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It’s the Blendtec Total Blender which I started using in 2013, been guestblogging on the Blendtec blog and sharing my Blendtec creations on social media on the regular.

And now…it is finally here:
Blendtec sent me their newest model, the Designer 725 (“the blender with a brain”) to test out.
This is Blendtec’s newest, most advanced blender yet and the most advanced blender in the world.
I was so thrilled and excited, you cannot imagine. I am such a techie geek and to own a Blendtec with a touch screen?! Smartphone meets blender, you guys!

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That is the first video I posted on Instagram, peeling off the protective film off the Blendtec, oh boy:

Ein von niner (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am 18. Feb 2015 um 11:09 Uhr

It’s the prettiest blender I know. Being blender obsessed with finding the best blender I’ve investigated them all, and I’ve definitely made my choice.
A lot of blenders look like from the 70’s, they mostly have a huge motor base and don’t really fit nicely into your kitchen. There will be no “ahhh’s and ohhh’s” when people see it for the first time. It’s just another tool in your kitchen. BUT that’s just my 2 cents. Everybody has their own taste which is great.
Still though, I want people to know about Blendtec because that blender changed so much for me (read here!). My very first blender was a Blendtec as well, the Total Blender. I tried smoothies with a less quality blender too and it wasn’t for me. I wanted my smoothies to be “smoothie shop” style.

I use my blender for so many things such as ice cream, sour cream, mayo’s, smoothies, pesto, salsa, guacamole, juices…basically anything. I used my Blendtec Total Blender over 1000 times and I cannot wait to see the counter on my new Designer 725 to go up, up, uuup!

The sleak design is just amazing! My friends were speechless when they saw it.

Watch here in a video on Instagram:

Ein von niner (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am 20. Feb 2015 um 11:42 Uhr

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Okay, fine, it looks amazing, but what’s behind the fancy looks? That is whats most important!
Please watch these Videos below from Blendtec’s YouTube Channel where they show you what it is that makes Blendtec different from any other blender:

In short:

• Quiet, Ultra Speed Motor
• Plunger Free, Easy Clean Jar
• Uniquely Blunt Safety 4 inch Blade
• Smart Touch Interface

The World’s Smartest Blender: Specs & Features

• 3.8 peak horsepower motor
• illuminated, capacitive touch interface, no analog buttons at all
• SmartBlend technology/preprogrammed cycles:
  Smoothie, Salsa, Ice Cream, Whole Juice, Hot Soup, Clean
• 100-speed capacitive touch slider
• illuminated display: remaining blend time
• multi-speed pulse
• a sleek, stylish design that makes the Designer 725 the best of all and owns the most advanced blending technology ever seen.
• it comes equipped with the “Blend Rewards” program, which gives the owner a promo code at certain milestones, to redeem for promotions, free gifts, etc. from Blendtec.com (US and Canada only!)
• WildSide+ Jar
• Full 8-year warranty
• 1,800-watts with 3.8 HP direct-drive motor and the blade is spinning 29,512 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM)
• “Add 10″ feature to add 10 more seconds to your blend cycle

I love the ADD 10 feature!
Sometimes you need more time for your blend and the add 10 feature lets you add another 10 seconds, each time you press the designated preset button (let’s say the smoothie button).

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It offers all the features that set Blendtec machines apart from every other high speed blenders:
including a patented blunt safety blade that is 80% thicker and 10 times stronger than competitors’ blades for safe use and cleaning. A plunger-free, easy-clean BPA-free jar with a patented design that circulates ingredients efficiently to prevent blending bottlenecks.
A hardened metal drive socket connecting the jar to the blender base that eliminates the breakable plastic part used by other manufacturers and a flat control panel that prevents the mold and bacterial growth common on plastic knobs and levers.

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The blender comes with the Wilside+ Jar:

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…and the Twister Jar. The Twister Jar is perfect for blending the thickest blends such as almond butter, hummus, baby food, dips, thick shakes, dressings and more!
You simply twist the lid that comes with it counter-clockwise while the blender is running, and it scrapes down the ingredients for you. No more “turning the blender off and scraping down the sides” situations.

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The package comes with the Twister Jar, the Patented Twister lid, a Mini Gripper lid for containing thinner blends and the awesome spectacula spatula!

See it here in action:

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My Conclusion:
It was love at first sight. Even before I had it and only saw it online I knew I needed to have it. I can talk about it all the time, I am that fascinated!
Sometimes you just know!
The only thing which seems to bother others is: The noise. The 3.8 peak horsepower motor is loud indeed. My neighbors in my apartment complex aren’t too happy because I use it all the time. For me personally it is totally fine, but others may not like the noise, so you might need to take this into consideration! I try to use my blender at respectable hours (not too early in the morning or late at night). I do make smoothies ahead (in the evening) so I do not have to blend at 6 am.

Blendtec blenders are build in the United States, while most other blenders are made in China! I think that says a lot too.

The touch display is easy to understand and so fun to use! The 725 has no analog buttons at all and that is so fascinating. Way ahead of its time!
Watch here, you can have a lot of fun with it:

Now whooo remembers that sound?????????????? #justplayin with my #Blendtec???? #blendtec725 #90s #goodtimes #blenderlove #vegansofig #veganfoodshare #nobuttons #Kitt #KnightRider #engineering #atitsbest #techie #turboboost #nerd #healthy #fun #video #smoothie #greensmoothie #knightridercar #bestlifeproject #davidhasselhoff #whatwhaaat #hilarious @blendtec

Ein von niner (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am 22. Feb 2015 um 10:07 Uhr

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The Designer 725 shows you lovely motivational messages before and after each blend you make. In this case: Let food be thy medicine. Totally my thing, I am in love.

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The 8-year warranty is incredible!
The customer support is right on point, too. If you end up having a broken jar etc. Blendtec pays for shipping and sends you a brand new jar without any problems.
The whole technology is such a great improvement compared to the Total Blender I had before (which I already adored a lot!). There is nothing this blender cannot blend. It is even more powerful!

So go ahead, fill it up and have fun!

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Feel free to leave comments below. I would love to know your thoughts about the Blendtec Designer 725!
Word on the street is that there might be a giveaway soon. A Blendtec giveaway, here on ninerbakes.com – I suggest you come back soon if you want to be one lucky winner! :)

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Smoothie obsessed Niner wants YOU to enjoy smoothies as well, made with the best machine in the world: The Blendtec Designer 725 Blender!

Here’s a gallery, which basically means: I could not decide which photos to use so, here are a few more:
[See image gallery at www.ninerbakes.com]

Love,
niner

About Blendtec
Blendtec designs and manufactures the world’s safest and most powerful high-speed commercial and residential blenders. All Blendtec blenders are designed and assembled in the USA at the company’s Orem, Utah facility.
For more information, visit .

Disclosure:
Blendtec generously supplied me with my own Blendtec Designer 725 for this review to my readers!

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March 13, 2015: A lovely Facebook post from Blendtec – THANK YOU :)

Tried any of my smoothies?
Please use this hashtag for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc. so I can see your yummy treats: #ninerblends

I baked 100 Christmas Tree cupcakes for a bank institute and seeing them all together make a great christmas tree forest!

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I recently posted quite a few videos on Instagram on how to pipe the Christmas Tree Cupcakes. I posted a recipe before with a different technique.

In these videos I use the same piping tip (Ateco 848, my favorite piping tip) but a different technique:

100 Christmas Tree Cupcakes in the making. ???? This is how I like to frost them, the easy peasy 3 steps "up in the air" way???????????? #chocolate #cupcakes #dessert #sweets #frosting #SOMETIMESFOOD #JUSTSAYIN #yummy #schokolade #weihnachten #christmas #christmastree #baking #howto #video #nomnom #photooftheday #picoftheday #hiphop #music #vanilla #poorrighteousteachers #wordizlife

Ein von niner bakes (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am Dez 12, 2014 at 3:02 PST

How to frost Christmas Tree Cupcakes???? One last step after this one. Stay tuned???? #chocolate #cupcakes #dessert #sweets #frosting #SOMETIMESFOOD #JUSTSAYIN #yummy #schokolade #weihnachten #christmas #christmastree #baking #howto #video #nomnom #photooftheday #hannover #picoftheday #vanilla #piping #mobbdeep #giveupthegoods #hiphop #rap #music

Ein von niner bakes (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am Dez 12, 2014 at 3:21 PST

The last step is easy, placing little candy stars on top of the tree:

Aaand done! ???? Place little candy stars on top of the trees and you are ready to….give them away and make some people happy???? my little forest ????????????#chocolate #cupcakes #dessert #sweets #frosting #SOMETIMESFOOD #JUSTSAYIN #yummy #schokolade #weihnachten #reasonfortheseason #christmas #christmastree #baking #howto #video #nomnom #photooftheday #picoftheday #hiphop #music #vanilla #kammoye #kaze #reachone #selfcenteredEP

Ein von niner bakes (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video am Dez 12, 2014 at 3:36 PST

Recipe:
Click here please.

Here is my little Christmas Tree Forest for you guys:

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Christmas Ornaments, yay!

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And the cherry, ehm, star on top!

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Recipe:
Click here please.

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And in the box they go!

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For vegan Cupcakes, click here.

Wishing everyone a lovely Christmas time!
Niner

I made Owl Cake Pops for a children’s musical here in Hannover, Germany, where I live. I have been making cake pops for them for the third time now and working together is a lot of fun, especially when I make cake pops for the kids!

The Musical is called Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973) – I have watched that movie as a kid and not just then, every year it is on TV during christmas time and I watch it at least once a year. Brings back childhood memories. Have you seen it? It’s very oldschool!

So I thought, Owl Cake Pops would be perfect for the musical!

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Unfortunately I could not be there that evening, because I was laying in bed with the flu. Bummer!
I love watching the kids getting their cake pops, with big eyes, all excited to try them. Next year I will be fit for sure!
In case you are visiting Hannover and want to check out the musical:
You can check out the musical until January 2015!

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If you want to make the cake pops yourself, I will try to explain here. Unfortunately I totally forgot to visually document the process.
I used my go to recipe:
Oreo Cake Pops (click here for the recipe).

Mold your cake pop base into heart shapes, dip them in pink chocolate candy melts, let them all dry and then dip them a second time, in dark chocolate melts, but not all the way through.
Basically I used the same technique like with my groom cake pops, check out the video here:

Dipping the #grooms – my favorite part! ???????????? While listening to @lecrae ???? #iamturnt #lecrae #gettingturnt #gotthemosthigh #nodrugs #faithturnt #sober #unashamed #kendricklamar #churchclothes #lovingjesus #faith #believer #mosthigh #thatsgain #cakepops

Ein von niner bakes (@ninerbakes) gepostetes Video on Mai 5, 2014 at 9:09 PDT

Most people are interested what I used for the eyes:
For the eyes I used Candy Necklaces. I bet you remember those from your childhood :)

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Those are not available everywhere, that is why I order from Amazon a lot. Of course you can only use the white ones.

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For the wings I used sugar hearts, for the claws I used what I had at home: mini flower sprinkles.
You can use any kind of sprinkles, lots of designs work.

For the other decor such as bows etc. I used sprinkles such as Wilton Jumbo Daisies Sprinkles etc.

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It’s so important to use tweezers, ladies and gents. Otherwise you will make a mess :)

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Looking forward to see your owls, people. Please share them with me on my Facebook Page or on my Instagram account and tag me: @ninerbakes!

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Adios :)

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I chose to take chia seeds as an egg replacer. I love chia seeds! They are super duper healthy. I put them in my green smoothies each and every day. Plus you can make the yummiest desserts with them such as chocolate chia pudding, heavenly good!
These teeny tiny seeds are so versatile, even the the maya and aztecs knew about it, chia seeds were a very important food crop for them!
Antioxidants, calcium, potassium, iron, omega-3-, omega-6- fatty acids, even the calcium content is 5 times higher than calcium content in milk. Makes you think for sure.

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I wanted to tell you about my YouTube Channel – I made a video for this particular recipe so you can see exactly how it’s made.
You will find the video at the bottom of this post. I would be so thrilled if you subscribed to my to my YouTube channel because I am planning to make more videos.

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• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Baking Time 15-20 minutes
• Difficulty Easy
• Servings
  

For the very vegan Vanilla Cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2x chia seeds “Egg Replacer” (description below)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plant based mylk, such as almond mylk
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

For the easy peasy Chia Seed “Egg Replacer”:

• 3 tbsp. filtered water
• Chia Seeds, grinded

The rule:
3 TBSP of filtered water + 1 TBSP Chia Seeds Powder = 1 Egg


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• 1. Grind the chia seeds into a powder in a blender. (I use my beloved Blendtec!)
  Grind a larger amount you can use it in the future. Store the powder in an air-tight container.

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• 2. Add 2 TBSP of chia seed powder + 6 TBSP of filtered water and whisk. (makes 2 eggs)
  Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, it will get a gooey consistency. This recipe makes 2 Chia Seed “Egg Replacers” :-)
• SO easy and you never have to worry about “fresh or not fresh” eggs anymore. You don’t need them anymore. Being vegan ain’t so bad ;-)
• 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees / 180 G Celsius and prepare your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• 2. Pour together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
• 3. Add 1/2 teaspoon vinegar to the mylk and set aside for about 3-5 minutes.
• 4. In another bowl, add the chia seed egg replacer and mix with hand mixer or stand mixer. Now pour in the sugar and continue to mix for a minute.
• 5. Now add vanilla extract and vegetable oil and mix.
• 6. On low speed, add half of flour mixture, beat, then add half of mylk mixture. Repeat until everything is combined and well mixed. Scrape down sides of the bowl too.
• 7. Now pour the batter into your cupcake pan with ice cream scoop or spoon and fill up the cupcake liners 2/3 full.
• 8. Bake in your preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, use a toothpick, stick in the center of the cupcake, if it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done.
• 9. Let cupcakes cool for a couple of minutes before you remove them from the pan. Let cool completely on a plate or wire rack.
• 10. When completely cooled, you can start frosting them.

Please visit my blogpost about Decorating Cupcakes with Piping Tips for inspiration!


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And in case you need that recipe more visual, here is my YouTube Video for this recipe:

Please subscribe to my channel if you want to see more videos!

Love,
niner

]]> https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/10/30/very-vegan-vanilla-cupcakes/feed/ 3 5923 https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/10/12/aiya-matcha-latte-my-absolute-green-tea-goodness/ https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/10/12/aiya-matcha-latte-my-absolute-green-tea-goodness/#comments Sun, 12 Oct 2014 16:07:19 +0000 http://www.ninerbakes.com/?p=5931 I already told you about my love for Aiya Matcha Green tea in a previous post about Matcha Cupcakes (click here to read).
And now I want to tell you about my all time favorite Matcha Latte I make every morning!

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This color…



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Anyone who is following me on Instagram already knows the deal:

In Canada they even had Matcha at Starbucks – by far not the healthiest at all, but I needed a little Matcha feeling!



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• Prep Time 1 minute
• Difficulty easy
• Servings 1 jar / cup

For your Matcha Latte you need:

• Plant based mylk of your choice (I love Coconut Rice Mylk by Provamel)
• hot, if possible filtered water (under 80 degrees celcius, under 176 Fahrenheidt)
• 2 bamboo spoons or ½ teaspoon of Aiya Matcha powder
  (my two favorites are Horai and Hikari)
• 1. If possible cook filtered water and let it cool, definitely under 80 degrees Celsius, or below 176 degrees Fahrenheidt. Open kettle and wait for 10 min or pour the water at least 4-5 times into another cold pot – water looses 4-5° C with each decanting.
  Pour two bamboo spoons of Matcha powder in a small bowl or Matcha bowl and pour in 80ml (1/3 of a cup) of your cooled down water.
• 2. Use the matcha bamboo whisk (a must-have tool for sure) and whisk the tea until a fine froth appears. It will take you 15 seconds.

Here are two videos from Instagram:



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• 3. Now heat up your mylk of choice (coconutrice, oat, almond, rice, soy…) in a glas/jar in your microwave for 1 minute or so. I don’t like it too hot, because I want the precious nutrients of the matcha powder to last :-)
• 4. Now pour in the matcha mix in your jar with the mylk. Use a small spatula to get all the green goodness in there. Voilá!

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Pimp your Matcha-Advice:
You can also use a little vanilla extract for more flavor, it is so good! Cinnamon is great too!

Frothy Matcha Latte?
You also prepare a very frothy matcha latte!
I usually keep my base mylk: Coconutrice. But for the frothy top, this mylk is not good enough, so I tried out so many plant-based mylks that create a great frothy texture.
I found a good one: Rice Almond Mylk by Provamel. If you don’t have Provamel in your area, please try out soy milk, which makes such a great foam too!
Unfortunately I react to soy mylk, that is why I can’t use it.
It took me a while to find the best mylk to create foam with. Almond mylk is definitely worth to try out too, folks!

Video of I prepare my Matcha Latte:

All you need to do it: Use my general recipe for Matcha Latte – The only difference is you scoop foamy mylk on top!

All non-vegans can use normal cow’s milk too, but I suggest to try a plant based one.

First I used a simple manual milk frother but after a while I wanted something that worked more professional.
I researched a lot and found this awesome piece which is working so well! Unfortunately the one I own is not available in the States, Canada etc.

But I did a little research for you guys and this one here, the Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother, seems so so good, it has great reviews too!

I hope you will try out your first Matcha soon – or in case you are already a Matcha lover:
How do you like to drink your Matcha? Do you have mor energy?
Do you miss coffee at all? (Because I don’t)
I am looking forward to read your comments!

Great stuff about Matcha around the web
• Matcha Source:
  matchasource.com
• Aiya Matcha:
  Aiya-Europe.com/en
• How to prepare Matcha the right way:
  aiya-europe.com/en/matcha/preparation

I have a new video uploaded to YouTube – it’s a smoothie recipe:


Love,
niner

]]> https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/10/12/aiya-matcha-latte-my-absolute-green-tea-goodness/feed/ 1 5931 https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/08/03/the-best-original-new-york-style-cheesecake-2/ https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/08/03/the-best-original-new-york-style-cheesecake-2/#comments Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:24:23 +0000 http://www.ninerbakes.com/?p=5912 UPDATE:
The link to my Original Cheesecake Blogpost seems to work again, including all comments, etc.
Enjoy :)

——————————————–

NOTE:

Lots of my readers wrote me over the weekend that the link from my original New York Cheesecake blogpost (October 2011) is broken.
And they are right and I have not figured out why it does not work, I could not fix it yet.
So I decided to post the cheesecake recipe again, because I cannot email it recipe to everybody. It is crazy how many emails I have been getting this past weekend.
Thanks SO much for your interest. Hope I did not mess up your weekend baking plans – maybe the following weekend?
The recipe is now up and running in this blogpost. Sorry for any inconveniences!

——————————————–

Recipe/Blogpost: Oct 4, 2011:

You guys have no idea how long I have been looking for THE recipe. I absolutely LOVE NY-Style Cheesecake, and THIS recipe is the ULTIMATE!
A couple sneak peaks…


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This is it. I AM IN LOVE. Seriously…


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On the web there are sooo many recipes that promise to be the one.
The best here, the ultimate one there..
Whenever I tried one of those, I could not wait to be done. I love the NY Cheesecake from Starbucks or the ones from New Yorks Cheesecake Factory, but the prices for a slice is ridiculously expensive.
That’s why I just wanted my very own recipe (give thanks to Martha Stewart please, isn’t she awesome?) – and believe me – this one feeds many people and is worth the cost too.
I can already imagine sharing it with my friends who absolutely adore cheesecake too.
This is going to be nice!
It is so rich, you can’t eat that much, which is probably a good thing for our hips anyway :)



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Please read on to get the ultimate no-crack New York Cheesecake recipe.


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• Prep Time 25 minutes
• Baking Time 75min + 1hr + 8hrs in refrigerator (or better: overnight)
• Difficulty Medium
• Servings
  
For the Cheesecake’s Crust:
• 11-14 Graham Crackers or any other type of wheat cookies
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• butter for pan (important: room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch of salt

For the Cheesecake (one 10-inch cake):

• 3 1/2 pounds (7 eight-ounce packages) philadelphia cream cheese (important: room temperature)
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sour cream (important: room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs (important: room temperature)

Some people do not want to have such a huge amount of cheesecake, and one of my readers, Laura M. was so kind to reduce the recipe for us!
She made it over 20 times and it came out perfectly. Thanks so much Laura! Here it is:

For the Crust:
– 11-14 Graham Crackers
– 6 – 8 tablespoons melted butter
– butter for pan (important: room temperature)
– 4 – 5 “grinds” of sea salt [1 “grind” equals one twist of a salt mill]

For the Cheesecake (one 9- or 10-inch cake):
– 4 eight-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese (important: room temperature)
– 1 1/3 cups (regular or “superfine” sugar
– 1/4 cup all-purpose (or “patisserie”) flour
– 1/2 cup sour cream (important: room temperature)
– 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
– 3 large eggs (important: room temperature)

• 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan
• 3. Now wrap exterior of the pan (including base) in a double layer of foil.

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• 4. To make the crust for the cheesecake, process graham crackers in food processor until fine. Now you can combine the crumbs, the melted butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.

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• 5. Transfer the mixture to the pan and pat it into a flat layer using the bottom of a glass or meat pounder to make it even.

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• 6. Put the springform pan in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. Then place it on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is firm, for about 15 minutes. Let the pan cool completely. (with left over cheesecake mix you can also fill cupcakes with cheesecake)

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• 7. Now beat Philadelphia (best brand for me!) cream cheese in a large bowl, on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, for about 3 minutes (scrape down the sides too)
• 8. In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and flour. Set your mixer on low speed and add the sugar mix to the cream cheese. Mix until well combined and smooth.
• 9. Now it is time to add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix again until smooth.
• 10. Add the 5 eggs, one at a time though, beating until they are just combined (do not overbeat)

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• 11. Now we are almost done. Pour the cream cheese filling into your springform pan. Place the pan inside a large, roasting pan. My springform pan fit right into it, I did not have much space left :-)

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• 12. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan. Pour in halfway up sides of springform pan. This will prevent the cake from cracking. It worked for me. Hopefully for you too.

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• 13. Bake for 45 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking your New York Cheesecake until it is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, another 30 minutes.
• 14. Turn off your oven but leave your cake in oven with the door halfway open for a good hour.
• 15. Now transfer the springform pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely. Refrigerate it uncovered overnight. Then you get the best result :-)

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• 16. Before you unmold the cake, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake. And also: When cutting out slices, hold the knife under hot tap water. Dip the knife into hot water and then wipe it on a clean towel before making a new cut. This method will prevent chunks of cake from the previous slice you made from depositing on top of the next slice. I tell you, this is great and it looks really good too.

Now bake your cake. It is not even that hard. I know it sounds so challeging, to bake your own favourite cheesecake recipe.


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Doesn’t it look just amazing?
I finally made it. From now on I will bake variations with this recipe, but certainly won’t try a new NY Cheesecake recipe for a good while. I found mine. Yessir.


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I hope you try it out. It is so delicious.
It might not be the one for you, if it isn’t, I’m sorry to hear. But if you are desperately looking for a great NY Cheesecake recipe just like I was, it is definitely worth trying this one out.



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Have a good week, I’ll grab me a slice of cake for breakfast now…mhmmmm…
Blessings…niner

]]> https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/08/03/the-best-original-new-york-style-cheesecake-2/feed/ 68 5912 https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/06/13/green-smoothie-for-beginners-my-green-smoothie-testimony/ https://www.ninerbakes.com/2014/06/13/green-smoothie-for-beginners-my-green-smoothie-testimony/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:46:29 +0000 http://www.ninerbakes.com/?p=5795 Trying out new things can be really intimidating, right? Especially when they seem so so healthy and yummy, and are getting a lot of hype in the press etc.
I usually wonder if it’s all true: I mean there was a hype about Bubble Tea and that wasn’t healthy for you :D
How do I start? After some experimentation, I’ve found that there are indeed a couple of things you can do wrong with Green Smoothies, that’s why a little reading here and there won’t hurt.
When you know the basics, you can finally get started!

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I had heard from many people who claimed that green smoothies tasted awful.
“They tried them once” and didn’t like the taste at all.
This is exactly where the problem seems to be: The very first smoothie has to taste nothing but delicious! :)

It’s in my nature to pass on my passions to other people. I start with family and friends and when I see the success and changes that people make for themselves, I am all excited and happy and want to share it with all the world, this means: You.
I am not dogmatic, mostly people ask me what these green drinks are all about and I tell them all about it, of course. It’s so fascinating for me to see people get into green smoothies. I can be very excited when I talk about these things but it comes from the heart and I would love for everyone to experience this green smoothie lifestyle.
Come join me to the green side of the force and you’ll be healthy in no time! Blending is such a gift!

Yes, there will be more healthy recipes on ninerbakes.com. I am aware that quite a lot of people might not like it.
I purposefully have not been posting healthier recipes on the blog because I was scared of loosing my readers, who I cherish.
All you guys who follow me on my Instagram account know that a lot things changed for me.
But my way of thinking was wrong. Why hide my passion?
It’s my blog, my ideas, my recipes. And I want to share whatever is important to me. The people who don’t like it, can simply close the tab and that is okay with me.
I saw so many people change around me, which made me truly happy and feeling blessed, and I would like to pass on my experiences when it comes to this green lifestyle.

Please do not worry: I will still be posting baking recipes, of course. I have a sweet tooth and this will never change. It’s all about taste right? In the end it does not matter if cupcakes contain eggs or not: If it tastes delicious, my mission is accomplished :)


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Here’s my personal Green Smoothie Testimony, my story:
I remember the exact day when I had my first green smoothie:
October 17th 2013 – for months I had been researching about smoothies etc. and I knew:
This is what I need, NOW, please Lord!

You have to know that I have a million allergies (or lots of them: had!) and green smoothies seemed to be the solution to all my problems. I could not eat an apple, or a strawberry without panting for air, getting a swollen throat etc. All my allergy peeps know the deal. It was awful!
Because of the hay fever there happened to be many many cross reactions, which is why I could not eat 80% of the fruit that’s available. Not just fruit, guys. Nuts, Soymilk, some veggies too… The only fruits I was able to eat without a problem was pineapple, raspberries, watermelon and oranges. Wohooo!
Over 20 years of “missing out” on all these fabulous raw foods, I was tired and needed a solution.


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Of course I was used to it, it was normal for me but the older I became I was more and more aware of my health and I knew I did not want to live on supplements. Luckily I was taught many things by Brenda Wollenberg from In Balance, so I got natural supplements and no artificial ones (lots of people do not know how bad artificial vitamins are and Brenda was such a great teacher and still is!).
I knew Green Smoothies would help me out! All the greens I would “drink”, I could never eat on a plate. Way too much chewing going on :)

When I start to like something, I totally go for it, amped up niner:
Lots and lots of researching, pure excitement, I finally wanted to start but: I needed a GREAT blender!
I knew I wasn’t going to buy a cheap one because deep inside I knew Green Smoothies are for me. Smoothies are creamy, and yes, smooth, and a regular cheap blender wouldn’t do the job.
If you are not convinced, which is totally fine, I would rather you ask your family or friends who own a blender so you can try it out for your first green smoothie and then make the decision:
“Yayyyy, two thumbs up, green smoothies are delicious!”
It just totally makes sense to get a high quality blender, it lasts for years and I plan to drink smoothies all my life, so it was only right to look for something perfect.

I chose the right brand, my favorite blender for many years, I always admired it: The american brand Blendtec. Coffee shop chains like Starbucks or Planet Smoothie work with Blendtec because yes, it is the most powerful blender on the market. Period.


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Like I have mentioned in my Peanut Butter Smoothie blogpost: The specs: 1,560-watt countertop blender with 3 HP direct-drive motor and spins at up to 29,000 rpm! Bam!

The Blendtec’s 3 hp will pulverize everything without any pushing because of its great jar, the Wildside Jar. Within seconds it blends up raw greens and fruit into nutrient, dense green smoothies.

I know there are many many VitaMix lovers out there: I do not want to open up a kein VitaMix/Blendtec Battle here :)
The VitaMix is mad powerful too, it just isn’t for me: The lack of design and the tamper to push down the ingredients, not my thing at all. I can leave my Blendtec doing the work so I can clean up, prep. other food etc. It’s SO great.
But that is just my humble opinion, feel free to check out both blenders to choose the one you like best.
Peace & love, everyone :)

Beautiful.
Perfection.
…yes, that’s me, fascinated as can be!



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Let’s look back, October 17th, 2014, my beloved Blendtec arrived at my house!
I was beyond thrilled and excited.
Now all I had to do was to get this baby going. Of course I had all my ingredients ready to throw in the jar of the blender, the one that came with the Total Blender is called Fourside Jar.
I threw in the following:
– frozen spinach, 1 orange, 1 banana, 1/2 avocado, water + orange juice. I pressed my finger on the “Smoothie XL” button aaaand go!
A true love story was written within 40 seconds. This usually works in movies only :)

Had to take a #smoothieselfie right away and sent it to mom. Just for your information, my mom got her Blendtec 1 month later and started drinking green smoothies daily – Guess how happy that made me! Sharing such a beautiful habit with my mom, priceless!
BTW, the first sip: Straight out of the jar! Niner in LOVE :)


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Poured it in a nice mason jar and put it in the fridge for later. I usually prepare my smoothies for two days. I drink two smoothies per day. Makes 6 mason jars in your fridge.

Having such a great first experience with green smoothies is a must for newbies, everybody should feel like I felt that very moment when I tasted it the first time. I was so so excited.
I have skipped smoothies only twice in October last year, because we went to a Jay-Z concert in Hamburg. #hovibaby
I made it a habit to drink them every day, it belongs to my life now. What a great habit to have eh? Living healthy! Trust me, that wasn’t me when I was 18. I was never really unhealthy, but I did not care as much when I was younger.

I designed my own GREEN SMOOTHIE LOVE labels to put on my various jars where I keep my superfoods in, such as chia seeds, raw cocao powder, flax seeds, acai powder etc.
I love to personalize everything and in case you like these labels: In my next blogpost you are able to download them!
Please use this hashtag: #ninerblends on every social media site so I can actually see the labels on your jars and give you a virtual high5! :)


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What has changed for me since drinking green smoothies?
In January 2014 it was the first time after a good while that I have tried to eat mini bits of raw fruit that I was usually allergic to, all my life. I was scared at first because it made me feel so sick and too much of these fruits, I would go to the hospital (I am not being dramatic here).
I took a mini bite off a strawberry. I expected my mouth to hurt immediately. Nothing happened…”Weird”, I thought.”
I was extremely careful and took only mini bites, one after the other. But I felt fine! I felt amazing:
I felt like “everybody else” which was SO great! It’s nice to stand out, but when it comes to allergies, I like to be just like everybody else.

That’s exactly the thing I was hoping for when I started with green smoothies. To get healthier than ever before and to get rid of my allergies. I read so much about it, that green smoothies help so many bad things go away and in my case, I changed nothing but incorporated smoothies into my daily diet.

I always said to people: I am so jealous, you can be so happy that you can eat whatever fruit you want and you’re fine. Be grateful for these things!
If I was you, I would eat tons of fruit! But: Mostly you don’t cherish the things that seem so normal to you.


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• Green Smoothies are… blended drinks that combine leafy greens such as spinach, kale etc. with fruits and healthy fats, such as cashews, almonds and superfoods like chia seeds, flax seeds etc.
• This is what’s so great about the beginner recipe:
  It’s not complicated and it certainly doesn’t taste green! That is so important, especially in the beginning. You can make them less sweet once you have more experience with green smoothies.
• In the beginning I recommend using your favourite fruits as the main part of your smoothie + 1 or 2 handfulls of spinach. Frozen fruit and frozen spinach is a great combination as well, because you get a slurpee like consistency and this is perfect for a hot summer day!
  Spinach has a very mild taste so you won’t be bothered by it, trust me. Being happy with your first smoothies is key here, so this is the formula:
  60% fruit – 40% greens. 70% and 30% work fine as well. Take baby steps, one smoothie at a time.
• Don’t throw anything in the blender: I personally love smoothies with many ingredients but I haven’t done that in the beginning. I wanted to make sure it tasted good so I only picked standard ingredients such as: Spinach, Banana, Orange, Avocado, Water (or orange juice to make it sweeter!) and if it was not sweet enough: Agave, maple syrup etc. to sweeten it naturally.
  Now that I have become a blendaholic, I usually don’t use any recipes, sometimes I do, but mostly I know what tastes great and what not and just throw it in the blender and let the Blendtec surprise me with the outcome.
  I love to add my superfoods too, which I will be talking about in a new blogpost.
• Like I mentioned already, the right blender is key!
  Definitely try a smoothie out with the blender you have at home, if it is not as powerful, please cut your fruit in pieces and do not use frozen ingredients, unless your blender is capable of crushing ice, then it should work fine.
  This is important: Revolutions per minute (RPM). The motor of the Blendtec spins either jar’s blade at high-torque speeds of nearly 29,000 revolutions per minute (RPM). It pulverizes everything!
  The “Wildside Jar” has a fifth side for larger, faster blends. You do not need a pusher (like with the VitaMix) with this jar. Again, no beef please :)
  I do not need to cut my fruit in small pieces with a Blendtec. I might cut a huge orange in half, but thats it, I throw everything in there and the outcome is incredible.
  This video from the “Will It Blend”-Series shows it quite nicely:

Having a little fun here and there won’t hurt: Blending ain’t easy! :D

• I understand that not everybody can or want to spend 300 or 400 dollars on a blender. You might first want to check out whether green smoothies are for you.
  Let me tell you though, you get what you pay for: High speed blenders are more expensive, yes, but the results are perfect, every time. Cheaper blenders are okay to start with, but you will notice the difference when it comes to consistency and quality of your smoothies.
  I have three other options here for you that might suit you:
  1. Oster VERSA 1400-watt Professional Performance Blender
  2. Ninja Professional Blender
  3. Hamilton Beach – Power Elite Multi-Function Blender
• Advantage of Green Smoothies:
  1. You increase your consumption of fruits and veggies, mostly greens.
  2. Green smoothies are very high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other important nutrients.
  3. Blending fruits and greens together breaks down the cells of plants and improves digestibility.
  4. Green Smoothies can replace your daily coffee routine, way healthier choice.
  You get more energy and you’ll notice reduced anxiety and nervousness.
  5. Glowing Skin: GS are high in fiber which allows your body to get rid of the toxins the better way, not through your skin.
  6. So easy to make and you’ll have less cravings for sweets! :)
  7. Green Smoothies are high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
  8. Chlorophyll: A molecule of chlorophyll resembles a molecule of human blood.
  Drinking 2 green smoothies a day will get you plenty of alkalizing blood-transfusing chlorophyll to help repair the cells in your body.
  9. Green Smoothies for weight-loss: With just a few ingredients like cucumber, oranges, lemon jice and spinach, you get a smoothie that has approx. 150 calories per serving, including 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. You are full and you will loose weight drinking smoothies everyday.
  10. Kid-friendly: The first green smoothie for your children does not necessarily need to be green, they might refuse to drink it: Sneak in blueberries, raspberries, blackberries etc. to make it look purple/red, they will not assume greens in it! :)
• Books to get:
  Victoria Boutenko’s Books (she invented green smoothies):
  1. Green for Life: The Updated Classic on Green Smoothie Nutrition
  2. Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health
  3. Raw Family: A True Story of Awakening
  Others:
  1. The Blender Girl: Super-Easy, Super-Healthy Meals, Snacks, Desserts, and Drinks–100 Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes!
  2. The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out
  3. 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse: Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 10 Days!
  4. Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health
  5. Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!
• In the media:
  The Video from Sergei Boutenko, son of Victoria Boutenko, is so helpful! His speech helped me so much to understand the importance of greens. Blend yourself a great smoothie, tune in to YouTube and enjoy this awesome video.

  Websites to check out, a must:
  1. Simple Green Smoothies (lots of recipes, challenges, etc.)
  2. Raw Family


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• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Blending Time 30-60 seconds or longer
• Difficulty Easy
• Servings 2-3 servings depending on blender jar

For the beginners green smoothie:

• 1-2 cups spinach (frozen works fine too)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 orange
• 1 kiwi
• hand full of grapes, makes it nice and sweet
• 1/2 Avocado
• Fluids: Water or Orange Juice for more sweetness in the beginning
• agave, maple syrup or dates to naturally sweeten your smoothie
• For serving:
  Ball Mason Jars
• For serving:
  Colored paperstraws
• I am using the Blendtec WildSide Jar: up to 36 oz (total volume approximately 90 fl oz)

In case you are interested: You can get free shipping on a Blendtec Designer Series Blender Here

• 1. Place your greens and liquid in your blender and blend until very smooth and creamy. Make sure you have a strong blender which is able to crush ice.

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• 2. Now throw in all other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Tweak flavors to taste, add more sweetener etc. I do not like it as sweet, thats why I advise you to always, with every recipe you are blending: Taste it, then tweak it if necessary because only you know your very own taste. This is not baking where exact measurements are key – so feel free to tweak your smoothies until you love them.

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• 3. Serve in a mason jar or any other kind of cute glass/mug and enjoy your healthy smoothie which will make you glow, glow, glow!

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I love to add chia seeds afterwards. When they are soaked in liquid they simultaneously expand up to nine times their original size and release their amazing nutrients. I also love to prepare the yummiest chocolate chia seeds pudding, recipe follows in a new blogpost!


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I designed a Green Smoothie Formula for you, to print, save on your phone or to share with friends or pin on Pinterest and save it for later. Enjoy:



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Tried any of my smoothies?
Please use this hashtag for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc. so I can see your yummy treats: #ninerblends

Love and happy blending,
niner

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