So I got my Vitamix...

[Cascadian]

...and I LOVE it!!

It was hard to shell out the cash, but it was firmly in my mind as an investment towards health...for me, for the kids.

Cons:

- Cost! Over $500 at Costco
- Sound - a little loud - the kids don't like it much, but they'll live
- Space: it's large! It lives on my counter..not much more room for me..
- I don't like the soups (frothy/foamy, but apparently there's a trick to stopping that)
- Fattening? I use almond/hemp milk, or yogurt, or juices, and sometimes icecream I wouldn't normally drink that much of the liquids on their own, but do with the smoothies/drinks. I use the liquids so that the kids get to the good stuff hidden inside (TBH they could stand to gain some lbs)

Pros:

- It REALLY liquefies things!!!! Super-liquefy! All the chunky (nuts, oats) and solid stuff (incl. lettuce, fruit, veg).
- Health! My kids *love* the green smoothies, and I've been tossing in veggies, different fruit, and tons of supplemental extras

I bought a ton of extras to throw in for the kids, and one or two only for me/DH.

Kids' extras (other than fruit/veg):

almonds
steel cut oats
cranberries
walnuts
hemp hearts
sprouted chia powder
green powder
coconut oil
probiotics
bee pollen

Me/DH:

gelatinized maca (for SUPER energy (and libido )

Of course, I don't put everything in every smoothie/drink...a few ingredients here and there means nothing's overdosed.

[sunnysandiegan]

I my Vitamix! Enjoy!

[TXmommy2be]

Vitamix

I just ordered mine. I can't WAIT!!!!!

[Sayward]

SO JEALOUS!!!!!!

*sigh* Some day, some day . . .

But I'm happy for YOU. Congrats!

[CariCloud]

Here's a tip. If you want to hide flavors for the little ones try bananas and hemp seeds. Frozen bananas are a great substitute for ice-cream. In fact it's a great base for raw ice creams.

Take 2 frozen bananas, 1 or two cups of frozen strawberries and a little agave if you like your ice creams extra sweet and blend until the whole thing kind of seizes up and you see 4 "pillows". It's nice and smooth and has way less calories.

You can also do 4 frozen bananas a bit of raw cacao some agave or other sweetener and make chocolate ice cream. Then you can add things to it like raw nut pieces, raisins, or dried fruits for texture.


When making smoothies bananas make a great base too. But even if you do want to use some low fat milk i find hemp seeds make smoothies much smoother and richer.

*it's really important the bananas are REALLY frozen. Let them freeze for at least 24 hrs before using.

Something else I like to do for my nephew is fruit leathers. If you have a dehydrator they are a great on the go snack.

If you are making apple ones just blend a few apples till smooth and poor out onto a teflex sheet and put in your dehydrator for about 4 hours flip it onto the mesh and dehydrate about another 2. Its just like fruit roll ups only not as sticky and better tasting. If you are using more "juicy" fruits like watermelon or grapes always add an apple so its not as liquidy and it doesn't just slide off your teflex sheets