Almost everyone has the desire to eat healthier, but few people know how to go about it. Whether we want to eat healthy to lose weight, improve our health, improve our appearance, or the multiple other reasons, there is one kitchen appliance that can help you in your journey.
A blender is an essential kitchen tool if you want to eat healthier food. They allow you to make all kinds of healthy food without much effort, and without sweating for hours in the kitchen. There are a wide range of blenders available, but in my opinion Ninja blenders are the best. They are powerful and versatile, and also affordable for most people.
It’s a good idea to check reviews of Ninja blenders on sites like Kitchen Habit, if you need help choosing. Once you have your blender, read on to learn some healthy and delicious recipes you can make in it.
Delicious Green Smoothies
Smoothies are a great place to start if you want to try eating healthy. You can throw some fruit and veg into your Ninja blender cup, add some nuts or seeds, and then add a liquid such as coconut water or almond milk. Blend for 60 seconds and you have a delicious and nutritious snack that is full of vitamins and antioxidants.
There is one important thing to note about smoothies if you are using them as a tool to lose weight. While fruit is good for you, it contains natural sugars such as fructose. Too much fructose means that while your body will be getting vital nutrients, it will also be getting a large amount of calories.
The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume, so if you start the day with a fruit-laden smoothie, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment. The best way to make a healthy smoothie is to make sure it contains 50% green, leafy veg such as kale or spinach. You can add in some fruit for taste, and also some seeds or nuts to keep you fuller for longer.
Here is a recipe for a delicious apple smoothie that is healthy and nutritious:
- 1 apple
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup water
Place all ingredients in your Ninja blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately to enjoy the benefits fully.
Milk Alternatives
There are many reasons you may want to avoid dairy, and milk is usually the hardest dairy product to cut out of your diet. Whether you are cutting out dairy for health reasons or for ethical reasons, there is a wide range of plant-based milks you can make in a Ninja blender.
Nut milk, such as almond or cashew, is one of the easiest and widely used milk alternatives. It’s a simple process to make nut milk, and all you need is a blender. If making almond milk, soak 1 cup of raw almonds in a bowl overnight. The longer the nuts are soaking, the creamier the milk will be.
Rinse the almonds and dispose of the soaking water. Add in a blender with 3 cups of hot (not boiling) water, and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Strain the mixture with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Coconut milk is also a very popular milk substitute and it is very easy to make. Simply add 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut to a blender, ad add 4 cups of hot water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the coconut to soften, and then blend until smooth. Strain the mixture and then store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Healthy Desserts and Ice Cream
Once you embark on your healthy eating journey, there is always one thing that you crave every so often: sugar. Just because you no longer buy store-bought desserts and ice cream that is full of sugar, doesn’t mean you can’t satisfy your sweet tooth.
In fact, with your Ninja blender, it’s even easier to make healthy desserts that are good for you. To make a chocolate ice cream that is healthy and delicious, you only need 3 ingredients:
- Chopped frozen bananas
- Dark cocoa powder
- Peanut butter
That’s it! Simply add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend on high speed for 1 – 2 minutes. While this won’t taste exactly like the sugar-laden ice cream you buy at the store, it is a healthy alternative that has sweetness and creaminess.
Another favourite healthy dessert of mine is peanut butter and chocolate chip blender cake. This is a delicious cake mix that contains no flour, sugar, butter, or oil. To make this delicious cake, simply add banana, peanut butter, egg, honey, vanilla extract, and baking soda to your Ninja blender and blend until smooth. Add some chocolate chips to the mixture and mix by hand. Add the mixture to a baking tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Conclusion
No matter the reason for you wanting to eat healthier, there always comes that moment of realisation when you can’t eat your favourite foods. Be it dairy, sugar, or fat, there are always things that you have to cut out of your diet if you want to be healthier.
If you have a Ninja blender, then it is possible to find ways to make your previously enjoyed foods, and make them healthier. If you replace cow’s milk with almond milk in a recipe, for example, you won’t even notice the difference. You may even like the new flavour better than the original.
The desserts that I shared above are a perfect example of this. They are delicious and sweet, yet they contain hundreds of calories less than their full of sugar counterparts.
If there is a food that you used to enjoy but are afraid you no longer can, a quick Google search will show you multiple ways to create the same food, only much healthier. All you need is a decent blender, such as a Ninja.