We want to help goodtoknowers get the best out of their blenders, so we've rounded up some of our favourite whizzable recipes in a bid to get you using them for the purpose they were intended for - making your life easier...
Most of us own a blender, but very few of us are using it to its full potential and it oftens sits in the back of our kitchen cupboards collecting dust. These clever little gadgets can make hundreds of different dishes quickly, simply and with minimal mess too.
We want to help goodtoknowers get the best out of their blenders, so we've rounded up some of our favourite whizzable recipes in a bid to get you using them for the purpose they were intended for - making your life easier!
We've included all of the classics - there's hummus, pesto and smoothies galore but a few more surprising recipes in there too.
Click through to see all of our quick and creative things to make in a blender...
Smoothies
One of our favourite things to make in a blender is a smoothie. You just chuck in the ingredients and whizz until smooth and combined. You can make milkshakes the same way too - what are you waiting for?
Smoothie recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Lemongrass and orange smoothie (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Strawberry smoothie
- Get the recipe: Banana smoothie
Peanut-butter
Turn those peanuts into a delicious spread with your nifty blender. Just give them a quick blitz, add in a drizzle of honey and wait for the magic to happen.
Spreads to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Homemade peanut butter
- Get the recipe: Homemade Nutella
- Get the recipe: Tuna and caper spread
Buckwheat Pancakes
These easy buckwheat pancakes are great with sweet or savoury fillings and are a delicious way to start the day (or end it, if you fancy them for dinner!) This gluten-free recipe only takes 20 minutes to make and the kids will love it.
Get the recipe: Buckwheat pancakes
Tomato and chilli soup
Soup is one of our all-time favourite comfort foods, so thank goodness it's so easy to make at home! You can either blitz your mixture completely for a really smooth finish, or pulse it and leave it a bit chunky, but whatever you choose, a good blender is essential!
Soup recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Tomato and chilli soup (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Turkey and mushroom soup
- Get the recipe: Carrot and ginger soup
Ice cream
You don't need a fancy ice cream maker to make this sweet treat! Your blender is the perfect machine to help you make all sort of delicious flavours of ice cream - just whizz everything up and pop your mix in the freezer and you'll have a special summertime snack ready and waiting.
Ice cream recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Quick strawberry ice cream (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Chocolate ice cream
- Get the recipe: Frozen yogurt
Pesto
Whether it's drizzled over pizza, stirred through pasta, stuffed into chicken or spread on a sandwich, pesto is a sauce of a million uses! Making your own couldn't be simpler when you've got your trusty blender in tow, and once you've mastered classic basil pesto, you can move on to more adventurous flavours like watercress or rocket.
Pesto recipes to make in your blender:
Cocktails
Cocktails aren't just for holidays or posh bars - you and your blender can make your favourite tipple in a matter of minutes. If you've got a blender that can crush ice, then the possibilities are endless, but if not, you can still serve up a lot of classic cocktails with much less mess and hassle than using a shaker.
Cocktail recipes to make in your blender:
Salsa
Salsa is a staple for a number of Mexican dishes, but the stuff you buy in tubs can be a bit bland and boring. Homemade salsa is much tastier, and just as easy when you're letting your blender do all of the chopping and mixing. Just don't process the mixture too much, or you'll end up with soup!
Salsa recipes to make in your blender:
Gazpacho
Refreshing gazpacho is an absolute life-saver on a hot summer's day. Prepare it in the same way you would soup, and then pop it in the fridge ready to serve at a moment's notice. It actually tastes better when it's left a little longer, as the flavours have more time to develop.
Gazpacho recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Chilled minted pea soup (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Watercress gazpacho
- Get the recipe: Strawberry gazpacho
Falafel
With just chickpeas, herbs and spices on the ingredients list, there's no excuse for not making falafels at home. Once baked or fried, they're great in lunchboxes, salads, mezze platters and more and they'll take just minutes to whizz up in the blender too.
Falafel recipes to make in your blender:
Hummus
One of the best things about making hummus yourself is that you can adapt it to suit your palette. Love garlic? Add an extra clove. Prefer it zesty? Throw some more lemon in there. Your blender will turn everything into a smooth, delicious paste that's fab served with slices of pitta and crunchy veggies.
Hummus recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Lemon and garlic hummus (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Classic hummus
- Get the recipe: Red pepper hummus
Mousse
Before you get too excited, your blender can only help you with gelatin and cream based mousses - eggy mixtures still need to be made with a whisk so there's plenty of air in there! This still gives you lots of scope for quick and easy blender-based puds.
Mousse recipes to make in your blender:
- Get the recipe: Raspberry mousse (pictured)
- Get the recipe: Frappucino mousse
- Get the recipe: Strawberry mousse cake
Where to next?
10 foods you shouldn't really keep in the fridge and why
