we’re juicin… and I hope you like juicin too…
(Please excuse the Bob Marley kitchen-remix)
It’s the unofficial start of summer this weekend and I’m shocked at what I see in my inbox:
“Quick! You’ve got 72 hrs to get it together!”
From email chains, g-chats, facebook postings, and online advertisers the world around seems to have gone crazy for cleansing.
Friends and family are in holistic hyperdrive, and I can’t say I blame them. It’s been a rather short and unfulfilling spring, and this summer seems to have crept up on all of us. But not to worry! I’ve got some emergen-c solutions coming your way.
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| Stiir it up |
5 out of 7 mornings I start the day with a sweet and savory burst of cold pressed fruit and vegetable juice that’s sure to convert any cleanse-cynic among you.
This recipe makes enough for two milkshake size glasses. I drink one glass in the morning and save the second for a late afternoon snack, or use it to make two uber-delicious cocktails (stay tuned as that recipe is coming soon).
The Green Monster
1/2 organic English (seedless) cucumber
2 large organic oranges
2 organic apples (I like mixes apples using 1 Macintosh, Fuji, or Braeburn)
1 large organic lemon (or two small) *in winter I use organic Meyer lemons for a sweeter flavor
2 handfuls organic spinach
Equipment: juicer, I use a Breville Juice Fountain Elite
1. Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly.
2. Remove rind from oranges and lemon as the juicer cannot cut through the tough outer skin
3. Cut apples in quarters, and oranges in half to fit the size of the juicer chute.
4. With the juicer on high, process all ingredients into a covered jug large enough to hold 30 fl oz (900ml)
5. Remove jug lid and stir juice to combine. Pour half of the juice into a tall glass and drink as close to immediately as possible. Store remaining juice, covered with an airtight lid or plastic wrap, in the fridge.
For maximum benefits and taste drink within 12 hours.
Darcy Jones
What's the advantage of a juicer over a high-power blender like the Vita-Mix or Blendtec?
High tech blenders like the Vita-mix and so on are great for creating smoothie drinks (amongst other things), but in my opinion do not qualify as "juicers." One of the values of juicing is that the nutrients from the juice are able to almost instantly enter your bloodstream without going through the digestive process where many key nutrients are in fact lost and wasted. Real juicers separate the fibrous pulp of fruits and vegetables where as high tech blenders do not, and it is that pulp that the digestive system spends most of it's energy and time breaking down.
If you have a blender such as the Vita-mix and want to gain the benefits and/or consistency of juicing you will need to strain your juice after blending it. You will get the best results from staining with a cheese cloth or nut milk strainer.
That being said, I love my Vita-mix, just not for juicing. I will be sure to post my favorite smoothie recipe that is packed with fiber and protein asap. And that you can feel free to make in the Vita-mix, Blendtec, or run of the mill blender.