I love you Vitamix!

Vitamix, even after I had tried every whole foods vegetarian diet known to man, and still struggled with lethargy problems, you brought me back to life, optimum health and vitality by making the most delicious green smoothies I have ever tasted. You just pulverize any combination of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables into smooth creamy bliss in seconds. I don’t think there is a green smoothie recipe combination we haven’t tried together. I love the spontaneity in our relationship. Vitamix, you are always up for anything. I love that we start our day together being green!

Vitamix, I can’t forget about all of the delicious nutritious whole fruit and vegetable juices you have made me over the years. Gosh it seems years since I saw juicer. He and I used to spend every day together. But you showed me there was a better way! Oh Vitamix, you are so talented! I love how you break down the cell walls of whole fruits and vegetables and pulverize them releasing their juicy goodness and at the same time utilizing their fibre. Just magic! I thought that I would find the texture unattractive, but you are so strong and powerful that you transform any fruits and vegetables into a smooth creamy blend in seconds; and I can make the juice thinner by just adding a little water. 
Now I only see juicer on occasions where I need him for a special recipe.

Vitamix, when I discovered my intolerance to dairy milk you were right there to support me with your strength and power. Every day you help me make organic dairy free vegan alternatives by pulverizing nuts, seeds, grains and fruits with some filtered water to create delicious vegan milks that I can drink and use in easy healthy recipes. You have shown me that there is a tasty satisfying life beyond dairy and soy, and that those of us who live with food allergies have many quick healthy options.

Vitamix, I have so many happy memories making vegan milks with you. I love it when you get nutty and make almond, cashew, macadamia, Brazil nut, pecan and hazelnut milks. I also love it when your seedy side comes out and we use hemp and flaxseeds. You were the one who suggested I try making my own rice, quinoa, millet and oat milks; and I could never forget how you introduced me to best friend (after you) coconut milk, that you make for me in seconds by blending fresh raw coconut meat with coconut water or filtered water.

Vitamix, you have taught me that there is a whole world out there of grains, nuts, seeds and fruits just waiting to be “milked” and you are in such good shape that you are up for anything. The combination possibilities for raw recipes and vegan recipes are almost endless, which makes creating easy healthy recipes with you so much fun. I still love the vegan coconut date shake, vegan chocolate cherry ripe smoothie and vegan creamy avocado smoothie we always make together. But my favourite vegan smoothies are your pie-in-a-glass smoothies like the pecan pie smoothie, and the apple pie smoothie we made together for Chow. It really does taste like an apple pie in a glass thanks to your cashew milk!

Vitamix, the integrity that you help me bring to my diet with these vegan milks can’t be matched by even the most pure of natural organic commercially products. Your milk is fresh, delicious and free from any additives, preservatives, stabilizers, thickeners and sweeteners.  Vitamix, when I make milk with you, I have complete control over the taste and texture, and when I soak the nuts, seeds and grains beforehand, the milk is more digestible too.

Vitamix, when I make dairy free milk with you, I feel like I can be bold, experiment and do anything. Thankyou.

Vitamix, I can’t thank you enough for helping me out with my dependence on Miss Soy. She and I were best friends for a long time and we had a lot of tasty times together. I thought I couldn’t live without Tony’s Soy Cream for use in sweet treats. But you helped me realize that I was relying on her too much, and that I could get over my separation anxiety from the dairy farm by going a little nutty and blending vegan cashew cream, raw almond creams, macadamia creams and other vegan cream by blending raw nuts, some filtered water, vanilla essence, sweetener and a dash of sea salt.

Vitamix, not only do these raw vegan creams taste unbelievably good, but you make them in seconds! You never cease to amaze me with you power and versatility. I still cannot believe how smooth you get the texture, and how close to the real things it looks! Oh, and you make the best mayonnaise too! I cannot believe your emulsification powers. You can bring anything together with style. I will never forget that "How To Make A Raw Vegan Breakfast Parfait" video we did together in the Chow test kitchen. Your raw vegan mayonnaise rocks too! Wow! Vitamix, you really are my hero.

Thankyou for making my cream dreams come true. Miss Soy and I are still friends and see each other occasionally, but I no longer miss soy…..now that I have you.

Vitamix, the raw vegan nut and seed butters you make might just be THE nectar of the Gods, and my ultimate decadent vegan saviour food. The home made nut and seed butters we have made together are some of my fondest memories -- you simply grinding the nuts or seeds, and me tampering just a little to help you guide the nuts through your blades. It is amazing how quickly a gorgeous rich smooth thick creamy vegan paste forms in just seconds. I know I can buy some fantastic organic nut and seed butters at the market. But I never know how long these pre-prepared butters have been sitting on the shelf.

Vitamix, the home made vegan butters we make together are super fresh, and we can control the taste, texture and quality without all of the additives, stabilizers, and preservatives. I also love that I can soak, dehydrate, or sprout the nuts and seeds before we make the butter, making it more digestible. I have only found “activated nut butters” in very select health food stores. Thankyou Vitamix. These vegan butters serve as great gluten free substitutes for conventional dairy butter, margarine, cream cheese and other spreads. They also help satisfy any luxurious cravings for sweet sticky treats, but are far more nutritious than other indulgences.

Vitamix, I love getting creative with you and blending different combinations together with flavourings. I love all of the gluten free baked treats we have made with our butters. But my favourite way to use them is in our raw dishes. I love how they lend themselves to sweet or savoury flavourings, making the culinary possibilities endless.

Oh Vitamix, my mouth is just salivating remembering how we have enhanced the flavour of all kinds of smoothies, desserts, puddings, and ice creams; as well as used them to bind and add flavour to slices, power bars and pies. They add a phenomenal depth of flavour to cookies, biscuits and cakes. Oh, and those nut butter cookies we made! Or the chocolate butter crepes or sesame pancakes. I often stir some of your almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter or tahini through mashed vegetables, soups, stews and grains to cream them up, or mix some into my grain porridges. I always think of you.

Vitamix, your nut and seed butters make fantastic bases or additions to salad dressings, sauces and marinades; and are wonderful slathered on sandwiches and wraps. They also make highly nutritious energy booster snacks slathered on fruit and vegetables, or as a spread on gluten free breads, crackers, rice and corn cakes.

But my fondest decadent piggy memory with your home made nut butter was when we mixed a bit of raw cacao nibs with some almond butter and added in some vanilla extract, maple syrup and coconut cream for a delectable sauce to put on those ice cream sundaes and rice pudding. Oh my! You took me to Piggy Heaven =)

Vitamix, I cannot thank you enough for introducing me to the power of home made gluten free flours by grinding beans, tapioca, rice, millet, quinoa and other whole grains. When we go on a culinary adventure in your dry carriage we always go somewhere amazing. You grind a mean coffee bean too! Your gluten free bread crumbs and whole grain cereal flakes aren’t shabby either; and for special occasions I can’t knock your powdered sugars!

Vitamix, I am so much healthier when I make fresh, home made preservative-free gluten free flours with you for my gluten free vegetarian recipes and it only takes seconds! The best thing about you is that you always prepare the dough for me and you never get too kneady. I don’t even need to touch you. You just keep kneading with love, even when I walk away! Your fresh home made gluten free breads are packed with nutrition and fibre and taste delicious.

Vitamix, you help me serve up s’blended quick easy healthy recipes that make me look like a gourmet professional chef. You give me a high level of precision and control. When you program things for me, it makes it even easier. I love how you took my three favourite things (Smoothies, Hot Soups and Frozen Desserts) and pre-programmed them in the kitchen for me so you do all of the work, making cooking even easier for me so that I can be more productive doing other things. Vitamix, thankyou for showing me that I can use these special settings to make a ton of other delicious easy vegetarian recipes too. You think of everything!

Vitamix, I have to tell you that I LOVE your new pulsing trick. When you pulse, it makes me so happy because I have so much control over the texture and consistency of our food. You never let me go too far and mess things up! I never thought anyone could pulse better than My Food Processor. He’s taken me for a spin thousands of times and he is good. But he doesn’t clean up after himself and I would often cut myself cleaning his blades. 

Vitamix, “you got the moves!” You are more flexible than Mr Food Processor and can go from zero to a hundred in one fluid motion. Your Variable Speed Control makes you more versatile than any other machine I have taken a spin with. All I have to do is turn you on and put a smile on your dial and we are dancing – the salsa, the dip, the shake. You are good at all of them. Things never get too mushy if I treat you right.

Vitamix, I can’t forget our special routines: the tomatillo salsa, tomato salsa, green pea chutney, raw cashew dip, hummus, and the muhummara. Oh, my knees are weak!

Vitamix, you are the life of the party when our friends and family come over. No-one makes a more s’blended virgin margarita, lemonade or cherry limeade mocktail. I can think of many times when you have made a mean vegan chocolate shake too! That vegan chocolate cherry ripe smoothie you make is TO DIE FOR!

Vitamix, when I am sick, you are always there too -- whipping up s’blended remedies in seconds. Your ginger lemon tonic always makes me feel better.

Vitamix, you are such a great partner. Even when I want to indulge in a sweet treat, you always help me strike a nice tasty balance, making something that tastes delicious but is also healthy. I still amazes me how quickly you whip up sensational smoothies, shakes, puddings and mousses, pies, ice creams and sorbets in seconds. They are so smooth and creamy and always hit the spot. I still have a soft spot for your frozen sorbet that is nothing but blended frozen fruit. It is so rich and creamy I would swear there was more in it. But I know you better……

Vitamix, some of my favourite sweet memories are: your raw banana ice cream, raw vegan vanilla ice cream, and vegan nutella ice cream; as well as your lemon and lime sorbet, your chocolate chilli mousse, raw chocolate cinnamon mousse, tofu berry custard and key lime mousse. But I still don’t think you can top your s’blended pies that make their own crust! Your honey lemon pie that Udi's Gluten Free Foods named as their recipe of the day is amazing; and your chocolate hazelnut pie and pecan pie are TO DIE FOR!

Vitamix, I love it when I come home after a long day at work and you cook dinner for me. I just give you some fresh vegetables, herbs, spices and some vegetable broth and you do the rest. I love it how you invite me to go and take a shower and when I come back about five minutes later dinner is served with a gorgeous bowl of piping hot soup! Your blades are so fast they give off a magical friction heat that is electric!

Vitamix, I could never forget your creamy cauliflower soup, roasted sweet potato soup, lemon asparagus soup and cream of spinach soup. Oh My! You also make a mean hot fruit compote and syrup to put on our s’blended pancakes and crepes! Oh, Vitamix, what more could I want?
Vitamix, you’re HOT!

Vitamix, I must admit, that one of the things I find the most attractive about you is how you clean up after yourself. Mr Food Processor and I love each other, but I always have to clean up after him, and his blades are sharp! All I have to do with you is put a couple of drops of dish washing liquid and some warm water, turn you on, and you clean yourself in seconds. Remember when we showed everyone how in the Chow test kitchen with our video "A No-Hassle Way To Clean Your Blender?" We had so much fun together and you got to show off!

Vitamix, if I have put stains on your outfit you fix that too, with some baking soda and water. Even when you smell, we just use lemon juice or vinegar and that is no problem either. I know I can pull you apart, but I never need to. You are ready to take me on another spin in seconds.

You also help me be more green and water conscious. We often make soapy water together by using your friction heat. When we have been in places where the water pressure is low and the hot water takes ages to heat up you always fix that in your own special way.

Vitamix,  I love you!

Vitamix, at the risk of sounding shallow, you are GORGEOUS. Your gorgeous, sleek, modern and hip brushed stainless steel base gives you an industrial commercial look that I LOVE. You just go with anything. Better still, your are SO easy to clean! Even when I put my hands all over you, your ergonomic handle makes holding onto you a breeze. You’re also safe to take a spin with. Unlike your plastic friends, you have a 64 oz BPA container which means you never leach chemicals into the goodies when you get hot.

Vitamix, can I say, "I love you" again?

Vitamix, I know we will be together forever. But if you ever get tired, I appreciate that you have protected me and our family with a 7 Year Peace-Of-Mind Warranty. I love how you remind everyone you acquaint yourself with of this. They just need to register the warranty with the Vitamix service department. I love your company. Everyone who works with you are so friendly and helpful. You should be so proud of the company you have created. You have been around since 1921 and you are still a family owned and operated company that stands by every machine.

Vitamix, I love you and will never leave you.

You make my life easier, more healthy and nutritious. I couldn’t get through the day without you. I look forward to many happy days together.

I love you.

To be serious piggies, you don’t need to live with Vitamix blender to enjoy the majority of the recipes on this site. A lot of the recipes can be made with a stand mixer, food processor, hand/stick/immersion blender, or hand mixer; or even with an old-fashioned egg beater, whisk, wooden spoon, fork, or your bare hands!

However, to make the home made vegan milks, nut butters, vegan creams, ice creams, and some other things, you won’t be able to achieve a really creamy uniform texture without the power of Vitamix. Conventional blenders just don’t have the grunt required to really pulverize the nuts, seeds and grains. The recipes will taste similar, but the texture will be a lot more gritty. This is also true for a lot of the vegan soups that are creamed with raw nuts.

I realize that Vitamix can be a strain on the piggy bank. But I really believe in investing in quality and having the best and you really do get a lot of bang for your buck! I couldn't live without my Vitamix. The money you spend on your Vitamix machine will yield rewards with time, health and vitality for you and your family in no time at all.

My motto: “Once you blend with Vitamix, you will wonder why you weren’t this plugged in before!”

Piggies! Here are my Top Tips for finding discount Vitamix blenders to save a bit of money:

Pick up a reconditioned Vitamix machine with a warranty directly from Vitamix for a fraction of the cost.

Head to Bed, Bath and Beyond and use one of their famous 20% OFF coupons to make it significantly cheaper. However, they only have machines with the wet carriage and as far as I am aware you won’t get the dry carriage that is so handy for grinding flours and kneading doughs.

Amazon vendors often have generous sale discounts on Vitamix machines.

eBay is another good place to look for bargain Vitamix machines, but that is always a hit and miss experience, depending on the seller. If you are buying a used machine, you just have take a change and have faith.

For peace of mind, I recommend hooking up directly with Vitamix. They are a wonderful family-owned company with a fantastic reputation for superior quality, customer service and satisfaction. Every machine comes with a 7 year warranty for your peace of mind.

I am a champion of the miraculous VITAMIX machine, which I believe is the ULTIMATE culinary gift from the Gods, bestowed lovingly on us to make our lives easier.

So be bold, get plugged in, and put a lid on the excuses! Blend and Live!
Once you bring Vitamix into your kitchen you will never look back.

The NEW Vitamix Professional Series 500 combines professional performance with pre-programmed convenience to help us home cooks on the run blend up quick easy healthy gourmet meals in minutes like professional chefs. The Vitamix machine already offered a high level of precision and control. But the new Vitamix Professional Series 500 has some new features that make this already amazing machine even better for making easy healthy recipes.

Three Pre-Programmed Settings: Vitamix has chosen their three most popular functions (Smoothies, Hot Soups and Frozen Desserts) and programmed them so once you set the machine you can walk away and let the Vitamix do all the work, saving you time and making the machine even easier to use. These settings can also be used for recipes with a similar consistency and temperature, and ensure consistent results for every process, every time.

All NEW Pulse Feature: this offers even greater control when processing and allows you to control the texture to your taste and preference. This feature is especially useful when making recipes like dips, salsas and spreads where a rustic texture is preferred. I always preferred to use my food processor to make vegan dips with this texture as the blender seemed to puree the mixture too much. The new pulse feature makes it so easy to control the texture and get it exactly the way you want it. Another bonus: the Vitamix is SO much easier to clean than the food processor, where you have to hand-wash the blade!

Variable Speed Control: this feature allows for unlimited versatility and control when using the machine. You can switch from a low speed to a high speed in one fluid controlled motion.

Brushed Stainless Finish: The gorgeous, sleek, modern and hip stainless steel base gives the machine an industrial commercial look that I LOVE. Better still, the finish is fingerprint-resistant and SO easy to clean.

64 oz BPA Container with Ergonomic Handle: makes this plastic carriage safer for you and your family with no danger of chemicals leaching into your food when it is heated.

7 Year Peace-Of-Mind Warranty: Make sure you register your warranty with the Vitamix service department. The staff are so friendly and helpful. It is wonderful to know that a company is willing to support their customers and stand by their product.

BONUS FEATURES include:

The Vitamix "Create" Recipe Book: This fantastic collection of recipes that have all been trialed in the Vitamix test kitchen contains over 300 delicious healthy recipes. The book has an  easel-back design which makes it easy to follow recipes in the kitchen.
Official Vitamix "Let's Get Started" DVD Instructional Video: I recommend watching this video for important operating techniques, care instructions and more ideas for easy healthy recipes.

To purchase your machine and join the community of proud Vitamix owners click here!