We purchased our Vita-Mix almost six years ago and have never had a moment’s trouble with it. The warranty is seven years.

Here’s what I am able to do with my Vita-Mix. I use it several times each day.

• Mill grains into flour (Grinding Gluten-Free Grains and Whole Wheat Bread Baking Tutorial)
• Crack grains (Cracked Grain Cereal Mix and GF Cracked Grain Cereal Mix)
• Blend chocolate syrup and chocolate glaze/frosting (Chocolate Syrup and Dark Chocolate Frosting)
• Whip up ice cream ingredients (Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream)
• Blend hummus and other bean dips (Hummus)
• Blend smoothies, including pulverizing the ice with no trouble at all (Fruit Smoothie Formula)
• Blend/whip salad dressings (Tofu Dressing with Almond and Mustard)
• Chop fruit into purees and sauces (Raw Applesauce)
• Grind nut butters (Natural Peanut Butter)
• Grind nuts and water to create smooth and creamy nut milks (Raw Nut Milk – Almond or Hazelnut)
• Puree frozen fruit to become frozen treats (Chocolate Banana Shake)
• Grind flax seeds into flax seed meal (Flax Seed Meal: Egg Substitute)
• Chop nuts, grind nut flours
• Grind coarse sea salt into fine sea salt, grind other seasoning mixes (Herb Seasoning Salt)
• Grind coarse date sugar into a fine sugar
• Puree garlic with water to make a sauce for spraying on pests in the garden
• Chop fresh herbs with olive oil, making a paste to freeze in ice cube trays for later use

What Can’t Be Beat?

Plenty — the handling of ice and harder foods in smoothies and raw food juices; the pulverization of nuts to create simple, raw nut milks; the making of sauces, spreads and purees; the cracking of grains; and the ease with which I can mill grains in a versatile appliance.

The current model of the Vita-Mix (the 5200) offers a BPA-free container. That is a really great feature. I would like to investigate whether my model’s container (the 5000) leaches BPA into the foods I prepare with it. If so, I also wonder whether I could purchase the newer container to fit on my older model’s base.

Hold On A Second!

Since I am giving my unbiased opinion, let me tell you what I don’t recommend as uses of the Vita-Mix. I don’t think it handles chopping vegetables as well as a food processor does. It doesn’t cut as evenly and I believe it doesn’t circulate the vegetables as well because the base of the container isn’t as wide as a food processor’s container. When making healthy slaws, the Vita-Mix tends to juice the veggies while it chops them (unevenly) and the resulting juice imparts a bitter flavor to the slaw. So if you’re wanting the Vita-Mix as a food processor, I say — get a food processor, such as the Cuisinart 14-cup food processor.

And while the Vita-Mix makes nut butters pretty well, I believe the food processor performs this function better also. Again, it has to do with the wider container base which better allows the nut butter to circulate. Fattier nuts such as peanuts do well in the Vita-Mix, but nuts with less oil don’t do well at all because there’s no oil to help them circulate in the narrow container.

If you are interested in the Vita-Mix just for grinding grains, I would probably recommend purchasing a stand-alone grain mill, such as a Nutrimill. However, I’m not saying the Vita-Mix doesn’t do an excellent job with grinding grains. I learned very quickly that one should grind harder grains (such as wheat, rye, barley, kamut and rice) for 15 seconds longer than the manual recommends to ensure a smooth fine grind. In addition, resist the temptation to grind more than 2 cups of grains at a time because overloading it can also result in a less-than-fine grind. If you follow these two additional guidelines, your flours will be fine and light and perfect for many baking applications.

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Have you ever read a smoothie recipe — greatly desiring a sweet, cool, icy treat — only to realize that you have few of the ingredients listed? You need a smoothie formula. Use this method to craft smoothies from the ingredients you have in your kitchen. Tweak the smoothie by adjusting the components to suit your preferences.

Blender Appliance

Since my only experiences making smoothies have been with a KitchenAid blender and now a Vita-Mix, I can only speak to these appliances. The KA simply could not handle the ice or flax seeds, not to mention frozen fruits. I don’t know what blender you have. I don’t think one needs to have a Vita-Mix to make smoothies. However, a Vita-Mix is a quality appliance that is very nice to own and can be used for many beneficial kitchen tasks. Okay, plug over. Back to the topic at hand: You know your blender and what it can handle, so customize your ingredients based on its capabilities. If you’re worried about it being able to chop such ingredients as flax seeds or nuts, consider adding them to the smoothie already chopped.

The Main Components

1. Fruit — ripe & fresh, and/or frozen; some of the fruits should be sweeter fruits, such as blueberries, banana, pear, or pineapple; if using greens, fruit should be 60% or more of the total produce content
2. Greens — optional, use up to 40% of total produce content
3. Liquid — pure water, juice, nut/seed/grain milk, coconut milk
4. Ice — the more frozen fruit, the less ice needed
5. Sweeteners — optional, use natural sweeteners such as raw honey, molasses, maple syrup (Grade B), dates, etc.
6. Add-ins — flax seeds, other seeds & nuts, unsweetened shredded coconut, vanilla, cocoa powder, mint, etc.

Making The Smoothie

1. Put seeds and/or nuts in the bottom of the Vita-Mix wet container or other blender container. In order for the little ingredients to be chopped or ground finely, they need to go in the bottom.
2. Add all non-frozen (and therefore softer) fruits and greens. If using greens in addition to fruits, pay attention to ending up with about 60% fruit and 40% greens.
3. Add all frozen fruits and greens.
4. Add sweeteners and add-ins (if using).
5. Add ice. Usually, I add about 12 ice cubes to a Vita-Mix container full of non-frozen fruits and greens. If frozen fruits are being used, I lessen the ice accordingly. It will take some trial and error to discover how icy and thick you prefer your smoothies to be.
6. Add liquids to 3/4 the level of all the other ingredients. Use a combination of liquids, if you prefer.
7. Blend until smooth. With the Vita-Mix, turn the machine on to LOW and variable speed #1, increase speed to #10, then flip to HIGH.

As I mentioned, it will take some trial and error to discover the thickness, iciness, sweetness and flavor you prefer. But take heart that it is really hard to go wrong with a smoothie!

Local Fruit Sources

We’re nearing the summer season and soon will have berries, melons, apples, pears, plums, and more to enjoy! We have a few regular local sources of quality fruit. We pick blackberries on a friend’s property and I am able to put many gallons of berries in the freezer to enjoy year-round in smoothies and ice cream toppings. From a local organic farm, I am able to buy apples, pears and plums in the late summer for 50 cents per pound. I put those in the freezer, too. I put the plums in the freezer after I’ve cut them in half and pitted them. The pears and apples I core and chop up in the Vita-mix, freezing the sauce raw. These local sources are helping me to be independent of imported bananas and pineapples.

Find local CSAs, farms, U-Picks, etc. at localharvest.org. Also, find out what’s in season in your area.

Please share with me your successes and your questions. I would love to help you create delicious and healthy summer treats from God’s bounty.

See all basic recipes.

© Copyright 2008 by Wardeh Harmon.

1) I can use more differing grains. While I have seen 12-grain and 7-grain cereal mixes for sale, I have never seen any for sale with as many as the 14 different grains as I currently crack and mix together.

2) Deeper price discounts are given for purchases of greater quantities. The risk of getting bugs in grains is far, far less in whole grains versus cracked grains. So I buy large quantities of the whole grains and crack them as I need them. Typically, one batch of the following recipe will last us with daily use for about 2 weeks.

The following directions will help you crack grains in a Vita-Mix. Other grain mills also crack grains — refer to your mill’s manual for directions on this application.

Since we like a Cream of Wheat consistency for our hot cereal, these directions achieve a finer texture of cracking. Adjust accordingly for the degree of fineness or coarseness you desire.

This recipe results in 32 cups of cereal mix, which is quite a bit. Since one shouldn’t grind less than 2 cups at a time in the Vita-Mix dry container (otherwise the tamper doesn’t reach the grains to help them circulate), the only way to reduce the recipe’s size is by mixing the grains together before grinding. I would recommend mixing together your desired amount of the grains that require the same amount of grinding and then grind 2 cups at a time of the mixture of grains.

Cracked Grain Cereal Mix

Makes about 32 cups

Grind 2 cups of each of the following grains (separately). Use variable speed 8 and the Vita-Mix dry container for the indicated time period. Use the lid with tamper to increase the circulation of the grains in the dry container.

Amaranth — 15 seconds
Barley, hulled — 30 seconds
Kamut — 35 seconds
Buckwheat groats — 10 seconds
Corn — 60 seconds
Millet — 10 seconds
Oat groats — 25 seconds
Quinoa* — 10 seconds
Rice, brown — 25 seconds
Rye — 30 seconds
Spelt — 35 seconds
Teff — 15 seconds
Triticale — 30 seconds
Wheat, hard white or red — 35 seconds

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a 2-gallon size bowl. Store in airtight container(s), preferably in the freezer. Use in cracked grain hot cereal or soak the grains in boiling water and add to bread dough.

*Quinoa has a bitter coating called saponin. Using a fine sieve, rinse the quinoa under cold running water for about 2 minutes. Then spread the quinoa out on a baking sheet to dry before grinding. However, I do not rinse quinoa because my family does not notice any bitterness nor object to the natural flavor of this grain.

© Copyright 2007 by Wardeh Harmon.

Would you like to see how this is made? Go to Whole Wheat Bread Baking Tutorial (with pictures).

makes 2 large loaves or 3 regular loaves

• 6-2/3 cups whole wheat flour (preferably hard white wheat flour)
• 2-2/3 cups warm water
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon SAF yeast
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raw agave syrup or raw honey
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds (optional)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (optional)

Put 3-1/3 cups of the whole wheat flour, all the water and all the yeast in mixing bowl. Use dough hook on “Stir” speed to mix until just blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and doubled in size.

Punch down by briefly turning on mixer to “Stir.” Add 1-1/3 cup whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, agave or honey, poppy seeds and rolled oats. Begin mixing on “Stir” speed. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of mixing bowl. Increase mixer speed to dough setting (Speed 2) and add approximately 1 cup more whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time, or enough flour so dough is springy but not sticky. Knead for 5 minutes on dough setting or until dough forms a ball around the dough hook.

Remove bowl from mixer. Spray sides and bottom with olive oil spray, or layer with olive oil, while you lift dough up. Rotate dough around so it gets coated on all sides, top and bottom, with the oil in the bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm (but turned off) oven*. Let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Punch down dough. Divide into 2 portions (for large loaves) or 3 portions (for regular loaves). Shape loaves and place in oiled loaf pans. Cut into top of each loaf 3 times diagonally with a sharp knife. Put pans in the warm (but turned off) oven to rise for about 30 minutes, or until dough has swelled to fill the pans. Turn oven on to 350 degrees and bake loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are nicely browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks. When just cooled, put in bread bags. Set one out for immediate use and freeze the rest.

Dinner Roll Variation: After the first rise, punch down dough and divide into 2 portions. Divide each of the 2 portions into 16 pieces. Shape rolls into balls by tucking edges underneath and spreading out loosely on 2 greased 9 x 13 inch baking pans. Spray tops of the rolls with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil. Let rise in warm (but turned off) oven until rolls have doubled in size. They should be swelled and touching each other. Take out of the oven and set in a draft-free place. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put pans back in oven and bake the rolls for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove pans from oven. Spray tops of rolls with olive oil spray or brush with olive oil and transfer rolls to cooling racks. Once cool, transfer rolls to bread bags. Freeze any rolls not needed immediately.

*To warm oven, turn on to 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn off. Open the oven door and let most of the heat out, until the oven is left comfortably warm.

© Copyright 2006 by Wardeh Harmon

I tried something last night that I’ve been wanting to try for awhile but apparently I was waiting to be inspired. I used my Vita-Mix to grind whole wheat farina. For 2 cups of wheat berries, it took about 25 seconds of processing on speed #8. It was a little on the coarse side, I think. Then I put the farina in our Muesli, istead of the usual rolled oats. We haven’t eaten it yet this morning, but I did give it a stir to check its consistency. It looks good. I flavored it with carob powder instead of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Either Thursday or Friday we will pick up our yearly 100% grass-fed beef from the butcher. That means today I need to make room for it in the freezer. But I have lots of things stored in the freezer that don’t really have to be in there. Once I get going it shouldn’t seem so daunting.

Ahh… the aroma of fresh-out-of-the-oven, mouth-watering, whole wheat bread. Not another smell in the world has the same effect on my family. We follow an informal rule that from every fresh batch, one loaf must be consumed right away. Of all the changes we’ve made in the last 4 years to eat more healthily, my family most appreciates and enjoys the shift to homemade whole grain breads.

Did you know bread dough has a personality that varies from day to day, or season to season? Its character depends on the humidity, the weather, the warmth of the kitchen, or the temperature of the ingredients. This changeability can make bread baking challenging, but not impossible. I am thankful for my bread-baking friends who helped me learn to adjust to these factors and still turn out scrumptious whole grain bread.

This tutorial is a basic guide, a starting place, for you to develop your bread baking skills. It follows the recipe for Whole Wheat Bread. Other equipment, such as other brands of grain grinders or mixers, can be used. The bread-making method will be much the same, with the exception of adjustments made for operation of the alternative equipment.

If you are making Whole Wheat-Kamut-Millet Bread, you will have to substitute 1-1/2 cups kamut flour and 1/2 cup millet flour for some of the whole wheat flour added during Step 3.

Equipment

• Vita-Mix with dry container — to grind the flour
• KitchenAid Professional 6-Quart Mixer — for the kneading
• 2 or 3 stainless steel bread loaf pans
• 4-cup measuring cup
• measuring cups and spoons
• plastic or wooden spoon
• plastic wrap

Ingredients

• 6 cups hard white wheat berries
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon SAF yeast
• 4 cups filtered water (not all of it will be used)
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raw agave syrup or raw honey
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
  
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• olive oil spray or additional extra virgin olive oil

1. Grind Whole Grains into Flour

To ensure having enough flour for the Whole Wheat Bread, grind a total of 6 cups of hard white wheat berries. Store in gallon-size freezer bags.

If you are making Whole Wheat-Kamut-Millet Bread, you will have to grind 2 cups of kamut grain and 2 cups of millet grain into flour. Keep them separate. Grind the kamut grain as follows for the whole wheat grain. But since the millet grain is a softer grain, only grind it for 30 seconds.

You will end up with a little remaining flour. Store in the freezer in labeled, sealed freezer bags to use throughout the week for making muffins, pancakes, cookies or other baked goods. Or freeze it for the next time you bake bread — but bring it to room temperature prior to using it.

Put 2 cups of grains at a time in the Vita-Mix dry container.

Grind the wheat berries for 1 minute and 15 to 20 seconds on HIGH.

Transfer flour to a labeled gallon-size freezer bag. Repeat until all grain has been ground into flour.

2. Make the Sponge

Put 3-1/3 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon SAF yeast in the mixer bowl.

Fill a 4-cup measuring cup with 2 cups cold filtered water. Bring about 2 cups filtered water barely to a boil in a pot on the stove. Add 2/3 cup of that to the 4-cup measuring cup and give it a stir.

Pour the now warm water into the mixing bowl with the flour and yeast.

Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon until it is a thick batter.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until it is pretty big and bubbly. This should take 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of the kitchen.

When it is big and bubbly, take off the plastic wrap, put the bowl into the mixer base, and add the dough hook. Raise the bowl and turn mixer on to “Stir” speed for a few seconds to punch down the dough.

3. Knead the Dough

If you are making Whole Wheat-Kamut-Millet Bread, here is where you will have to substitute 1-1/2 cups kamut flour and 1/2 cup millet flour for some of the whole wheat flour added during this step.


Add 1-1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey or agave, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1/4 cup poppy seeds and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to the mixing bowl.

Start kneading on “Stir” speed. When mixture looks barely incorporated and while mixer is still kneading, add 1 cup more whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Dough should be pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

About now, or when mixer sounds like it is working hard, increase speed to Speed 2 (dough setting). Add 1 to 1-1/2 cups more whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time.

While mixer is kneading and keeping fingers clear of the hook, feel dough. If it is sticky or feels wet, add more whole wheat flour as needed, 1/4 cup at a time. The dough should be springy, but not sticky, and the sides of the bowl pretty clean.

Let it knead for up to 5 minutes longer, or until dough is wrapped around the hook and the hook cannot rotate any longer (it will still be going around the bowl, but not spinning itself).

Turn off the mixer immediately, or you may damage the mixer’s gears. Lower the mixing bowl, release the dough hook from the mixer, pull the mixing bowl out of the mixer base and then pull the dough hook out of the dough.

4. Prepare Warm Oven for First Rise

Move racks of oven to bottom rungs, so that during the First Rise (step 5), the mixing bowl will fit with a few inches of clear space above the bowl. Turn oven on to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Go on to step 5 while you wait for the 5 minutes to finish. After oven has been on for 5 minutes, turn it off. Open the oven door to let most of the heat escape, until it is warm and cozy, but not uncomfortably hot. Close oven door.

5. Put Dough in Warm Oven for First Rise

While lifting the dough up with one hand, use other hand to spray the base and sides of the bowl with olive oil spray. Rotate the dough around to coat the entire surface of the dough with oil and to make sure the entire surface of the bowl is coated.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the gently warm oven for about 30 minutes to an hour, or until it is doubled in size.

It will be swelled to fill the bowl and have risen to the top. Take bowl out of oven and remove plastic wrap. Close oven to retain warmth for Second Rise.

6. Shape Loaves for Second Rise in Warm Oven

Spray 2 large bread loaf pans (for large loaves) or 3 regular bread loaf pans (for regular size loaves) with olive oil spray.

Spray a clean countertop with olive oil spray.

Turn dough out onto the clean and oiled work surface. Punch down dough gently.

Separate the dough into 2 equal parts (for large loaves) or 3 equal parts (for regular loaves).

Shape each portion into a tube shape that is about 7 inches long and 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall (large loaf dimensions). These are the loaves. See Shaping Whole Wheat Bread Loaves for more information.

Put each loaf into a prepared loaf pan. Cut into each loaf 3 times diagonally along the top, about 1/4 inch deep, with a serrated knife.

Place the loaves in the oven and close the oven door.

Let rise for about 30 minutes to an hour, or until the loaves have swelled to fill the pans and come up over the top about a half inch to an inch.

7. Bake Loaves

While loaves are still inside the oven, turn it on to 350 degrees.

Bake loaves for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. The loaves will sound hollow when tapped.

Remove pans from oven and turn off oven. Take loaves out of the pans and let cool on a rack. When they are cooled, put each loaf in a bread bag and secure with a twist tie. Leave 1 loaf out for immediate use and freeze the other(s). Remove frozen loaves from the freezer 4 to 8 hours before needed.

© Copyright 2006 by Wardeh Harmon.

Natural Peanut Butter

4 cups organic, dry roasted Valencia peanuts
1 teaspoon sea salt

Put peanuts and salt in food processor or Vita-Mix. You may want to blend in smaller batches, depending on the capabilities of your appliance. Blend until smooth or slightly chunky, according to your preference. Serve warm immediately or chill to enjoy later. Keep refrigerated.

Adjust the amount of water or sweetener to make the nut milk with the consistency and sweetness you desire.

Raw Nut Milk (Almond or Hazelnut) –

Makes 6 cups

• 1 cup raw almonds or hazelnuts
• 2 cups filtered water, for soaking (if using Soy Milk Maker)
• 6 cups filtered water
• 1/4 cup honey, or a few dates (optional, for sweetening)
• Fine mesh filter (if using Soy Milk Maker or regular blender)
• Vita-Mix, soy milk maker appliance, or regular blender

Method 1 — Using Vita-Mix

1. Soak the almonds or hazelnuts in 6 cups of filtered water overnight. They do not need to be skinned.

2. Put all the soaking water, the nuts, and desired sweetener in the Vita-Mix wet container. Put on the two-piece lid and make sure it is tightly closed. Turn on the Vita-Mix to low, increase variable speed to 10, and then switch to HIGH. Blend on HIGH for 2-1/2 minutes, until milk is smooth. The milk will be quite foamy on top.

3. Let the milk sit for about 5 minutes for the foam to settle down. Pour contents of wet container into a storage container, such as a 1/2 gallon mason jar. To omit the 5 minute resting, pour the milk back and forth between the wet container and the storage container repeatedly to let the air out of the foam. If a grind-free milk is desired, pour contents of wet container through the fine mesh filter into the storage container.

4. Store milk in refrigerator. For a thick and smooth milk, shake well before serving to reincorporate the fine grinds that settle at the bottom of the storage container. For a thinner milk without any fine grinds, do not shake the milk before serving.

Method 2– Using Soy Milk Maker

1. Soak the almonds or hazelnuts in 2 cups of filtered water for at least 7 hours or overnight. They do not need to be skinned.

2. Place drained nuts in the filter cup of the soy milk maker and attach it to the motor base. Fill the pitcher with the filtered water. Put the motor base on the pitcher and plug it in. Do not use the automatic cycle of the soy milk maker. Follow the manual to set the machine to a grind only cycle, not a heat cycle. For the SoyaJoy soy milk maker, press “Motor” five times and then press “Start” once.

Note: Press “Motor” firmly until you hear a beep, then press again firmly until you hear a beep, and so on. Do not press “Motor” more than five times, or your machine may overheat during the grind cycle.

3. Pour contents of pitcher through the fine mesh filter into a storage container, such as a 1/2 gallon mason jar.

4. If sweetening, pour 2 cups of the milk into a blender container and add desired sweetener. Blend well and add back to storage container. Mix well. Store milk in refrigerator.

Method 3 — Using Blender

1. Soak the almonds or hazelnuts in 6 cups of filtered water for at least 7 hours or overnight. They do not need to be skinned.

2. Place nuts and soaking water into blender container. Blend on high speed until smooth.

3. Pour contents of blender container through the fine mesh filter into a storage container, such as a 1/2 gallon mason jar.

4. If sweetening, pour 2 cups of the milk into the blender container and add desired sweetener. Blend well and add back to storage container. Mix well. Store milk in refrigerator.

© Copyright 2006-2010 by Wardeh Harmon