Do you guys use a blender?
I've debated about this too. Here's my conclusion:
Pre-op: I used the blender no problem.
Directly Post-op in the first few weeks: I sometimes used a blender, but found that it made the shakes too foamy. I finally found some good products that were truely spoon-mixable (Nectar, Unjury, Isopure).
Now (few months post op): I use a blender when I want a nice frothy shake-meal. I blend up fruit and yoghurt, etc... Sometimes I just want a thin watery one though, so I go back to the crystal-light and Unflavored Unjury in a large water bottle. Shake-it up, let it sit for a few minutes, and done.
Another alternative I've used is a salad dressing plunger. It's a cylendrical, tall cup of sorts with a device in side that plunges up and down. It's great for mixing up without too much gas. I mostly use it to scramble eggs, in honesty.
Pre-op: I used the blender no problem.
Directly Post-op in the first few weeks: I sometimes used a blender, but found that it made the shakes too foamy. I finally found some good products that were truely spoon-mixable (Nectar, Unjury, Isopure).
Now (few months post op): I use a blender when I want a nice frothy shake-meal. I blend up fruit and yoghurt, etc... Sometimes I just want a thin watery one though, so I go back to the crystal-light and Unflavored Unjury in a large water bottle. Shake-it up, let it sit for a few minutes, and done.
Another alternative I've used is a salad dressing plunger. It's a cylendrical, tall cup of sorts with a device in side that plunges up and down. It's great for mixing up without too much gas. I mostly use it to scramble eggs, in honesty.
Jim's reference to the Magic Bullet is a good one. I use a cheapo-version of the bulltet-type blender by Belaggio. It's mixes one serving at a time in a cup that you drink right out of, and it's slow enough and airtight enough not to add much air during the mixing process.
Also try a variant of one of Dx's tips: use a fork to pre-mix a scoop of protein powder with just enough water to make it liquidy before using a blender.Then add the rest of the water, ice, whatever. This can reduce the foam and air that contribute to gassiness. But some gassiness is the nature of the beast.
Good luck.
Doug
If we're treading on thin ice we might as well dance.--Jesse Winchester
The standard Mason jars fit most standard blenders. They come in a dozen sizes from 6-32 ounces , available lots of places at different prices/quantities. If you aren't near a hardware store or a Wal-Mart, most grocery stores even in big cities have them stacked high up somewhere.
If you fill the jar near the top with liquids and such, you'll get very minimal aeration. I often just use a shaker, but I blend when I want to add fruit or ice. I bought a $5 blender base with a broken pitcher at Goodwill that I keep at work with a few jars of different sizes. If you leave air in the jar, the drink will expand to fill the jar, and you'll also get a bit of a suction problem (you have to slide the blade off instead of lift it to relieve the pressure).
Safety tip: test the jar on a dry run before mixing your first drink. My home blender has slightly wider tines, so it cuts a groove into the 8-ounce size because it narrows too quickly. The 10 ounce size clears fine.
The other advantage of the jars is things mix better than in a big pitcher, and a slight shake of the sealed jar knocks things loose if you get stuck. Also, less to clean up; I drink straight from the jar.
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