If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might already know how much I love KitchenAid Torrent Blender. For years I’ve wanted a juicer for vegetables and harder fruits but couldn’t justify the extra cupboard space but the Torrent does such a great job with hard produce that I don’t need two machines. Not only is it powerful and fast, it takes the guess work out of timing thanks to its four pre-programmed, hands-free settings – juice, soups/sauces, milkshakes, icy drinks/ smoothies). One useful feature is that you can add ingredients as you blend (including liquids thanks to the ingredient cap), it’s dishwasher-friendly (if you have one) and both the jug and the ingredient cap are BPA-free. There are a few cons (you can read my full review here) but I am, for the most part, a big fan – so happy to finally have a super-powerful blender that can handle tough jobs. At MSRP $599.99CAD, it’s definitely an investment but it IS one machine (and one space in/ on your counter) as opposed to two so it seems like a good deal when you consider it like that.
Over the past few months, I’ve been blending up a storm with my Torrent and its become my favourite way to get in my “5 a day” fruits and vegetables in smoothie form. I haven’t been very scientific in my experimentation – I always feel a bit like a “recipe” for a smoothie is a bit over the top since mostly I just use whatever I have on hand but here are my top tips based on my experiences.
Top tips for awesome smoothies in the KitchenAid Torrent Blender!
1. Use fruits AND vegetables.
Because the Torrent is so powerful, you can use both hard fruits AND vegetables. I always try to use at least one vegetable in my smoothie – usually celery, greens (kale, spinach etc…) or cucumbers because it’s a good way of ensuring the smoothie doesn’t end up too sweet.
2. Use frozen produce instead of ice. And not just bananas!
I like my smoothies to be chilled but sometimes adding ice at the end can water down the flavour. Solution? Use frozen fruits (or vegetables). Look for “Produce of Canada” (or wherever you live!) – you’d be surprised how you can still eat local out of season by buying frozen. I like to add them right at the top of my ingredients in the jug.
3. Try using water as your liquid.
Often, recipes call for milk or non-dairy substitutes but using water doesn’t add any extra calories or fat. While drinking your whole fruits and veggies is a healthy option, sometimes smoothies contain so many added ingredients – milk, yoghurt, nut butters, seeds etc… – that they wind up not being as healthy as you might think. I find using water is the most effective liquid (plus it goes with all the other ingredients, not matter what they are!).
4. Add some protein and healthy fats.
The Torrent is a great way to get some fibre (because you are using the whole fruit or vegetable) but if you are not using milk or non-dairy substitutes as your liquid, you might be missing out on a way to add in some protein. Though the Torrent is powerful enough to blend whole nuts in a smoothie, nut butter is a convenient way to add in some healthy fats and protein. Just don’t go crazy – I like to use 1/2 – 1 tablespoon per serving (nut butters are one of the things I always measure because if you’re not careful you have a few hundred extra calories which you might not be aware of). Ground flax seeds are another way to add in some healthy fats (again, measure these out).
5. Experiment!
Over the past few months, I’ve been noting down the smoothie combinations that work because, well, not everything does. Sometimes taste is an issue, sometimes it’s because my ingredient combination has made a brown drink (which might be tasty but it’s just not so appealing to drink!). With practice and experimenting, you’ll come to learn what works in terms of your preferred taste (do you like sweeter or more savoury) and texture (thicker or more liquid). Your morning smoothie routine will be become a habit (especially because once you have the ingredients in the jug, the Torrent does all the work for you – simply press the button and walk away!). Fruits and veggies along with some protein and healthy fat in the morning? Now that sounds like a healthy habit to embrace!
- 250mls (1 cup) water
- 3 stalks celery (approx. 200g trimmed)
- 1 medium pear, cored (150g)
- 120g (1 cup) frozen blueberries
- 2 tablespoons large flake oats
- 2 tablespoons cashew (or other nut) butter
- Place the ingredients in a blender, liquid first. Blend until smooth.
Buy the Torrent Blender for yourself at Amazon or at KitchenAid.ca
Canadian readers: From June 2 – June 30, 2016, receive up to $200 online/ mail-in offer when you buy a KitchenAid Torrent Blender. Submission deadline is July 30, 2016.
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Disclosure: KitchenAid Canada sent me a Torrent Blender to use and review and provided demo blenders for my Food Revolution class as well as one (1) Torrent Blender for the winner of the giveaway at the class. I have not been further compensated for writing this post and all opinions are my own. This post was not reviewed by KitchenAid prior to publication.
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