by Contributing Blogger Maytal Wichman
I was not compensated for this post. I did receive a Total Blender Classic Combo and the Twister Jar for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.
If you’re buying only one item for the kitchen this year make it a Blendtec Total Blender Classic. It can do the job of 9 appliances, save you money, save space in your kitchen and most importantly, save your sanity. (Read more after the jump)
I recently received a Blendtec Total Blender Classic for review and was blown away at the ease, convenience and the amount of different types of things it can make. I have been using it for the past few weeks and I am still amazed at how consistent the blender is; whether I’m making juices or smoothies, the results are always the same: well-blended and quickly done. It’s hard to believe that one machine can make so many different dishes, some of which are: smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, dips, sauces, bread dough, dressings, salsas, baby food and it can even crush ice! The recipe book that comes with it has very healthy recipes (even by my standards) and even has recipes for facials and treats for your dog!
What’s Included
Other than the motor and recipe book, the package includes a FourSide pitcher and a WildSide pitcher. The FourSide is a standard nearly 2-quart total capacity BPA-free jar. The WildSide is a nearly 3-quart total capacity BPA-free jar with the new precision tuned 4″ blade. This jar powers through tougher blending tasks and larger recipes with ease in less time. Having an especially larger jar in addition to the standard one means you can make larger serving sizes for large gatherings (Sangria for a summer party, anyone?). The blender also comes with a 7 year warranty.
Ease of Use:
The Total Blender Classic has a smart-touch technology and offers you buttons for everything you want to make, so you can just press the button and go do something else, like clean the counter after prep work, or prepare yourself a nice, tall glass for whatever you’ll be drinking when the blender’s done.
Benefits of Having the Blender Instead of Other Appliances:
Not only does the Total Blender Classic save you money and space, it is actually more effective. For example, the blender is also a juicer, but better than a regular juicer (which we own). A juicer gets all the juice out and that’s all you end up drinking. The pulp, which is the healthy fiber, is not used and usually gets discarded. With the Blendtec Total Blender Classic, when you make a juice using the “whole juice” button, you get all the fiber too, which is great for preventing diabetes and heart disease, helps with bowel health and lowers cholesterol, among other things.
Why Blendtec?
Blendtec’s commercial quality is known world-wide and can be seen at numerous coffee shops, juice bars, gyms and restaurants everywhere. Blendtec has earned the prestigious 2011 Best-In-Class Award for beverage blenders, as voted by Foodserve Equipment & Supplies Magazine’s consultants survey.
I also received the Twister jar which is an innovative way to blend thick ingredients in recipes such as nut butters, dips, thick shakes and more. The secret to this jar is that it comes with a Twister Lid with patent pending scraper tines so when the blend cycle is running you can simply twist the lid counter-clockwise and this motion forces the ingredients back into the blade using the tines. The twister jar also comes with a regular lid and a spatula.
Here are some of the dishes I have tried in the past few weeks:
Carrot-Strawberry Juice
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 bag carrots, peeled & chopped (1 lb)
8 large frozen strawberries
2 packs stevia
4 ice cubes
Add ingredients in order in jar. Press “whole juice”.
Strawberry Lime Slush
Recipe Adapted from the Blendtec recipe book. All of the Blendtec recipes are available online.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 limes, peeled
4 packets Stevia
2 cups frozen strawberries
Add ingredients in order in jar. Press “whole juice”.
Banana-Chocolate Soft-Serve Ice Cream
Recipe adapted from the Blendtec Twister Jar recipe book.
Ingredients:
3 bananas, quartered and frozen
A handful of chocolate chips (optional)
Add to twister jar and use the twister lid. Pulse 15-20 times (I just pressed the “ice cream” button then pulsed a couple of times). Twist the lid counter-clockwise while it’s blending. (I chilled the mixture in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.)
The recipe suggests adding spices, extracts, nut butters or chocolate while blending. Since I am no-nonsense kinda gal I went straight for the chocolate, and added a handful of Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips to the mix before pressing the “ice cream” button. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made (at least for that day). We used Oreo cones and sprinkles to make it more kid-friendly.
You can purchase the Blendtec Total Blender Classic Combo on Amazon. The Twister jar can be purchased also on Amazon.
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Contributing Blogger Maytal Wichman is the owner of Mama’s Healthy Bites and also writes for Savvy Sassy Moms. She has been living in New York City for eleven years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature as well as a Law Degree, but writing about nutrition and helping families eat better is her true passion. She grew up in both California and Israel, which explains her love for California cuisine (fresh, local ingredients), as well as Mediterranean food (flavorful, heart-healthy ingredients). Maytal is a stay-at-home mom to two kids (ages 5 & 3) and works hard to ensure they eat healthy, unprocessed food, while trying to make it as delicious as possible. Married to a vegetarian and being a pescetarian herself, this can be quite a challenge. On an ordinary night at her dinner table, you can hear things like “More cauliflower, please!”, “How come I didn’t get a lot of tomato?” and “Fish oil! Yaaaay!”
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