Breakfast of Champions: Blendo Mendo

Mi esposo once recounted that as a child, left to his own devices one day to find an after-school snack, he settled on the idea of a big glass of chocolate milk. He wondered, however, what would happen if he mixed his Nestle Quick and milk in the blender instead of stirring it up in the glass with a spoon. To his delight, the result was a light, frothy concoction, far superior to the in-glass mix-up. He began calling his creation: "Blendo Mendo".

I've recently adapted esposo's Blendo Mendo technique to suit my own tastes.

My variation on the Blendo Mendo gives me a shot of nutrition as a snack, as a light lunch, or most usually, as a breakfast that takes 5 seconds to prepare yet leaves me feeling light, totally satisfied, and ready to go kick the day in the cajones.

So, what exactly do I put in this Blendo Mendo that is inspiring me to wax so celebratory over it?

It's a scoop of whey protein powder, a couple of ice cubes, 6 oz. of water, some fresh fruit, and if I am under the spell of a powerful sweet tooth, a scant tablespoon of low-sugar preserves. I drop it all into a very UN-fancy, 1960's-era Osterizer blender that I probably found at a garage sale in my early twenties, give everything a whirl. According to my research, even my most decadent creation, with preserves and even some nut butter for a thicker texture, tops out at a paltry 225 calories and is brimming with easily-assimilated protein and vitamins. Truly, if that's not a "breakfast of champions", then I don't know what is.

"Wait a minute," you might be thinking, "isn't this Blendo Mendo concept really just a smoothie?"

Well, yeah. But you are not allowed to call my awesome breakfast of champions a "smoothie". Puh-lease! I have fought the whole smoothie concept for a long time. I hated the name..."smoothie" sounds cloying and precious to me. I hated that it was trendy. I hated the fact that most commercial smoothies, billed as healthful because they have some fruit, are so laden with sugar that you may as well drink a 64oz. jumbo soda, as far as caloric intake is concerned. But mostly, it was the name. I just didn't like it.

Now, Blendo Mendo...that I like. I like that mi esposo gets a kick out of the fact that I have co-opted one of his culinary discoveries. I like the fact I can get myself some healthy nourishment without having to heat up or mess up the kitchen during the hot and lazy summer season. I like the fact that I am getting nearly 1/3 of my daily requirement for protein, nearly 100% of my B vitamins, and a good little infusion of vitamin C for a paltry sum of calories. Oh, yeah...low-fat, too, by the way. And it's fast, easy, tasty, and filling.

I don't know many people who don't have a blender lurking in the dark recesses of a cupboard somewhere. Why don't you use it for a Blendo Mendo breakfast of champions? If you are going to complain about cleaning the blender (no one's favorite chore), just get a cheap bottle-brush washer and literally give it a quick hit the second you are done blending. Honestly, it's faster and easier than loading breakfast dishes into the dishwasher.

Seriously...c'mon everybody...Blendo Mendo.