By: Kevin Larrabee 

What Makes the Ultimate Super Shake Station?

If you listen to The FitCast you know that we love Super Shakes. And in the past we’ve had Dr. John Berardi on to talk about the greatness of the Super Shake. Also The FitCast featured a contest where listeners submitted their own recipes for a chance to win a copy of Gourmet Nutrition.

Basically, a Super Shake has all the ingredients of a whole meal, all blended together in a shake. That includes sufficient, whole protein, good fats, vegetables, and fruits. Sure, anyone can throw a steak, broccoli, and some berries into a shake and train for “Fear Factor”, but the true skill of any Super Shake chef is the ability to artfully combine said food categories together into a delicious meal.

Maybe you’re asking yourself, “how do I get in on this Super Shake goodness?”, or “what do I need to make a Super Shake”, or “how do I get baby-soft skin?” We’re here to help you on the first two, but you’re on your own for the last one. What follows are ways to create the Ultimate Super Shake Station, with the help of John Williams, Galina Ivanova and RockHard (Ian, the resident Super Shake Dr. Frankenstein).

First things first, let’s start with the equipment. A decent blender is a must, but the good news is that you don’t need some special, “super” blender to get the job done. The most important qualities are power and durability, and fortunately, there are a host of blenders in the sub-$50 range that fit this bill. Avoid plastic drive systems (the part where the mechanism that spins the blades attaches to the motor), as they tend to break down when you’re trying to get those big chunks of ice and frozen fruit to liquefy. Opt for an all-metal drive instead. Ian and Galya both say to make sure the blender has gradations for ounces and holds at least 24 ounces of liquid when you are picking your blender out. Also, look for blenders that have at least 450-watts of power. Some of the most economical choices are the Oster 6646 Osterizer 12-Speed Blender, and the Cuisinart SPB-7, which can be found at www.amazon.com for $40 and $50, respectively. If you want to invest a little more money for a better quality product, some good choices are the the L’Equip Model 228 R.P.M. Blender at $150 or the KitchenAid KTA-KPCB348PPM Pro Line Chef’s Blender at $230.

John Williams let me in on the blender he secretly covets: the Vita-Mix Super 5000. Take a tank, a fighter jet, and throw in a couple of ninjas and pirates, and you’re getting close to the power of this bad boy. With 2 peak motor horsepower (!) and a blade tip speed as high as 240 m.p.h. (!), this beast dwarfs all others. Whole fruits and veggies are liquefied in seconds. Even tiny seeds are emulsified. It’s great for reaping the health benefits of grape seeds and the like, which you would usually have to buy in pill form. But at the steep price of $500, John’s going to have to wait for Santa Clause to visit. On the upside, there is a lifetime warranty with these blenders, and the company stands by it, so you’ll never need another.

Let’s move on to the essential gear to prep the ingredients for the Super Shake. Galya recommends a cutting board, measuring cup and small reusable containers to keep extra ingredients in. In addition, Ian says it is crucial to have a sharp knife, measuring spoons (1/4 teaspoon to a tablespoon), a funnel and a coffee grinder for flax seeds and other nuts. Obviously, the coffee grinder would not be needed if you own a Vita-Mix Super 5000 (said with a booming, God-like voice). Got that? Here are those recommendations again:

• cutting board
• measuring cup
• measuring spoons (1/4 teaspoon to a tablespoon)
• small reusable containers to keep extra ingredients in
• a sharp knife
• a funnel
• coffee grinder for flax seeds (only for owners of girly-man blenders)

Here comes the best part of the Ultimate Super Shake Station, the ingredients. For this topic I went to my co-host Dr. John K. Williams, co-author of Gourmet Nutrition (which has a ton of Super Shake recipes along with many other recipes for great tasting healthy meals) to see what he keeps at his Super Shake Station and this is what he listed:
·Nuts
·Greens Plus
·Cottage Cheese
·Protein Powders
·Fruits/Vegetables of your choice

That is a great list to start with if this is your first time prepping to make a Super Shake. Along with that list I must add Hood’s Calorie Control Chocolate Milk, a necessary ingredient in Gourmet Nutrition’s Chocolate Peanut Butter shake. Galya and Ian also say to have spices like cinnamon and vanilla to be added to shakes. Along with those Ian recommends keeping sugar-free Jell-O packets of assorted flavors and artificial sweeteners like Splenda and Stevia around as well.

After reading this article and getting the inside edge thanks to these Super Shake experts, it is time to get into your kitchen and start blending! If you need some recipes to start with check out the entries from the Super Shake Contest we had for The FitCast. It would also be beneficial to listen to Episode 5 of The FitCast with Dr. John Berardi where we go in depth on Super Shakes and Dr. Berardi even gives us his new favorite Super Shake recipe: the “what do you mean you’re too good for an avocado in your shake” super shake. For your convenience I will give you the ingredients for it below. Take care everyone and start posting some of your Super Shake recipes over at the new FitCast Forum.

JB’s Super Shake:
·1 Cup of Cottage Cheese (lactose free)
·1/4 of a Beet
·1 Cup Spinach
·1/2 of an Apple
·1 Orange
·1/2 Serving of Greens Plus
·1 Tablespoon of Ground Flax Seeds
·1/2 of an avocado