I'm a little obsessed with my blender.

My  Vitamix literally pulverizes ingredients that my previous blender would simply slosh around and it does it all in seconds flat.  (My old blender used to spew smoke when I put ice cubes and kale in it if that's any indication of what I put it through.) A good quality blender or food processor is a must for the healthy cook: You can make everything from smoothies to soups to spreads all from scratch. Want the chance to win a Vitamix yourself? Take our quick nutrition survey. And read below for this delicious beet hummus sweet and spicy recipe!

Sweet and Spicy Breakfast Spread  Ingredients:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flavored honey such as wildflower, eucalyptus or orange blossom
• 1 large lemon, juiced with zest from lemon
• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 red beet, roasted, peeled, quartered (should equal about ½ lb. after roasting and peeling)
• 16 ounces canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 1 garlic clove, peeled 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and quartered
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Topping: feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Place ingredients into your blender/food processor or Vitamix (C-Series) in the order listed and secure lid.
2. Select variable 1 for the Vitamix or for your food processer/blender your first setting.
3. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to variable 10 (slowly increase your food processor speed), then to High, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades. (If you don't have a Vitamix you may want to stop and use a spoon to push the ingredients downward into the blades.)
4. Blend for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached.
5. Serve sprinkled with crumbled topping.

This lovely recipe is courtesy of Vitamix.Tell us your nutrition habits habits to win your own machine. And click here for our food director Annabelle Waugh's best hummus recipe here.