I have recently purchased a portable blender. It was an impulsive purchase but not one that I have regretted yet. I like the idea of being able to make smoothies and fresh fruit juices at work. I am not sure why this has never occurred to me before, most likely because I thought that I would not have time. However I have found that if I really want to do something I will make time. The blender that I have bought will make the drink in 30 seconds, so less time than it takes me to heat up my food in the microwave.
I am not sure where the desire comes to drink my fruit in this way. Up until a few years ago, this would not have been something I would have thought to do. I requested a smoothie maker some years ago as a birthday present and I think it was no turning back at that point.
We received a Nutribullet as a wedding present but I was always a little disappointed that I would have to drink the finished product there and then in my house, it was not something that I could take anywhere with me, and to be honest, why would I?
There was a time when I would make smoothies for breakfast but on days when Nacho would start later than me (i.e. most days – I am up between 6 – 7 am) he would find that the noise of the Nutribullet very loud and it would wake him up. So, out of consideration for him, I stopped making my morning smoothies, another disappointment.
You can see now how it did not take much to pique my interest when an advertisement for a portable juicer came up on my Instagram feed. I normally ignore these things but this one I somehow could not. I did a little Google and Amazon search on the best juicers on the market. The one that I eventually purchased had consistently good reviews albeit only 10. It also seemed the the most practical. It came with two glass bottles, a lid and it could be separated from the motor unit and blades. It also looks quite cute, and I am a sucker for cuteness, seemed fairly compact and easy to carry around.
So how did it fare? So far , so good. I made my first breakfast fruit juice, for the first time in a while. I used up the blueberries, orange, and kiwi fruit that were left over from the previous days packed lunch. I sat down in my kitchen and took the time to enjoy the drink, instead of rushing around like I normally do in the mornings. It was nice, obviously not as tasty, rich and creamy as a smoothie but I’ll get there. It’s quite easy to wash, I just ran some water over the blades and then dried them with a paper towel, there was no fruit residue.
I took it to work and made another fruit juice. That was nice, because it was something I have never done before. It certainly made for interesting conversation at the lunch-table, including why did we feel the need these days to drink our fruit and vegetables.
Newly arrived in the post 
First breakfast fruit juice – blueberries, orange and kiwi fruit combination 
Final product – I drank this slowly and mindfully while sitting in the kitchen 
First lunchtime fruit juice at work
I think the noise around smoothies is aimed at getting us to consume more fruits and vegetables. But honestly, when I thought about it, I could eat the same foods in their unblended state minus the additives, if I just took the time to plan it into my meals and snacks. It’s not rocket science. However I also appreciate that these drink are fun to create and make and they taste delicious.
Sunday morning I was at it again. I wanted to know if this machine would crush ice. It does. I did let it spin for 90 seconds though, until I stopped hearing the sound of the ice whirling around.
It even works with ice 
Ready to go… 
Banana and peanut butter smoothie – with almond milk, chia seeds and agave syrup. I forget to add the cinnamon!
Sunday lunchtime…you get the picture.
oranges and chia seeds 
not as smooth as the Nutribullet but very tasty and got me consuming three oranges in on go
Friday afternoon…
Lemon, pear, blueberries and strawberries 
very lemony!
Another afternoon…
So, a week has passed and I have not regretted my decision. I will continue to enjoy drinking my fruit. I am thinking that the next stage for me will be bringing in my own milk and making more banana and milk based concoctions. They are filling and comforting in a way that I sometimes need after a long morning clinic. Watch. This. Space.
