Vitameatavegamin

Lately juicing has been a quick answer to various problems.  Wake up on the wrong side of bed?  Have a juice.  Feeling sluggish and in need of energy?  Let's juice.  Need an attitude adjustment?  Time for a juice.  Hungry between meals?  You guessed it...juice.  It looks like I'm trying to sell a bottle of some super-cure-it-all medicine, but I'm no phony, this is for realsies.

All Purpose Juice:
2 c. spinach
1/2 c. red cabbage
3 stalks celery
1 cucumber
1 apple
8 strawberries
1/2 c. mango

"...and so tasty, too!"

Bonus Breakfast Blend:
2 c. iceberg lettuce
4 stalks celery
1 c. broccoli
2 oranges
2 apples

Face the day with this under your belt.

And Now For Something Completely Different

 Yesterday I discovered a practical use for my juicer.  This is not to say that drinking vitamin packed juices isn't beneficial, but I really view it as a nutritional supplement at this point.  So, we had friends over last night and planned on serving Margaritas.  I had purchased a bag of limes and instead of hand-squeezing them as I usually do, I peeled the limes and juiced them in my Breville.

I wanted to investigate the pulp and re-juice it if it seemed really wet.  I discovered to my delight that the citrus pulp was very dry.

Since I had the juicer out and running, I went ahead and made a delicious afternoon energy juice.  It just feels really good to drink a green juice.

Friggin' Heathy Juice:
2 c. spinach
2 c. turnip greens
1 cucumber
1 c. bok choy
3 oranges
1 apple

Burning the Midnight Juicer

Recently I juiced late at night for my husband.  When he is in a groove with his writing he'll keep working past bedtime.  But staying up late usually requires another small meal for energy.  A tall glass of juice was just the brain food he needed.

No Rest for the Weary:
1/2 beet
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 mango
1 apple

Glowing Juice, Glowing Reviews

The color of this juice caused my watching children to inhale sharply; it was like pouring sunshine into a glass.  The flavor was no less impressive.  Sweet, fresh, invigorating.

Roots and Fruits:
4 carrots
2 radishes
5 stalks celery
1 large tomato
1 1/2 navel oranges
2 apples

Lions, Lambs and Lettuce

True to the old adage, this changeable month has been all over the place with weather.  Heavy rainstorms, high winds one day and sunny and 68 degrees the next.  Even though the weather is unreliable, I can still count on veggie juice to get me through the day.

I've been craving kale juice lately, but I am forcing myself to use the produce I already have in the fridge.  So, lettuce it is!

Using Up the Produce:
1/2 head romaine lettuce
2 c. spinach
2 stalks celery
1 tomato
2 radishes
2 apples
3 mandarin oranges
1 plum

March to the beat of a different juice.

Making the Most out of Monday

Still pregnant and waddling here.  Though I'm limited in my actions, I don't want to be inactive.  Today's juice helped me get through the afternoon with a cheery disposition, along with the help of my B-complex vitamin.

Grab the Bull by the Horns:
1 c. fresh pineapple
3 branches kale
2 stalks celery
1 c. spinach
1 cucumber
1 1/2 apples
2 peaches

Craving Craze

The first thing I did when I finished bringing in grocery bags from the car today was cut open and eat a ripe mango I had just purchased.  Ah!  Energy to put groceries away! 

After that job was finished I chopped peppers, spinach, cucumbers and broccoli and made a raw veggie pizza on a croissant crust for dinner.

Since I had the cutting board out, I prepped a pineapple and some veggies for juicing.

What is my pregnant body telling me with these cravings?  Some think that cravings don't necessarily mean that a body is depleted of a particular nutrient.  But in the case of my cravings today, there may be a beta carotene need?  Or maybe Vitamin C?  What would you say?

What I know for certain is that after all these yummy foods I feel quite satisfied.

Pregnant Juice:
1/3 pineapple
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1/2 cucumber
2 stalks celery

I spread 8 oz. cream cheese over the croissant crust before I put 2 cups of chopped veggies on top.

Foxy Lady

I used a yellow bell pepper in my juice today.  I've been so nervous about using peppers because my hubby is not a fan, and I know that pepper flavor might really shine in a juice.  In this recipe it is detectable in scent only.  The flavor is very peachy and caused me to exclaim, "Wow, this is living!"  So, it's no surprise that I named this smooth, pleasing orange drink Foxy Lady.


Carotene, Anyone?
2 large carrots
1 yellow bell pepper
1/2 head of romaine lettuce
2 peaches
2 oranges

I'm comin' to get you!

Saturday Chores Juice

Time stops for no man.  So when I feel myself dragging and there are still chores to be done, my wonderful juice comes to the rescue!

Some days I feel experimental about ingredients...and some days I just want it to taste good.  Today I needed refreshment and wanted to drink it down quickly.  I didn't even want to spare the time of sipping an "interesting" flavor slowly.

Guzzle this Goodness:
4 branches of kale
4 stalks of celery
2 carrots
2 oranges, peeled
1 c. red grapes

Fuel for the Fight.

Peachy Keen Juice

My nine-year-old helped me come up with this winning combination today.  These flavors work well together...it's not too sweet and there's no strong veggie aftertaste.  I can't tell you how good it feels to drink something so fresh and good.

For a Good Time, Juice:
3 peaches
3/4 c. red grapes
1 cucumber, peeled
3 celery stalks
2 carrots

Shakin' the Peach Tree

not-so-Still Life

Mentally organizing ingredients for today's juice, I realized I could create a cute face with the raw fruits and veggies before they are liquified.  This made me think of Guiseppe Arcimboldo's thematic veggie and fruit still life paintings.

Summer, by Arcimboldo

Silliness, by Rachel

How ironic that the raw potential, left arranged and uneaten, may be called "still life", but as soon as they're consumed, the vegetables and fruits transform into a life force that allows energy, action and healing!

Action Juice:
1/4 cantaloupe, with rind
1 large carrot
1 cucumber, peeled
1 clementine
5 strawberries
3 branches raw kale