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Vita Mix: Strawberry Banana Smoothie

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We mentioned how the Vita Mix blender makes making smoothie drinks so easy, right? Well we are at it again, with a new, classic smoothie flavor: Strawberry Banana.

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We noticed these wonderful strawberries the last time we were at Trader Joe’s. They were plump and full of flavor. They were so good that our Trader Joe’s store was using them in the morning sample 🙂  Yeah! We tried some wonderful muffin pieces as well, but seriously the strawberries were simply fabulous.

Vita Mix Super 5000 in Action

Vita Mix Super 5000 in Action


Like we noted, many times you see great looking fruit in stores, but when you go to eat it, the fruit is watery or just lacking in flavor.  Well, not these strawberries, that is for sure.

So into the Vita Mix they went! We popped a banana, some of the strawberries and used almond milk as the “creamy” part. We even added a few ice cubes to this smoothie just to add some extra coolness to the drink.

Because the strawberries were soo sweet we did not need to add any honey to this drink, we just poured it out- and enjoyed!

Vita Mix Smoothie: Strawberry & Banana

Vita Mix Smoothie: Strawberry & Banana

Have you checked out the Vita-Mix yet?  This super blender might be just what you need to reach your health goals. Take a look today….

Click HERE to Get FREE shipping on your Vitamix

Do you have a Vita Mix blender? What are your favorite items to make in yours? Please take a minute to leave us a comment – even if it is just to say hello, we love to hear from our readers.

Vita Mix: Blueberry Banana Almond Smoothie

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Making smoothie drinks at home is easy with a Vita Mix and items from Trader Joe’s.

Maybe it is the heat, or maybe it  is the end of another semester in graduate school and we are looking to try something new, but WOW  we  are making a lot of blender drinks (or smoothies) in our Vita Mix.

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This week, the blueberries were calling to us, as was the heat, so in an effort to enjoy those yummy blueberries and keep cool, we used the remains of the blueberries in a smoothie.  In addition to those SuperBlues blueberries, we had other great ingredients from Trader Joe’s to select from: Bananas, Raw Almonds, Honey and Vanilla Yogurt.  How to choose….

Blueberry Almond Banana Smoothie

Blueberry Almond Banana Smoothie


So you can see that selecting the items is the hard part, making a Smoothie is actually easy with the Vita Mix. You simply add the ingredients and then let the strength and power of the motor make short work of blending everything into a smooth and creamy drink.

This drink was super easy and just delicious!

What you need:

  • 2 Cups cold water
  • 1 ripe banana
  • ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ¼ cup raw almonds
  • Honey to taste

How to:

Blend the water and the almonds together on High to make a smooth almond-milk. Then add the fruits and honey if using. Blend on High again until smooth. Taste and add more honey if you need to- depends on how sweet your banana is, right?

This will make about 3 cups of rich, fruity smoothie.

Variations:

  • Strawberries
  • Mango
  • Yogurt
  • Maple Syrup

There are so many variations possible- these are just a few of our favorites. Please feel free to share your favorite fruit smoothie combinations below.

We just love making drinks and soups in the Vita Mix.   When you add the fact that Trader Joe’s has a wonderful selection of produce, nuts and frozen items for sale, you can see there are a zillion items to make.  In fact,  we hope to share many more adventures in blending with you soon.

Have you checked out the Vita-Mix yet?  This super blender might be just what you need to reach your health goals. Take a look today

Click HERE to Get FREE shipping on your Vitamix

If you liked this post, please take a minute and leave a comment. Even if it is just to say hello, we love to hear from all our readers.

This item is Wheat Free/ Raw

Breakfast is GREAT at Trader Joe’s

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oatmeal, banana, pecans, maple syrup

We are addicted to our breakfast.

What is it you ask? What can be so good so early in the morning?  Wait for it… OATMEAL!

You can’t believe it can you??

Let us clarify. This is not just any oatmeal. This is organic, long cooking and hearty oatmeal that stays with you throughout the AM. This is the kind of oatmeal that cold cereals only dreams about becoming… This oatmeal is a star at the breakfast table.

OK maybe we are just getting carried away?

But we really do like this oatmeal. Because it is long cooking, sometimes we cook a batch the night before. Sometimes we cook up an even bigger batch for 2-3 mornings when there is NO extra time. Usually, we bring the oatmeal and water to a boil in the pan and then turn off the heat, and then go for our morning power walk. When we return, the oatmeal is nearly finished with only about 5 more minutes left to cook.

Then the real fun begins.

The toppings! What better way to keep your breakfast new and different then by changing up what you top it with? We have tried bananas and apples, raisins and dried cranberries an assortment of nuts, apple butter (WOW- just delish) and even granola (yes made from oats too) in a zillion combinations. What about whip cream and chocolate chips?

Right now for our breakfast we are serving up a most excellent batch of oatmeal topped with sliced banana, toasted pecans, blueberries and a swirl of maple syrup. Yum. If you have not tried a bowl of oatmeal in a while, we suggest you start. It is a great way to start a wintery morning when it is dark and cold, and we live in Tucson! Now just so we are clear here, this is not a Trader Joe’s brand, it is  a product that has the “Trader Joe’s seal of approval” and is sold in their stores. We also purchase all the wonderful toppings at our Trader Joe’s store as well.

Oh yeah…. want to know the secret to delicious oatmeal that we discovered in some cookbook, some show or on the Food Network?

Don’t stir it too much.

Really, just leave the oatmeal alone and “shake” the pan once or twice. OK… stir it quickly to make sure that it is not sticking on the bottom, but then stop and just swirl or “shake” the oatmeal around the pan. It is a myth that making oatmeal uses the same skills as making risotto. You do not need to stir it constantly. If you do, you only wind up with a gummy, pasty mess that no one wants for breakfast. When you “shake” or swirl the pan, the oatmeal grains are more separated and are still nutty.

Warning:  Go slowly when learning this technique, as we have spilled oatmeal on the stove a couple of times when we first started… Ugh….

Let us know if you have tried this oatmeal and how you like it. What toppings do you love on your oatmeal? Please leave your comments below and let us all know.

Have a great, OATMEAL start to your day!

oatmeal, pecans, bananas, blueberries