Tag: healthy

Kombucha – The Rant

The internet has become a “collective brain” that has spasmodic episodes when it comes to concepts and things that are rediscovered, uncovered, and moreover, currently in vogue.  Think “gone viral”.  Speaking of viral, the new popularity of Kombucha is growing in leaps and bounds. It has near legendary status as a mysterious “cure-all”.  There is nothing truly magical about this sweet tea that is fermented by a variety of yeasts and “friendly” bacteria.  This soup of helpful (versus harmful) yeast and bacteria are actually good to consume. Once they are consumed, they work in our intestinal system helping rid us of specific toxins, harmful bacteria, and supplying our system with other not-so-well-known benefits.

Scientific studies have shown that not a great amount of vitamins and minerals in the liquid.  Certainly, most of the benefits of tea are in Kombucha tea.  However, as it has been said by people very learned in the art and science of Kombucha, it is not a panacea.  The fermented tea by becoming part of the beneficial flora in your intestinal system helps to strengthen your immune system.  This happens in a natural way.  It cures nothing in particular and assists in your personal health in various ways.

When it comes to diabetes, there is still sugar in Kombucha finished tea.  Yet, the longer it ferments, the less sugar there is, but, there is still sugar.  Taking the 4 ounce intake dosage recommended by the CDC and many other authorities, you won’t be taking in much sugar. Many people drink up to 16 ounces of KT per day.  This amount won’t kill you, but the extra sugar intake could be harmful to type II diabetics.  I suggest moderation.  Besides, there is a point of diminishing returns on putting that much microflora into your system.  Everything in moderation.

The rant that I have is the commercial influx of Kombucha on the market.  Many of the commercially available brands has high sugar quantities.  Many have been pasteurized killing the beneficial bacteria that makes it a “probiotic” drink.  Therefor, it becomes quite simply a “Kombucha Flavored” drink.  This would not be so bad if a bottle were 99 cents.  But, currently, these drinks go for from $2.99 to $3.69 per 16 ounce bottle.  These prices are then compared to the more natural, personally controlled, and just as advantageous to your health homemade Kombucha.  Homemade Kombucha biggest expense is containers.  That is another reason why the commercial offerings are so expensive. The cost of tea and sugar needed for a homemade batch of KT is negligible compared to the cost of commercial offerings.

All in all, some of the commercially available brands of KT are good. GT’s Living Foods are my top pick.  I have no pecuniary interest in this, just making a blog entry.

If you love Kombucha tea, try making your own.  A great place to start is Cultures for Health.

Kombucha – The Journey

Secondary bottle conditioning of finished Kombucha tea.

Kombucha straight from the batch or container after 7-14 days tastes great as it is. The longer you wait for the SCOBY to do its thing, the more acidic or vinegary the liquid tastes. In addition, the more vinegary the taste, the less residual sugar resides in the Kombucha tea.  There is a point where the sweetness and the acidity are fairly well balanced. This is when the Kombucha is ready to be either consumed or used in a secondary fermentation.  It is my opinion that the Fermented tea should be dispensed while still a bit sweet when undertaking a secondary fermentation. The sugar is further consumed by the yeast during the secondary fermentation phase.

The secondary bottle conditioning is where the real magic happens. You can tell from the numerous posts on the internet that getting Kombucha fizzy is what a lot of people are looking for, including myself.

I find that 4 things have a large effect on getting a good carbonation on your finished Kombucha.

  1.  Use fresh fruits, fruit purees, and/or organic, as-raw-as-possible fruit juices.
  2. Temperature has a lot to do with how long you need to allow the bottle conditioning, at room temperature of 70-75 degrees F., to continue.  I have been leaving the room temperature secondary ferment to continue for up to 5 days when the temperature was at 70-71 degrees F.
  3. Use good, strong, bale-top bottles to do the secondary, bottle conditioning. Mason jars and inexpensive bale-top bottles usually made in Italy are not suitable to contain the pressure and do not maintain a good seal in order to contain the carbon dioxide.
  4. Enough yeast to consume any added sugar or fruit.  This is accomplished by agitating the yeast on the bottom of the vessel before dispensing to bottles.

Fresh fruits are the most desirable items to use to flavor finished Kombucha tea.  Strawberries, raspberries, lemons, oranges, ginger root, mangoes, pineapples – these are just a few of the many fruits that can be effectively used to flavor finished Kombucha tea. Fruit purees make a bit of a messy “sludge” which can be strained out with layers of cheesecloth but will infuse the fruit flavor into the finished tea.  Purees take more time and effort which most of us are not overeager to use.  Good, organic, pure, not-sugar added, etc. fruit juices are the most convenient way to add flavor to finished Kombucha tea. However, it is nearly impossible to beat the taste of fresh, organic fruits in the Kombucha. They just have to be strained before drinking unless you like the tart, slightly fermented taste of the fruits themselves.  In that case, go for it.

Temperature has a direct bearing on the bottle-conditioning time for the secondary Kombucha flavoring stage of Kombucha tea.  I was told by someone who has been fermenting all sorts of  things that there is a big difference between winter fermentation and summer fermentation.  Most homes are kept rather cool in the winter and much warmer in the summer months.  So, when bottle conditioning in the winter time, you need to wait longer to do the secondary, or bottle conditioning.  Summer fermentation relating to Kombucha will be new to me.  I suppose the winter bottle conditioning can take up to 5 days whereas a summer secondary condition will take more like 2-3 days before storing in the refrigerator.

Purchase or locate good quality, swing-top bottles specifically made to hold highly carbonated drinks. I initially tried several Italian made bale-top bottles for the secondary fermentation.  First of all, they don’t hold a good seal.  Second, the glass is thin and, if they held a seal, they could break from the pressure.  These are best used to contain flavored vinegars.  Mason jars are not made to hold a lot of pressure.  They are made for a vacuum seal. Also, the jar lids may or may not hold the carbon dioxide, but the danger from glass breaking is too great to chance it.  The Grolsch style bale-top bottles used in brewing beer are the best.  They do make a clear bottle which allow you to see the contents of the Kombucha which is nice.  However, the brown bottles help keep the sunlight out which is detrimental to the life of the yeasts and bacteria. So, get some good quality bale-top bottles to contain your secondary brewing of Kombucha tea and flavorings. The 32 ounce growler bottles with a flip-top sold at growler shops are very good for the secondary, bottle conditioning.  Also, Trader Joe’s sells a bale-top bottle of Ginger Ale which are a nice size as well and hold a good seal.  I cannot emphasis the fact enough that a good airtight seal is paramount to a good carbonation of Kombucha tea.

Finally, tea is a matter of taste.  I found that green tea is much lighter in taste than black tea.  Green tea also seems to sour quicker than  the darker, black tea.  I also believe, again a matter of taste, that the black tea melds better with most fruits flavors than the green does.  It really does not take a great deal of fruit to flavor your Kombucha tea. Experimentation is the name of the game when flavoring finished Kombucha tea.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked linguine
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

2. While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic and shrimp; sauté or 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, pepper, basil, and oregano; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste and lemon juice; cook 1 minute or until slightly darkened. Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, and diced tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until thickened. Return shrimp to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over pasta.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

  • Calories 477
  • Fat 10.7 g
  • Satfat 1.4 g
  • Monofat 5.3 g
  • Polyfat 1.7 g
  • Protein 33 g
  • Carbohydrate 59.4 g
  • Fiber 5.4 g
  • Cholesterol 172 mg
  • Iron 5.4 mg
  • Sodium 552 mg
  • Calcium 121 mg

Liquid Salad

Fresh Ingredients

Run the ingredients below through a juicer for an energizing drink that you will actually feel in about 20 minutes after you drink it.  Add a lemon or lime for some extra zip.

1 Full Long Stalk Celery 4% Potassium, 2% Sodium, 5% Vitamin A, 3% Vitamin C, 1% Magnesium
1/4 Cauliflower Head 50% Potassium, 7% Sodium, 22% Protein, 472% Vitamin C, 55% Vitamin B-6, 22% Magnesium, 12% Calcium
1 Large Cucumber 12% Potassium, 4% Protein, 14% Vitamin C, 4% Iron, 5% Vitamin B-6, 9% Magnesium, 4% Calcium
6 Carrots 5% Potassium, 1% Sodium, 1% Protein, 203% Vitamin A, 6% Vitamin C, 5% Vitamin B-6, 1% Magnesium, 2% Calcium
1 Bunch Kale 9% Potassium, 1% Sodium, 133% Vitamin A, 134% Vitamin C, 5% Iron, 10% Vitamin B-6, 7% Magnesium, 10% Calcium
1 Green Apple 5% Potassium, 1% Vitamin A, 14% Vitamin C, 1% Iron, 5% Vitamin B-6, 2% Magnesium, 1% Calcium
3/4 Inch Fresh Ginger 1% Potassium, 1% Vitamin C, 1% Magnesium
1 Inch Fresh Turmeric 4% Potassium, 3% Vitamin C, 15% Iron, 5% Vitamin B-6, 3% Magnesium, 1% Calcium

Makes aprox. 40 oz. (4 servings)

Percent of Daily Recommendation:

Nutrient                     40 oz                   10 oz
————-                       ———                    ——–
Potassium                   88%                   22%
Sodium                        11%                   2.8%
Vitamin A                   342%                 85.5%
Vitamin C                   631%                 157.8%
Vitamin B-6                85%                   21.25%
Magnesium                46%                   11.5%
Calcium                       21%                   5.25%
Iron                              25%                   6.25%
Protein                        23%                   6.25%

IMG_1715

Pecan Crusted Fish Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 (5 -6 ounce) fish fillets
  • 1⁄4 cup buttermilk
  • 1⁄4 cup pecans (finely ground in food processor or chop finely with knife)
  • 3⁄4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (minced)
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch cayenne

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F; lightly oil a baking pan.
  2. Rinse the fish and place it in a shallow dish.
  3. Pour the buttermilk over the fillets.
    In a separate shallow dish, combine the pecans, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt, and cayenne.
  4. One at a time, remove the fillets from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drain off.
  5. Dredge in the pecan mixture to coat all sides.
  6. Place each coated fillet in the baking pan.
  7. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the fillets, until the topping is lightly browned and the fish is tender and flakes easily with a fork.

Juicing Tips and Notes

Tips:

  • Thoroughly clean (and peel if needed) all of your produce, it makes the juice taste much better and it help rid the residual exterior toxins.  Trim off any discolored plant portions.
  • After running the produce through the juicer, you can re-cycle the pulp back through the juicer for a bit more juice. This may be too much effort for the return, but does get a bit more juice when using a centrifugal juicer.  If more juice seems to be required to complete your serving size, add more cucumber, leafy lettuce, celery, and/or carrots. They seem to have more juice in them and that will add volume more quickly than other produce items.
  • Use a variety of produce for a better variety of nutrients. Use less fruits since they have a high sugar content and have inherently more calories.
  • Broccoli is high in nutrients, but there seems to be a small return of juice in them when using a centrifugal juicer. Cauliflower on the other hand seems to juice fairly well. That does not rule out juicing broccoli.

pic2

  • Pineapples, pears, and peaches are a good fruit for juice; however, they tend to also have a very high sugar content.  Stick with the green apple most of the time.
  • Using lemons and lime in your juice adds zip to the somewhat bland tasting vegetables and makes it much easier to consume. The same goes for adding a bit of fresh ginger and/or turmeric. All of which are good for your system intake. We use lemons and/or limes in most all of our mostly vegetable juices.  (6 Days of Juice Recipes)
  • Arugula and Swiss Chard seem to have a strong, “influential” flavor that seems to overpower juices, so we have taken them off our list. You may like them. They are high in nutritional content.
  • When adding greens to the juicer, it may be more efficient to run them through with other things like carrots, celery, or cucumbers. You can also roll them into a ball and add them that way. You do not get a lot of juice out of leafy greens like kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, etc. using a centrifugal juicer. However, the cold press juicers are pricey.
  • Carrots, which are great items to juice, seem to be one of the produce items that leave a noticeable residue on the juicer. You have to clean more thoroughly using soapy water to clean it off the plastic when juicing with carrots.
  • Generally speaking, vegetables that grow below ground tend to have more sugar and are starchy, On the other hand, vegetables that grow above ground, as a general rule, are not (or less) starchy than their below ground counterparts.
  • Beets are very good for you, but are messier than any of the other ingredients, so be aware of this when cutting, slicing, peeling, and otherwise handling them. We always peel them after washing although it is not absolutely necessary. Leaving the peel on gives the juice a bit of an “earthy” flavor. Beets are also somewhat sweet, so don’t use too much fruit in addition to the beets when juicing with them.

IMG_1703

  • Purchasing a vacuum seal container like those made by Vacucraft allow you to make more juice to store in the refrigerator. The containers allow you to keep the juice for at least several days without losing too many nutirients as the oxidation is kept to a minimum. These sell for about $10 for a 25 oz. container. Each comes with its own hand operated vacuum pump. They are dishwasher safe and BPH free. They make larger sizes as well. That way, you can do a more juicing so that you can consume it over the course of several days.
  • When using starchy vegetables in your juice, avoid adding any other fruits with the exception of green apple. Mixing tends to cause intestinal reactions causing gas and possible discomfort. Starchy vegetables include beetroot, possibly carrots, and other vegetables that grow underground.  (List of Non-Starchy Vegetables)
  • Fresh juice should be consumed on an empty stomach. Consuming the juice shortly after or just prior to a meal may create stomach upset. Drinking on an empty stomach also allows the juice to be absorbed quicker and more efficiently.  At least twenty minutes or more before a meal seems to work well.

Lots of carrots in this one

General Juicing Notes

  • – A Cold Press Juicer is superior to a Centrifugal Juicer because it not only extracts more juice, but the theory is that a Cold Press Juicer does not slice the produce which seems to have a slightly adverse affect on the nutrients. However, a Cold Press Juicer is more than double the price of a Centrifugal Juicer. It may be argued that with long term use, the efficiency of a Cold Press Juicer may be more cost effect. You use less produce to create more juice. We use a Centrifugal Juicer, the Beville Juice Fountain Plus Variable Speed Juicer. In hidsight, the less expensive 2 speed Juice Fountain Plus may have been sufficient. The cost for either is under $200. The 2 speed juicer costs about $149 and the variable speed model costs $179 as of this writing.
  • If you decide to juice on a regular basis, it will take a LOT of produce to create it. The amount of produce will take up a large amount of refrigerator space. Although we are able to store nearly a week’s worth of produce for juicing, the space is still a bit tight on space. This is just something to keep in mind. It has been noted that purchasing produce that is in season will make juicing less expensive. Obviously, summer and early fall will most likely be the best time to get fresh produce to juice.

IMG_1702

  • The clean up of the juicer remains the part of the overall process that is most tedious. It was suggested in the Breville Juice Fountain Plus owner’s manual that hot, soapy water and a good rinse was the best way to clean the juicer. However, placing the plastic parts on the upper rack of the dishwasher seems to work well for us. An initial rinse to get the major vegetable pulp off before loading will be necessary.
    IMG_1716
  • Some people use the unused juice pulp to make vegetable broth, veggie burgers, etc. However, we are not interested in doing that and put the pulp in the garden as a composting material. I doubt that the garden soil will need any fertilizer this coming Spring since the pulp has added a great deal of nutrients to the soil when tilled under.
  • Pulp bags that fit the pulp container for the juicer are available for purchase for convenience. We re-purpose the grocery store plastic bags we keep to line the pulp container. A bag is not really necessary. You can allow the pulp to go directly into the pulp container and simply empty and clean. However, using the bags is much more convenient and cleanup is a bit easier too.
  • We have been juicing as a supplement to our regular diet. It gives us the fresh nutrients that our bodies need. On the other hand, since juicing takes all the pulp out, you lose the fiber that is in the pulp which you would normally eat. In addition, protein must also be added to your diet to make it more complete. Juicing has allowed us to cut back on our meal portions since it is somewhat filling. We continue to require food with fiber and protein which we consume with our meals.  After all is said and done, the diet you choose, for the most part, is mostly psychological.
  • After checking the nutritional information relating to various produce, it has been easier to know what types of nutrients we are getting when juicing. It has been said that drinking the juice on an empty stomach aids in the speed at which the nutrients are absorbed by the body. I have read that the nutrients get into your system in as little as 20 minutes. Eating the same vegetables (if you are able to) can take several hours to digest since the body has to process the food more to get to the nutrients. Juice is digested within minutes.
  • Many times, the fresh juice will have a foamy “head” on it. We found that it is not a problem to drink; however, it may make you burp. You can skim this off if you like. We use a whisk and mix just prior to pouring into glasses. I am sure there are nutrients in the foamy juice too.
  • Diabetics and pre-diabetics who keep a close eye on sugar content may want to cut down on the amount of fruits added to the juicer. Many of the vegetables like celery, cucumbers, carrots, and beets already have a neutral to sweet taste and the fruit is not always necessary. Juicing anything with sugar will tend to create a spike in blood sugar as the liquid enters the bloodstream rather quickly and is not governed by the fiber that is absent from the juice. I have added fiber to the juices and it cannot be detected as you drink it. That way, you get fiber with the juice. However, this does not deter the sugar spike that juice may have if a lot of fruit is added when extracting the juice. There is no substitute for eating fruits and vegetables whole and raw. Juicing seems to be one way to ingest them without actually having to masticate them the old fashioned way.
  • A 12 oz. glass of green vegetable juice contains an entire days serving of that vegetable. Juice is not a meal replacement as has been suggested by others. It is more of a supplement or enhancement of your regular balanced diet. Once your body gets used to these nutrients on a regular basis, your blood sugar stays stable and you do not crave heavy, carbohydrate laden foods and begin to want more vegetables. It is a matter of adaptation.
  • Our saliva contains enzymes which are released and begin the digestive process. The enzymes are crucial in delivering key nutrients to your cells. So, swishing your juice around your mouth a bit may help in the overall process.

Cauliflower

Stir Fry Chicken With Broccoli Recipe

Ingredients

Ground black pepper and salt according to taste
2 sliced green onions
½ cup of sliced onion
3 cups of broccoli florets
2 tablespoons of divided vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of sambal oelek
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
3 tablespoons of dry sherry
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
½ teaspoon of fresh and minced ginger root
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 teaspoons of dry sherry
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless, and sliced halves if chicken breast

Directions

  • Mix together ginger, garlic, 2 tablespoons of sherry, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a bowl.
  • In another bowl, whisk together sambal oelek, oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons of sherry, and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce.
  • Take a skillet or wok and heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil using medium high heat.
  • Stir and cook the chicken in batches until they have become golden. This may take around 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the chicken to a platter.
  • Heat the remainder tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same skillet or wok and stir and cook onion and broccoli in it. This should be done for around 2 to 3 minutes until the broccoli is cooked partially but still remains firm.
  • Stir in the mixture of oyster sauce and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the broccoli has become tender.
  • Return the chicken to your wok and add in the green onions.
  • Toss these until properly heated and coated thoroughly with sauce.
  • Season this using black pepper and salt.

Healthiest Vegetables List – Sorted Aphabetically

Tom Warner Photography
Tom Warner Photography
 VEGETABLE  NUTRITIONAL VALUES IN ORDER (considerations)
 Arugula  carotenoids, fiber, A,C,K, folate
 Asparagus  K, folate, C, A, tryptophan, B1, B2
 Avocado (fruit)  essential fatty acids (fat, glycemic)
 Beets  flavonoids, folate, manganese, potassium (glycemic)
 Bell peppers  carotenoids, C, A, B6, fiber (pesticides, nightshade)
 Bok choy  cruciferous, A, C, K, B6, folate
 Broccoli  carotenoids, cruciferous, C, K, A, folate, fiber
 Brussels sprouts  carotenoids, cruciferous, K, C, folate, A, manganese,
fiber
 Cabbage  cruciferous, K, C, fiber, manganese, B6, folate
 Carrots  carotenoids, A, K, C, fiber, potassium (glycemic
when cooked)
 Cauliflower  cruciferous, C, K, folate, fiber, B6
 Celery  K, C, potassium, folate, fiber (pesticides)
 Collard greens  carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, manganese, fiber,
calcium
 Corn, yellow  A, iron (glycemic)
 Cucumbers  C, molybdenum, A, potassium (wax coating)
 Dandelion greens  carotenoids, A, C, E, folate
 Eggplant  fiber, potassium, manganese (nightshade)
 Garlic  allicin, manganese, B6, C
 Green beans  flavonoids, K, C, manganese, A, fiber, potassium,
folate
 Green peas  K, manganese, C, fiber, B1, folate
 Kale  carotenoids, flavonoids, cruciferous, K, A, C,
manganese, fiber
 Leeks  manganese
 Mushrooms  selenium, B2, copper, B3, tryptophan, B5
 Mustard greens  carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, folate, manganese,
E
 Okra  carotenoids, fiber, A, C, K, thiamine, B6
 Olives  essential fatty acids (fat, glycemic)
 Onions  sulfur compounds, flavonoids, chromium, fiber
 Parsnips  fiber, C, K, folate (glycemic)
 Potatoes  C (pesticides, nightshade, glycemic)
 Pumpkin  carotenoids, A, C, E (glycemic)
 Romaine lettuce  carotenoids, K, A, C, folate, manganese, chromium
(pesticide)
 Spinach  carotenoids, K, A, minerals, folate, iron, C, B2, B6,
fiber, B1, E
 Squash, summer  manganese, C, magnesium, A, fiber
 Squash, winter  carotenoids, A, C, potassium, fiber
 Sweet potatoes  carotenoids, A, C, manganese (glycemic)
 Swiss chard  carotenoids, K, A, C, manganese, potassium, iron
 Tomatoes (fruit)  carotenoids, C, A, K, molybdenum, potassium
(nightshade)
 Turnip greens  carotenoids, cruciferous, K, A, C, folate, manganese,
fiber
 Watercress  carotenoids, cruciferous, A, C, folate
 Yams  (glycemic)
 Zucchini  carotenoids, C, magnesium, A, fiber

 

Fruit/Vegetable Preparation Tips

Tom Warner Photography
Tom Warner Photography
Fruits & Vegetables How To Prepare
Apples Core your apples and remove the seeds before pushing through your juicer.
Apricots Rinse and slice in half to remove the pit.
Asparagus Rinse the stalks carefully and push through juicer, putting the bottom of the stalk through first.
Avocado You can blend your juices in a blender with an avocado to thicken it up, but never put an avocado in a juicer.
Bananas Similar to the avocado, never juice bananas! But feel free to blend your juices in a blender with a banana to thicken it up.
Beets (Beetroot) Peel your beets before juicing them! This will avoid the “earthy” taste that many people complain about after juicing an unpeeled beet. Depending on the size of your beets, slice to fit your juicer shoot. Juice your beet greens, too!
Bell peppers Rinse and remove the stem, but you can save time and forget removing the seeds – it’s fine to juice them. Cut to size and juice.
Blackberries Rinse in a strainer. They don’t keep well after being rinsed, so best to wash them the day you plan to juice them.
Blueberries Rinse in a strainer.
Broccoli After rinsing, juice it all. From the stalk to the head, you can receive many nutritional benefits from juicing broccoli.
Butter lettuce Rinse leaves individually, checking for dirt and sand. No need to remove the stems. Roll the leaves up and run through your juicer. Leafy greens move best through your juicer when followed by a harder fruit or vegetable, like apples, celery, or cucumbers.
Cabbage Green and red cabbage are great for juicing. Be sure to select a cabbage head that is firm with crisp leaves. Cut the cabbage in quarters, or smaller if needed, so it easily fits into the juicer shoot. If you don’t like the taste of beets, you can substitute red cabbage in any juice recipe that calls for beets.
Cactus pears Peel and cut to size if needed.
Cantaloupe (Rockmelon) Remove the rind, flesh and seeds before juicing this orange melon.
Carrots Rinse thoroughly before passing through the juicer and that’s it! You can juice your carrots with the greens and skins still on.
Celeriac (Celery root) Wash carefully, as grit can get stuck in the nooks and crannies of this hearty root vegetable. As with beets, if you don’t prefer an earthy taste, peel the celeriac first. Cut to fit your juicer.
Celery Rinse thoroughly and add entire celery stalk through the juicer (even the leafy tops).
Chard (Silverbeet) Rinse leaves individually, checking for dirt and sand. No need to remove the stems. Roll the leaves up and run through your juicer. Leafy greens move best through your juicer when followed by a harder fruit or vegetable, like apples, celery, or cucumbers.
Cherries Rinse and use a small paring knife to remove the small pits before juicing. Add a handful to your juicer at one time.
Chayotes Wash and chop to fit your juicer, then juice!
Collard greens These are a great leafy green, and can be used if kale (Tuscan cabbage) isn’t available. Wash the large leaves and roll up before juicing.
Cranberries Rinse and run through juicer. Make sure you juice them with something sweet because these are really tart…not like the commercial cranberry juice you buy in the store!
Cucumbers Cut the cucumber in half and use it to help push leafy greens through your juicer. No need to peel.
Dandelion Juice as you would any other leafy green – wash leaves and roll up. Push through with firmer produce. These have some bite to them, so use sparingly, or round off with a sweet and juicy fruit, like pineapple.
Eggplant I’ve never juiced eggplant and I don’t think I ever will! I think eggplant is best for eating.
Fennel bulbs Rinse and cut them to fit through your juicer and you’ll notice a slight flavor that might remind you of black licorice.
Grapefruit Peel and try to keep as much of the white pith on as possible since the pith contains nutrients that help your body absorb the vitamin C and other amazing antioxidants found in citrus fruits. Cut to fit your juicer and juice. You can keep the seeds in as they contain excellent nutrients too.
Grapes Wash your grapes, remove them from their stems, and add them through your juicer. Experiment with all color grapes.
Jicama Wash, slice, but don’t peel jicama before adding it to your vegetable juicer. The jicama juice will contain nutrients that were near the skin even after the skin’s been pulped away.
Kale (Tuscan cabbage) Use any kind – lacinato, red, green, purple, curly, etc. – and add the leafy green through your juicer after rinsing. It’s best to add 3 – 4 leaves at a time.
Kiwi (Kiwifruit) Peel and run through your juicer, seeds and all.
Leeks Keep the root and the green part on the leek, and slice in half the long way. Gently separate and rinse between the layers. Check for dirt or sand hiding between the layers.
Lemons Peel and try to keep as much of the white pith on as possible since the pith contains nutrients that help your body absorb the vitamin C and other amazing antioxidants found in citrus fruits. Cut to fit your juicer and juice. You can keep the seeds in as they contain excellent nutrients too.
Limes Peel, and try to keep as much as the white pith on as possible (you can use a peeler for that), since the pith contains nutrients that help your body absorb the vitamin C and amazing antioxidants found in citrus fruits. Cut to fit your juicer, and remove the seeds. If you have a centrifugal juicer, you can keep the seeds in. They contain excellent nutrients too.
Mangos Peel and cut spears of mango from the core. Makes a great tropical juice when mixed with pineapple! Also lends a great creamy texture to your juice.
Melons Cut into wedges and remove outer skin with a knife or peeler. You can juice these with seeds.
Mustard greens Juice these like you would any leafy green but definitely choose a small amount of mustard greens. This potent green will give a very strong taste and adds lots of spice. It will literally warm your insides.
Onions Go easy on these, as they can give your juices a super strong flavor. Some people prefer not to juice these at all. Peel papery skin and slice to fit your juicer, if needed. Onions are another one to start with a small amount, taste your juice, and add more if you like it. If eating raw onions bothers your stomach, you probably want to skip juicing them.
Oranges Peel and try to keep as much of the white pith on as possible since the pith contains nutrients that help your body absorb the vitamin C and other amazing antioxidants found in citrus fruits. Cut to fit your juicer and juice. You can keep the seeds in as they contain excellent nutrients too.
Papayas Cut in half and peel the skin. You can leave the seeds in to juice them.
Parsnips These are super easy, like carrots, especially if you have smaller or skinny ones. Just rinse and run through your juicer! If they’re larger, you may need to slice in half lengthwise. Use these to run leafy greens through your juicer.
Peaches Cut in half to remove the pit and juice.
Pears These can be juiced whole. Just wash and slice to fit your juicer, if needed.
Pineapples The heavier a pineapple is, the riper it is. Grab hold of the top and twist off. Slice into quarters, cut out the woody core, peel the skin, and juice.
Plums Wash and slice in half to remove the pit. These give your juice a gorgeous color with an antioxidant punch.
Pomegranate Here’s a trick for this tricky fruit: Fill a bowl up with water. Slice pomegranate in half without pulling the halves apart, and then submerge in the bowl of water to break it apart. This keeps the juice from squirting everywhere. Then, keeping it in the water, break the pomegranate into chunks and tease the seeds out. The white parts will float and the seeds will sink. Remove all the skin and the white parts from the top of the water and use a slotted spoon to remove the seeds. Then juice the seeds!
Radishes Just rinse and run through your juicer. Leave the root and stem on, but remove the leaves if they have any. Watch out! These can spice up your juice in a flash, so add small amounts at a time. If you’re feeling cold, adding these to your juice will warm you right up.
Raspberries Just rinse and juice. Add a little bit of lemon to a juice made with raspberries, or combine them with fresh peaches for a peach melba juice.
Romaine lettuce (Cos) Rinse leaves individually, checking for dirt and sand. Roll the leaves up and run through your juicer. Leafy greens move best through your juicer when followed by a harder fruit or vegetable, like apples, celery or cucumbers.
Scallions Just rinse and juice! No need to remove the roots or dark green parts because you can juice it all. These have a strong flavor, like onions, so start small.
Spinach Wash well because some bunches can have a lot of grit on them. Roll into a ball and run through your juicer using firm produce, like apples or carrots to help push the leaves through.
Squashes This goes for all squashes, including pumpkin and summer squashes: scrub and remove stem. If the skin is really tough and thick, you might want to peel it. Otherwise, slice and keep the seeds in (you get those extra cancer-fighting chemicals by keeping in the seeds), and juice.
Strawberries Delicious and sweet, they have a powerful flavor when you juice them – so just mix them with other berries, or maybe one or two other fruits. Just rinse and pop right in the juicer.
Sugar snap peas Rinse and run through juicer. These don’t have very high water content, so they’re not going to yield a lot of juice. Juice along with carrots to drink your peas and carrots!
Sweet potatoes Scrub and cut into chunks. Sweet potatoes make a delicious dessert juice.
Tangerines Peel and try to keep as much of the white pith on as possible since the pith contains nutrients that help your body absorb the vitamin C and other amazing antioxidants found in citrus fruits. Cut to fit your juicer and juice. You can keep the seeds in as they contain excellent nutrients too.
Tomatoes Wash and remove stem and any leaves. If they’re large, you may need to slice to fit your juicer. No need to take out the seeds. Fresh tomato juice is worlds away from that canned stuff!
Turnips Scrub and chop in chunks to fit your juicer. Turnips in a juice make a great drink for cooler weather when those tropical fruits aren’t in season!
Watermelon Makes an amazingly refreshing juice, especially in hot weather. Cut into wedges and remove the skin and rind. You can keep the seeds in.
Wheatgrass Some juicers are better at doing wheatgrass then others. If you’re just doing a small amount, any kind of juicer should be able to handle it. Rinse the wheatgrass, twist or roll into a ball, and push through with something juicy and firm, like apples. Gives a nice and strong green flavor to your juice, and provides lots of great green chlorophyll energy.
Zucchinis Scrub and cut off stem, but leave the other end on. These are great for pushing through greens.

 

Herbs & Spices

Herbs & Spices How to Prepare
Basil Carefully wash the leaves, removing any grit. If your basil seems very gritty, submerge in a bowl of cold water and swish around. Remove and rinse. To juice, tear the leaves off the stems and roll up. Push through with firmer produce.
Chinese 5-spice powder Don’t put this through your juicer!! Just sprinkle into your juice.
Cilantro (Coriander) Wash thoroughly. You can juice the stems and the leaves.
Cinnamon Don’t juice this either! Sprinkle ground cinnamon on juices with apple, pear and sweet potato.
Dill Rinse and pull the delicate fronds off the stem to juice.
Garlic The flavor is strong, and so are the benefits. Use fresh garlic and peel before running through juicer. Start with a small amount and taste your juice before adding more. Better to start small and add more than the other way around!
Ginger Peel your piece of ginger by cutting the size that you need for the juice and then take a spoon to peel the skin back. You can also use a knife to cut it but a spoon does the trick. Ginger doesn’t produce much juice but it does add a rich flavor so be careful not to go overboard.
Jalapeno (Chili pepper) Wash and juice. As you probably know, these are pretty spicy, so use with care!
Mint Wash thoroughly and remove leaves from stem before juicing. Goes great with pineapple, grapes, watermelon or strawberries.
Tarragon Gives a nice herbal flavor to vegetable juices. Wash and tear leaves off their woody stems before juicing.
Parsley Carefully wash the leaves, removing any grit. If it seems very gritty, submerge in a bowl of cold water and swish around. Remove and rinse. To juice, tear the leaves off the stems and roll up. Push through with firmer produce.