May 2014

BOTTOMS UP - JUICES AND SMOOTHIES

BOTTOMS UP - JUICES AND SMOOTHIES

Juices or smoothies? That is the question. Based on taste I prefer juices, there is something pure and cleansing about a freshly extracted juice. Making a juice is nearly a Zen experience, especially when using a slow masticating juicer. That is until you get to the cleaning the juicer part. That may just be the most annoying job in the history of food preparation.

Juice is the best vessel for delivering nutrients fast and can be very therapeutical. The nutrients from a glass of juice are available to your body cells at a super speed. Juices are nourishing and restorative to your body. I see it as a fast acting vitamin shot. Juices are my morning coffee, after a glass of juice I feel ready to face anything.

Smoothies, of course, are more of a complete meal, easily fortified by ground seeds, nutritious powders like chllorela, spirulina, macca or protein powders...Smoothies unlike juices are not devoid of fibre, giving you a more sustained energy and stable blood sugar balance (unless you are blending fruit only).

I like to alternate between the two, but I will admit there are some combinations that taste better juiced than blended. The other morning I decided to blend cucumber, spinach, apple (that was a bit too sweet) and a wedge of lemon, the result was drinkable but not very pleasant... as a juice it would have been a different story.

To get you more inspired it is worth watching Jason Vale’s documentary “Super Juice Me”. I guarantee you will fall in love with Andy and be amazed by his transformation. This alone will let you forget the pain juicer cleaning can be...

Here are some of the juices and smoothies I have been enjoying recently:

Juices:
just juice and enjoy

CUCUMBER APPLE MINT LEMONADE
I love this one, so tasty and refreshing. And with abundance of mint in my garden this one is a staple.

1 glass

1/2 large cucumber
2 apples
half a small lemon
3 sprigs of mint
IMG_2869


MORNING BOOST JUICE
Beetroot makes this juice a liver tonic. The colour is absolutely striking.

1 glass

1 small beetroot
2 carrots
1/4 cucumber
3 sprigs of mint (optional)
1 tart apple
1/4 small lime (or lemon)
betroot-juice


FIERY MORNING JUICE
You better be a fan of ginger to drink this one. Fiery it is!

2 wine glasses

1/2 cucumber
2 celery sticks
1 broccoli stalk
2 apples
1/4 lemon
1 inch piece of ginger

IMG_2885

Smoothies:
Blend till smooth. Enjoy.


GOOD MORNING SMOOTHIE
This one tastes incredible. Dessert in a glass for sure.

1 glass

1 banana
1 kiwi
2 large handfuls of spinach
1 Tbs ground flax seeds
half a cup of ice

Blend till smooth.


spinach-kiwi-smoothie

KIWI CUCUMBER REFRESHER
Refreshingly satisfying. Who says it is difficult to get your daily fruit and veg intake in? 3 portions in this glass.

I pint glass (2 wine glasses)

2 kiwis
1 orange, peeled, pith left on
1/3 cucumber
slice of lemon
handful of ice

Blend till smooth


kiwi-organge-smoothie

MANGO STRAWBERRY DREAM
Definitely a dessert! Kids favourite.

4 wine glasses

1 punnet (2 cups) of strawberries
2 very ripe mangos
juice of half a lime
1 cup of ice
1 cup of coconut water (water or apple juice)

Blend till smooth


strawberry-mango
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