Thinking Out Loud- The Vitamix edition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's here.

It's finally here.

3 years in the making.

And it's here.

The world stopped spinning, the entire population held their breath as the large delivery entered through the door.

And then it was here.

Ok, I'll stop freaking you all out now. For quite a few years now I have had my eye on BEEN UTTERLY OBSESSED with the iconic Vitamix- first seeing it on the first blog I ever read; Chocolate Covered Katie

This was me.

Labelled the Ferrari of blenders, it boasts a 2 peak horsepower motor that spins its blade at variable speeds from 11 mph (miles per hour) to 240 mph. With a 7-year warranty and basically life-time guarantee. It's basically perfect.

Vitamix:

 And then I read the price tag...

Losing all hope of ever getting one.

Then something magical happened. I reached the age where I could work and earn a little extra 'fun' money that I'd never really experienced before.

(no, sorry mum, $3 a week doesn't count... even though I had worked out the total amount of time it would take me to save enough- see, I was obsessed!). 

A few months later... I had enough money to buy myself a Vitamix!
!
!
!
And that's what I did.

Ok, guys, mark this day on your calendar it is forever going down as the time I got my Vitamix!

I even documented the whole process- it will possibly be going in a photo album (hey, it's like my baby)

Here the Vitamix and I are opening up the box:

Here we are with the box inside another box, now out of that box:

Here's the box:

This is inside the box:

Here's an identical picture because it's just so gosh darn cute: (new mothers- you know what I'm talking about ;)

Here's the base: (Just check out the durably built base!)

Half assembled:

Awesome book that I found in the box (see, my baby does come with a manual :)

Fully assembled!!

And the first ever smoothie I made with it:

 My green mint smoothie!

How was it? So quiet, amazingly efficient and just seemed so.... powerful? Oh my goodness, no words to describe my happiness right now! Smoothies all week baby!

Vitamix owners out there:
What type do you have?
Are you a fan (if you are not, do not tell me- refer to price tag reference)
Adorable 'Vitamix and me'  stories?

Today I'm linking up with Spoons to document my Vitamix birthing story ;), be sure to head on over to see what everyone else is Thinking out Loud about this Thursday! Bye for now friendly friends!! :D

WIAW #74 Food appreciation :)

Hey there awesome ones!
Yep, that's you guys, the awesome ones!!

Now, awesome people, as it is Wednesday, it is share-a-full-day-of-eats day! Or WIAW for those who like shorter, snappier titles ;)

This day is taken from Monday, where I was super pumped and energised to take on the week as it is my last week here in Aus before I fly out to AFRICA for my school trip to Tanzania! Talk about terrifying!!

Anywho, I knew this week was going to be a big one (tests, assignments, work I'm going to miss etc. etc. etc.) So, my eats had to be stellar to keep me going right? Right!

Onto breakfast!


Breakfast: 7:15am
I was up bright and early Monday, because I really wanted to squeeze in a fun yoga practice (Fightmaster yoga!) and it was brilliant- a nice hip opener that left me feeling energised and super flexible for the rest of the day.

 Then I realised I was starving and proceeded into the kitchen for a super big, choc-full-of-stuff green smoothie!

 In the mix was frozen banana + frozen avocado + frozen zucchini+ spinach + kale + soaked oats with chia seeds + greek yoghurt + almond butter + vanilla protein powder + THE SECRET INGREDIENT THAT MADE THIS SMOOTHIE AMAZING- fresh mint leaves! Seriously the freshness and taste was mind boggling!

 This smoothie was also utterly amazing for a whole different reason, but you will have to wait until tomorrow to find out why (guesses are allowed ;)

 And this is a picture of half my smoothie because I'm weird like that. Actually I was kind of intrigued by the way it didn't stick to the glass and sort of remained in one big smoothie clump. :)

Snack: 11:00am
I hate being repeptitive, you know that. But I am, so...
Peas and corn. :)

 Lunch: 1:15pm
Lunch conveniently packed the night before was a big ol' salad filled with all the veg with a super tasty lemon tahini dressing that tied it all together!

 Spinach, carrot, cucumber, celery, capsicum, beetroot, tomato and red kidney beans mixed with 1 teaspoon of tahini mixed up with 2 teaspoons lemon juice:

 It was delicious!

Snack: 4:00pm
After the enormity that was Monday I realised just how much school work I had ahead of me, so to power me through an afternoon starting and completing- yes, I know- a literature assignment I knew I needed sustenance to power through!

 An absolutely perfect pear with crisp, crunchy green grapes and a side mug of soy milk!

 This pear was awesome.

 It was one of those red/ green ones, which I find crunchier and sweeter and so good!

Dinner: 6:45pm
Dinner was the part of the day when I appear to have given up and in all honesty, I kind of had- food creation wise:

 That my friends is a delicious and extremely simple bowl of roast veg, brown rice and lentils.

 It was even a brown rice microwave cup. Yup.

 The veggies were pumpkin, parsnip, swede and potato and taken to a whole new level because they were roasted to golden-brown perfection (and also needed little attention other than chopping, drizzling with oil and popping in an oven).

 This was exactly what I needed.

 Then I needed a little something after, coz I said so. Some brazil nuts and cashews followed. Nom.

And that's what I ate Wednesday Monday! Hungry for more? Check out what everyone else is eating lately at Peas and Crayons!

Tell me:
Have you/ do you ever add fresh mint to your smoothies?
Have you ever had a red/ green pear?
Favourite lazy bowl dinner?

That's it for me friendly friends, but make sure you're back here tomorrow for an- no the- ultimate announcement! Bye for now friends!! :D

Another hectic training day!

Hi friends! I hope we're all have a wonderful day filled with wonderful food (and if not, go and eat something wonderful. NOW. :)

Any who, since the last week I've been pretty sick, interschool training has taken a bit of a back burner as I've stuck to sleeping lighter movements, with less stress to my body. However, I'm a little concerned about losing all the fitness I built up at the grueling training sessions I did go to 2 weeks ago. So as soon as I was back to my regular self- it was back to training (and preparing almost a full day of meals the night before!)

Here's a look at some of the stuff I prepped ahead to ensure I had enough fuel (and delicious fuel) to power me through my day (because, let's face it, I then had to go and do a whole day of school- talk about exhausting!).

Prior to training, I go by how I'm feeling in the morning as to what I'm going to eat. Sometimes I'm not all that hungry so I'll go with some dates or something. Today I was HUNGRY. But knew too much food would not be my wisest move ever.

Greek yoghurt and banana. Nom.

Now imagine me running around a grassed oval with a pained look on my face and legs defying my protesting brain as I fight the urge to yell abuse at our coach. Imagining it? Good. That was training.

After training I'd prepped a very delicious breakfast:

Those bad boys were some pumpkin, almond butter oat bites and they were goooood.
Dry mix: oats+ oat bran + cinnamon + chopped dates: About a cup of this dry mix, to whatever ratio you desire!

+ Around 1/2-3/4 cup steamed and mashed pumpkin:

+ a heaped tablespoon almond butter

Mixy-mix:

Rolly-roll: (I placed mine in a tupperware container lined with baking paper)

And place in the freezer overnight (or at least an hour) and remove for around an hour to defrost the following day/ whenever you are consuming them (I think I eventually had mine around a week later due to my being sick.)

Enjoy your super tasty, on-the-go breakfast delights!

I just wrapped them up in foil in the morning to decrease the size- my container was kinda big ;)

Lunch was almost as good too!
Prepped the night before- some smashed potato and broccoli, mixed with red kidney beans, roast veg falafel, spinach and nutritional yeast:

Super easy- just steam up some potato (even better with skin left on), add some broccoli after a little bit, remove when tender, gently smash down (not too much- still want some texture) and then mix with all the other good stuff!

Filled with all the stuff my tired, sore, recovering body needed!

Then I finally got to come home and prepare something at the time I was actually going to consume it. It was awesome!

You can find my previous training post (filled with make-ahead recipes) here.

What about you:
Do you freeze breakfast foods? What's your favourite make-ahead breakfast meal?
Are you a fan of smashed potatoes? I think I prefer them over mashed potato because they are still squashed, but have texture!
Favourite pre-workout fuel? Do you go with what your body tells you?

I hope you all have a brilliant day, do something you love and eat something delicious!! Bye  for now friends!! :D