A tale of Two Blenders

I have two blenders that I use almost daily:

• My Little Blender that Could (The Back to Basics, value ~$25)
  
• The Swanky Blender (The Vitamix, value ~my mortgage)
  

Each of my BELOVED blenders serves important purposes, as varied as the concoctions that come out of them. First I would like to explain why I'm so adamant about having my smoothies every day, especially in the mornings.

I have done so many experiments on myself as to what satiates me and what does not. Here is what does not (heavy, deep sigh):

• Oatmeal, oat groats, buckwheat groats
  
• Oat Bran, wheat bran
  
• Egg whites or whole eggs
  
• Cereal & Milk
  
• Yogurt or Kefir or Buttermilk
  
• Nuts or nut butters
• Fruits or Veggies
• Pancakes of any kind
  
• Any combination above
  

The following food items would render my abs sore from fits of laughter in thinking that satiation was even remotely possible:

• bagels, cream cheese, lox
• donuts, croissants, sweet rolls
• pancakes, waffles, french toast
• toast of any sort, topped with anything
  

So even if I saturate my body with carbs AND protein and AND fats in the form of actual solid food, this is what happens:

• I do not feel full immediately upon finishing my edible breakfast
• It eventually sorta-kinda takes the edge off my hunger, but not enough to make me stop thinking about how hungry I still am, which is nothing short of annoying.
• I end up eating more food for the entire rest of the day. My stomach becomes "The Bottomless Pit."
  

This is why I have come to accept that I cannot have a normal breakfast like everyone else. The only thing that seems to fill me up and keep me happy until lunch is the smoothies.

A Typical morning: I wake up very early and immediately make a Green Juice Concoction, which I'll sip while checking email and making the hubby's brekkie and lunch. Then I'll set about making my standard Protein/Fruit/Nut-butter Shake, which I'll stick in the freezer while I have a cup of coffee with some milk foam (from my Nespresso Aeroccino, thanks Dad!). If I'm on the go, the shake goes into a plastic container (or two if it got super fluffy). If I have time to enjoy it at home, it goes in a bowl, where I'll adorn it with a nut butter and perhaps a topping.


(Photo: left is the Vitamix, on the right is the Back to Basics Container...ready to hit the road. By the way, All of that volume came from some frozen fruit, a little PB and ONE Jay Robb powder packet (THANKS HEABie for protein love!)

The Little Blender That Could

I adore this little gizmo. Meet the Back to Basics Blender Express. I have used it ever since I welcomed smoothies back into my life a few years ago. With all the abuse I give it, I've only had one or two break on me, and I sent them back to Back to Basics, and they replaced them!

Similar to the Magic Bullet, the blending container is also your To-go cup. This saves a whole step of washing- a definite 'plus'. And for a little blender, this one really crushes ice well. It provides smoothies with good, thick consistency, and yet doesn't obliterate goodies that you might want to keep chunkier for some crunch or chew in your shake (I like cooked wheatberries or cacao nibs). I will admit to you that I've taken my Blender Express with me to Japan (yes, they have the same electrical outlets) as well as countless other places including cruise ships.

The Swanky Blender

Many of you are already proud owners of this bad boy: The Vita-Mix 5200. I never thought that I would have to take out a second mortgage to buy a blender, but this one has truly revolutionized my eating. You can save quite a lot of money (~$100+) if you buy a refurbished motor from Vita-Mix (the containers are always new). There is a ridiculously long warranty period- something like 7 years! And this mutha can blend like nobody's business. 

I try not to burn too many brain cells trying to figure out how the same machine can make ice cream one minute and soup the next, but those are the facts. I've managed to make even fluffier smoothies, ice cream, nut butters, purees, dressings, whipped topping and innumerable soups (when I say it "makes" soup, I mean that the blade turns around so fast that after about 5 minutes, the heat it produces actually cooks the raw veggies that are being blended).