I’m a juicer. I’m addicted to the clean feel of fresh green juice, but I’m realizing my juicer is too ancient to be efficient. Read more. I did the research and discovered the Vitamix. So I’ve gone from being a juicer to becoming a smoothier.

For anyone who considers their own health worth the effort, Vitamix is the most popular blender. This industrial quality machine does much more than simply making great smoothies so I get to play with much. With a Vitamix I get to make my own flour, steamy hot soup, frozen ice cream and get this – it cleans itself!

So it finally arrived and I’ve been playing! We’ve had a great time blending every fruit we can find – yum. My son has taken to it like a fish out of water and I watch as he drinks down all the great nutrients and fibre – yes!  He certainly doesn’t take to juicing as enthusiastically!

I’m partial to vegetable smoothies. Not many people can handle a straight spinach, celery and fresh parsley drink but I happen to love it. I threw my veggies into the blender bowl with some filtered water and presto! A rich, thick drink almost instantaneously.

The Vitamix is better than ordinary blenders because it’s strong enough to blend almost anything into a commercially smooth drink – no chunks, no stringy bits, no oxidation (loosing nutrients), and no separation. It’s really great!

I turned on the machine and watched the veggies transform into a thick creamy drink. Poured it into a glass and – what the heck! There’s a thick layer of green foam – or better put – pond scum!! Yuck!

If this has ever happened to you, you know how it puts you off. But others love it so there must be an answer – there is. It depends on the vegetables, some froth up more than others, but regardless of the veggie, I discovered how to eliminate the pond scum. When you’re finished blending the smoothie, turn it down low and add a teaspoon or so (I just drizzle it in) of a good quality oil. I use Udo’s Choice oil, you could use olive oil. For some reason this removes the scum and I end up with a thick, luscious drink that doesn’t separate and is simply delicious!

For variation on this drink you could add a few slices of apple and it takes the “green” out of the flavour, or do as my husband does, he adds a bit of salt and vinegar and it’s like drinking a salad.

We’ve only had it a few days and I’ve already been able to add some veggies into my son’s smoothie with no push-back at all. Now my routine is a veggie smoothie in the morning, a good lunch, and a smaller veggie smoothie in the afternoon. If I get cravings in the evening which is when I’m mostly craving what I shouldn’t have, I make myself a fruit smoothie (melon is my favourite). It works to satisfy my cravings for something sweet.

One more thing about a Vitamix that never happened when I was juicing. Smoothies out of my Vitamix are pretty filling and I find I’m eating less at lunch and dinner because of it. I’m hoping this reaps more rewards than I anticipated.