Three Days of Vitamix - Day 2 1/2

Lunch today was SO yummy!

But, remember, I'm just learning how to use my Vitamix, so I'm goofing right and left.

I love Tomato-Basil Soup.

The fresher the better.

So, that's what I made for lunch.

I'm going to walk you through this and show you where I messed up.

First start with these ingredients:

4 med size fresh tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic (less if you don't like much garlic)

3 sprigs of basil (more or less depending on what you like)

3 T. Vegetable Broth (this is where I messed up.  I used 1/4 cup and it's WAY too much)

Heavy whipping cream - hey, you cannot eat healthy all the time.

salt and pepper to taste

throw it all in

this was where I used way too much broth

I added whole black pepper corns

 and (I forgot to take this pic - so sorry)

add about 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream

Mix it on high for about 3 min.

Now.  This is where I'm ignorant.

You may continue to blend for about 8 minutes on high and it will heat.

I have not been able to get it to heat to my liking, so I popped it in the microwave for about 3 minutes.

Also, it is a bit frothy with the acid from the tomatoes, so I spooned off any froth.

There weren't enough calories in this so I added shaved parmesan.

OH yummy.

Y'all, this had a really fabulous flavor to it.

And, when I make it again I will lower the amount of vegetable broth until I get it just right.

It was still really good.

Good luck!

kb

Three Days of Vitamix - Day Two

Yummy Fruit and Almond Butter Smoothie

here's what cha need!

(this is actually a fruit, vege, and almond butter smoothie)

so.

you need a handful of kale

7 mini carrots

4 mango slices

some blueberries

1 T. Greek yogurt

1 T. Almond butter

dump it all in

add a few ice cubes

blend it on high for about 45 seconds

Okay, the brownness of this smoothie was grossing me out.  so, I added a few strawberries

and a few raspberries!

This was really yummy if you like almond butter.  If you don't, just leave it out!!!

It's that simple!

- until lunch

kb

Three Days of Vitamix - A Yummy Salad Dressing!

Years ago, a friend of mine Kellie Buckley brought over a salad for my family and me.

And the best salad dressing I had ever had in my life.

Of course I asked for the recipe.

Y'all.

This is SO good.

And making it in the Vitamix makes it even better.

and oh, so fast.

I've decided that the Vitamix is like a garbage disposal.

I'm serious.  You just dump everything in and it grinds it up.

so here's what cha do:

(this is a variation of Kellie's dressing)

this is what you need:

1/4 c. Balsalmic vinegar

1/2 c. Olive Oil

1 squeeze of lemon juice

1 shake of tobasco

2 garlic cloves

pepper

salt

2 green onions

1 sweet n low packet

blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Dump everything in the Vitamix and blend on high for 15 seconds

this is what it should look like.  If you mix it any longer the oil will start get too thick and start heating.  Not good.

 Dump in about a quarter of a cup of bleu cheese crumbles.  Pulse for about a half a second.

transfer it to your favorite salad dressing bottle.

make your favorite salad and drizzle over the top!

yummo.

have fun!

kb

Three Days of Vitamix!! Day 1 2/3

Yummy lunch.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I am the biggest Cream of Mushroom Soup lover ever.

I mean really, I am obsessed with that dish.

So, here we go.  A few whoops, but I'm still learning, so you will learn from my mistakes...

Start with this.

this many mushrooms, a garlic clove (peeled of course), black peppercorns, almond milk,  thyme, and sea salt.

dump the mushrooms in the blender

add a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme

this many whole black peppercorns

where I screwed up.

DON'T add this much almond milk.  Use about 1/2 this much.

Blend on high for more than 5 min.  It will take more like 8 minutes

Add sea salt to taste

I use pink

YUM-MIE

This is really really delicious.

Enjoy!

kb

Three Days of Vitamix!

My oldest daughter and her husband just purchased a Vitamix for each other for their anniversary.

They watched the demonstration at Costco yesterday.

Sure to sell you.

I'm positive of that.

So, I had purchased a Vitamix months ago.  

I literally purchased it to go on that Dr. Oz cleansing.  Remember?

Well, that was absolutely the worst, grossest, most obnoxious "fad" thing I have ever done.

I gagged to the finish line.

But.

J called me last night and told me all of the wonderful things that the Vitamix does!

So, my challenge to myself starts today.

I am going to challenge myself for three days.

Vitamix - total breakfast

total lunch

partial dinner

What in the world does that mean?

Well, I'm doing my entire breakfast and lunch from Vitamix recipes (my own)

and then I'll make components to my dinner with the Vitamix.

I am going to blog 3 x a day for the next 3 days!

First up.

Berry Breakfast Smoothie

This is what I used:

 1/4 cup raspberries

1/4 cup blueberries

1 banana

4 whole strawberries (with green tops)

handful of Kale

1 tbsp.  coconut butter

2 tbsp. Greek vanilla yogurt

and

 about 15 almonds

this is what it looks like after you dump all the ingredients

blend on high for about 45 seconds

yummy.

*note - if I do this again, I will use about 6 ice cubes because it was just a little too creamy.

until lunch!!!

kb

What Up?

Man, I've actually forgotten to blog for 5 days.

What Up?

I guess I've just been resting after a major 2 weeks.

Wait, has it been two weeks or three weeks?

Let me look at my calendar.

Holy smoke, it's only been 2 weeks.

okay.

After the wedding, I literally came home and painted tried to paint the largest commission that I've ever painted.

It didn't work.

Sometimes, as and artist, when you paint something, you get in a certain "zone".  You know kind of like a zone that athletes get in.

You know, you finish and go "I just did that?"

what the what?

Well, I had painted this very large painting in that zone.

The problem is, I can't copy it.

and a lot of people have wanted that painting.

In different sizes.

yikes.

Well, anyway, I did not succeed at my commission.

The wonderful client decided to keep the original painting.

So this is officially of the market!

She will definitely have a one of a kind.

I mean if the original artist can't copy her own work....

I am going to pile on the blueberries (sure to get me in the zone)

to be able to paint more like these!

Did you know that blueberries will do that?

The ultimate brain food.

I'm serious.

Okay, so I got back to Atlanta, tried and didn't succeed at painting the commission and then immediately went to San Antonio for 6 days.

I took all my paints with me.

Then I purchased canvases out there.

"W" was in meetings all day and I didn't know what the weather would hold.

I was just tagging along actually.

 This hotel was awesome y'all.  The Hill Country Resort and Spa

 We took a few "selfies"

 and ate TONS of food...

The Greymoss Inn.

Open pit barbecue (like steaks)

pretty pricey but worth it for the yummy food and impeccable ambiance.

Like I said, I took my paints.

really, who could resist painting plein air on a day like this?

and this

I had this little rock as my stool.

we played wonderful golf...

we went shopping at the BEST outlet mall in the country.

I was actually just saying it was until a friend of mine said it actually is known as that.

San Marcos outlet mall

just google it.

y'all.  I wanted this dress (still at Nordstom) DVF BTW.  

Found it at the outlet for a third of the price.

Wanted everything there.

came home and wore it to an art show!.

Word of warning....this dress will attack you.

No I'm serious.  I almost had to take it off because the static was so daggum bad.

Must have static guard on hand at all times.

anyway, we came home utterly exhausted. Y'all, I'm not kiddin.

whew.

After braving a major sinus infection (evidently San Antonio and my sinus' don't mix)

I am back!

and.

needing to go BACK on a diet.

I mean really, does that ever end.  I'm serious.

So what did my skinny hubs and I do?

this.

notice the bonus Lays potato chips.

and notice how dang skinny my hubs is!!!

Okay, so, I came home and decided I'm going to "re-do" my studio space.

I cannot wait!! Hopefully that will be my next blog...

have a great day y'all!

kb