Favorite Products: Vitamix

Those of you that know me know how much I love my Vitamix! This amazing machine creates whole food juice, which is the combination of the juice and fiber from fruits and vegetables. You get all the vitamins and enzymes that are often left behind in the pulp of the produce. I have owned my machine for five months and use it nearly every morning. The great thing about the Vitamix is that it's not only great for juicing and smoothies, it can also make soups, dips, and even bread dough!

My kids love it. It's a fabulous way to let your children not only use their imagination but also explore and try new fruits and vegetables in a fun way.  To make things even easier, I pre-wash, cut, and bag my favorite fruit and veggie combinations in individual serving sizes and place in the freezer. Perhaps the best feature is the easy clean-up: just add a drop of soap and some warm water, hit blend, and it's clean as a whistle. 

Here's one of our family's favorite recipes:
 
It's Easy Being Green Smoothie 

Preparation: 5 minutes
Processing: 1 minute
Yield: 8 cups 

Ingredients:

1 cup grapes, red or green
1 medium orange, peeled, halved
1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks (core included)
1 medium banana, peeled
1 carrot, peeled, halved
2 cups fresh spinach, washed
1 medium apple, quartered, seeded
6 cups ice cubes

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.

Nutritional Information: (per 1 cup serving) 52 calories, 1 gram protein, 0 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, 0 milligrams cholesterol

Vitamix machines can be found at the NEX and start at $449. Although the initial investment isn't cheap, the nutritional benefits for you and your family far outweigh the costs. I strongly suggest that you attend a Vitamix demonstration and see for yourself what all the fuss is about! Demos are being held at the Honolulu Costco from March 16th-March 29th. You can also get more information about the Vitamix family of products at www.vitamix.com.