[Rob Babcock]

Okay, this could have went into health & fitness but it's a kitchen gadget, so I'm posting it here.  I just ordered my Blendtec Total Blender, Classic Wildside yesterday!   The tracking info says I'll have it Monday.  Since I haven't tried it yet I can't comment much except to say I'm stoked!  You may recognized this blender from the viral classic, "Will It Blend?".  If you're curious if an iPhone will blend, click here! 

My main plan for this is making smoothies!  I want a vehicle for adding things to my diet that I find difficult to get down in the amounts that will do me good.  I have high hopes for using smoothies to get a couple TBSP of coconut oil at a time down my gullet.  And I imagine the good ol' green smoothie is on the horizon, too.

[JerryM]

All I can think of is Rum.

Coconut rum. Spiced rum. 151.

  

[Rob Babcock]

Oooh, yeah!  The fact that it will make killer mixed drinks is not lost on me!

[launche]

I think you're going to love it Rob.  I was making the same decision last year but went with the Vitamix brand, both are good.  Smoothie making is awesome with rum and just about anything else. So many things you can do with these machines, I'm just scratching the surface but homemade ice cream, peanut butter, guacamole, soup etc... have been great. 

It really can be a great tool for a better diet.  You hit the nail on the head about getting things in the diet that might otherwise be more work or less enjoyable on its own.  It's also been a great scrap saver.  I use it a lot to eat foods that are about to turn bad or with leftover pieces, just bend it up.  Saves a lot of wasted fruits, veggies and herbs for me.  My wife is about to start a small herb garden which will be extremely helpful.

Actually the herbs have been the hardest part.  Buying them in bulk at the supermarket and trying to use them all has also been hard for us and does lead to waste.  The herb garden should allow us to pick what we need and have less waste.  Also the more you can prep the better.  Buy the stuff, wash and store it and have it ready for a grab and blend.  I've found I'm a lot more likely to use the machine if I have the stuff ready to go, especially so for my wife.

I love my Vitamix and also saw the live Blendtec demo, both highly recommended.

Enjoy and experiment.

[bhakti]

My girlfriend just bought one about a month ago and she loves it!  She makes green smoothies everyday and they are delicious.  The machine is a workhorse and fairly quiet too. 

Now, you have no excuses   

[woodsyi]

Have fun with it.  I didn't get a mixer but I got a Juicer upon my acupuncturist's recommendation.  Kale juice anyone? It tastes pretty good when you add apple, lime, celery and cucumber. 

[TF1216]

Great investment!  I purchased a used Blendtec from a coffee shop 4 years ago.  Mine is still going strong and the blades at the bottom of the container are still getting the job done.  I use mine for frozen smoothies and blending oats.  A few cups of frozen fruit, 4 ice cubes, some eggs (shh!), protein powder, and 1 cup of water completely fills up a protein shaker with 40 to 60g of carbs, with 40g of protein, and 10 to 30g of fat depending on whether oil is added.   

A word to the wise, don't put any breakables near the machine because they might vibrate right off the table 

Best of luck with yours Rob.

[Rob Babcock]

I'm glad to hear an endorsement for the green smoothie.  That's something I'm eager to try, but trying to temper my enthusiasm since at first blush a kale smoothie doesn't sound all that tasty.   I did consider the Vitamix; it's got a stellar reputation and has been around forever.  The price is pretty comparable as well.  Ultimately the pre-set programs and stronger 3 hp motor won out for me.

[Rob Babcock]

The UPS guy just delivered my Blendtec!   Last nite I assembled a cup of frozen fruit to get me started.  I tore into the box and threw down my first green smoothie.  I used about 16 oz of almond & coconut milk, 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, roughly 1/3 of a banana, about 2 cups loose raw spinach, 2 scoops protein powder, 1 TBSP of coconut oil and a few ice cubes for good measure.  It came out pretty good!  Couldn't discern any taste to speak of from the greens.  It needed a bit more ice or frozen stuff to give that classic Juice Stop feel but I didn't want to add anything that didn't have either flavor or nutrition.  A good first effort!  I think I'm gonna dig the Blendtec!

[launche]

Sound good Rob,

As you'll see certain greens go down easy and others may not, depending.  Spinach is an easy one I think.  Easy on the banana (as you did) and also carrots as I think the fiber in them adds thickness (you'll learn when to use more or less).  Lime is one of my go to ingredients for adding a nice bit of flavor to most anything.  Cilantro is also my other favorite.  With either of those two I feel like I can drink most anything.  Mint as well, I also use a little jalapeño as well in some stuff, loads of flavors to try. Don't forget your spices too.

[Rob Babcock]

One thing I'd forgotten is that I'd used this particular protein powder (branded for Hy-Vee stores) and didn't much care for it.  I could taste it's funky aftertaste peeking out from behind the fresh flavors of the other stuff.  I think I'm gonna toss the rest of the can and go without or try to find something that tastes better.  A raw (pasteurized) egg would be better than a funky tasting supplement.

[Early B.]

Sound good Rob,
 Easy on the banana (as you did) and also carrots as I think the fiber in them adds thickness (you'll learn when to use more or less). 

Another reason to go easy on some fruits and also carrots is that it adds a lot of sugar, especially when blended. Some people think they are consuming a healthy drink, but the high sugar content negates the health benefits. 

[TF1216]

I learned my listen, as Early B. stated, when I first got my Blendtec.  Too many sugars and fibrous fruit went into that thing.  It took a call to a nurse to figure out why I felt so bloated all the time.  She got a kick out of my scenario.   

I have tried many protein powders in my day and I find the best value and flavor comes from the NytroWhey product line from ProSource.net.  If you buy the most basic powder the deal is phenomenal.  However, another site I used to buy from, until their prices went up slightly, was revolutionarynutrition.com.  Buying the 10 lb., or if you dare the 25 lb., size is a sweet deal.  Stevia is used in that product which is important to many folks.

[usp1]

Try the Isopure ZeroCarb protein powder. And I would be carful of coconut oil as it is very high in saturated fats.

[Rob Babcock]

There's some controversy about coconut oil but according to the best info I have, the saturated fats are mostly MCTs which are healthy.  I agree that making the smoothie into a fruit bomb negates a lot of the stuff I want to do so I'm leaning on the greens.