Ritchie - Smoothies & Beyond

Tori Ritchie

PHOTOGRAPHS
Maren Caruso

blending like a pro

For years I used a dime-store blender. People told me about the superpowers of pro-blenders, but I refused to listen. I didnt need one, I thought. Smoothies came out fine in my old model, the one with buttons that indicate grind-chop-purealthough it didnt really seem to do any of those things. The things I made in it were a little grainy perhaps, a little chalky maybe, but overall okay.

Then I got a Vitamix Professional Series blender and, like other modern wondersGreek yogurt, smartphonesI cant imagine life without it. Everything I make in it is creamier and silkier than if had used a food mill and strained it through the finest sieve, as I was trained to do in culinary school. I can throw unpeeled carrots and apples or a market basket of produce into the container and whirl them up without losing any nutrients, so its a fresh and pure way to eat. Better still, I can make much more than smoothies. Hot and cold soups, sauces and pestos, vegetable dips, salad dressingsI make them all in the Vitamix machine. As a result, my life is easier and healthier.

When I sat down (or stood up, actually, at the counter where my Vitamix machine resides) to create the recipes for this book, I realized theres another aspect to pro-blending that isnt talked about often: Its an amazing way to create decadent desserts like rich mousses, creamy puddings, and warm sauces. I can even pro-blend ice creams and sorbets without having to get out my ice cream machine.

I use my Vitamix machine all day, not just in the morning, so the chapters in this book reflect that. There are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, and many of them can be eaten as snacks. The dishes in this book can be served every day, on weekends, for parties, and for holidays. Most are healthy, but some are indulgent. They are meant to give you a broad taste of what you can do with your pro-blender, so start here to master the basics before taking off in your own direction. The best recipe may be hiding in your refrigerator, so rummage around in there and see what you can come up with.

A pro-blenders powerful engine turns the blades so fast, they process foods in a matter of seconds. Pures made in a pro-blender come out more creamy and silky than mixtures strained through a fine-mesh sieve.

how pro-blending works

Pro-blending is pretty simple: The blenders powerful engine makes the blades turn so fast that they process foods in a matter of seconds. You can blend any number of piping hot or freezing cold items in the same machine: It can crush ice and frozen ingredients into thick, cold concoctions in under a minute. However, if you let the machine run longer, about 56 minutes, the blades will create enough friction to heat liquid until steaming hot. There is no cooling element or heating coil within the pro-blender; the cooling or heating is all caused by the friction of the blades.

Pro-blenders are renowned for making smoothies and nut milks, but they are also great for juices, pures, dips, butters, spreads, hot and cold soups, sweet and savory sauces, dressings, batters, creams, foams, and frozen desserts. You can also grind cereals, grains, and coffee and even make dough, preferably with the .

When you use a pro-blender, you control what goes into your food. You can use organic whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, and seeds and get all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals they have to offer. You can sweeten things with sugar alternatives like maple syrup, honey, stevia, or agave, or use other ingredients, such as dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg instead of sweetener. On the savory side, you can blend in citrus zests and spices to amp up flavor so you need less salt. All this adds up to a healthy, wholesome way to prepare food. You put in only what you want, you make the texture as chunky or smooth as you like, and the result is as fresh and pure as you choose.

Pro-blending is also a great way to clean out your refrigerator. Youd be amazed how good the fruits and vegetables in your produce drawer taste when blended into a .

THE JOYS OF PRO-BLENDING

A pro-blender is really several appliances in one: blender, food processor, ice cream machine, electric beaters, and stove (for heating soups and sauces).

Using a pro-blender cuts down on prep time. You dont have to get out bowls and whisks and ladles and sieves: Just roughly chop the ingredients, layer them in the blender container, and youre good to go.

When using a pro-blender, there is no need to strain pured mixtures to help improve the texture (unless you want the consistency of extracted juice), so you get maximum nutrients from the food.

A pro-blender is so easy to clean, it actually cleans itself: Just fill the container halfway with warm water, add one or two drops of dish soap, whirl it clean, and rinse well.

getting to know your pro-blender

You can read the technical information in your machines instruction manual (and you most certainly should), where youll learn about the machines basic elements. In a Vitamix Professional Series blender there are five elements: the powerful engine (housed in the base), the control panel, the container, the lid (with removable plug), and the tamper. Different models offer different versions of these elements. You can find out more online as well as compare models, register your machine to take advantage of the warranty benefits, and buy additional parts or replace old ones. Following are a few things you should know before you start blending with
your Vitamix machine:

the control panel

The panel design varies from machine to machine, but there is always a power switch and a speed-control dial. Professional-series models may also offer a hi-low switch, a pulse switch, or pre-programed settings. With these programs, all you have to do is choose the appropriate function and turn on the machine. The machine then does the work and stops itself when the recipe is complete.

the container

Depending on the model you select, the size of the blender container varies. The main difference is capacity. Measurements are marked on the outside of the container in ounces, cups, and milliliters. Some people prefer models with a low-profile container, so the machine will fit on the counter under an upper kitchen cabinet.

The standard container that comes with the pro-blender has a wet blade that pulls food down to blend it for maximum smoothness. This is the container you will use for almost everything you make, including the recipes in this book. A second container with a dry bladewhich forces food up into the container to keep it from clumpingcan be purchased separately. It doesnt process liquids well, but is great for grinding flour, grains, and coffee, and for kneading dough. The recipes in this book were developed specifically for use with the standard blender container.

the tamper

Unlike regular blenders or food processors, a pro-blender is designed to work continuously: You generally dont have to stop the motor, open the lid, and scrape down the sides, as you do with those other machines. For preparing thick ingredients and frozen concoctions in a Vitamix machine, a sturdy tamper helps push the food into the blades and keep air pockets from forming. The tamper is always used with the lid in place and is custom-designed so it will not hit the blades, even as you move it around. Thus, its important to use only the tamper that comes with your specific machine when blending with the tamper.