So I just got this VitaMix...

[Anonymous]

Now what do I do with it? Any ideas, favorite recipes, creative uses?

[Anonymous]

I love making quick soups. Heat up broth, chopped onion, broccoli or other veg, and milk or coconut milk. Blend to make a quick soup. Add salt and pepper. I also make a lot of smoothies.

[Anonymous]

I use mine for green smoothies and to make blended fruit mixes: apples, grapes, oranges, pineapple etc.
Mine came with a whole folder of recipes for soups, dips, nut milks etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love making quick soups. Heat up broth, chopped onion, broccoli or other veg, and milk or coconut milk. Blend to make a quick soup. Add salt and pepper. I also make a lot of smoothies.

Vitamix will heat. No need to pre heat.

[Anonymous]

I sometimes make my own almond milk. Soak 1 cup of almonds in water for a few hours. Discard water. Put 1 cup of almonds and 4 cups filtered water. Blend. Then pour through a nut milk bag. You can dry the leftover pulp in the oven for almond meal. It's a lot of work so I only do it once a month, but the almond milk is delicious!

[Anonymous]

Smoothies, soups, hummus... I like this recipe resource: http://joyofblending.com/vitamix-recipes/

[Anonymous]

Is the vitamin worth the money? Is it really that much better than a blender?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the vitamin worth the money? Is it really that much better than a blender?

It is a lot more powerful than a blender. Whether it's worth 10 times the price is up for debate.

[Anonymous]

NUT BUTTERS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the vitamin worth the money? Is it really that much better than a blender?

It is a lot more powerful than a blender. Whether it's worth 10 times the price is up for debate.

The reconditioned models are a pretty good deal- with a cyber Monday special DH got me a standard for <$300. And they still come with a 5 year warranty. I've only done smoothies so far but love it! Someone recommended making a cashew "cheese" to drizzle on nachos, etc. but I haven't tried yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love making quick soups. Heat up broth, chopped onion, broccoli or other veg, and milk or coconut milk. Blend to make a quick soup. Add salt and pepper. I also make a lot of smoothies.

Vitamix will heat. No need to pre heat.

How do you use it to heat!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I sometimes make my own almond milk. Soak 1 cup of almonds in water for a few hours. Discard water. Put 1 cup of almonds and 4 cups filtered water. Blend. Then pour through a nut milk bag. You can dry the leftover pulp in the oven for almond meal. It's a lot of work so I only do it once a month, but the almond milk is delicious!

Yes, and you can use the leftover almond meal to make cracker (which si actually very easy)

[Anonymous]

I've used mine for green smoothies, frozen banana "ice cream", and nut-based salad dressings, cheese, and fudge. Look in Vegan and Raw Food cookbooks for inspiration.

I also use it a lot to whip up Mac and Cheese for DS. I boil a cup of elbow noodles into which I throw some frozen broccoli florets a couple of minutes before its down. In the Vita Mix I put in 2 Tbsp. tub margarine, 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, some salt, and 2/3 c. milk. Put it in the Vita Mix in that order and gradually turn to high. Let that run for 3 minutes or until the contents start steaming. Then add 1/2 c. (4oz.) cheddar cheese. The recipe is in the cookbook that came with my Vita Mix and calls for putting the mac and cheese in the oven with a bread crumb topping and cooking it like a casserole. I usually dispense with that step and just stir the cheese into the noodles and broccoli and stir. Although, skipping the oven may require holding back some of the cheese sauce so it's not too runny.

DS loves it and it is so easy to make in the Vita Mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love making quick soups. Heat up broth, chopped onion, broccoli or other veg, and milk or coconut milk. Blend to make a quick soup. Add salt and pepper. I also make a lot of smoothies.

Vitamix will heat. No need to pre heat.

How do you use it to heat!?

That sounds gross to me. Sauteed veggies taste different than just soupified heated ones. But I am not a smoothie person anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love making quick soups. Heat up broth, chopped onion, broccoli or other veg, and milk or coconut milk. Blend to make a quick soup. Add salt and pepper. I also make a lot of smoothies.

Vitamix will heat. No need to pre heat.

How do you use it to heat!?

You just blend soup for a long time and the friction heats it. Takes 7-8 minutes.