Vita Mix, how did I live without you for so long???
Hey hey hey!!!
How are ya? Can you believe tomorrow’s Friday?!? I can’t either.. but I will happily embrace the weekend 😀
Someone is still a little tuckered out from our trip:
(I thought it was so cute that she matches the crocheted blanket)
I started out the day with a homemade continental b-fast
2 pieces of Ezekiel bread (1 topped with Polaner, the other topped with 2 egg whites), cantaloupe and blueberries
With a giant cuppa Joe, it was a fabulous breakfast
I did some stuff around the casa, including sorting through 3.5 weeks of mail and ran to school to drop off some paperwork.
For snack, I had a Christmas-flavored (aka Gingersnap Larabar)
I took the puppers on their 2 mile walk, then came home to play with the Vita Mix!!
I seriously can’t believe that I didn’t get one of these sooner. It is OUTTA CONTROL—you can make anything! Appetizers, soups, fondues, juices, milks, smoothies, ICE CREAM, dough, the list goes on and on..and on
I studied the cookbook that came with the Vita Mix last night and after getting a feel for the settings (there’s variable speed in which you can increase and decrease the speed depending on what you’re making, and high speed in which I’m pretty sure you could put an umbrella in the blender and make umbrella butter). I came up with this concoction:
Orange-less OJ
-2 organic carrots
-1 small banana
-1/2 cup cantaloupe
-1 cup almond milk
-1/3 cup water
-1 packet Stevia
-1/2 cup ice
On variable speed, turn the power to on and increase the speed level from 1-10 and blend for 1 minute.
Voila:
It made two pina colada glasses full of this sweet and surprisingly filling creation. It tasted so light and I loved the fact that I was eating two giant carrots!
I hit up the gym with my friend Jeni and did some cardio and weights:
| Elliptical | 30 minutes, Hill 2 program |
| Chest press | 20 lbs, 3 sets of 12 |
| Shoulder press | 20 lbs, 3 sets of 12 |
| Compound row | 50 lbs, 3 sets of 12 |
| Seated row | 60 lbs, 3 sets of 10 |
| Triceps Extension | 50 lbs, 3 sets of 12 |
| Stability ball back extension | Body weight, 3 sets of 12 |
| Hammer curls | 10 lbs each, 3 sets of 12 |
| Lateral raises | 5 lbs each, 3 sets of 12 |
| Total time: 1 hr 15 min |
When I got home, it was lunchtime so I was stoked to use the Vita-Mix again
Raw Chickpea Marinara
-1/2 package of sundried tomatoes
-1/3 cup chickpeas (you can use soaked dry chickpeas or the ones a la can)
-1/3 cup water
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-dried basil and oregano
-sprinkle of garlic powder
On variable speed, turn the power on and increase speed from 1-4. Stop after 30 seconds and scrape the sides down and continue blending. Add more water if needed.
I shaved a yellow squash with a veggie peeler as my “noodles” and topped with the sauce:
It was delicious!! I seriously think it’s love at first sight with the Vita Mix. The pilot seriously needs to stop going away.. I’ve fallen in love with a high school vampire and a kitchen appliance since he left.
When I was finished with the amazing “pasta”, I was craving something starchy (and didn’t want bread), so I opened my first package of polenta. I used 1/3 of the roll and cut it up and zapped it in the microwave for 90 seconds.
I topped it with sea salt and pepper, and it was pretty good, but I got the feeling that I wanted it to taste sweeter. Does anyone have an amazing polenta recipe they’d like to hook me up with? I still have 2/3 of a roll left to use 😀
After snack, I went to an hour yoga class. I really enjoyed it but I’m thinking no matter what, I’ll always be more of a pilates kinda girl.
After yoga, I met up with Jeni and Jamie at Baberitos for dinner. I forgot my camera (!) but I’ve had this meal a few times before: salad with tofu, guac, black beans, mushrooms, cucumber, jalapenos, pico, salsa and olives. It was muy bueno.
Now I’m watching Grey’s, having trouble getting into it (this season just isn’t doing it for me), sipping some green tea and stoked for Friiiiiiiday!
Tomorrow I’m training a friend, starting my first day at a new job (ack!), walking the puppies on base, going for a run, then dinner with the girls 😀
Hope you all have a wonderful night!
Much love,
G$
41 Comments
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Your Vita Mix creations look awesome! Good luck at your new job!
Looks like your putting that vitamix to good use. I’m so jealous! But can’t wait to see what else you make with it!
Is it the illusions of dead Denny that is turning you off?
Love that marinara by the way. Such a great idea!
I love that picture of Bella. She looks so sweet!
The Vita Mix looks awesome!! Glad you like it so much!!
Oh, sweet Bella – too cute. Ha- I'm in love with Edward & my Vita-Mix as well! So glad you are livin it up, Vita-Mix style. That thing is amazing. Good luck with your new job. Is it a personal training job? Enjoy dinner with the girls, and I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
I’m glad you love the vita-mix! They make me think of the blenders we had at Starbucks. We were always inventing new drink concoctions. I would have so much fun if I had one at home!
Good luck with the new job!
It’s amazing! I need one. You are so gonna be a high raw vegan who eats shrimp one day!
a la can…you kill me girl.
Remember how RhodeyGirl did the polenta BSI? Maybe there were some good recipes there!
I hate to say it but I think I’m giving up on Grey’s (GASP). But I agree! The story is lame this year! I would LOVE a vitamix, but I can’t afford one:(
chickpea marinara!!!!! omg, this is going to take my obsession with hummus to a WHOLE NEW level. a vitamix might be in my near future!?
hungryhungryhippie.com
I’m loving Bella’s pose in the first picture. She looks so elongated!
I’m getting a little jealous seeing all this Vita-Mix deliciousness around the bloggosphere. I know I can’t justify dropping that kind of cash on a blender when I still have a working Magic Buller and my immersion blender. Enjoy it!
And good luck at the new job!
PS – thanks for stopping by and mentioning you saw my blog featured in the newsletter. I was pretty excited when I saw that this morning!
OMG I just got my vitamix in the mail and I can hardly breathe I am so excited. Thanks for the great ideas!
omg your creations with that vita mix are amazing!! i need to get me one of those pronto!!
ohhh that chickpea marinara, thank you so much for that! i’m always looking for a good savory raw recipe. yum.
isnt it so sad about grey’s? i’m going to stick with it and hope it gets better…. boo.
p.s. question! i need to get a new HR monitor. i’m going to start training for a marathon (eek!) and i’m CLUELESS when it comes to them. i really want one that tracks my burnt calories as well, and money isnt really an issue. any preferences? i thought you’d be the perfect person to ask! the people at Dick’s were clueless.
You make me smile :oD Falling in love with a vampire and a blender is easy to do when they are both so delicious, no? Haha!
Your Vita-Mix creations are AMAZING! I’m definitely going to have to try that carrot smoothie. I would love to eat veggies that taste SWEET. And the marinara…yum!
I bought a polenta roll the other day, too! I’ll be checking back here for recipes.
Good luck with your new job!
Hi Gina,
I have never posted, but have been reading for a while. I have a question about your b-fast cookies:
Do you eat them with a spoon? The reason I ask is because I used your recipe and though it tasted awesome, it was sticky…did I do something wrong?
Thanks!
ooo how yummy! Your doggy is soooo cute. I miss yoga, I so need to do it soon:)
I don’t know what looks the best, your larabar, your oj or your marinara!
Your poor tired puppy =)
It does feel a little wrong to love a high schooler, huh?
Oh Grey’s…my time is limited so the better pick it up quick! I do love Denny though, if only he weren’t dead…
I’ve gotta get on the VitaMix train!! Yes, I agree about Grey’s…just not that into it this season 🙁
HI! I just found your blog and it is AMAZING!
I love how you always plate your healthy food up so beautifully. And how you show that you can eat yummy food while being healthy. I am currently in the process of losing ALOT of weight and your blog will be a favorite stop from now on.
Plus I live in GA! 🙂
Take care.
awww cutest puppy!!
I wanna vita-mix, look at all the incredibly stuff you’ve made!
I love polenta. I even started making it from scratch, rather than using the roll.
I use it as a “crust” in baking dish and usually make a taco type casserole. (layer refried beans, ground turkey/chicken meat, onions, tomatoes, etc).
Love the blender transformation pics!! I got my Vita Mix this week, and I’ve been scared to try it – I feel like I’m going to break it or something! I’ve also been studying the cookbook like mad.
Cute little dog!! Vitamix looks awesome! Good luck at the new job? Where will it be?
http://www.missymaintains.blogspot.com
your raw-chick pea marinara looks incredible! you should make some chicken-broth pesto with the viamix…its sooo good
ohh – the juice and marinara look great! will have to try them!
Hey Gina!! Good morning! I love the pic of little Bella, such a sweet girl:)
I’m soooo excited for you and your Vita-mix!! I see some pretty delicious dinners in our future:)
What are your plans this weekend??
Talk to you soon, have a great day!!
Love, Megan
I’ve had my eye on a Vita Mix for quite some time now and you just sealed the deal for me. Your smoothie looked delicious!
Good luck with your new job!
I’m so jealous of your Vita Mix! Your creations turned out looking great!!
As much as I enjoy yoga I’m definitely more of a pilates girl too.
I want a vitamix so much! it looks so wonderful!! maybe for my bday! until then i’ll be dreaming of your OJ
Those are quite the awesome Vitamix creations you’ve got going on there. That juice looks amaaazing and chickpea marinara got my attention right away. I really want to get a Vitamix now!
Good luck and have fun at the new job! 😀 Love the marinara sauce, looks amazing!
Great OJ minus the OJ! Cute Bella pic!
I’m totally jealous of your Vita-Mix…the Orange-less OJ looks fabulous!
And I said two years ago that I was going to stop watching Grey’s because it annoys me. But it’s like a car wreck, you can’t help but stare at it!!
I have blender envy.
Your smoothie looks great. I have a VitaMix on the way. Now I’m even more excited. 🙂
Oh my gosh – so many good eats Gina! Love your continental breakfast and umbrella butter?! I bet it would taste great too 😉
I can’t wait to see what you do with the polenta because I’ve had a roll in my cabinet just waiting to be used.
My favorite way to have polenta is:
cube it and fry it with 1t oil and onions (like you are making homefries).
Top with poached or “fried” eggs.
YUM!
So jealous over the Vita Mix … harumph. 🙂
As for the polenta, I usually make mine from scratch from cornmeal, and bake it. It gets a great texture, and I made a balsamic vinegar reduction, drizzle it over with fresh tomatoes, basil and kosher salt.
Great Vita-Mix concoction! YUM!!