Handy Blending Hints

•Nothing can beat a blender for making smooth purees and sauces or for whipping up frothy drinks - from healthy breakfast shakes to frozen daiquiris.

•Use your blender for chopping small amounts of food like nuts, bread crumbs and whole spices.

•Turn any oil-based salad dressing into a creamy style dressing by blending it until slightly thickened.

•A brief whirl in the blender will rescue a lumpy gravy, or an egg-based sauce that has separated.

•Food items for blending should be cut into cubes (approximately 2-3cm), this will assist in achieving an even result.

•Ensure the lid is firmly and securely placed on the jug. Do not operate the blender without the lid on, if you wish to add any additional ingredients remove the ingredient cup and add as necessary.

•Never fill above the maximum level indicator 1.5 litres.

•To ensure efficient mixing when blending dry mixtures, it may be necessary to stop the blender and push ingredients down the sides of the jug with a spatula.

•When pureeing fruit or vegetables, cooked or raw, cut into small pieces to facilitate blending.

•When making bread crumbs, use 2 to 3 day old bread, leaving crusts on, to minimise the possibility of clumping. If only fresh bread is available, dry it out for a few minutes in a low heated oven.

•When blending a variety of ingredients together, blend the liquids first, then add dry ingredients.

•Always ensure stones are removed from fruit and bones from meat as these can harm the blades.

•Don’t allow a used blender to sit for too long as the food will dry onto the blades, making it very difficult to clean. If you can’t clean the blender straight away, pour some warm water in it and allow to soak.

•Do not process hot liquids in your blender. Allow to cool before processing.

•Always ventilate the blender jug when pureéing warm ingredients. This is achieved by lifting the ingredient cup out of the lid, after starting the blender.