In mid July, Starbucks introduced their new line of nourishing blends, but since Bossy typically favors blends without a nutrient in it, the drink didn’t seem appealing. Until this past Tuesday.
Here’s what happened this past Tuesday: Bossy and her friend Martha were taking their usual morning walk, where usual equals not enough.
And per usual the two were complaining about their bad habits—a conversation which typically takes them across fields, under bridges, and along paths, until they are inevitably deposited at the Starbucks counter ordering dessert with caffeine around it, served in a lap pool complete with straw.
But this time Martha and her friend Bossy decided to improve their habits and try the new Vivanno drink—they both ordered the Orange Mango Banana Blend.
Bossy admits she was initially put off by the promise of Naked Juice and proprietary whey. In fact Bossy had to race to her dictionary to check the definition of proprietary.
Well. Maybe it was the 120mg of sodium, or the 32g of sugar, or maybe it was the ice—but: the drink is delicious. And lucky thing because it only costs one small mortgage payment.
Which is why Bossy is left trying to recreate the thing at home. Except without the added protein or fiber or orange juice. Oh, and Bossy’s husband forgot the yogurt. Hi Bossy’s husband!
BH says
September 4, 2008 at 8:49 amUm… Uhhh… err.. umm..
They were out of yogurt?
Yeah, that’s it!
BH
BOSSY says
September 4, 2008 at 9:00 amHi BH! Looks like it’s just you and Bossy down here alone swimming in the comment pool. Think we have time for a skinny dip?
rosie says
September 4, 2008 at 9:06 amI’ll have the chocolate one if you dont want it…but I am keeping my clothes on…
Becca says
September 4, 2008 at 9:08 amThe chocolate one isn’t so great – got a funny aftertaste!
Gayle says
September 4, 2008 at 9:11 amBH, don’t feel bad. I always forget the yogurt, too! I think the word “yogurt” becomes invisible on my shopping list. That’s the only explanation I can think of.
Avitable says
September 4, 2008 at 9:16 amDid the addition of the dog add any new flavor?
gina says
September 4, 2008 at 9:25 ammy brother works at starbucks. if i remember when he gets home from work i will ask him how to make this. then i will tell you, unless it is a state secret and starbucks will have me killed.
Candy says
September 4, 2008 at 9:36 amI always forget the bathroom sized dixie cups, even when it’s on the list. So I give BH a pass on this one.
I don’t understand the whole Starbucks craze. I like my coffee to be of a Maxwell House variety. And I will only drink whey on a tuffet.
blackbird says
September 4, 2008 at 9:42 amDoesn’t that seem a little high on the sodium?
My walking partner and I START at Starbucks, that way I’m pretty sure we walk off every SINGLE calorie in the Frappucinos. Right?
Tootsie Farklepants says
September 4, 2008 at 9:43 amYou’ll save yourself so much money once you eventually figure out how to recreate it at home. Then you can buy some bathing suits with all the cash.
David says
September 4, 2008 at 9:45 amThe secret ingredient is Great Dane snot!
Beverly says
September 4, 2008 at 9:47 amI love the mango banana one too. put some strawberry flavor in it and it really is good!!
Robin says
September 4, 2008 at 9:49 amI tried one the other day. I think I’d like it better without the banana – it was a little thick.
Ellie says
September 4, 2008 at 9:50 amI overheard one women comment to another as they walked by one morning a few years ago, “Thank god for the work muffin or I’d be eating cake for breakfast every morning.”
Jacquie says
September 4, 2008 at 9:55 amI hope that T-Rex didn’t eat your mango
vuboq says
September 4, 2008 at 10:00 amthe great thing about making something like this at home is … you can put BOOZE in it! proteinschmotein. It’s all about the VODKA.
Little Miss Sunshine State says
September 4, 2008 at 10:09 am32 grams? Holy Sugar Shock, Bossy!
I’ve been making these for years. If I’m in the mood for it to be a little sweeter tasting, I throw in a couple of those blue, pink or yellow packets.
Amanda says
September 4, 2008 at 10:13 amMmmmm, looks delicious. I want a smoothy. My blender died though. How come my fancy schmancy blender last two years but my mother’s avocado green is-as-old-as-I-am blender still works great?
biddy says
September 4, 2008 at 10:39 amskinny dip? is that how you get the naked juice?
Lauri says
September 4, 2008 at 10:44 amOh Geez..now I need to go to star bucks
Thanks ALOT Bossy
Cheri @ Blog This Mom! says
September 4, 2008 at 10:48 amAllow me to “whey” in and say that according to my youngest child, my home smoothies are not good. So I guess she would have to try the Starbucks drink. Me? No sugar passes these lips that ain’t attached to ice cream.
JoeInVegas says
September 4, 2008 at 10:48 amRecreate it? First, I didn’t see yougurt in the Starbucks list, and second, you listed the definition of proprietary. So, in other words, you are just making something up?
Oh, and, Naked Juice?
Jennifer T says
September 4, 2008 at 10:54 amI’ve tried the chocolate one, it’s not good.
corrie says
September 4, 2008 at 11:18 amHow can Bossy have hope of recreation of such splendid concoction with the “proprietary whey” ??? I am sure this will be the missing necessary ingredient!
P.S. I used to walk with a friend too… then we would drive to a TCBY (a frozen yoghurt in cones store) and order something delicious, sized large in a waffle cone!
Domestic Extraordinaire says
September 4, 2008 at 11:25 amSounds yummy. I must try this hopefully at home. But if Gina can tell you the state secrets of Starbucks can you share them with us?
kate says
September 4, 2008 at 11:31 amthe dog breath might also be what’s throwing off the flavor. but probably it could be proprietary to bossy, so there’s that.
RuthWells says
September 4, 2008 at 11:34 amDoes Stella like mangos? Our chia dog can smell them from across the house and comes a-runnin’.
LeahBear says
September 4, 2008 at 11:51 amI love the fruity Vivanno too!!! SO MUCH. I keep buying them! And also, I keep buying Starbucks mugs. Like, every time I go in there. Like, this morning for instance, when I went in to get my Vivanno. Starbucks is really putting a dent in my ability to save for a down payment so that I can one day be among the mortgage-paying masses.
Julianne says
September 4, 2008 at 11:55 amYum – I love smoothies on rare occasion. I also like vuboq’s suggestion that you add a little something “extra” every once in a while. 🙂
I wonder: we all know that Bossy’s Dane is great – but can she also make/enjoy smoothies?
Momo Fali says
September 4, 2008 at 11:59 amPlease tell me you didn’t put Stella’s head in that blender.
Debby says
September 4, 2008 at 12:06 pmStella seems distressed at the lack of yogurt too. She might be even more distressed if that skinny dipping happened!
The Domestic Goddess says
September 4, 2008 at 12:15 pmBut…but…there’s no caffeine. I mean, there’s no…caffeine.
*shudder*
The Modern Gal says
September 4, 2008 at 12:21 pmBut you did remember the necessary Great Dane slobber, which I’m sure is something Starbucks forgot when they made it for you.
Susan says
September 4, 2008 at 12:24 pmStella says she’ll take one without yogurt, please. (But with a hint of kitten.)
Laura says
September 4, 2008 at 12:25 pmCareful how you cut that mango! I always do it wrong and then I break out in a rash.
Meg says
September 4, 2008 at 12:44 pmVivanno. Sounds kind of like the name of a feminine product, or maybe a new kind of birth control, don’t you think?
Manic Mommy says
September 4, 2008 at 1:12 pmThe one I tried tasted like very unripe, totally green banana. Not at all appealing. I’ll stick with my chai thank you.
Alice says
September 4, 2008 at 1:18 pmShamelessly love the vivanno also…
Grandma J says
September 4, 2008 at 1:32 pmsubstitute the whey for some caffeine and I’m ready to go
Leslie B says
September 4, 2008 at 1:50 pmI am addicted to the chocolate-banana type….if you get it with skim milk it is even better! And kind of good for you too…kind of.
chuck says
September 4, 2008 at 2:01 pmthe dog nose *makes* that photo!
All Adither says
September 4, 2008 at 2:14 pmOh my lord. Stella’s nose in the picture! Stella’s nose!
I know this isn’t an original comment, but I can’t help it.
kidsmom says
September 4, 2008 at 2:17 pmHate to be the bearer of bad news, but 250=Two and a half miles.
Sorry.
always home and uncool says
September 4, 2008 at 2:17 pmAll things considered, I’ll stick with beer.
gina says
September 4, 2008 at 2:33 pmI work at a Starbucks and here’s the official recipe in a “frap pitcher”, I’m not sure the exact measurements.
Naked Orange Mango Juice to the first line.
A touch of 2% or whichever milk you prefer to the second line.
One whole banana (Starbucks uses really gross frozen bananas).
Blend.
One very small scoop of ice.
Three scoops of whey protein fiber powder stuff.
They’ve never really trained us on how much volume the vivanno ice scoop or the “first and second” lines on the frap pitchers measure up to. So it’ll have to be a guessing game on the proportions end of the spectrum.
Chesapeake Bay Woman says
September 4, 2008 at 3:26 pm“Made exclusively for Starbucks” and “our propietary blend” are two ways of saying the exact same thing: In this case I’ll wager it is code for high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, globs of gluten, and a sprinkle of carcinogens, most of which have names that are sixteen syllables long.
nutmeg says
September 4, 2008 at 4:26 pmYogurt sucks.
Betsy Oxford says
September 4, 2008 at 5:31 pmOk so I read all of the comments and no one remarked about one of the side effects of this drink.
I bought it one day during my daily ‘Buck’s run with coworkers and the ‘Buck’s buck (guy working the counter) made the comment “And it has 6 grams of fiber!!!!!”
I’m here to tell ya sista – it does have 6 grams of fiber and I was the entertainment of the evening at my monthly ladies drinking game later that night. I sounded like the Little Engine That Could when I went up and down the stairs.
Great flavor – not great after effects. 🙂
Isle Dance says
September 4, 2008 at 8:29 pmGOOD for YOU!!!
Ree (the Other one) says
September 4, 2008 at 8:51 pmStella eats bananas?