never used mine to make ice cream. 

Vitamix at Britmums Live 2012

I got chatting to the Marketing Lady and admitted to the state of my jug, confession style.  I said that thanks to the vaccuum the lid makes, it didn't go mouldy - only black :0

She offered to send me a replacement and it finally arrived only last week.  At first I was disappointed as it was a 32oz jug instead of a 64 oz, but then I decided to class it as an addition instead of a replacement, like a brother for my current one :-)

So I opened the lid with trepidation.  The residue in there smelled like soil, kinda peaty like - eeewwww.

I washed it thoroughly.

I soaked it in Milton twice.

It was then sparklier than ever!  I was pleased.  Again it was symbolic; maybe I, like my jug, can scrub up well :-)

And now, I can use my juicer AND my Vitamix, meaning I have the flexibility to make juices AND smoothies.  Very excited.

My energy is at an all time low and I was to lose weight and get slim before the big 4 0.  So now it is time to get juicing.

So last week I got out my recipe book and inserted the following into my Vitamix:

• 2 peeled oranges
• 2 large slices of fresh pineapple
• An apple
• 3 cups of cold water (I did not have ice)
• 1 banana
• A dessert spoon of honey

Absolutely delicious.

So now I have two jugs which means I can use the small one when I just want to make something for Aaron and I.

Here's the juice I described above:

As you can see it makes loads, and is a lovely refreshing frothy smoothie.

Love it. 

Love that me and my Vitamix are back in action. Now I am on the lookout for more healthy Vitamix recipes, as I want to start using it more often.

Liska xx