I love my Vita-Mix blender!

I have had it for almost 6 years. Although spendy, I had been burning up a regular blender about once a year AND no way could they liquefy whole fruits and vegetables like the Vita-Mix can. In response to the customer base’s: “We love the blender but it is so tall!” comments, V-Mix came out with a shorter, fatter jar and I recently succombed to purchasing one – perfect! It is a much better fit under my counter AND easier to get things like nut butter out of it.

Nut butter! I like to mix almonds, cashews and a few pecans for my nut mix. A pinch of sea salt and just enough sunflower oil to allow it to come together as a butter.

It is on the pale side, color-wise as I use blanched almond slices, i.e. no skins.

I always make nut butter in the morning…when I have some hot coffee left in the pot. My bonus from making the butter is an indulgent smoothie that uses the nut butter I can’t quite get out of the blender. Some hot coffee, milk, dark cocoa, a dollop of yogurt, protein powder, psyllium (fiber!) and even a bit of kale and spinach…you can’t taste the green stuff…

A nutty, mocha smoothie: breakfast :) !!

**** I just picked up a morning email from Swallow Crest Farm:

Todays’ produce will include:
Salad mix
Kale and swiss chard-both are good for steaming or stir-fry
Bagged baby carrots-thinned from the beds so the remaining carrots size up
Peas
Cauliflower
Basil
Cilantro

Ooooh boy – it will be a GREAT week of cooking from the garden!