Oregon City + Mail Call = Wonderful Friday

Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh.

My vitamix came yesterday. I spent an amazing evening with Abby in Oregon City, and then came home at midnight to play with my new partner.

But first-- Oregon City was truly great. I sat and visited with Ben and Donna, Abby's parents, which had been too long. We then went to Tacho's for some eats and some karaoke. Let me just say, I love Tacho's. Every single server was super friendly and accommodating: one pulled out an extra table for us, as it was super crowded for karaoke night, another checked with the kitchen about 9 times regarding dairy and meat free foods. Our server, Angela, let me know what my vegan options were, and I got a side of beans and lettuce with 3 corn tortillas. Just threw some salsa on those bad boys, and it was a delicious dinner. I ordered a carafe of Sangria (couldn't help it--only 9 bucks!) and Abby got the Consuelo--a huge bowl of fruit juices and liquor.
As our server was walking across the karaoke/dance floor, the KJ got down on one knee and proposed. She said yes.

A night filled with tacos, karaoke, Abby, and a marriage proposal? How could it get any better?!

After my bus ride home, it did. It got even better.

Opened up my vitamix, put it together, and cleaned it. Just had to add 5 cups of warm water and a drop of detergent. Whizzed it for 30 seconds, then rinsed it out in the sink. Easy-peasy.
Still full from dinner, so I didn't want to make anything yet--I settled on putting together the HUGE recipe book they included.

Fell asleep dreaming of fresh vegetables.

This morning I bounced outta bed, and threw all this together: (just what I had laying around the house, will head to the grocery store today and get loads more vegetables and fruits)

2 cups spinach
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 apple, quartered
1 clementine, peeled
2 T flax seed
1 T agave
1/2 cup water

Turned it on variable, raised it up to 10, and blended on high for about 45 seconds.

How did my first green smoothie turn out?

Delicious. It's a dark red (almost brown) color, which doesn't look *as* appetizing as those pretty bright green smoothies in some recipes, but I'm not scared of a little rust color.
It made about 20 oz, which I'm proceeding to drink right now.
I think I'll have to get a thermos so I can take 1/2 of my future smoothies to work with me.

So--100% so far. It was a good investment, I know that already.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, my camera battery died, and I've been to forgetful to charge it. I'll post some recap pictures later.

Does anyone else have a vitamix? Have any recipes you want to share?

My New Love

So, who hasn't heard of this?

Well, I sure have. I know a few extremely prolific bloggers received one from the company in order to get others' talking. Talking = Buying.

It worked.

I need one. NEED one. NEEEEEEEEEEED.

I can't think of anything else.

Just look at how amazing it is:





So, gentle reader(s?!), I bought one.

Refurbished. It was more money than one would typically spend on a month's rent (only slightly exaggerating), but I have a pretty strong feeling it's totally worth it.

I'm going to make nut butters (peanut and almond, specifically, but really anything that strikes my fancy), soup (the blades get so hot, you can put in whatever veggies you want, and a mere few minutes later, you've got hot veggie soup), green smoothies (watch out, kale. I'm going to OWN you.), fruit ice cream (totally vegan, and get this, HEALTHY. Hello!), and probably about 3 billion other things I haven't discovered yet.

Next week sometime my extremely expensive VitaMix will arrive at my door, and I will not leave my house for the next year, give or take a year.

I can't waaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!!!