I just ordered a Vitamix

[luvmylabs]

Can you make your own nut butters with it? That just might push me over the edge...

Yes, the lady at the demo that I saw put peanuts in and turned on the vitamix and voila, she had peanut butter, she used Honey Roasted peanuts though, I think she said you need to use nuts that are roasted with oil, I am not sure abut using raw nuts though. I can't remember if she used the dry or the wet blade container though.

 

[kathryn]

Yes, the lady at the demo that I saw put peanuts in and turned on the vitamix and voila, she had peanut butter, she used Honey Roasted peanuts though, I think she said you need to use nuts that are roasted with oil, I am not sure abut using raw nuts though. I can't remember if she used the dry or the wet blade container though.

You may have to add a bit of oil when making nut butters with raw nuts in it (for increased moisture). But, if you soak the raw nuts and rinse them--which starts the germination process and increases nutritional value as well as removes substances that can impede absorption of some nutrients--and don't dry them completely, that might work.

Though maybe the peanut butter demo was because it's difficult to get raw peanuts, and 'dry roasted' would be the other option, and they would be too hard?

 

[jdbmga]

I make nut butters in mine all the time. There are instructions in the cookbook that is included. They are probably online at vitamix.com as well.

 

[fit44]

Can you make your own nut butters with it? That just might push me over the edge...

Gayle,

I use mine to make nut flour for homemade protein bars. I've never tried nut butter, but I'm sure it can handle it.
I would love to purchase a food processor, but I feel the Vita-mix replaces it all.
You can buy dry blades for nuts. I used my wet blade and it worked fine. I purchased the Vita Prep from this place:

http://www.vittitow.com/vitamix-vita-prep-kitchen-blender-like-5000-p-4691.html
They ship free and fast. I've also purchased extra pitcher from them.


Congratulations on your new purchase Baylain!!! I've had mine for a few years and love it. Completely worth the money IMO!
I was wearing out the cheap blenders. Vita mix is a work horse

 

[Gayle]

Thanks for the info everyone!

 

[babindy]

I'm also a mostly raw foodie. I use my Vitamix primarily for smoothies (green for me, not-so-green for my teenager) and raw soups. I use my food processor a lot, especially the mini one. It's great for making the nut/dried fruit (Lara-like) things. Also for the larger slices for my dehydrator (mine's Excalibur and I have zero complaints) [Recommendation to try - spicy Japenese Sweet Potato Chips. Yes you can eat sweet potatoes raw.]

For smoothie ideas - see anything by the Boutenko family. But you really don't need a recipe. I just throw stuff in until it tastes good.

I MUCH prefer my smaller container. It fits under my counter and is plenty big enough for my use. My original larger one is around somewhere... I've heard good things about Blendtec as well. I doubt you can go wrong with either of them.

btw - there are even YouTube videos on smoothies. They remind you to CHEW your green smoothies.

 

[dmd]

My fav GS recipe for Kathryn and blender clan

This is my Favorite blend...it is bright and yummy!
1 C. water
1 lb organic spinich ( sometimes more...if other greens are not available)
2 c. Kale leaves
2 c. organic romaine lettuce
good handful parsley or watercress
2 tab. Dulse
1 tab. Coconut oil
2 lg. apples
1/2 bananna or 1/2 c. mango ( I like both frozen for extra thickening)
Lemon peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tab. dark agave nectar

 

[JodelleFitzh20]

Retro Vitamix

I even have a retro Vita-mix, the 3600 model all stainless steel, and even the retro ones are awesome! I just got mine off ebay about 3 months ago and I'm in love with it! I swear that thing would take my arm off if I stuck it down in there! I recently made hummus in it and it pureed everything in like a matter of seconds!! And I made my PB Cheesecake with stevia recipe that's in the recipes forum in it and it made it mix up incredibly smooth! You are so gonna love your Vita-mix!

 

[kathryn]

This is my Favorite blend...it is bright and yummy!
1 C. water
1 lb organic spinich ( sometimes more...if other greens are not available)
2 c. Kale leaves
2 c. organic romaine lettuce
good handful parsley or watercress
2 tab. Dulse
1 tab. Coconut oil
2 lg. apples
1/2 bananna or 1/2 c. mango ( I like both frozen for extra thickening)
Lemon peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tab. dark agave nectar

Looks good!
So do you drink/eat this by yourself? As a meal? Or does it make more than one serving?
And how do you measure the kale and romaine: loosely packed, or tightly packed?
TIA!

 

[dmd]

Hi Kathryn,
This makes a good 32 oz. pitcher full. I make it the night before bed and have one after weights in the a.m., have a large salad for lunch and have the other half when I get home from work. I have thought about perhaps adding some hemp protein powder to it...can't decide yet. I am really enjoying the Green smoothie thing. Boy, do I feel better for it! deb

 

[FitGirl-ATX]

Hi Baylian,
I'm actually an Alissa Cohen certified level 1 raw food chef. I took the 1-day course in December. However, I personally find that her recipes are a tad bit too heavy for my tastes. I prefer lighter foods, and not as much avacado or nuts in my diet. I'm about to read Natalia Rose's Detox Diet. I have alot of raw foods books, and I really enjoy "The Raw Food Revolution" as well as a book called "Super Cleanse." The "Super Cleanse" recipes have been my favorite so far - flavorful, filling, but not too heavy or high fat content.

I'm still waiting for the UPS man to get here...LOL....it will be sometime today, and I have all of my ingredients for my green smoothie.

I also noticed on Amazon.com that Victoria Butenko is releasing a book entitled "Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health", which will be released in July. There's alot of excellent information out there. Next on my reading list will be Brenden Brazier's "Thrive Diet."

Good luck with your Vitamix! It sounds like you're already breaking it in nicely

Anxiously awaiting for the UPS Man to arrive...still....

FitGirl-ATX

 

[dmd]

Glad to see other raw foodies here!

Wow, how neat that you got the Cohen cert.! I have been reading quite a bit lately about the Raw Food lifestyle. For me it has been a long journey away from meat/flesh in general because I have trouble digesting it...bummer, because I do like the taste of it. However, after digestive issues and reading about vegan and raw vegan diets I have really fallen in love with the idea! I've lost 15 stubborn pounds and my depression is lifting.

I am now investing in a few super foods and adding them to my smoothies. Please continue to let us know what you learn in your reading. I have Green for life by Boutenko...very good! I just ordered a book by David Wolfe about Eating for Beauty...the exact title escapes me..

I can't wait to hear about Brenden's Book! deb

 

[baylian]

Hi Baylian,
I'm actually an Alissa Cohen certified level 1 raw food chef. I took the 1-day course in December. However, I personally find that her recipes are a tad bit too heavy for my tastes. I prefer lighter foods, and not as much avacado or nuts in my diet. I'm about to read Natalia Rose's Detox Diet. I have alot of raw foods books, and I really enjoy "The Raw Food Revolution" as well as a book called "Super Cleanse." The "Super Cleanse" recipes have been my favorite so far - flavorful, filling, but not too heavy or high fat content.


FitGirl-ATX

That is so cool . . . I have thought about doing this. You must go to www.rawfoodtalk.com also.

I am lovin my Vitamix AND my dehydrator (Good4u brand). The dehydrator is humming away right now with raw corn chips (Everyday Raw by Matthew Kenney) and Come Bite the Apple Cookies (Rawvolution by Matt Amsden). Had a smoothies this morning too - muskmellon, peaches, raw almond milk, agave, hemp oil, flaxseeds and a scoop of green super foods.

Honestly I feel better already and have been doing this seriously for only 5 days. I have so much more energy and am sleeping like a baby. TMI - also my gas/bloating has diminished a great deal.

I really like the book by Ani Phyo (pronounce Pee-hoe). She has some stuff on youtube and she is also coming out with a new book that is just desserts.

Also Sarma Mengailis has a new book out on June.

Maybe we should start a chat or blog or something so we can keep up on it . . ?

Everyone enjoy their weekend!

 

[FitGirl-ATX]

Baylian & Deb,

I am soooo loving the Vitamix already. The recipe book that came along with it seems really cool! I am so excited about trying the recipes. My beautiful Vitamix box finally arrived yesterday (5 mins before my client arrived..too bad b/c I was going to make her a green smoothie after our workout, but it was still in the box). I immediately ripped it open, watched the DVD, and made a green smoothie. I had 2 yesterday evening/night and 1 today. It was soooo easy with the Vitamix! I am very pleased with the purchase already.

Baylian: I agree that it would be fun to have a nutrition subgroup under the forum so that we can all keep our raw foods talk going.

Deb: The Cohen cert was super easy. It was just a matter of attending the level 1 workshop for $125. You make some of the recipes in her book, under the supervision of your instructor, and boom - you are a level 1 certified chef. LOL. Brenden Brazier is actually coming to Austin tomorrow to give a nutrition lecture. I really want to go, but I have a furniture delivery coming at that time - BUMMER! I am very interested in his philosophies. I have to wait until I read some of the other books on my shelf first

Have a great weekend, ladies, and keep Vitamixin'

Fitgirl-atx

 

[dmd]

Oh have fun with your vitamix!

You'll have to share your recipes as you go...! I bought Natalia's book today and I can't wait to read more. I looks very user friendly. I am currently doing Bikram yoga and she talks about additional detox through infrared sauna...so kewl!! Also, I have been skin brushing for the past couple of years and she addresses this as well. This is the first health/diet/food subject book that talks about sauna's and skin brushing!

Too bad you can't attend Brenden's talk. Thats another book I'd love to take a look at!

 

[kathryn]

Hi Baylian,
I'm actually an Alissa Cohen certified level 1 raw food chef. I took the 1-day course in December. However, I personally find that her recipes are a tad bit too heavy for my tastes. I prefer lighter foods, and not as much avocado or nuts in my diet.

That's cool!
I agree about her recipes: lots of prep in some cases, and way high in fat. Last time I saw her on TV, the diet seemed to have caught up to her a bit: she looked rather puffy in the face.

I much more like the recipes in "Raw Food Made Easy" by Jennifer Cornbleet, and the new "Raw Food Revolution" (that I just finished reading). I'd love to go to their classes, but they are pricey and far away.

 

[kathryn]

...she talks about additional detox through infrared sauna...

My acupuncturist has a couple of those, and I did a detox series last year.

 

[kathryn]

Maybe we should start a chat or blog or something so we can keep up on it . . ?

I'm interested (again...I've explored raw foods several times in my life, and never stick to it: I just never get to the point where I have the right stuff on hand and the prep becomes automatic, and start adding more cooked foods, then veering farther and farther in that direction).

Summer before last (my last foray into raw food), I got out my food processor (that I hadn't used previously!), picked up a Vitamix, a dehydrator, a soy/nut milk maker and a spiralizer (cool zucchini noodles!) and did about 3 days of all raw, a week or so of high raw, and then stuck with incorporating more raw foods in on a daily basis.

Right now, I'm again adding more raw food into my diet (which tended to get a bit too 'unraw' over the winter---ideally, I'd go at least 50% raw in winter and more in summer, but ended up less than that this past winter).

I just discovered a new food co-op on my way back from a conference, that's about an hour away (it's actually a longstanding co-op that I visited once when it used to be in a basement and seemed very 70's--at least like the co-op I used to work at back then, before we went above ground!--, and now has greatly expanded to grocery-store size).

I picked up some organic produce (including kumquats and three types of kale!) and found some locally produced raw-food products. I had the raw 'lasagne' yesterday (it tasted very much like real lasagne!).

So far today, I had some 'save the chicken salad' romaine wraps (well, they didn't 'wrap' so well, as the leaves started breaking, so I turned them into 'sammiches' instead, using 1/2 leaf on each side of the filling (the 'unchicken' salad plus broccoli sprouts, shredded carrot, and red pepper, all organic).

Baylian: if you make almond milk (though almonds are now problematic...see below*) or other nut milk (macadamia is yummy!), you can save the pulp (which becomes defatted) and mix it with coconut, a bit of raw agave, a pinch of sea salt and maybe some vanilla (not raw, unless you start with the bean), form the mix into balls and dehydrate for some yummy coconut 'macaroons.' (you could also add some shredded carrot--and reduce the sweetener---or some cocoa powder).

*On almonds: the US Almond manufacturers association passed a resolution in 2007 to fumigate all US produced raw almonds as a precaution against salmonella, starting with the september 2007 crop. Non-organic 'raw' almonds are treated with a chemical that is a known carcinogen, while organic almonds are steamed at a temperature that makes them no longer considered raw. Raw almonds from other countries, however, aren't subject to the fumigation. (Organic farmers tried to appeal the decision by taking it to court, but their case was just recently thrown out. )

 

[winsomehill]

I have a great recipe for almond "chai".
Take two cups almonds and soak overnight.
Drain and rinse until water runs clear.
Add 6 cups water.
Blend in Vita mix.
Strain the milk through cheesecloth or nut milk bag.
Put milk back into blender, and put aside leftover pulp.
Add 1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp clove
half a tsp cinnamon
half a tsp salt
and agave to taste (I put 2-3 tblsp)
Blend.
I love, love, love this.
The recipe makes about 2 Quarts.

 

[babindy]

You'll have to share your recipes as you go...! I bought Natalia's book today and I can't wait to read more. I looks very user friendly. I am currently doing Bikram yoga and she talks about additional detox through infrared sauna...so kewl!! Also, I have been skin brushing for the past couple of years and she addresses this as well. This is the first health/diet/food subject book that talks about sauna's and skin brushing!

Too bad you can't attend Brenden's talk. Thats another book I'd love to take a look at!

Natalia's book was my intro into raw foods. I think it's a great book for those looking for that transition. She has varying levels for various stages. I'm not so much into her 'waste management' policies, but I found plenty of other useful info. I had been most a vegan previously and went in at level 3. It was very easy and I quickly moved up to the next level. That's where I am and will probably stay for quite awhile. I still indulge in some cooked veggies once in awhile. But I find that vegan is so much easier on my body.

I also tried the food combining principles. Mostly I found it too hard to stick to. I try to keep fruit separate most of the time, but I love it on my salads. And what's a green smoothie without fruit??

I've done dry skin brushing for years and I think it's great.

I'd love to see a new thread/board on this