These three colorful vegetable juices are an easy way to make juicing a habit this year.
The aftermath of the holiday season hit me hard; I have just started to rouse from the post-holiday haze.
December is certainly a month of activity; a frenzy of feasts, festivities and family that flies by in a flash. The next thing I knew 2013 had arrived and I was overcome by a desire to hole up, hibernate and recharge.
Frankly, the closest couch and a good nap were in order. Well, that and something fresh and liquid; a respite from the excesses of December.
Whether you are new to juicing, or an old pro, the start of the New Year is certainly the season for it. When you’re feeling a strong urge to eat clean and re-energize, no supplement is a match for the vitamins, minerals and nutrients found in whole foods like vegetables.
One of the most frequently asked questions about juicing is “why not eat your vegetables instead of juicing them?" The problem is that most of us just don’t eat enough of them and juicing is an easy way to increase your intake. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them, it means you should do both if you can.
Store bought juices are not the same thing; most are laden with added sugars and preservatives, those that aren’t have most likely been pasteurized. Manufacturers pasteurize juices to prevent spoilage, but the process of heating the juice can destroy the availability of some of the vitamins and enzymes so fresh, raw juices are best.
Drinking freshly pressed vegetable juices along with eating a variety of vegetables provides our bodies with an abundance of raw materials and nutrients from which to thrive.
Green juices are king when it comes to juicing as they are both nutrient rich and low in sugar, but if you are hesitant to plunge into green drinks, root based juices are a naturally sweeter alternative that still pack a nutritional punch. Start with carrot juice and gently ease your way over to spinach juice and other leafy greens.
These three colorful juices are an easy way to make juicing a habit this year.
Spinach and Pea Shoot Green Juice
Pea shoots offer vitamins A, C and folate. Spinach is rich in vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese and folate as well. The apple and lemon add a little tartness to the fresh flavors of the spinach and pea shoots.
Ingredients
- 2 oz/56g pea shoots
- 3 oz/85g of baby spinach
- 1 small handful of parsley leaves
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 large lemon, peeled and seeds removed
- ¼ of a large tart green apple, seeds removed
Instructions
- Chop everything into chunks that fit into the juicer chute.
- Pass all the ingredients through the juicer, alternating hard and soft ingredients.
- Strain juice to remove foam if desired.
- Pour juice into ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Beet and Sweet Potato "Roots" Juice
Sweet potatoes and carrots are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Beets are rich in phytonutrients and have blood pressure lowering properties.
Ingredients
- 1 small beet scrubbed, peeled
- ½ a large sweet potato scrubbed, peeled
- 4 carrots, scrubbed
Instructions
- Chop everything into chunks that fit into the juicer chute.
- Pass all the ingredients through the juicer, alternating ingredients.
- Strain to remove foam if desired.
- Pour juice into ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
Serves 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 167Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 9gSugar: 16gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Carrot Kohlrabi Juice
A unique twist on carrot juice.
Ingredients
- 6 carrots, scrubbed
- 2 small or 1 large kohlrabi, scrubbed and peeled
Instructions
- Chop everything into chunks that fit into the juicer chute.
- Pass all the ingredients through the juicer, alternating ingredients.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove foam if desired.
- Pour juice into ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Vegan, Raw
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 133Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 187mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 13gSugar: 13gProtein: 4g
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.
Kate@Diethood says
I want to try that Beet and Sweet Potato Juice...that sounds really good! In fact, I must try it...this post holiday weight is not cool. 😛
dixya @ food, pleasure, and health says
loved this post. This past weekend, I tried fruit and veggie only diet and I have come to love juicing so much. Your pictures are so colorful, absolutely gorgeous. I like your take on juicing 🙂 as long as we include other nutrients, fiber in our food daily i think juicing can be beneficial right?
Sylvie says
Absolutely, it's a great way to get in all those beneficial micronutrients our bodies need.
Jen Laceda | Tartine and Apron Strings says
Oh my gosh, Sylivie! These are the cleanest juice and glasses I've seen! How did you make the juice so velvety smooth like that? And look at those vivid colours! Nice...
EA-The Spicy RD says
Gorgeous juices and perfect timing as I am pinning juices for the new juicer I got for my b-day in November. I don't juice everyday, but enjoy fresh juices 2-3 times per week, and agree is a great addition to eating lots of veggies and fruit too. Today's combo was a pukey green but very tasty...1/2 cara cara orange, 1 whole meyer lemon {love the tartness it adds!}, 1 golden beet, 2 carrots, and a bunch of rainbow chard-yum! Happy New Year Sylvie!!
Sylvie says
Sounds like a tasty combination, Happy New Year to you as well!
Jeanette says
Happy New Year Sylvie! Your juices are brilliant - love how beautiful they are. Home juiced fruits and veggies are so much better than store-bought, I couldn't agree more.
Kankana says
Lovely and so colorful! That would definitely cleanse the body.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Your beautiful juices could convince me to try juicing!
Carolyn says
What gorgeous colours! And all so healthy. I just can't do the beets though. I can't get past my dislike for them.
Sylvie says
I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of them either but I try and sneak them in here and there, I much prefer a glass of green juice though.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Love love love it! I need to take my juicer out more this year. I wish the thing wasn't a beast, so I could keep it out on my counter. Oh well.
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
I am going to try these! I want to start juicing this year. I don't have a juicer so I'm going to attempt doing it in my Vitamix and then straining out any pulp left from fibrous veggies. It works in my head, we'll see if it works in practice. 🙂
Sylvie says
That works too, you'd have to add some water to mixer to get them to blend up nicely though.