Creative Vitamix Recipes with Tess Masters, The Blender Girl

 

We are excited to announce the upcoming release of The Blender Girl Smoothies cookbook, by author Tess Masters of The Blender Girl cookbook, blog and Smoothies app. And we’re thrilled that Tess will be touring her new book with us in the coming months!

 

Tess shares her enthusiasm for healthy living through her blog and cookbooks, where she showcases easy, plant-based recipes that anyone can whip up in their blender — and demonstrates just how versatile the machine can be.

 

As a presenter and recipe developer, Tess collaborates with leading food, culinary, and lifestyle brands. She has been featured in the L.A Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Real Simple, Prevention, Vegetarian Times, Living Without, Allergic Living, Thrive, New Idea, Today.Com, Shape.Com, Glamour.Com, FootNetwork.Com, Parents.Com, Chow.Com, among other websites, blogs, and publications around the world.

 

To get you as excited as we are about the release of her new book, we thought we’d share some of our favorite recipes from her debut cookbook, The Blender Girl.

 

Almond Milk

 

1 cup raw almonds (soaked for 12 hours if desired)

3 cups filtered water

½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons sweetener (maple syrup, coconut sugar, 4 chopped, pitted dates; or 5 to 10 drops alcohol-free liquid stevia

1 tablespoon sunflower lecithin (optional, to emulsify and add creaminess)

Pinch of natural salt

 

Drain the almonds and discard the soaking liquid. Rinse thoroughly, and drain. Throw the almonds, water, vanilla, sweetener, and lecithin, if using into your Vitamix. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until fully liquefied. Don’t be alarmed when the Vitamix heats the milk slightly —the heat won’t harm it). Tweak sweetener to taste. Enjoy unstrained, or strain by placing a filtration bag over a container, pouring the milk into the bag, twisting the bag closed, and gently squeezing it to pass the liquid through. Store in the fridge for about 3 days. It’s normal for the mixture to separate. Just shake or blend again before using. To make unsweetened milk, just blend almonds and water, and then strain.

 

Spicy Chickpea Burgers with Portobello Buns and Greens

 

These are my all-time favorite veggie burgers. Hearty and chock-full of complex flavors, these patties are more textured and moist than the store-bought variety.

 

Resist the urge to cut back on the spices. The amounts may seem over the top, but the flavors strike a perfect balance when cooked. The combination of vegetables listed here is my favorite accompaniment to these burgers, which makes a complete and elegant meal. However, you could serve these on traditional buns, with a salad, or any other way you like.

 

Serves 6

 

Burgers:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup (150g) diced yellow onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)

1 green serrano chile, seeded, ribbed, and finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups (425g) cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), or 1 (15-ounce/425g) can, rinsed and drained well

1 1/4 cups (180g) cooked brown rice

1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos, wheat-free tamari, or soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon natural salt

1/2 cup (15g) finely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup (70g) chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour

 

6 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed

Olive oil

24 medium-thin stalks asparagus, ends snapped off

24 small cherry tomatoes

Natural salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (about 1 large clove)

6 cups (260g) firmly packed baby spinach

1 teaspoon Bragg liquid aminos, wheat-free tamari, or soy sauce

3 cups (66g) loosely packed arugula

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons gomasio or sesame seeds

 

*Instead of using pre-ground chickpea flour you can use the dry container of your Vitamix to grind 2 cups of dried chickpeas into flour.

 

To make the burgers, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chile, and saute for about 5 minutes more, until the onion is cooked and just beginning to brown.

 

Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

 

Pour the broth, lemon juice, and zest into your Vitamix. Add the chickpeas and pulse until combined but still a bit chunky. You may need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the container. Using a spatula, transfer the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl, being sure to scrape out every last bit from the container. Fold in the brown rice and the onion mixture, and then add the liquid aminos, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt and stir well to combine. Add the cilantro and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir until the mixture is wet and well combined. Add the chickpea flour slowly, stirring after each addition, until the mixture is well incorporated. Using your hands, scoop up about 1/2 cup (125g) of the mixture and form a round patty roughly 4 inches (10cm) in diameter; repeat with the remaining mixture to form 6 patties.

 

Place the patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

 

Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C). Set a large pot of water over high heat to boil.

Place the mushrooms in a large baking dish gill-side up and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes, until fork-tender. Reduce the oven to its lowest setting to keep the mushrooms warm.

 

Fill a bowl with water and some ice cubes. Add the asparagus to the pot of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Quickly transfer the asparagus to the ice water bath to cool. Once it’s cooled, drain the asparagus and set it aside.

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.

 

Add the burgers and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Using two spatulas, carefully flip the burgers and fry for 4 to 5 minutes more, until golden brown and cooked through. (You can also flatten the patties to your desired thickness.) Place the burgers in the oven along with the mushrooms to keep warm.

 

Slice the cherry tomatoes in half (or leave them whole—whatever your prefer). In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set side.

 

In a deep frying pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, then add the spinach and liquid aminos and saute for 1 minute more, until just wilted but still green and glossy. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

 

In a large bowl, toss the arugula with 11/2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, toss the asparagus with the remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

 

To serve, mound 1/2 cup (11g) of the arugula in the center of each of six plates. Place a Portobello cap on top of the arugula, gill-side up. Mound equal portions of the spinach mixture on top of the mushrooms. Place a burger on top of the spinach, and then arrange the tomatoes and asparagus around the plate. Drizzle each plate with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon gomasio.

 

Onion and Herb Socca

 

The French call these socca; the Italians call them farinata. These crispy thin pancakes or crepes are traditionally baked in a cast-iron skillet or tin-plated copper baking pan, in a wood-fire oven. But baking one big focaccia-style flatbread in a skillet or cake pan will get the best results in a conventional oven. After endless tries to get my flatbreads crispy without sticking to the pan and tearing apart, I settled on this method. The flatbread slides right out and looks gorgeous as one big wheel of yumminess on a breadboard. You can jazz up this flatbread with some olives, red pepper flakes, or fresh chiles. Get creative with your fillings; make this your own.

 

Serves 4 to 8

 

1 cup (240ml) lukewarm water

Olive oil

1 cup (160g) chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour*

Natural salt (see box, page 38) and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (75g) diced yellow onion

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

 

*Instead of using pre-ground chickpea flour you can use the dry container of your Vitamix to grind 2 cups of dried chickpeas into flour.

 

Pour the water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the flour, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper into your Vitamix and pulse on low a few times until just combined. You don’t want to overprocess. Just get rid of the lumps.

 

Transfer this mixture to a bowl and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours, until the flour absorbs the water and oil and the mixture has the consistency of heavy cream.

 

Preheat the oven to 450°F (235°C).

 

In a shallow frying pan over medium heat, saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes more, until the onion and garlic are slightly caramelized. Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs.

 

Grease a 9- to 10-inch (23 to 25cm) cast-iron frying pan or shallow pie plate with a tiny bit of olive oil. Spoon the onion and herb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and pour the batter over the top. Stir gently to disperse the onion and herbs throughout the batter.

 

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. The socca is done when it pulls away from the sides of the pan.

 

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Brush the top of the socca with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. It should slide right out of the pan.

 

Cut into wedges and serve. Socca is best eaten as soon as it is made.

 

Raw Chocolate–Orange Torte

 

Makes 20 satisfying slivers, 10 to 12 addict-size slabs

 

Crust:

1 cup (160g) raw whole almonds

1/2 cup (80g) firmly packed chopped pitted dates, plus more as needed

1/4 cup (18g) cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

 

Filling:

1 cup (240ml) coconut oil in liquid form

1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 cup (180ml) raw agave nectar

1/2 cup (35g) cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups (420g) raw unsalted cashews, soaked

1/4 teaspoon orange extract

Pinch of natural salt

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Shaved vegan chocolate, to garnish (optional)

Finely grated orange zest, to garnish (optional)

 

To make the crust, grease a 9- or 10-inch (23 or 25cm) springform pan with coconut oil. Put the almonds, dates, and cacao powder into your food processor and process until well combined and the mixture forms a dough. Form the dough into a ball; if the dough doesn’t hold together, you may need to add more dates and process again. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.

 

To make the filling, put all of the ingredients into your Vitamix in the order listed and blend with your tamper in place for 2 to 3 minutes, until rich and creamy. Pour the filling into the crust. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and freeze the torte for 8 hours.

 

To serve, transfer the pan from the freezer to the fridge at least 11/2 hours before serving; let the torte defrost in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan and then cut the torte into slices with a very sharp knife. Keeping the slices together, return the torte to the fridge to continue defrosting for at least an hour before serving.

 

Note: Because of the coconut oil, this filling will melt if left out at room temperature.

 

 

Download The Blender Girl Smoothies app here!

 

Recipe reprinted with permission from The Blender Girl: Super-Easy, Super-Healthy Meals, Snacks, Desserts, and Drinks–100 Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes! by Tess Masters, copyright © 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

 

Photo taken by Anson Smart © 2014