Posted by: Zoe V | December 4, 2009

Unwrapping my birthday gift: Vita-Mix Blender!

At last, my long-awaited birthday gift is here. Hooray! Ever since I saw Vita-Mix blender in action during a demo at BJ’s last spring, I wanted to own one badly. But considering the $500 price tag, I knew that it would take a long time to save up and buy it on my own. Fortunately, my mom, being the generous and loving person that she is, offered to buy it as her gift for my 30th birthday on Dec. 5th. What an awesome mom I have, I know! Check out the video of me unwrapping the goodies:

Vita-Mix is anything but your average blender. I own a Cuisinart blender and it pales in comparison to my new Vita-Mix. The best way to describe the differences is to compare a Kia to Cadillac. Yes, they are both cars and will get you from point A to point B, if that’s all you are concerned about. However, if you are someone who is interested in quality, longevity, versatility and extras, the plain Kia wouldn’t stand a chance to Cadillac. That’s exactly how Vita-Mix outshines just about any other blender on the market including Blendtec.

Choosing Vita-Mix wasn’t an impulsive decision. For the past six months I read online reviews, watched video comparisons on YouTube and asked a few raw food gurus if Vita-Mix was a worthwhile investment. I researched the blender in and out, up and down, inside and out. No stone was left unturned. The answer was a resounding YES! Anyone who owned a Vita-Mix was raving about their miracle machine. They gave reasons ranging from versatility to sturdiness to warranty to money-saving to unsurpassed deliciousness. For a moment I considered the Blendtec which is the only other compatible blender on the market. However, the limited warranty (3 years vs. 7 years) and the somewhat negative reviews quickly dissolved that dilemma. By the way, did you know that Jamba Juice and other commercial juice bars all use Vita-Mix to produce their deliciously smoothies? Yet another reason to invest in that powerhouse blender.

Here are just a few of its astonishing features:

* New Eastman Tritan™ copolyester 64 oz. container is as durable as polycarbonate, features improved sound damping and is chemical resistant plus BPA-free. Comes with ergonomic soft-grip handle.
* New Swedish-built 2 peak HP motor, custom designed for this machine, runs substantially cooler with energy savings and improved performance.
* Feedback-type variable speed control provides consistent power regardless of load. Speed ranges from 11 m.p.h. to 240 m.p.h., wider than any standard blender.
* Unique stainless steel hammermill and cutting “wet” blades process whole foods like no other appliance to deliver up to 3 times the nutrition.
* Quick and easy clean-up. Just add a few drops of dish soap, some warm water and run for 30 seconds on high. Done!
* It can make just about anything: smoothies, ice cream, soups, sauces, dips, nut mylks/butters, baby food, breads, etc.

With such impressive resume, you simply cannot go wrong with Vita-Mix. This beautiful gift is a part of my larger goal to incorporate more raw foods into our family diet. The more I learn about raw foods the more I become convinced that there is no better preventative medicine than investing in fresh, live and vibrant foods. I am in the process of reading a few books on the subject and mapping out our new raw food menu. With the help of Vita-Mix the transition will be that much smoother and enjoyable. So far I have made an avocado soup, hummus, breakfast smoothie, cappuccino and orange-mango sherbet. They all came out terrific! Can’t wait to experiment with making my own nut mylks and butters, grinding flour, making breads and some of the delicious desserts. Stay tuned for more videos and recipes using my new Vita-Mix.

If interested in exploring, learning or purchasing a Vita-Mix blender, please go to http://www.vita-mix.com/. I bought the Deluxe Package (64 oz. wet blade + 32 oz. dry blade container) from an authorized dealer Everything Kitchens. It takes about 7-10 business days to receive it.

Copyright © 2009 Zoe V. All Rights Reserved

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Posted by: Zoe V | November 15, 2009

2012 Movie Review

Mark and I saw 2012 movie on opening night and here is the video review. Just to warn you, it contains spoilers, so if you have not seen it yet and don’t want to know the ending, you probably should wait to watch my review until you do. If you don’t care about spoilers, then go ahead and enjoy.

Copyright © 2009 Zoe V.  All Rights Reserved

Posted by: Zoe V | November 10, 2009

The fall of Communism through my own eyes

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of Communism in Bulgaria – November 10th, 1989. For those who don’t know yet, I was born and raised in Bulgaria before coming to America with my family in 1997. I was 10 years old when the Berlin Wall came down, an event that snowballed the fall of Communism throughout other Eastern European countries including my native Bulgaria. Although young I fully understood the magnitude of the event. Witnessing the fight of the Bulgarian people to establish democratic nation has deeply influenced my views on politics today. My deepest gratitude to those who paid with their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom today.

In honor of that anniversary, I have created a video accounting my personal experience of the event, as well as some interesting stories from my life in a Communist country.

 


Copyright © 2009 Zoe V. – All Rights Reserved

Posted by: Zoe V | November 5, 2009

FOOD, Inc. – Movie Review (video)

I am proud to make an announcement that I started my own Youtube channel GreenMomZoe dedicated to educating and sharing information on green and spiritual matters. Last night I created my first vlog (video blog) and I’m very excited to share it with you.

My Youtube channel will serve as an extension of my blog. I will still write but occasionally, I will make videos, which I enjoy tremendously. Hopefully, with my blog and new channel I will be able to reach a larger audience and spread the message of truth, hope, love, unity and enlightenment.

Stay tuned for more blogs/vlogs in the future. :-)

Copyright © 2009 Zoe V. – All Rights Reserved

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Posted by: Zoe V | October 28, 2009

The Interconnected Tree of Life

This morning a moment of truth flashed before my eyes. Light rain was drizzling over the tree in our backyard. Most leaves had already fallen to the ground but there were still many left, clinging to the branches for one last chance to be part of the mother tree.

autumn_tree

Don’t ask me why but the thought of God came to mind. God being the tree and humans being its leaves. Each one of us represents a leaf on the tree of life. As the seasons change our lives change. They have a clear beginning and clear ending. Yet the ending is also a signal of another beginning to come not too long from now. Everything is cyclical.

Can the tree be a tree without its leaves? Can the leaves be leaves without the tree? They cannot. Both are interchangeably related as one represent the whole and the whole represents the one. So many of us search for God outside ourselves as if we are separated and He is superior to us. We turn to religious establishments and self-proclaimed gurus to teach us who is our God. And the more we rely on outside sources for the truth the more confused and lost we become.

If one wants to understand God then one needs to understand the concept of the tree and the leaves. As the leaves on the tree, as the waves of the ocean, as the cells in our body, we are all united and connected to the Source, God, Universe or whatever one chooses to call it. As a result of our interconnectedness, causing harm to another is the same as causing harm upon oneself; stealing from another is the same as stealing from oneself; turning back on another is the same as turning back on oneself.

The separation we’ve created by sheltering ourselves from others is responsible for much of the hate, violence and injustice in the world. If we want to evolve, we’ve got to stop thinking in terms of Me or You when there is only We. Humans may have individual souls but each soul is powered by the soul of our Source. We cannot exist without God and God cannot exist without us. We are one and the same. We are the interconnected tree of life.

© 2009 Zoe Vaklinova – All Rights Reserved

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