BlenderBlogger
Blendtec Total Blender Recipes and SmoothiesWhy a blender blog?
Welcome! I have dear friends who would serve me these incredible smoothies and other drinks when I visited their home. Returning to my place, however, I couldn't duplicate their magic. The problem was my blender, a little Hamilton Beach. Thus, my search for a better blender. I found the Blendtec Total Blender and, corny as it sounds, I now work for the company! This blog is for all of us who want better results when we want to make smoothies, soups, shakes or ice cream(!).
Brad Wolken
The BlenderBlogger.Which Skin (rind, seeds, pit) to Blend?
July 26th, 2011If it’s thick, it might make you sick! If it’s thin, leave it in!
That’s my blending guideline for the kids to remember. As an adult you can rely on the Total Blender to take any part of your fruit or vegetable and make it into a drinkable juice. The amount of pulp, skin, seeds, rind, etc. is totally up to you. Want watermelon rind in your juice? Go for it. It’s legal! (Do wash it carefully…)
Yes, there are some seeds that aren’t good for you, and some fruit and vegetables have more pesticides used on them than others, so use your best digression. I don’t care what someone tells me, I do my own homework on the web or at the library before I commit my digestive system to any one ingredient. Common sense dictates my choices. This time of the year you can get really great produce at farmers’ markets and roadside stands. Ask if their produce is pesticide free, and if you are concerned about the response, you are the consumer, so walk away… it’s your right. I like to use the occasion to politely let the person know that I do care about the chemicals in/on my food and spend my money accordingly.
There is a lot of research that documents the beneficial aspects of many parts of our produce that have been traditionally discarded. Sounds like a good blog for the near future. Check back. Happy Blending!
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Wichita Blender Party!
July 18th, 2011When: 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Where: At my booth, Sam’s (West Kellogg Location)
What: A really good time…
Summer Citrus Cooler
Cole Slaw
Creamy Potato Soup with Asparagus and Red Pepper
Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter Ice Cream
(and a dairy free ice cream, too!)
Bring a friend!
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Look of Happiness
April 5th, 2011Will my green “Shrek” ice cream bring you happiness? Well, those of you who are young at heart (you know who you are…) can take a lesson from my young friends here!
Who said a green smoothie was yucky?
To make this green vanilla ice cream put 6 ounces of Half and Half in the blender along with 2 tsp. of vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of sugar or your sugar substitute. Add about 2/3 cup of dry powdered milk. I add about 40 ounces (by volume on the jar measuring guide) of baby organic spinach and enough ice to create a perfect frozen dessert- usually about 2 or 2 1/2 cups. Use the Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt button. Vive the green ice cream!
Posted in Blender Recipes, Recipes, TotalBlender | 2 Comments »
3 questions you want answered?
February 6th, 2011Just a quick survey, Blender Gang! Respond to this posting with three questions you have about the Blendtec Total Blender or blender recipes and I’ll compile them into an blog next week.
Update (July 26): Let’s come up with really tough questions guys! I’m on vacation for a while but will be checking my blog… So, let’s see if you come up with something I can’t answer! I love calling the factory and asking the engineers tough questions. ; )
Tags: blender, Blender recipe, Blendtec, Total Blender
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Mix it up a little…
February 4th, 2011Many times with the blender we just throw things in and pour the concoction into a glass, a kind of culinary exploration into the unknown. What comes out of the blender jar may not be so appealing, but when we do find a new soup, smoothie, ice cream or whatever, it gets added to our recipe mix and gets used frequently until we grow tired of that taste. So, here in the middle of winter I want you to break out a little bit. Today, try something different with one of your favorite tried and true recipes.
I recently found two new seasoning mixes from Mrs. Dash that have added fresh enthusiasm to a couple of recipes that have gotten a little stale. My creamy potato soup were good enough to serve guests who had never experienced something from the Total Blender before, but I was getting tired of them and thought they needed some “pizazz”. Same thing for Brad’s Tortilla Soup.
I have added some of the Tomato Basil Garlic to my creamy potato soups and am using the 
in my Tortilla Soup- giving each a new lease on life and, actually, I like them better than the original recipe anyway(!). You can either add them to your puree, or pulse them in at the end of the cycle with your “texture” ingredients. If you pulse them in at the end, let your soup “rest” for a couple of minutes before serving. This allows the fullness of the spice mix to work its way into the soup.
Happy Blending!
Tags: Blender recipe, Blendtec, Creamy Potato Soup Recipe, green smoothie, Soup Recipe, Total Blender
Posted in Recipes | 3 Comments »
Eggnog Ice Cream
December 9th, 2010A quick hint: Use the vanilla recipe (using only 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) to make a holiday party splash. Just substitute eggnog for the dairy in the recipe on page 226 in the Lifestyles recipe book.
Other holiday ideas? Just respond to this post and let’s share some creative ideas!
Tags: Blender Ice Cream, Blender recipe, Blendtec, Total Blender
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Soup du jour! Potato that is…
November 26th, 2010As the weather turns colder here in the Midwest, I wanted to pass along a great website brought to my attention by a reader.
Try PotatoSoup.org for those creamy potato soup ideas! Kudos to Birdie for the “heads up”!!
Tags: Blender recipe, Blendtec, Creamy Potato Soup Recipe, Soup Recipe, Total Blender
Posted in Recipes | 2 Comments »
Lactose Free Almond Milk Ice Cream
November 2nd, 2010I’ve met several people recently who are lactose intolerant. Usually, people who can’t use dairy products want to know if they can substitute lactose free ingredients, such as soy milk, almond milk, or Lactaid. So last night at the Total Blender Party we used plain almond milk to make turn the remnants of the peanut butter, still in the 2 quart jar, into a lactose free peanut butter ice cream.
You can use the Vanilla Ice Cream recipe on page 226, substituting your lactose free product for the milk if you just want a plain “vanilla” ice cream. If you substitute the agave nectar, reduce the almond milk by 2 oz. Also, I recommend that you consider adding 1/4 of an avocado, replacing the dry powdered milk, to add a creamy texture.
Here’s what we did last night:
Follow the peanut butter recipe on page 34 to make peanut butter. Don’t clean the jar! (We left approximately 1/4 cup last night.) Add these ingredients in the order listed below and use the Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt button.
8 oz Silk Plain Almond Milk
1 oz of Agave Nectar (to taste)
2 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
3-4 cups of ice
NOTE: you may add the 1/4 avocado mentioned above if you need something really creamy, or maybe some banana.
Happy Blending!
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Hey, Engineers! A Tear Down
November 2nd, 2010Last night a couple who attended the blender party invited me to dinner. (Thanks Mike and Lynda!) In conversation it was related to me that about 60% of the aircraft that are in the sky have had something in them that was designed, built or somehow touched in Wichita. That explains why, when I’m in Wichita, so many guys stop at the booth and look at the video of Tom Dickson grinding up all the fun stuff (www.willitblend.com).
I have seen something that will interest all of our technically minded folk. This is a “tear down” of the blender, conducted by a third party website, and I don’t think they are affiliated with Blendtec. So, engineers, here’s one for you!
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/10/ifixits_sponsored_blender_teardown.html
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Quick Raspberry Refresher
October 18th, 2010I’ve been asked many times for this recipe by people coming by my Total Blender booth. It’s so easy it is almost like cheating! It’s also fun to use when you want to raise the eyebrow’s of friends and relatives, too! ; ) wink
4 oz Old Orchard 100% Apple Raspberry Juice Concentrate
1/2 Banana
1-2 wedges of Fresh Pineapple, taken from a 1/2 inch wide slice
1/4 cup Non-fat Powdered Milk
1/4 cup Cabbage
Place all ingredients in the blender and use the Ice Cream – Frozen Yogurt button.
Happy Blending!
Tags: blender, Blender Ice Cream, Blender recipe, Blendtec, Ice Cream, smoothie recipes, Total Blender
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Delicious Links
Great Blending Websites:- See videos on eating healthy at Green Smoothie Girl.
- Check out crazy blending videos at Will It Blend.
- Find specific Total Blender (my blender) product information at: Blendtec
Near You.
See Brad's demoin action:
VACATION
July 28 - August 14, 2011