My Beloved Vita-Mix!

(Warning: This is part personal opinion and part advertisement…but it’s all good!)

I have a new love in my life. It is my new Vita-Mix 5200. When I received my Federal Stimulus check I deposited it, and then immediately went online to order my fabulous new toy. Check it out…isn’t it beautiful?

I’ll be straight with you…they’re expensive. My total purchase came out to almost exactly the amount I had deposited – which is a lot of money for a piece of kitchen equipment – but they’re virtually indestructible and they come with a seven year warranty, so I felt it was a good investment. Besides…everyone in the raw food community I had talked to up to that point had said they loved theirs, so I was very excited at the prospect of having my very own machine, in spite of the cost.

So I ordered the 5200 and got the package with both the wet and dry blades, just in case. I haven’t used the dry blade yet. That one is for things like grinding nuts or seeds into something like flour. You can also mix and kneed bread with the dry blade, but I’m not sure I’ll use mine for that since bread isn’t on my good food list.

I have used the wet blade, though, for all sorts of raw and vegetarian goodies. Here’s a short list:

• Green Smoothies My favorite is baby spinach with just about any combination of fruit. Add a little Hemp oil and you’ve got a great energy drink!

• Mango Sorbet Fresh organic Mango and some ice – it’s that simple!

• Chopped Carrots for Carrot Cake No more hand grating for me! Refer to my blog entry “Raw Carrot & Orange Cake – It Rocks!” for notes about my experience and a link to the recipe.

• Chopped Cabbage for Salad The first time I tried chopping cabbage things did not go well. Then I waatched the DVD that came with the machine and learned the trick – it’s actually super easy!

• Vegetable Soup (Not raw, but very tasty!) I like to use sauteed leeks and onions as a starter, then add organic vegetable stock to complete the base. Chop up a variety of your favorite organic veggies, and you’ve got a great healthy soup! To give it a creamy base, put a cup or two of the broth into the Vita-Mix and give it a spin, then pour it back in with the rest of the soup.

The Vita-Mix website even has a section for raw foodies. And there’s a community for Vita-Mix owners of all types to connect and share information. It’s called Vita-Village (corny, I know).

I’ve had my Vita-Mix only a few months, but it is one of the most effective tools I have to support me in my raw food adventure.

If you think you might like to try one, Vita-Mix offers a 30-day no-risk in-home trial…and you can get FREE Standard Ground Shipping if you click the banner above or use this link! If you prefer to upgrade your shipping method, the banner or link will get you a discount off of expedited shipping.

Happy Eating!