Tag: juice

February 24, 2016

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

February 23, 2016

List of Non-Starch Vegetables for Juicing

Alfalfa sprouts
Asparagus
Bean sprouts
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chinese cabbage
Cucumber
Green onions or scallions
Greens: beet, collard, dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip
Leeks
Lettuce: endive, leaf, Romaine, iceberg
Onions
Parsley
Peppers, all varieties
Radishes
Rhubarb, fresh
Rutabaga
Snow peas or pea pods
Spinach
Swiss chard
Tomato
Turnips
Watercress
Zucchini

February 20, 2016

6 Days of Very Good Fresh Juice Recipes

Fruit and Vegetables Overtake Our Refrigerator and It’s All Good So Far!!

SUNDAY
Wintergreen juice (1 Serving – Double for 2)
1/4 Green Cabbage
6 Romaine Lettuce Leaves
½ Cucumber
1 in Piece of Ginger
4 Sprigs Fresh Mint
1 Large Pear
This one is really delicious!

MONDAY
Easy Does It (1 Serving)
3 Oranges
1/2 Head Cauliflower
1 Inch Ginger
¼ Cucumber
¼ Cabbage

TUESDAY
Almost routine! (1 serving)
1 bunch celery
4-5 kale leaves (preferably lacinato)
1 green apple
one big handful of flat leaf parsley leaves
1 Lime
1 Lemon
1 Inch of Fresh Ginger

WEDNESDAY
Boom! (! Serving)
1/4 pineapple
4 Kale Leaves
3 Celery Stalks
4 Large Leaves of Lettuce
1 Handful of Flat Parsley
6 Asparagus
1 Lemon
1/2 Inch Piece of Ginger
1/2 Inch Piece of Turmeric
1-2 Chilies (Used 1 Jalapeno Pepper)

THURSDAY
Kind of V8ish (2 Servings)
6 Carrots
4 Tomatoes
6 Single Stalks of Celery
1/2 Head of Broccoli
1 Orange
1 Lime
1/4 Inch Ginger Root

FRIDAY
Dessert Time (2 servings)
2 Large Beet Roots
10 Kale Leaves
2 Oranges
1 Lemon
4 Carrots
6 Asparagus
3 Small pears

February 13, 2016

Vegetable/Fruit Juice Substitution List

Tom Warner Photography

Item	Substitution
Apple	Any variety, pear, red grapes, black grapes, cherries, blackberries, blueberries
Arugula (Rocket)	Spinach, kale, watercress
Avocado	Roasted veggies (squash, mushroom, eggplant), banana, olive
Banana	Avocado
Basil	Parsley, cilantro, mint
Beets (Beetroot)	Golden beets, red cabbage, tomato, radish
Blueberries	Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries
Bok Choy	Kale, beet greens, dandelion greens
Broccoli stalk	Celery, cucumber, cauliflower
Broccoli	Cauliflower, green cabbage
Butternut squash	Pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, delicata squash, Hubbard squash
Cantaloupe (Rockmelon)	Mango, papaya, peach
Carrots	Sweet potato/yam, winter squash, pumpkin, parsnip
Celeriac root	Celery, turnip, parsley root, kohlrabi, jicama, daikon
Celery	Cucumber, zucchini, jicama
Cherries	Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries
Chives	Scallion
Cilantro (Coriander)	Basil, parsley
Coconut water	Water, diluted fresh juice
Collard Greens	Mustard greens, kale, beet greens, dandelion greens
Cranberries	Cherries, raspberries
Cucumber	Celery, zucchini, jicama
Dandelion Greens	Kale, mustard or collard greens, beet greens
Eggplant	Mushrooms
Fennel	Celeriac root, kohlrabi, jicama, daikon, endive
Garlic	Shallot
Ginger	Lemon
Grapefruit	Another variety of grapefruit, clementine, orange, tangerine, blood orange, star fruit
Green Beans	Asparagus, long bean, french bean
Green cabbage	Red/purple cabbage, kale, arugula, watercress, endive
Green peppers (Capsicum)	Red or yellow peppers, mushrooms
Honeydew (Melon)	Green grapes, avocado
Jalapeno (Chili pepper)	Serrano pepper, yellow wax pepper, chile pepper of choice
Kale (Tuscan cabbage)	Arugula, watercress, spinach, Swiss chard, green cabbage, mustard/collard/beet/turnip greens
Kiwifruit	Mango, orange, tangerine, lime
Lemon	Ginger
Lime	Lemon, orange, clementine/tangerine
Mango	Papaya, kiwifruit
Maple Syrup	Honey
Mint	Ginger, sweet basil
Onion	Garlic, leeks, shallot
Orange	Grapefruit, clementine, tangerine, kiwifruit, mango, papaya
Oregano	Sage
Parsley	Cilantro, kale, arugula
Parsnips	Turnip, parsley root, celeriac root
Peaches	Nectarines, plums
Pear	Apple, celery root, peach, plum
Pineapple	Orange, grapefruit, mango
Pomegranate	Pineapple, strawberries
Portobello Mushroom	Any variety mushroom, eggplant
Radish	Red cabbage, tomato
Raisins	Dried cranberries, figs
Red/purple cabbage	Green cabbage, radish, cauliflower, broccoli, radicchio
Romaine	Bib lettuce, radicchio, endive, Boston lettuce, green or red leaf lettuce
Shallot (Eschalot)	Garlic, onion
Spinach	Kale, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce
Strawberries	Raspberries, blackberries, cherries
Summer Squash	Zucchini, cucumber
Swiss Chard (Silverbeet)	Kale, spinach, romaine, mustard/collard/beet/turnip greens, green cabbage, arugula, watercress
Tangerines	Orange, grapefruit
Thyme	Rosemary
Tomato	Radish, red pepper, watermelon
Watermelon	Red grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, tomato, radish
White Wine vinegar	Red wine vinegar, cider or champagne vinegar

February 10, 2016

Fruit/Vegetable Preparation Tips

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.