Joy of Blending - Page 18 of 18 - Vitamix and Blendtec blender recipes and tips

Smoothie ingredient: baby spinach

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Adam

Adding greens to smoothies can be a great way to balance out their nutritional profile. Baby spinach is the best green to start with because it’s so mild. I was surprised to find that I can easily add a 1/4 lb of baby spinach to a 4-cup fruit smoothie, and not have it taste like vegetables (not that I’m against the taste of vegetables; I’m all for a nice savory vegetable smoothie).

I buy pre-washed organic baby spinach and add it directly to the blender. Some people say you should wash it again before using it, but generally I like to go with the convenience of just tossing it in, and I’ve Continue Reading →

Creamy vegan tri-berry smoothie

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Adam

This combo is an old standby, and it combines my favorite smoothie berries: strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. The chia seeds and almonds make it a bit creamy. I like to include the orange because it’s juicy and cheap. And the baby spinach adds a very mild-tasting green, for the leafy green goodness. You can easily substitute in other mild ingredients (such as apples or carrots). The berries are the major Continue Reading →

Almond Pâté

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Adam

I cobbled this recipe together a few years ago after eating something similar at a little Ital restaurant that has since closed. It has a nice savory flavor, and is pretty rich, but the fat is almost all from almonds so I think it’s pretty healthy. I usually eat it with vegetable nori rolls (details below), though it’s also good on crackers. Continue Reading →

Smoothie ingredient: oranges

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Adam

Oranges are a great ingredient for fruit smoothies such as this, or this. I find their flavor to go with most fruits, and they’re usually quite cheap (at least when they’re in season). I prefer Navel oranges primarily because they have no seeds. I don’t think it’s a big deal to put orange seeds into the blender, but I generally avoid it. Valencias are a bit juicier, though I’ve found that it doesn’t make much difference for smoothies–you can always add a little water. Valencias are mostly available in the spring/summer, while Navels are around in the winter/spring. Continue Reading →

Green Carrot Apple Ginger+ Smoothie

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Adam

This is a simple smoothie, or what the Vitamix folks refer to as a “total juice” (to indicate that it contains the whole fruit; not just the juice separated from the fiber). This is the sort of thing I make most frequently.

This recipe builds on the classic combination of carrot-apple-ginger. As with most smoothies, the exact ratios don’t particularly matter. The only part that makes much difference is the amount of ginger. Not enough and it’s too mild, too much and it can be a bit overpowering. If this comes out not gingery enough you can easily add a bit more and blend for another 5-10 seconds. If it’s too strong for your taste, well, you can scale back the ginger next time. The spinach dominates the color, but not the taste. Continue Reading →

Chia Seeds

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Adam

Lately I’ve been adding chia seeds to a lot of my smoothies. They have a very neutral flavor, and add a bit of creaminess/body. The primary reason for adding them though is their nutritional profile. First and foremost is their omega-3 fatty acid content, of which they have 2.4g/tablespoon, and they also have 3g/tablespoon of protein (according to the Nutrition Facts on the bag I have). Continue Reading →

Vegetable juice savory smoothie (V8/gazpacho inspired)

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Adam

I want to start with this one since tomato season is running out, and this recipe really stands on the shoulders of good tomatoes. This combination is inspired by V8 and gazpacho, though it ends up as its own thing.

6 oz water
1 large tomato
½ cucumber
2 pieces celery
2 carrots
handful of baby spinach
lemon juice from 1 lemon (or balsamic vinegar)
6 ice cubes