Zippity Do Ahhh

“What’s the first thing you’re going to get when your kitchen is done?” a friend asked.

“A juicer,” I said, without hesitation. After using my parents’ juicer last summer, I wanted to start my mornings with a carrot, kale, and apple juice. They were great. Except for the clean up. Several parts (including sharp blades) to clean, and there was the leftover pulp. Gross. Plus, the juicer weighed a ton and was about the size of a Mini Cooper.

Now, with my kitchen complete, I ventured out for the perfect juicer. But they were either too large, too expensive or too much maintenance. I wasn’t going to be selling juice out of my apartment. Was it worth all that? So I came home empty-handed. I just couldn’t bite the bullet.

Until I found the bullet.

The Nutribullet. Now hold on, this isn’t a plug for the Nutribullet. At least it’s not intended to be. It’s about space saving with an added (nutritional) bonus. I have an aversion to kitchen appliances. They’re bulky, they take up precious room on your counters and inside cabinets, and they rarely get used, the coffee maker being the only exception. How many of you have a bread maker, quesadilla maker, waffle maker, ice cream maker or electric can opener (to name a few) taking up valuable real estate, not to mention collecting dust, in your cabinets?

For over four years in my tiny apartment I had one appliance: a toaster oven. This heated up and cooked meals, made toast, shrank my Shrinky Dink art, and when it wasn’t in use, stored bananas. It was a well-used appliance and I still use it. And now that I have a little more room, I wanted a juicer, on

e that wouldn’t take up half my cabinet space.

Which brings me back to the Nutribullet.

I was in Bed Bath and Beyond and the Nutribullet caught my eye. This little (big reason!) appliance broke down the whole food, not just extracted its juice. Which meant no waste and more nutrition (even bigger reason!). But more than that, it looked simple to clean. Plus it was cheaper than on TV. In the cart it went.

My first juice included kale, mel

on, strawberries, mango, carrots, avocado, frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, a few walnuts, some flax seeds, water, and an ice cube. I screwed on the cap, stuck it in the unit and gave it a twist. Twenty seconds later, done. The taste? Delicious. The clean up? Easy as pie. The benefits? The first week I slept like a baby.

My aim isn’t to tell you to buy one for the nutritional benefits (though I told my sister to and now her kids drink smoothies with veggies without even knowing), but it’s about space. This little machine also makes hummus, peanut butter and even ice cream which means you can say “Buh-bye” to a few other appliances. Plus it takes up minimal room inside a cabinet. Now if only I could get it to make toast.