Blendtec 101

Well, we did receive the much awaited for and admired Blendtec Total blender right on schedule. We were eager to pull it out and start blending, but we did keep self control and watched the video that came with it, looked over the very nice and informative cook-book and scanned through the instruction manual.

So, It's time to start blending... We, of course, started by making a green smoothie.

I had not planned very well and was out of fresh bananas so I used frozen ones I had put up weeks before awaiting for this exact moment...drum roll please....

We did manage to easily place all the required ingredients into the very pretty and clear jar and hit "smoothie". It was like a small jet was taking off on my counter. My 5 year old takes off to the back of the house pretty scared and I am wondering if I had just broken it! My 7 year old has a look of "Is this Right Momma???" on her pale face...and I am wondering the same thing.

The blender does finish the cycle and shuts off on its on. (But I was carefully holding on to it to keep it from coming off the counter...really, it does sound like a jet taking off) Done, finally, I am shaking and I carefully pour the smoothie into glasses. I was expecting a completely liquefied smoothie, like a green juice with no lumps or bits to flow from the jar...then plump!...part of the frozen banana falls into the glass! I am pretty shaken up by now and am not doing a good job of hiding my disappointment.

My 5 yo is yelling from the back if I'm through blending yet (and after a week of having this blender, she takes to the back for blending). Yes! It's ready, but kinda lumpy. She does not taste it, I chug it because that's all I know to do.

I was not giving up. I have seen the videos and will not be defeated by this costly machine. We have seen it blend up golf balls, rake handles, surely it can blend a banana. On to hummus...

We try chick peas. I am waiting for a nice smooth consistency like what we get at Sams (but with out the added oil). I can't remember which button I pushed, but at the end of that 1 cycle it was a clumpy mass of chick peas...and some garlic bits.... Ugh...

What about wheat...I will persevere!!! At this point I am really trying to keep my composure and will not let this thing get the best of me. I have invested a lot of money in buying this machine and I want my money's worth!!!

"Grab the wheat, girls, we're going to see what this machine is made of!" Out comes the wheat and I follow the written directions for grinding wheat in the cook book. 50 seconds later...beautifully ground flour. It does work! Yeahhhh! So, I grind a couple more cups of wheat. Beautiful once again...

I add a cup of hot water to the empty wheat jar and a drop of soap to wash. Pulse for 5 seconds. Presto, clean...but not like the pretty, clear jar it once was. Again, my heart drops, my jar is beat up by the wheat grinding at...300 mph (or something like that). The polycarbonate jar could not take the (w)heat. It's branded for life.

Later, I find this is normal and wheat does scratch the jar; you have to kinda play with the controls until you get a feel for them and you really can't hurt the Blendtec by continuing to hit 'smoothie' again and again or 'speed up' to 9 and letting it run the cycle over and over until that frozen banana is smooth! It can be done! Don't give up.

It's been over a week and I am using my Blendtec Total blender every day...from 3-6 times a day. Our diet the first couple of days was pretty much liquids, but now I am using it mainly for smoothies, ice creams and hummus and of course grinding. Occasionally I will use it to blend soups, such as my sweet potato and lentil soups.

I have made pancakes and muffins using the blender and I really like that! Clean up is easy and it's just too simple to use anything else.

It has held up to its reputation this short time I have had it. It is quite loud so I keep ear plugs for all the ears that stick around while blending. I feel this purchase has been a wise investment for my family and our nutrition. We are having lots of fun experimenting with different kinds of fruits and veggies going into the blender. We found a papaya at the nearby produce store...wonder how that tastes in a smoothie...don't know yet, but it's cut up and freezing awaiting it's appointed time to be blended smooth and creamy...

I am looking forward to posting some of our most favorite Blendtec recipes.

If you have a great smoothie or blender recipe let me know and if I absolutely love it...I'll post it!