Andy, Will It Work? Ninja Ultima Blender - WBRC FOX6 News - Birmingham, AL

(WMC-TV) - ANDY, WILL IT WORK? Ninja Ultima Dual-Stage Blender = WISE BUY!

The Ninja Ultima Dual-Stage Blender incorporates a "dual-stage" of blades: near its top, crushing blades to crush frozen or fibrous ingredients; on the bottom, cyclonic blades that blend everything "...into a silky-smooth consistency," according to its web demo.

Our guest chefs: Justin Fox Burks, author of The Southern Vegetarian: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table and founder/writer of the Memphis-based Chubby Vegetarian blog -- and Jennifer Chandler, best-selling cookbook author and founder of Memphis-based CookWithJennifer.com.

Both make equal and slightly smaller versions of the recipe the Ninja's folks made in their web demo. In that demonstration, the dual-stage action of the Ninja Ultima blender quickly pulverizes a rigid, fibrous mix of fruit, veggies and ice into a rich smoothie -- while the demonstrator has to use a tamper to jump-start a Vitamix blender that does not boast dual-stage blades.

Fox Burks and Chandler conducted the same demonstration. Just like in the web demo, the Ninja Ultima quickly turned the sturdy ingredients into mush. 

"It blended everything in absolutely no time," Fox Burks said of the Ninja Ultima.

The Vitamix blender, which happens to belong to Chandler, took more time and effort -- with Chandler constantly plunging her tamper.

Even more impressive: at nearly $300, the Ninja Ultima blender is half the price of Chandler's $600 Vitamix blender.

"I love my Vitamix," Chandler said. "However, can I say it is worth twice as much as (the Ninja Ultima)? I don't think so."

Faster. Stronger. Half the price.

That makes the Ninja Ultima Dual-Stage Blender a WISE BUY.

The recipe you see in the story and in the Ninja Ultima's web demo is called the Ninja 9. It's a great combination of Vitamins A, B and C and a good source of fiber:

1/2 cup cucumber, cut into chunks

1/2 stalk celery, cut into quarters

1/4 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cut into chunks

1 carrot, peeled, cut into quarters

1 tablespoon red onion

1/4 jalapeno pepper, seeded

1/4 cup beet, peeled

1/4 cup red cabbage, shredded

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup ice

1 cup tomato, cut into quarters

Place all the ingredients in the order listed into a blender with at least 24 ounces of capacity. Blend for 25 seconds or until smooth.

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