Recipes

Simple Green Juice

Green juice is one of my all-time favorite elixirs. I like to use green juices as a supplement or a snack, not as a meal replacement.

The trick, though, is to make sure your juice is made from mostly vegetables — with just a little fruit or none at all. Using too much fruit will cause the juice to be high-glycemic. This means that, similar to soda, a high-sugar juice can lead to a blood sugar spike… and crash.

If you’re new to green juices, the addition of lemon and ginger can temper that super “green” flavor. Over time, I’ve come to enjoy it, but at first, it can be a little aggressive for most.

For juicing, you want to use the freshest, highest quality produce you can find. Using local (or backyard) produce is ideal; the reduced transit time results in higher nutrition content — nutrients degrade the longer the produce sits on the shelf or while in transit from long distances.

 

  • simple green juice recipe
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Makes about 32 ounces, depending on what your produce looks like (i.e. how big the cucumbers are, etc.).

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of organic celery, root and ends trimmed
  • 2 organic cucumbers (peel if using conventional cucumbers)
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters to fit the juicer (read manufacturer instructions to make sure you can run lemon peel through your juicer)
  • 1 organic granny smith apple
  • a half-inch knob of ginger, scrubbed (I like to use a LOT, but a small piece is a good place to start)
  • 1 bunch of kale (Lacinato, curly, etc.)
  • OPTIONAL — for a detox boost, add 1⁄2 bunch of fresh parsley

Directions

  • Step 1

    Before you start juicing, rinse and prep all of your produce. Rinse well to remove any dirt, and chop so the produce will fit into your juicer. Place everything into a bowl for easy processing.

  • Step 2

    Next, run all of the ingredients through your juicer. You may need to work in batches, and transfer the juice to a pitcher.

  • Step 3

    When finished, whisk the juice to blend the different batches. Depending on your juicer, you may have a little bit of pulp in your juice. If desired, pour the juice through a sieve if you want a juice that’s completely pulp-free.

  • Step 4

    If using a slow or masticating juicer, pour juice into mason jars. Screw on a lid, and store the juice in the refrigerator. Drink the juice within the next day or two.

    If using a fast or centrifugal style juicer, drink your juice right away. Because more oxidation occurs during the high-speed juicing process, the nutrients will degrade more quickly.