Vitamix users, or similar product users and juicers - HELP!

[RioG]

Wtpj. I love my ninja (for making smoothies).

Yeah, I think that's the route I'm going to go.  It gets great reviews, and realistically that's the only thing I'll be using it for (smoothies).

My cheap Hamilton Beach really does do a fine job, but sometimes I have to add too much water, which makes it more juice like than smoothie like.

[all-smiles]

Witchy do you make green smoothies in yours? I bought one but took it back because it didn't work with the greens. Once I read online I saw tons of similar complaints

[witchypoo]

I add greens but do not make solely green smoothies. Maybe that is the difference?

[Courtney]

I just made a coffee frappe thingy in the vitamix.  Mmmm.  No spinach, tho. 

[diablita]

 

[all-smiles]

I just made a coffee frappe thingy in the vitamix.  Mmmm.  No spinach, tho. 

Tell me more...what did you use and how many calories was it?

[merigayle]

I add greens but do not make solely green smoothies. Maybe that is the difference?

Me too, mine s fruit with some spinach hidden in it! I can get 1.5 cups into a 2-2.5 cup  smoothie ith no detection by DD. we split it for breakfast.

[Ice Cream]

Why do you "hide" the spinach in it?  Is it because you don't like spinach?  Do you put baby spinach in it or regular spinach?  Would tis work with frozen spinach, too?  I love baby spinach, but it's quite costly.

[diablita]

I love baby spinach, too.  LOVE it.

My usual breakfast is a light bread/bagel (around 100 calories) with a slice of cheese, tomato and lots of fresh, raw spinach.

[Courtney]

Tell me more...what did you use and how many calories was it?

I used coffee, about a cup or so of it.  Then about a cup of milk (FF).  I also used some sugar free caramel syrup (target, 0 cal, made with spelnda), and a tiny bit of hershey syrup.  Then I added a bunch of ice cubes.  This made an entire blender full somehow.  It froths up a lot!! 

So I split it with DH, so each one had the calories of half a cup of milk and whatever is in a little hershey syrup.  I counted it as 2 pts. 


Icecream- about the spinach...  I tend to not eat a lot of greens on my own.  I like spinach (baby spinach is what I use) just fine, in salads, but I'm not an eat-a-salad-every-day type of girl, really.  So I when I whip up a smoothie, I toss 2 handfulls in, and you can't tell.  I also split this with my DH, and lord knows he needs the veggies.    I just figure that if I'm making something like this, putting spinach in it, where it's not detectable, can't hurt.  I haven't tried kale yet, as I hear it has a more distinct flavor. 

[merigayle]

Why do you "hide" the spinach in it?  Is it because you don't like spinach?  Do you put baby spinach in it or regular spinach?  Would tis work with frozen spinach, too?  I love baby spinach, but it's quite costly.

DD likes eating spinach salad but freaked out once when she saw me put it in a smoothie and refused to drink it, so now i make the smoothies while she is off playing or something so she does not see. I use fresh baby spinach. Costco sells a HUGE container of organic baby spinach for $4-5.

[RioG]

I put green lettuce in mine today.  I also love swiss chard in it.  Tastes kind of like beets.  The kale was too cchunky and I didn't like the taste.  You vitamix addicts won't have a problem with that though.  I do it because despite my love of gardening it's a lot of work for me to eat enough veggies.  If I can make them taste like raspberries it's way easier.

[Ice Cream]

DD likes eating spinach salad but freaked out once when she saw me put it in a smoothie and refused to drink it, so now i make the smoothies while she is off playing or something so she does not see. I use fresh baby spinach. Costco sells a HUGE container of organic baby spinach for $4-5.

I am surprised she does not question what's in there.  Do you think she will as she gets older?

[merigayle]

I am surprised she does not question what's in there.  Do you think she will as she gets older?

well it tastes just like berries and bananas, so what is there to question? she just assumes that is what is in there.

[Courtney]

I am surprised she does not question what's in there.  Do you think she will as she gets older?

I think she's three.  Unless she sees/notices it, she's probably not thinking about it.   

[merigayle]

I think she's three.  Unless she sees/notices it, she's probably not thinking about it. 

exactly! it is pink and it tastes like berries.

[Courtney]

exactly! it is pink and it tastes like berries.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

I'd like a smoothie right now.  Sadly, my vitamix is at home! 

[merigayle]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. 

I'd like a smoothie right now.  Sadly, my vitamix is at home! 

I may have, at some time, made my smoothie, put in a big ziplock bag, into a cooler, and brought it into work with me

[nadra24]

I may have, at some time, made my smoothie, put in a big ziplock bag, into a cooler, and brought it into work with me

Wide mouth mason jars work nicely for this purpose, and are much easier to clean than Nalgene bottles. 

[LilyLily]

A friend from work  went on some all smoothie regimen and had a great deal of success with it.  I asked her for recipes and will post once I have them.

I use my Vitamix still at least once a day.  Most days at least twice.  I always throw handfuls of Spinach in and, now, when DD makes hers she does too which is great.  I like Kale too but, that's a different recipe than throwing the spinach in.

I'm trying to drop some lbs myself and I'm also of the WW mentality (Core) that you can have as much veggies AND fruit as you want.  The only rule with the fruit was you couldn't doctor it.  For instance, you weren't supposed to peel the apple.  Anyway, Core worked for me and I didn't deprive myself of fruit or veggies that entire time.