Sunday, July 24, 2011

green juice

green juice


green juice


We've been making a lot of green juice lately. I finally got a juicer! My mom bought me this one on sale at the Williams Sonoma outlet for only $80, which is a great price. I very much wanted a Breville, but didn't want to spend a whole lot in case I didn't end up liking juicing. I wanted a Breville because I thought it would be capable of making green juice, whereas other centrifugal juicers might not do as well. I was very happy to find out firsthand that you can definitely make green juice using this juicer.

Through my research I found out that centrifugal juicers have their disadvantages (because the super fast spinning action causes the vitamins to oxidize quicker and also because they are not as well suited to extracting juice from green leaves as are masticating or twin gear juicers), but on the other hand centrifugal juicers are affordable, easy to use, and quick to clean. Those are really good advantages for as far as I'm concerned. I also rented Crazy, Sexy, Cancer again, mostly so I could watch the special features and see Kris Carr making her green juice (she uses a Breville in the video).

The reason I wanted to try green juice in the first place, rather than just sticking to green smoothies all the time, goes back to my vegan experience. I was drinking a lot of green smoothies, which I love, but green smoothies have a lot of fruit in them (thus a lot of sugar) and are heavy and full of fiber. I was craving the ability to mix things up a bit with a clear, clean, green juice that has more veggies and less fruit. Sometimes I just don't want to deal with a thick, fibrous smoothie. I like that with the juicer I can use vegetables that wouldn't work so well with in smoothie (like broccoli stems or carrots).

Faith and I have been loving the green juice. We base our recipe on the green lemonade that Susan of High Desert Home used to blog about all the time. We throw in other vegetables sometimes too. Yesterday I made one with romaine, kale, a cucumber from the garden, leftover broccoli stems, a few celery pieces, 3 apples, and a peeled lemon. It was very yummy, not too sweet, and I enjoyed the grassy flavor from the celery (or maybe from the broccoli stems, I'm not sure which). We've also made carrot-apple juice for the boys (who are not as into green lemonade).

Do you juice? What's your favorite combination?

10 comments:

Sarah said...

I juice a bit...and have been wanting a Breville for a while, but can't yet say I NEED it! Maybe one day I'll fine it for a great price. Currently I just chuck in a variety of foods we have on hand and go with it, if I hate I don't do it again if I like it I write it down to use again. We're not very consistent in our type of produce as we usually buy what is in season and on sale in the organic section so it can be hit or miss. But there is definitely some great combos to be had this time of year :)

Dee said...

We have a beetroot, carrot, apple and ginger juice most days. And sometimes toss in an orange or some celery or even a little pineapple. Its yum!

michelle said...

I have a Breville juicer, Mary Beth. I hardly ever use it though because it is such a pain to clean.

I'm going to do the 30 Day Vegan challenge this time I around, so I guess I will have to dust it off.

I really like banana, rockmelon and some orange juice blended up together in the blender. In really hot weather that is a beautiful late breakfast on a weekend morning. Very filling and sustaining. Lots of fibre and good stuff. One of my problems with the juicer is that it takes all the fibre out, which is one of the best things for you. So I usually blend instead.

Did you feel good after the vegan challenge? Was it easy to meal plan for the rest of the family? I'm really looking forward to doing it.

Mary Beth said...

Triskele--what is beetroot? I assume it is different than actual beets? I'll have to look for that--it sounds healthy!

Michelle--I agree it is not as easy to clean as the blender, but it's not really as big of a pain as I thought it could be, so a nice surprise. I love a fibrous smoothie, but sometimes I just want a clear, veggie-heavy juice. I'll be doing 30 day vegan with you! I signed up for the second session! I did feel very good at the end of the vegan challenge. Mostly, I gave the family what I was eating but maybe included a side of meat or some sausages or something. It worked out fine.

Jane said...

Your picture looks pretty much like my daily juice. The only thing I do differently is add a lime. I just cut it in half and chuck it in. Yum!

Angie said...

I started out with a GE centrifigal force juicer from Walmart, but just upgraded to a Champion Juicer (masticating)that I found on eBay. I love it. I got it for about $125. It is very easy to clean and I seem to get more juice(per pound of veggies) also.
My favorite is carrot, romaine lettuce and a granny smith apple. I try to juice at least once a day if not more.

Susan said...

haha! That's funny. I pop on over to read here, and there I am, referred to in your post. :-) I still drink that green lemonade. I usually make three days worth and freeze two servings in jars. I really like the Breville. Once you get into a cleaning routine, it doesn't seem like that big a deal to me.

Enjoy juicing! I think green juice is a magical elixir, and I love all kinds of other juices as well.

Susan

Susan said...

Oh, and I forgot to say. . .

Have you seen Crazy Sexy Diet yet? I'm reading it now. These kinds of books light little fires of re-inspiration under me, so I refer to them often.

Susan

Mary Beth said...

Susan--yes! I own that book and love it. Such an excellent reference.

Regina said...

Hopping over from flickr- saw your green juice.

I read CSD in Feb and have been doing green smoothies and green juice everyday since. I can hardly start the day without them. I haven't been sick or had any allergy probs like int he past. Mosquito bites don't even bother me like they used to.

I would really love a breville. A friend gave me the one I have now so i am waiting for it to stop working before a get a new one.