09:02 again! Re: banana ice cream, if your kids are the right age for it, there's an episode of "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" where they make "banana swirl." Mine got a big kick out of having the same dessert as Daniel and his family!

Also, we love blending melon in it, and it's especially good when you have cut melon that is starting to look a little tired (but is still fine) or a watermelon or cantaloupe that tastes good, but the texture is sort of off (this happens to us a lot with watermelon, for some reason). This is an awesome breakfast when it's hot out. We also used Smitten Kitchen's watermelon lemonade recipe (and added vodka - divine).

Nigella Lawson has a pea + pesto soup recipe that works great in the Vitamix, too.

09:02 here. There are frozen banana ice cream recipes all over the web, but I don't really follow one! I cut or break very ripe bananas (a little brown is OK, but not as brown as what you might use for banana bread) into chunks and then throw them in a ziploc or Tupperware in the freezer. They need to be REALLY good and frozen, so overnight or at least all day is good. Then I just put them in the Vitamix (roughly one banana per person or so) and grind away. You have to use the tamper thingie to keep pushing the banana down into the blades. It's done when it's fairly smooth and forming four "bumps" in the corners of the blender cup (this makes no sense, but you'll see what I mean when you try). It's actually pretty good plain, but you can mix pretty much anything in, either before or after it's blended.

My kids like frozen raspberries or cherries (I put these in at the beginning with the bananas so it's all blended), and what's nice about this is that if you make too much or have some leftover, you can put it back in the freezer and it still looks pretty--pink from the berries or cherries. Cocoa also works, or you can mix in some chocolate chips or dark chocolate or nuts afterward. A little powdered coffee with some cocoa is awesome, as is granola. My kids have no idea this isn't ice cream--it is REALLY good!

I bought it with the intention of doing green smoothies, but I have yet to start that

I have done a few soups that only I seem to like, hummus... but the thing I most frequently make is mango smoothies, it's my whole family's favorite (except me, I prefer to eat my calories It's just a cup of frozen mango chunks, a cup of milk, and a little bit of sugar.

I have a toddler who is a really picky eater and for a while didn't even drink milk - I made a lot of smoothies for him with yogurt, fruit, sometimes spinach.

I have also done almond milk - just blend 1/3 cup of raw almonds and a cup of water. You can strain it, but you don't have to. It is nice if you add a little vanilla and a little sweetness.

I use mine multiple times a day. I don't know where to start, but for instance I have not purchased bottled salad dressing for 2 years.

I love making blended soups in it.

I use it for a ton of Gweneth Paltrow's recipes in her cook-book.

I fool the kids into thinking frozen fruit is actually Ice Cream.

My kids drink a ton of Kale and spinach and basically now shit green.

I've made delicious Pots De Crème in it.

I grind whole spices in it for much fuller flavor when cooking.

Sadly, I have even traveled with it. I took it to Disney with me, and a ton of greens knowing that Disney was full of shit food and I would be miserable without my daily green smoothie.

Homemade nut butters are awesome, and very easy with the vitamix.

Anonymous wrote:I have one --got a good deal on a basic older model a few years ago--and use it daily. I make a ton of smoothies in it, but also use it for blended soups, hummus, baba ghanoush, frozen banana ice cream, almond/peanut butter, tahini, etc. I don't have the dry cup that they recommend for grinding grains, but I still use it to make oat flour, chickpea flour, and almond meal, among other things. (The almond meal is sort of tricky, because there's a millisecond between almond meal and almond butter, but it works.)

I don't really use Vitamix-specific recipes; I just use it whenever I need anything blended or ground or mashed. I've never tried anything from their cookbook just because the recipes never seem that great.

Hey thanks. How do you make the frozen banana ice cream?

I have one --got a good deal on a basic older model a few years ago--and use it daily. I make a ton of smoothies in it, but also use it for blended soups, hummus, baba ghanoush, frozen banana ice cream, almond/peanut butter, tahini, etc. I don't have the dry cup that they recommend for grinding grains, but I still use it to make oat flour, chickpea flour, and almond meal, among other things. (The almond meal is sort of tricky, because there's a millisecond between almond meal and almond butter, but it works.)

I don't really use Vitamix-specific recipes; I just use it whenever I need anything blended or ground or mashed. I've never tried anything from their cookbook just because the recipes never seem that great.

I have had a Vitamix for 2 years and I use it almost exclusively for smoothies. I love it in that capacity and use it all the time. I think if you are planning to blend frozen things it's awesome, but if you are planning to do food processor-y things, I'd skip it. BTW, I use a grain mill for my grains, but I've heard that Vitamix is also good for that.

Anonymous wrote:Please let me introduce you to my DW as she wants a Vitamix and I have no interest in buying a blender on steroids for $450+.

If we buy it, it will unfortunately be used every day for a month and then be relegated to storage next to the USS Sunbeam electric griddle that can make 43 pancakes at once, the immersion stick blender that is still in the original box and the food dehydrator that can dry a bushel of apples in a single attempt.

Op here. Very funny ! My husband bought my Vitamix as a gift and is disappointed that I rarely use it.

Please let me introduce you to my DW as she wants a Vitamix and I have no interest in buying a blender on steroids for $450+.

If we buy it, it will unfortunately be used every day for a month and then be relegated to storage next to the USS Sunbeam electric griddle that can make 43 pancakes at once, the immersion stick blender that is still in the original box and the food dehydrator that can dry a bushel of apples in a single attempt.

I have had a Vitamix for a few months now and I am not experiencing its "magic." I've tried a few recipes from the cookbook - a drink, a sauce, and an ice cream. (But all of these could have been done equally well (or perhaps even better, as in the case of the ice cream) without a Vitamix). Can you please share your favorite Vitamix recipes? Many thanks!