This post contains a review of Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender plus easy Tomato Zucchini Soup recipe (see bottom of the post).
Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender Review
If you are considering buying a blender but cannot decide which to get I hope that my short review will at least help you better understand and make up your mind about one particular blender that's currently on the market - Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender.
I have never been too keen on kitchen gadgets and always stuck to uncomplicated tools, which did the job without producing spectacular results. But that was ok because, after all, every kitchen tool has its limitations. I never expected to have my smoothies velvety smooth and my soups perfectly creamy. Though to be fair, I wasn't exactly unhappy with the results. My expectations were quite low so there was no room for disappointment.
My simple kitchen gadgets usually came with several different containers and blades, all for convenience sake, of course. Most of the time these never left the box and after a while I forgot about all these additional bits, which were supposed to make my life easier.
And then my Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender arrived.
What does Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender do?
The first surprise was seeing a gallery of pictures on the box showcasing the kinds of things that this blender was capable of making. There were 15! Not 15 different types of smoothies! There were 15 photos of different dishes and only one of them was a smoothie!
As it turns out I've been completely in the dark about what a blender is capable of. This blender can make so much more than just a smoothie! It can make dips and spreads, dressings and marinades, it can grind grains and nuts, make nut butters, nut milks, dough (that's right, it kneads dough too!) and much more. When I saw a photo of a bowl of soup on the box it took me several seconds to realise that that blender actually 'makes' the soup, not just purees a soup that's been boiled the traditional way.
And it does all these things in that one jug.
There is no limit as to how many easy healthy blender recipes you can create using this machine!
(Scroll down to the bottom of the post to get my Healthy Blender Tomato Zucchini Soup recipe!)
Another remarkable feature of this super smart blender is that it removes the air from the jug prior to blending. This helps to prevent oxidisation and preserve the nutritional value and flavour of ingredients (ie. of fruit and vegs, as 'vacuum' shouldn't be used with 'nuts' and 'soup' functions). This also means the ingredients won't be prone to discoloration and will stay fresh for longer. How clever is that?
Is it easy to use?
This blender is very easy to use, which also came as a surprise. I was always under a misapprehension that 'serious' kitchen gadgets came with lengthy manuals requiring hours of study. Neither is true with this blender. The manual is very to the point and is actually a pretty good read (as far as blender manuals go:).
The blender has a few preset functions ('smoothie', 'nuts', 'soup, 'vegs&fruit', 'pulse'), using which involves a mere touch of a button. However, you can use the blender in a more traditional way if you prefer, by setting the duration and speed yourself. So it's flexible allowing you to adapt it to your specific needs.
Cleaning this blender is a breeze. Just rinse, then add a drop of washing up liquid, water and run the blender on high speed for several seconds (refer to the manual for full instructions). Rinse and allow to air dry. You don't ever have to dismantle the machine and wash anything separately. So it's simple, quick and safe.
Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender is in my view the ultimate blender. It's powerful, flexible, adaptable, easy to use and compact. It's the only blender you'll ever need!
One final thing I'd like to mention is that the blender comes with a little book (70 pages long) filled with colourful recipes, which offer loads of blending inspiration. From smoothies and dips to snacks, soups, desserts and even meals so there'll be something for everyone. And you won't ever have to worry about running out of blending ideas.
Because this blender can do so much more than just make a (fabulous) smoothie!
Tomato Zucchini Soup - healthy blender recipe
I leave you today with my very first recipe using Optimum VAC2 Air Vacuum Blender - Tomato Zucchini Soup. This is also the first time I have made soup in a blender so I was especially curious about the results.
I can tell you that, although equally delicious, it doesn't taste the same as soup cooked using the traditional method. This is largely due to the duration (the blender takes only about 6 minutes to make the soup). The ingredients are pureed and heated simultaneously and the mixture doesn't reach a boiling point. Your soup will be pleasantly hot, perfect for serving straight away.
I was actually a little surprised at just how smooth the soup was. The texture was silky smooth, almost fluffy (I've never said that about a soup before!). Definitely different from a soup that's been cooked traditionally and then pureed.
One huge advantage of making soup in a blender (in addition to the speedy cooking process) is that no chopping is required. So preparation time takes seconds!
Just place the ingredients in the jug, touch 'soup' and 'on/off', then sit back, relax and let the blender do the rest!
You might also like
- Vegan Mango Mousse with Sweet Potato
- Key Lime Cheesecake Pie with Avocado
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Mousse
Check out also this collection of over 12 creamy vegan soups.
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*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
Optimum Blender Review Plus Tomato Zucchini Soup
Ingredients
- 5 plum tomatoes
- 1 small zucchini courgette
- 1 garlic clove
- 8 large basil leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt plus pepper to taste
- ⅓ tsp onion granules
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in the blender (no need to chop anything, though you may want to cut your zucchini in half), close with the lid pressing down firmly, touch 'ON/OFF', then 'SOUP' and then 'ON/OFF' again'. The soup will take about 6 minutes to make. When the cycle stops carefully take the lid off and pour the soup into individual bowls. Enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about creatively simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.
OPTIMUM VAC2 AIR VACUUM BLENDER is the best. It's helping me to get the perfect recipes.
TOMATO ZUCCHINI SOUP IT'S REALLY HEALTHY BLENDER RECIPE. I WILL DEFINITELY TRY TO MAKE THIS. THANKS FOR SHEARING WITH US.
Great review! I really must try kneading dough in mine 🙂
Thank you! I want to do that too:)
A fluffy soup sounds very interesting. I'm just about to try a soup made in the raw in my blender now. Can't believe I've never tried it before. Nice review and I'm glad you're enjoying your new blender.
Thanks Choclette, yes that soup was fluffy even though that sounds a little odd, but then again this blender soup is different from traditionally cooked.
Please can you try making almond butter without being toasted? I saw a video of 9400 that creates a butter in just over a minute!
I would really like someone to do a video too. Frothie has made a video on peanut butter, but it's a pity that the video is not in its entirety, so we do not understand the actual necessary work.
Thank you.
Marco
Thank you for getting in touch. I do not make videos at the moment but if I do make almond butter I will definitely talk about it on the blog. Perhaps you could get in touch with Optimum (Froothie) and ask them if they can point you in the right direction. Their link is in my blog post. Thanks!
please notify me when you talk or put the video. Thank you!
Wow im impressed. I do have a blender and a food processor and a hand held blender - I use my blnder for soups when i want a really creamy texture the other two just do not get it as smooth as when using the blender. But mine doesn't cook! So I want yours! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare
This blender really is impressive, it can do so much, I am still learning how to use it to get the most out of it.
This looks so vibrant in colour and delicious, I eat with my eyes and this is a definite addition to my to-do-list. I may just get the kiddies to eat this too, fingers crossed. Thank you for linking up with our new linky too #G2BGF
Thank you! Good luck with the linky, hope it does well:)
Ooh I do love a kitchen gadget! Have to admit until I got my blender/soup maker I was really dubious about them but now.... Its on all the time! And the colour of that soup! YUM!
Thanks Midge, I used to be dubious about them too, but that's all in the past now:)
My mind was blown away the first time I saw soup being made in a couple of minutes in a Vitamin blender! Your blender sounds perfect with the vacuum function. Tomatoes and courgettes are a match made in heaven too 🙂 Thanks for joining in with #FreeFromFridays.
Thanks Mel, the thing is I knew about blenders that made soups but it's quite a different thing to actually own one and see it work! It's so clever:)