Juicy Greens — Healthy Habits
I love a fresh glass of veggie/fruit juice, who doesn’t? And what’s better than juice that’s actually healthy for you (and doesn’t cost you a small fortune if you want to enjoy some on the daily)?
Prep
I use an Omega Slow Masticating Juicer but I used a Sharper Image Super Juicer for a long time before making the switch. Whether you get a slow or fast juicer is really a matter of preference and what’s convenient for you. That being said, I prefer the slow masticating juicer because it processes leafy greens better and I feel like it really squeezes out all the juice in your fruit or veggies, giving you a slight nutrient advantage. Plus it’s way quieter. The slow juicer also produces less heat during juicing and it doesn’t oxidize your fruits and veggies as much, so your juice can last from 2-3 days instead of 24 hours. That’s helpful for me because I can I make several servings at once instead of having to do it everyday.
There are pretty much endless combinations of stuff you can put in your juices but to give you an idea, the one below is my go-to. I’m sure by now you already know that there are so many health benefits associated with juicing, and it’s an easy way to get in some extra veggies that you might not normally think to incorporate into your meals. This is a health trend I can actually get behind.
A good thing to keep in mind is to not go overboard on fruits. I know there might be a sense of security in making your own juice compared with store bought options, but fruits can have a lot of sugar on their own, even if you don’t add any in yourself. Throw some in to make it tasty, but try to use more greens and other veggies.
One slight disadvantage of the slow vs. fast is that you have to chop everything up into smaller pieces, but I still think the juice is worth the squeeze 😉. I like to prep all my ingredients and toss them into a bowl before I start so I can just load the juicer up continuously.
Juice
A lot of pulp comes out, but since I’m not a fan of pulp, I rubber band a produce bag on the end of the pulp output to make disposal and clean up easy. My juicer also comes with a strainer that I put between where the juice drips from and my bowl. If you have a fast juicer, I used to like to line the pulp compartment with a produce bag to make clean up quick and easy.
I’m using apples, cucumber, spinach, kale, and pineapple (sometimes I swap this out with either a little bit of lemon or orange). I know that celery juice is huge right now, so feel free to add that in—I’m personally not too crazy about celery. I also like using greens like romaine or parsley if I have any on hand. Currently in a snow storm so I just grabbed what I had in my fridge.
Pour
The green color that all of the ingredients come together to make is just so satisfying. Getting a funnel was a big game changer in being able to pour my finished juice into jars. Make sure to store your juice in an air-tight container in the fridge if you make extra.
I always like to top of my juice with a splash of coconut water, which helps with hydration and restoring electrolytes, but also just makes everything taste better. Be sure to be mindful of what kind of coconut water you get, I like to go with the plain kind without any added sugars.
Drink Up!
This one’s boyfriend approved 😂 but hope you’ll like it too!
What are your favorite fruits and veggies? What are you looking forward to trying?