I took a vegan cooking class a few years ago and in the course of preparing the food, the instructor was extolling the virtues of her high-powered blender called a Vitamix. I clearly remember thinking at the time that anyone who would spend $600 on a blender was certifiably nuts and I would never make such a foolish purchase.
Fast forward to today and I seriously can’t imagine my life without my beloved Vitamix blender. I use this thing at least twice every single day and often three and four times. I make smoothies, lattes, sauces, hummus, batter, soup, ice cream, salad dressings and more. Heck – I even travel with it when I can (yes my family was actually vitamixing green smoothies in our hotel room at Darien Lake this past summer! Hey – we needed something to balance out the Dippin’ Dots and kettle corn ; )
It is so much a part of my everyday life and so vital to my plant-based diet that I would seriously break down and cry if I had to go without it. This little baby pulverizes greens so that a kale and banana smoothie is green, chunk free and delicious. It can blend nuts to liquid in seconds, turn garlic cloves to smooth mush and break down a whole apple – core and all- in under 30 seconds. I’ve even heard it can crack through avocado pits but I haven’t personally put this to the test.
And as if this wasn’t enough – I am now even more in love because after an accidental tumble off of our counter and a resultant crack in the pitcher base – the lovely folks at Vitamix graciously sent me a brand new carafe for free!
So am I telling you that you simply must buy one? Well kind of. Trust me I get it – this is a big purchase. And for a blender?! Seems nuts eh? But it can and will change your life if you embrace the power of this mighty little machine. And FYI – Vitamix has a travelling road show at Costco locations in Canada year-round so if you are lucky enough to catch them while they are in your local store you can get $100 off of the regular price.
If you decide to take the plunge and purchase a Vitamix or if you own one but you haven’t dusted it off for a while, here is a basic recipe for a Green Smoothie that we make a variation of in our house every single morning. I rotate the greens, fruits and veggies but I always like to start my day with this nutrient-packed beverage and I insist that the kids down them too….even if we are about to ride the Viper at Darien Lake. Happy blending!
Basic Green Smoothie
4-6 cups of packed spinach
1/2 of a cucumber
1 ripe banana
1/4 of a medium pineapple
3-4 cups of frozen strawberries
Enough water to cover
Blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Enjoy!
Lori Leigh Wilson 
I can’t imagine living without my Vitamix!
Hey Lori! I just wanted you to know that I put a link to this post on my post “Help! My Green Smoothie Tastes Like Crap! Just wanted to let you know. Celeste:)
Yay! Thanks for your support Celeste!
I’ve used mine every single day (sometimes 2x/day) for the past 3 years. So worth every penny!
I too am a complete VitaMix addict & bought it at the Costco roadshow. It has been key to my voyage in a plant based diet in 2013! We add chia seeds for the detox effect & coconut oil as it has a nice accent flavour mixed with the kale & pineapple!
Thanks for stopping by Lisa! Great suggestion with the coconut oil – I love it too.
I love my Vitamix too 🙂
I got mine today! I cleaned up and am ready to try it tomorrow. I have a hard time eating my veggies and fruit, so I am hoping this will help me. My only concern is I can’t eat bananas, and it seems like a lot of recipes call for it. I am going to try leaving it out and see how it turns out. Thanks for your post!
You are going to love your Vitamix! Bananas are used so often because they are a good source of soluble fiber that help to make your smoothies smooth and creamy (vs foamy and separated). If you don’t like bananas – try a zucchini, some raspberries and/or some strawberries – they will all work just as well!
Happy blending.
Hi, I just got mine today and have already used it 3 times! I am in love! Bought it from http://www.rawblend.com.au. Girls were fabulous! Family owned business too. Thanks
Yay you! Way to go. A huge purchase but very worthwhile. Let me know if you come up with any killer recipes : )
Hi, Lori! First, I would like to say thank you for liking my post, https://genxrabbitink.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/my-imperfect-sense-of-body-peace/. It’s great to know that I’m being heard.
Second, I don’t have a Vitamix, but I do have a Ninja, and I love it (and Green smoothies) to death. So going to try this recipe!
Thanks for touching base! Glad we connected : )