No Secret Recipes: Juicing With LifeDirt
The hot days of summer are upon us!
It's so important to stay hydrated on these hot days (well, always!) and a recent visit to Simply For Life/ Nela's Kitchen in KV reminded me of our refreshing raw fruit & veggie juices, so I decided that I would dig out some of our recipes and share them with you.
Why Juice?
Drinking freshly made juice can help you access nutrients and phytochemicals in the ingredients without fibre getting in the way. Now, we are not saying that you don't need fibre!! And not every form of food preparation - juice included - is appropriate for everyone in every health condition. So we're not recommending anyone switch to a juice only diet (talk to your doctor or health pracitioner about your diet if it's of concern to you). We are just putting forward what many people have found to be helpful when they need quick and easy access to the goodness inside fruits & veggies without the fibre slowing down the absorption process.
Also, juices are a refreshing and colourful way to consume your fruits & veggies, and happen to bring a lot of joy to a lot of people just from being so fun and healthy.
How About Lemonade?
Juice is the purest liquid form of the fruits & veggies you process, no sweeteners or water or anything added. Yes, that is why they are often expensive: several pounds of fresh produce go into each bottle. However, if you want your produce to go a little longer, you can water down your juices and make more of a lemonade. These usually contain mostly water and a little bit of lemon juice and some sweetener, but you're welcome to add whatever fruit/veggie juice to that that suits your fancy. And why not add some sparkling water for a fancy summer picnic drink?
What Equipment Do I Need?
Okay so if you have decided that juicing is for you, you'll need either a juicer of some sort (if you're really into this idea, you can buy a secondhand juicer at any thrift store because people often get right into juicing only to realize what a commitment it is and then get rid of their juicers) or a blender. A juicer will be more efficient, but if you use a blender you can simply strain out the fibre/pulp with a strainer or cheesecloth.
What Ingredients Should I Use?
I'm attaching some of our recipes here, but if you feel creative (and like a little less ginger maybe), have some fun and make your own combinations! If you need some sweetness, I recommend always having some fruit on hand like an apple or pear that can balance out any bitter veggies. Try some small batches before you commit to anything, and note down what combinations work for you and your loved ones before you make any larger batches. Use what's in season and what's around you! Haskaps, rhubarb and strawberries make wonderful flavourful and colourful additions to juices, and you don't need much to go a long way.
Note: Depending on what type of juicer you use, you may or may not be able to juice greens (a higher end juicer is needed for this), so if you want greens included and only have a blender then maybe a smoothie would be your best bet.
Okay, go to it! Have fun, and cheers to a beautiful summer ahead.
