So let’s talk juice.
Not the kinds you buy in the grocery store, but freshly pressed homemade vegetable and fruit juices.
Juicing is one of the best things you can do for your body. It provides your body with a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals in a highly absorbable form. You get a hefty dose of vegetables and fruit and all their valuable micronutrients down to the very last drop because the process of juicing makes them so easily assimilated by the body.
Not only that, but a freshly pressed juice in the morning can be easier on your digestive system and a good way to start the day off with a nutrient-dense drink.
I’ve talked a bit about the benefits of juicing before so now it’s time to talk about how to make your own juice at home with a juicer.
Juicing Tips:
1.) Buy organic vegetables and fruits. You don’t want any pesticide residue in your fresh juice. You don’t peel fruits and vegetables when you juice so this is very important.
2.) Start with vegetables and fruits you like and are used to first. Juice vegetables like carrots, celery and cucumber which have a light, pleasing taste and then slowly introduce dark leafy greens as your palate becomes accustomed to the taste of fresh vegetable juice.
3.) Try to avoid making juices that are high in sugar content. While fruit juices can be a sweet treat every once in a while, they are high in sugar and can affect blood sugar levels. Try to mix in vegetables and make a juice that has more vegetables than fruit.
4.) Along those lines stay away from using too many root vegetables like beets and carrots b/c they have a slightly higher sugar content. Those are fine to start with but use them judiciously.
5.) Drink your juice as soon as possible after pressing. If possible, drinking the juice within 1 hour is optimal as it starts to lose its nutritional value as time passes. If you do store your juices keep them in a glass container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
6.) Prepare your ingredients the night before to make juicing easier in the mornings. Washing everything ahead of time is a real time saver. Have your juicer out on the counter easily accessible as well so you don’t have to pull it out every time you need to use it.
Here’s one of my favorite juice recipes to get you started. I call it my green lemonade; it’s a fennel, apple and celery juice with mint and parsley.
The combination of fennel, celery and parsley can be helpful for water retention as they have a mild diuretic effect. Celery has both sodium and potassium and is particularly good at replenishing lost minerals in the body after exercise or illness. Mint is a good digestive aid as is fennel which has a slightly sweet and mild anise flavor. Parsley is a powerhouse vegetable when it comes to juicing, it’s is high in vitamin C and is considered an immune booster.
A little bit of tart green apple and freshly squeezed lemon juice is what makes this juice “lemonade,” as they offer a little sweetness and tartness and balance the juice’s flavors.
Cheers to your health!
Green Lemonade Juice Recipe
Fennel, Apple, Celery Juice with Mint and Parsley
Ingredients
- 1 small head of fennel or ½ a large one
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 handful of mint
- ½ bunch flat leaf parsley
- ½ tart green apple like a granny smith
- 2 small lemons, peeled
Instructions
- Put all ingredients through a juicer.
- Stir, and drink immediately.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian, Vegan
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 68Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 21mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 1g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Katie {Epicurean Mom} says
Great tips Sylvie!! I was thinking about doing a juice cleanse, you may just push me to actually do it! 🙂
SpicieFoodie says
I've been wanting a juicer for a long time. The only thing pretending me is counter and cabinet space. When you have a closet kitchen it's just hard to buy much. Anyway, your green lemonade is making my mouth water.
Cristina, from Buenos Aires to Paris says
So inspiring!! I need to buy myself a juice maker....
Fresh and Foodie says
Love this! My friends just got a juicer and have been looking for recipes -- I'll share this with them.
Lea @gourmetmommy says
Do you recommend any particular juicer? I'm thinking of getting one, but don't know where to start.
Sylvie says
That's a good question and I think you need to consider what kinds of fruits and vegetables you plan on juicing and how often you planning on using it before purchasing a juicer. Here are the main differences between the two most common types of juicers on the market today.
There are two main kinds of juicers: centrifugal juicers and masticating juicers.
Centrifugal juicers are the most common, and in general, the most affordable. The food is pushed into a mesh chamber with a sharp rapidly spinning blade on the bottom. Centrifugal juicers work best with soft and hard fruits and vegetables, but not as well with leafy greens like kale or spinach, or wheatgrass.
Masticating juicers are generally the more expensive type of juicer. These juicers use a low speed powerful motor to thoroughly press out the juice. Because of the slow crushing and squeezing, masticating juicers can better process leafy greens and wheatgrass, and the juice produced will last longer than juice made in a centrifugal juicer, which should be consumed right away as it starts losing nutrients fairly quickly.
So choose the type of juicer that you think works best for your needs.
Hope that helps!
Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi) says
Gorgeous photos and I am right there with you. I'm simply craving vegetables lately. This is a gorgeous concoction.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
This sounds so tasty, Sylvie. I've used all of these with the exception of fennel in a juice and it was delicious. Yum!
Jennifer says
This sounds expensive to me. At my grocery store it costs almost 1 dollar for a regular apple, let alone an organic one. I just wish there was a less expensive to b healthy.
Sylvie says
I absolutely agree with you, it can be very expensive to buy all organic but I try to look at it as an investment in my health. I think in the long run it will be cheaper to spend the money on whole organic foods and avoid costly medical bills down the line. That being said I know how difficult it can be to buy absolutely everything organic so I think it's best to at least try and avoid buying the dirty dozen. Here's a useful app that comes in handy for knowing which foods to avoid buying conventional when shopping: Dirty Dozen.
Jamie says
Beautiful photos as always, Sylvie. No juicer me (I eat all the raw I can) but the combo of flavors on this is amazing!
Nash at Plateful says
I'm into too much juicing these days. There's nothing like having freshly pressed juice to make you feel good 🙂 Love the lovely green you've pictured--I still have to try celery and fennel. Hope you are having a wonderful new year!