This was my first attempt at juicing. Wow! It was so much fun! So satisfying to make my juices from scratch. I’m definitely going to start incorporating this into my normal routine.

For the past month or so, I began visiting my local juice bar – either Earth Bar at Equinox, or Juice Crafters, or Kreation Juice. About a year I was frequently a Starbucks almost everyday. I no longer go to coffee bars, and instead find myself salivating at the smell of fresh cut vegetables at my local juice bar. I rarely step into coffee bars now. They don’t sell any vegetables there!! My shift in focus on increasing my vegetables has had direct positive effect effects on my health and well-being. My skin has cleared up first and foremost, my energy level is stellar, and I enjoy drinking them too!

I stick to the green juices, as opposed to the fruit juices, because too much sugar in my body will make me crash and want to fall asleep in the afternoon. The juices I make/purchase from juice bars normally have any of the following: spinach, kale, parsley, ginger, lemon, lime, E3 live, fennel, apple. These vegetables feed my body the nutrients it needs, leaving me feeling energized. Check out the recipe I came up with for my first ever at-home juicing experience!

clean me green juice

grain free ~ gluten free ~ soy free ~ dairy free ~ egg free ~ artificial sweetener free

yields 35 fl oz

ingredients:

• • 1 bushel of romaine

• • 1 bunch celery

• • 2 lemons

• • 1 lime

• • 2 fuji apples

• • a stem of ginger (peeled)

• • 1 bushel kale

• 1 bunch of carrots

directions:

1. wash and dry all of your vegetables
2. cut off any stems from carrots or apples
3. peel your lemons and limes
4. cut the butt off romaine and celery
5. half the apple and cut the seeds out
6. start with the softer veggies on low (romaine, lemon, lime, apple), move your way to more coarse veggies on high (kale, ginger, and carrots).
7. enjoy 🙂

health benefits:

• Lemon: a natural diuretic, which helps toxins to be released from the body.
• Ginger: powerful detoxifier that helps to kick start your metabolism.
• Kale: just one cup of kale is 9% of daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and 684% of vitamin K! It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
• Apple: helps keep gut clean because of the particular bacteria in apples
• Celery: water, anti-cancerous (prevents free radicals from damaging cells), reduces blood pressure, reduces LDL (bad cholesterol),  and contains Luteolin – which reduces inflammation, combats dementia, and calms your nervous system.
• Romaine: contains 17% protein, calcium, omega-3’s, vitamin C, iron, B-vitamins, water, Vitamin A, Oxalic acid, and minerals (magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc).
• Lime: rich in Vitamin C, also contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.
• Carrots: alkilizing effect once inside your body, helps to clear your skin

tips:

1. Citrus: peel before putting them in
2. Start with the softer veggies, and move your up to more rough vegetables.
3. Peel your ginger.
4. Take the stem off the apple.
5. Push the vegetables down slowly to get more juice.
6. Make a lot at a time to minimize clean up, and save for up to 3 days in a glass jar.
7. Use a plastic produce bag to dispose of your remains. Compost can be used to cook with (immediately), or as fertilizer in your garden.
8. No need to peel your carrots. Most of it’s nutrients lie in the carrots.

I used the the Breville Juice Foundation Plus, which is a 850 W juicer. It’s $150, and a great entry juicer if you are trying juicing for your first time. It has an extra wide mouth that lets you juice large quantities of vegetables, or throw in a whole apple. It has an easy high and low grade speed, so there is little room for error! Try it out!