The Vitamix Salad Series: Strawberry Spinach Salad

It's finally strawberry season so I decided to try out this classic picnic recipe. Nothing makes spinach taste good like fresh strawberries!

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t salt

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend for 20 seconds. Serve with baby spinach, chopped fresh strawberries, and almonds.

Taste score: 9/10

Likes: We used to have this in the summer at the peak of strawberry season. I remember eating this recipe at a friend's BBQ because it was the first time I ever had spinach that I liked! I don't know if the dressing would be that good with any other combination. This was the perfect blend of fruity, sweet, and leafy crunch!

Dislikes: Again, the vinegar is a little overwhelming. Since I only had apple cider vinegar, I'd probably use white if I had it. 

Nutrition score: 9/10
Spinach is a superfood full of vitamin K and it's really good for your brain, your eyes, and your bones. Strawberries are a rich source of vitamin C. The sugar content of the dressing isn't ideal, but it's preferable to fatty ranch or creamy italian dressings.

The Vitamix Salad Series: Peach Basil Vinaigrette

Last time I tried making salad dressing, I made massive amounts of it. I ate salad with raspberry vinaigrette for a month. So now that I polished off the last of it, this time I'm going to cut the ingredients by a TON. Romaine lettuce was on sale this week, so I'll be experimenting with different salad dressings in the Vitamix Salad Series. Since frozen fruit was also on sale, first up is peach basil vinaigrette!

2 T olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey1 frozen peach (5-6 slices)
4 basil leaves

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend for 20 seconds. Serve with lettuce, chopped carrots, and almonds.

Taste score: 7/10

Likes: Refreshing and light! I've never seen peach dressing in stores, and I'm sure if it exists, it's probably gourmet and expensive. The basil was left over from the pesto sauce recipe. The combination was interesting and tasty.

Dislikes: Although it was good, I couldn't really taste the peach as much as I would have liked. The vinegar was overwhelming. Next time I'll just do 1 tablespoon vinegar. 

Nutrition score: 8/10
Peaches are a good source of fiber and vitamin A. Apple cider vinegar is very low in calories, and the olive oil has heart healthy fats.

Whole wheat banana muffins

Last time I tried to make banana bread it was a major fail. They were super mushy and not very tasty. So this is round two and the turnout was infinitely better than round one:

2 overripe bananas
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tsp each of: vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup water
1 egg

Throw all ingredients in the Vitamix in the order listed. Work up to Variable 8 and blend for 30 seconds, pushing down with the tamper. Pour into muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Taste score: 8/10

Likes: Success! I was wary of any muffin recipe without oil or butter, but this worked well. The muffins turned out fluffy and golden brown. Perfect for a breakfast to go!

Dislikes: Bananas can be boring. I would add more cinnamon and nutmeg next time.

Nutrition score: 10/10
Bananas  are a great source of potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber for about 100 calories! They also help with "elimination problems" if you get my drift.

Magic Lime-aid

What makes this recipe magical? When I tried to make frozen lemonade, it was a little too tart, a bit watery. Just okay. But this recipe is amazing simply because you can have a glass of frozen sweetness without any added sugar! I was freezing after running around outside and I still made this recipe because it's so good.

1 lime

1 cup green grapes

1 handful ice cubes

Cut the ends off the lime and throw it in the Vitamix along with the grapes. Make sure the ice is on top. Select Variable 5 and let the fruit blend until it turns one color (about 10 seconds). Work up to Variable 10, then set on High, pushing everything down with the tamper. Blend for 30 seconds.

Taste score: 10/10

Likes: Wow. When I was in Colombia, I had the most delicious limeaid. I thought I would never get to taste it again but this recipe proved me wrong. Grapes are not my favorite. I'll eat them but I could never get excited about them. Their high water content blended with the delicious lime make this a real treat.

Dislikes: I would like to try this without so much ice, so it's more like a glass of lemonade than a frozen version.

Nutrition score: 10/10
Grapes have lots of antioxidants, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and manganese. Yes, they have a lot of sugar (which is probably why this recipe tastes so good) but it's all natural and much better for you than the refined version.

Strawberry Broccoli Smoothie

I feel like this one should be prefaced with the fact that many health conscious people preach the "good news" about green smoothies. To me, throwing in vegetables ruins a perfectly good smoothie, but I wanted to see for myself. For someone who hates veggies, this is a good way to sneak some in my diet. So when I didn't have time to make lunch one day and needed something quick and filling to hold me over, I gave it a try- my first green smoothie!

1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup orange juice
3 ice cubes

Dump the ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7. Blend for 20 seconds, pushing down ingredients with the tamper. Then blend on High for 10 seconds.

Taste score: 5/10

Likes: I think the 2:1 fruit to broccoli ratio is just right. This tasted like a regular strawberry-orange smoothie, without the pulp or seeds. I will definitely sneak some veggies in my fruit smoothies again, just maybe not this one.


Dislikes: If I said I couldn't taste the broccoli I would be lying. But it's not so bitter when blended with the sweetness of the fruit, and tasted more like a hint of green instead of a mouthful. Next time I'll add different types of fruit so it settles better in my stomach.


Nutrition score: 7/10
I used fresh squeezed orange juice (not from concentrate) but it contains a lot of sugar. Apart from that, I also used frozen broccoli which doesn't have as much nutritional value as fresh veggies. But broccoli is anti-carcinogenic and can prevent all sorts of cancers.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup water

Dump ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7, then blend on High for 10 seconds.

Taste score: 7/10

Likes: I ate this dressing with baby spinach, chopped carrots, and a sprinkle of peanuts. Since I was running low on frozen raspberries, I also threw in a handful of blueberries. Leafy green vegetables are not my favorite, so when I find a fruity salad dressing that takes the edge off, I am perfectly content.


Dislikes: It kind of tasted like I poured a smoothie on my salad. I will definitely make this again, but I'll try 1/3 cup of fruit instead of 1/2.


Nutrition score: 7/10
Pretty good as far as salad dressings go. Since you're adding fruit to amp up the sweetness, only a little honey is needed.

Frozen lemonade

2 lemons
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup ice cubes

Peel the lemons and place ingredients in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 7. Blend for 20 seconds, pushing down ingredients with the tamper. Then blend on High for 10 seconds.

Taste score: 6/10

Likes: After a long day of classes, there was nothing I needed more than this sour frozen treat. It tasted just like the frozen lemonade you buy at amusement parks but without all the corn syrup. The Vitamix could handle the seeds just fine, and I liked that I could eat it with a spoon or slurp it with a straw.

Dislikes: It was very tart, which I didn't mind, but since I didn't want to add too much sugar, I  could have diluted it with a little water. Also, the Vitamix strangely couldn't pulverize the pulp as well as the seeds, so I might run it on High for a little longer.

Nutrition score: 7/10
This frozen lemonade Vitamix recipe is pretty simple. Lemons are an excellent source of Vitamin C and they have lots of anticarcinogenic flavonoids.

Banana Bread

1 apple
2 bananas
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. water
1 2/3 c. wheat flour
1 egg white
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder

Place fruit in the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 5. Blend for 20 seconds, pushing down ingredients with the tamper. Then dump the rest of the ingredients in the Vitamix and blend at speed 4 for 30 seconds. Spread mixture in 11x14 pan and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Top with cinnamon or brown sugar.

Taste score: 4/10

Likes: I like them thin so I can eat them as breakfast bars on the go. I topped them with cinnamon sugar for a little more flavor.

Dislikes: Although they were way better tan those vegan muffins I tried to make, the insides were still mushy. I wouldn't spend time making this recipe again.

Nutrition score: 7/10
This treat would be pretty healthful without the topping. But if you're going to have banana bread, this is a great alternative to anything you'd find at a bakery or coffeeshop.

Raspberry Peach Sorbet

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 cups any combination of frozen peaches and raspberries

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Add all ingredients to the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 8. Blend for 10 seconds, pushing down ingredients with the tamper.

Taste score: 10/10

Likes: Whoohoo! This sorbet has a key ingredient: vanilla. The great thing about this sorbet is the texture. It's velvety smooth with no seeds or ice crystals. Peaches and raspberries aren't even my favorite fruits, but this frozen treat was deliciously sweet and my favorite recipe so far. Perfect 10.

Dislikes: It could use more sugar but...I will resist!

Nutritional score: 9/10
This recipe gets a point off because of the added sugar. But peaches are a good source of Vitamin C and raspberries are anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, and antioxident little gems. Enjoy!

Strawberry sorbet

2 cups frozen strawberries

1 cup ice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple juice

Add all ingredients to the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 8. Blend for 10 seconds or until the sound changes. Makes 3 cups.

Taste score: 6/10

Likes: The texture was perfect, and it tasted really fresh. The sorbet was very refreshing, because it didn't taste like that awful artificial sugar-ed up version you can buy in the cartons.

Dislikes: I shouldn't have added so much ice, because it tasted more like strawberry italian ice than strawberry sorbet. Next time I would add some raspberries to make the flavor more interesting.

Nutritional score: 7/10 

Strawberries have a magic chemical called phenol which protects your heart, prevents cancer, and is anti-inflammatory. The only downside to this frozen treat is the added sugar, which you could go without but it would probably taste a little tart.

Strawberry Applesauce

1/2 cup strawberries
3 apples
1 tsp lemon juice

Rinse fruit. Slice the stems off the strawberries. Cut the apples into quarters, only popping out the seeds and removing the stems. Add all ingredients to the Vitamix. Select Variable 1 and increase speed to 5. Blend for 10 seconds and push fruit down with the tamper. Serve chilled. Makes 2 cups.

Taste score: 10/10

Likes: I love this raw recipe, because the Vitamix can handle the strawberry seeds and tough apple skin with no problems! This applesauce is refreshing and the strawberries add a fun spin to a traditional dish.

Dislikes: If you let it sit, the applesauce will get watery and separate, but it's nothing a little stirring can't fix.

Nutritional score: 10/10 

Both apples and strawberries have lots of fiber and vitamin C. And the sweetness of this applesauce only comes from natural sugars.