Thursday, January 29, 2009

Vita-Mix Super 5200 Review

A little over a month ago, I was contacted to see if I was interested in reviewing the Vita-Mix 5200. I had no idea what it was until I clicked on the link and saw that it was a "power" blender. Well, hello, of course, I said yes! A few weeks later, the blender came in the mail and through the holidays and with all my travel work I didn't get a chance to open up the box and check the contents until a week ago. It looked like one of those super blenders at Jamba Juice! The Vita-Mix even came with the "baton" thingie majiggy. Does anyone know what the official term is?

I browsed through the recipe binder that it came with and saw so many great recipes! I didn't realize you could do so much with this blender. I was contemplating a post-long run recovery smoothie... Coincidentally, I was having a potluck dinner party with some friends at my house! My very good friend wanted to make Cream of Celery soup (it taste better than it sounds, I promise) as an appetizer for the dinner but needed a blender/food processor. I had a brilliant idea and offered her to come over a little early so she could use my new Vita-Mix blender.

The VitaMix 5200 out of the box!Now, another friend who is a chef (who has worked at a Michelin starred restaurant and at an upscale San Francisco restaurant) also happened to be at a dinner. Can you imagine how nervous the rest of us get when *she* comes over for dinner??? Anyway, as soon as she saw the blender, she was like, "OMG, is that a Vita-Mix? I love those!! Do you know that the Vita-Mix does things that other regular kitchen blenders can't??" And continued to gush about it. At this point, the rest of the dinner party wanted to know how I got it and when I told them, they ALL wanted to start blogging!

Honestly, am I the only one who's never heard of the Vita-Mix? Can I tell you how happy I am to own one?

Getting ready to cook the celeryBoilded the celery and the onions and now about to blend!Blending!!!
Ta-da!
YUMMY!
We also had some delicious veggies...
And our chef friend made some fancy veal raviolis... from scratch!

Cream of Celery Soup Recipe
1.5 cup chopped celery, medium sizes
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoon butter
2.5 cup milk
half teaspoon salt
squeeze of lemon

Melt butter in heavy bottom pan over medium heat (do not brown the butter); add onion and season with salt; sweat the onion over low temp for about 10 min (until it's translucent--no browning at all!); add celery root and season with salt; cover with milk and simmer over med heat until celery root is tender. CAREFULLY blend soup (can be very dangerous to blend hot things!)--don't add all liquid at once--thin with liquid; blend for a LONG time so it's nice and creamy; best to strain through a strainer, if you have one, so soup is extra creamy; adjust seasoning with salt and a squeeze of lemon.

We didn't strain the soup, which gave it a better texture. It was REALLY yummy. :-)

And let me just say, I can't wait to use the blender to make other things... I was browsing through it this morning and they dozens of recipes!! Thank you Vita-Mix! If you're interested in more information on this awesome product, please check out this link here.

35 comments:

  1. i want one!!!!

    YUM that soup looks delicious!

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  2. I have heard such cool things about those!! How cool!

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  3. great review, i've never heard of it so don't feel bad! LOL Food looks yummy!!

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  4. I only cook for those who don't cook, so they can never ever complain

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  5. Man, you are one lucky girl! The VitaMix sounds pretty cool but I think I'll just make do with my magic bullet ;)

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  6. those veggies look soooooooo good!!! and hello you get seriosuly hooked up! you can make us recovery smoothies after longs runs now :) lol

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  7. double whoa! Whoa on the 14 mile run! wow. good job :) and whoa on the mixer! i'd be stoked to be given one of those to try out!!! where do i sign up?

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  8. That is an awesome review and the pics look great. ...Ahem. How come I wasn't invited to dinner?

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  9. that is so awesome! I mean, I love my Magic Bullet, but that is pretty sweet. :)

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  10. I would not have had a clue what a Vita-Mix was either just by name. Looks to be a very handy device. Believe it or not, I don't think I've ever had or used a blender before!

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  11. Ooh, Julianne! That soup is beautiful!

    That's really awesome they sent you a chef-approved blender. You can make dishes for Mica-approval any time you want, lady! :-D

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  12. I've never heard of the Vita-mix either but it looks like it works well!

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  13. I have never heard of a Vita-mix either, but it looks great. I wonder how much they are and where you get them?

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  14. Ok i dont have my own house yet, but ill take a blender and keep it in the box until i do. that thing looks sweet! how do you get asked to just do a review? id like to review some stuff. do you get to keep it?

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  15. Enjoy your new toy - that looks awesome.

    And mmmmm, dinner looks GOOD!

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  16. wow your food looks sooo good. i am all about food porn. the veggies especially are making my mouth water. it makes me really anxious for warm weather and farmer's markets. i would be so intimidated cooking for someone like that, but it looks like you pulled it off!

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  17. OK, I have wanted a VM since I was 9. And that was a long honkin' time ago. How on earth did you get that lucky?!

    The food looks incredible.

    Hey, I was talking with a friend about the Kaiser Half on Sunday and thought of you. Have: So. Much. Fun. OK? Then have that smoothie when you get home.

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  18. Fun times! I've never heard of that blender either but I bet my hubby has...he is the chef of this family unit.

    That soups sounds super good I may have to make that recipe!

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  19. That soup looks really yummy. Those veggies do too. In fact, the entire meal looks great. I need chef friends. :o)

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  20. I have wanted a Vita-Mix for several years now! I'm glad you like it and hope to hear about some more yummy things you make with it. Those food pics made me hungry, thanks for sharing.

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  21. I love making soups so I think I would love this blender. I know it is also popular for people following a raw diet or juices. It looks gigantic though! How do all of you get so many offers to review things??? How fun!

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  22. All of the food looks delicious!! It must have been a fabulous night. Thanks for posting the recipe, I love soup.

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  23. That soup looks pretty good! (And so does the ravioli)

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  24. Oh wow that looks really good!

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  25. Ohhhh great review chica! You know, I've NEVER heard of Vita Mix either?! So don't feel too bad ;-) LOL

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  26. My parents have a Vita Mix and I miss being able to use it. I think I might need to make that soup - and the veggies look so delicious!!

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  27. I can attest that the soup was delicious! :)

    I was sooooo jealous of your blender! I can't believe you'd never heard of it...tsk, tsk!

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  28. 500 bucks? Really?

    I'm saving the post and making the soup... :)

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  29. Ok those two veggie dishes look fabulous. Can you send me the ingredients?

    I have a friend that lives and breaths by his vitamix. He just sold a USED one for $300 and bought a new one.

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  30. Oh wow! This looks amazing!! Keep us updated with what else you use it for! I thought vita-mix was a protein shake mix, a blender is awesome!

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  31. That looks like a cool gadget. You soup looks great!

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  32. Wow! A blender for a running blogger! You're so lucky. The food looks great.

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  33. That dinner looks amazing...and I have heard of the Vita Mix, the advertise that they can like, blend steel or something. Definitely wish I had one of those.

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