Pineapple & Lime Smoothie

I love fresh pineapple, but can't always be bothered to peel and chop a fresh one just to make a smoothie, so I made this one with convenience ingredients. You could, of course, make it using fresh fruits too.

This smoothie is my latest invention made using my Optimum 9400 blender and smoothie maker.

Serves 1

• 1 small tin of pineapple in natural juice (approx 225g/9oz including juice)
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ½ cup ice

Smoothie benefits: Rich in vitamin C, manganese and fibre
Smoothie tip: Smoothies containing pineapple tend  to separate quite quickly if left to stand, so are best drunk straight away.

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Nectarine & Kiwi Smoothie

We're loving our Optimum 9400 blender and smoothie maker and using it most days. I think one of it's most positive attributes is that it's so quick and easy to clean.
  
This smoothie is Miss K's latest invention...

• 1 nectarine, stone removed and quartered
• 1 kiwi, skinned and quartered
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup ice

Smoothie benefits: Rich in vitamins C, E and A and a good source of fibre.

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Blueberry & Raspberry Smoothie

This is the first recipe we (well actually Miss O!) made in our new Optimum 9400 blender. It's a super-easy, but really tasty, chilled fruit smoothie...

Serves 1

• ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• ½ cup ice cubes
• ½ cup apple juice

Lightly crush the ice for a few seconds in the blender.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend on medium-high for 45-60 seconds).
Pour and serve.

Smoothie benefits: Rich in  vitamin C, Vitamin K and fibre. 
Top tips: This smoothie is quite sharp-tasting, so younger children may prefer it sweetened with a drop of agave or date syrup.




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The Optimum 9400 Froothie maker - a review

I was delighted to be asked to become a Brand Ambassador for Froothie, who sell the award-winning Optimum range of professional and domestic juicers and blenders.

One reason that I jumped at the chance to try out the Optimum 9400 blender, is that my daughters both love smoothies. My existing blender can only make 'lumpies' so I generally spend around £5 per week on ready-made cartons of fruit smoothies. I'd love them to drink more smoothies, as I think it's a great way to get 1 or 2 extra portions of fruit (or veg!) into their diets. The great thing about home made smoothies, is that you can use seasonal ingredients to keep costs down and you can omit any ingredients you don't like.

Whilst certainly not cheap at a RRP of £329, the Optimum 9400 is an excellent piece of kit for health-conscious vegetarians, vegans and raw food enthusiasts. In a domestic kitchen, it can be used to make smoothies, hot and cold soups, slushies, sorbets, dairy-free nut and seed milks/butters plus much more.  In fact it has around 15 functions - do check it out on this YouTube clip to see it in action!

On first inspection, the blender looks and feels like a proper, heavy-duty, professional product - which of course it is - as the Optimum range of blenders and juicers are used in many cafes and juice bars. I found the blender really easy to use and importantly, easy to clean too. There are no detachable parts to screw or lock together and the flexible lid just pops on and off. The tamper allows you to stir and scrape the contents of the blender whilst the motor is on; no need to stop, and scrape the contents back down. Once you've made a smoothie, you just fill the jug with hot water and a drop of washing up liquid and blend for a couple of seconds. Tip out the contents, rinse and you're done!

Both of my teenage daughters have tried out the machine already and have been really impressed with the smoothness of their smoothies and the speed of blending. 
Over the next few months, we will be testing out the Optimum 9400 Froothie maker and blogging our recipe ideas.

Meanwhile, if you'd like to test out the machine with a 30 day money-back guarantee, pop on over to the Froothie website.

Integrity Statement

I received an Optimum 9400 blender to review and to act as a brand ambassador in future posts.

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