New to Juicing? Our Favorite Recipes for a Juicing Newbie

The juicing trend has taken off full force, and more people than ever are getting on the boat! The latest trend in healthy eating, fruit and vegetable juicing at home is nutritionally superior to consuming store-bought juice. But where to begin?

That’s what I first wondered when I was new to juicing. My advice for a novice: start with recipes that have been tried and true.

Here at Essentia headquarters, we are all huge juice-heads! We love juicing (and making shakes!), especially with the highest quality organic ingredients.

The hardest part of juicing is cutting and washing the vegetables and then washing the juicer when you are done. I asked around for everyone’s favorite juice recipe, and here’s what I got:

Vannie’s Girl-Power Juice:

Vanessa is the sweetest girl with the sweetest tooth!

Her juice is sweet but don’t be deceived by the short list of ingredients: it’s PACKED with nutrients. Kale is a super food, and this juice gives Vanessa the energy she needs to survive her hectic work day.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of pineapple,
• 1 whole kale,
• 2-inch knob of ginger

Directions:

When all ingredients have been washed, cut the stems off the kale. Juice it, then drink it.

Jon’s Groovy Smoothie:

Jon describes his favorite drink as “sweet, but feels healthy”. Not only does it feel healthy, but it definitely is healthy. His smoothie involves juicing some of his

favorite fruit and then blending it with kale and ice. Juicing kale can be pricey because an entire kale only yields a little bit of juice. If you blend it, a little bit goes a long way. Not only will it add tidbits of fresh texture to your drink, but you will not waste that nutritious fiber. According to Jon, adding the ice to make it a smoothie dilutes the intense sweetness of the fruit and the bitterness of the kale.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pineapple
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 4 peaches
• 2 kale leaves
• a handful of ice

Directions:

Core the peaches. Juice the three kinds of fruit in the juicer. Add your juice, the kale, and a handful of ice into the blender, and blend until smooth.

Gian’s Ginger Zinger:

I love the kick that ginger gives to a juice. Ginger is extremely good for digestion, and when juiced a little bit goes a long way. This simple recipe is sweet but definitely big on ginger flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple
• 3 carrots
• 1 green apple
• a small knob of ginger

Directions:

Cut the top off the carrots and then juice!

Tash’s Super Blend:

Natasha is a go-getter, and this high-energy mom loves to start her day off with a morning juice. Her uber-healthy juice is great for those who have anemia or are iron deficient.

Ingredients:

• 2 beets
• a handful of spinach
• 3-4 carrots
• 3-4 celery stalks
• 1 granny-smith apple

Directions:

Cut the tops off the beets and carrots prior to juicing. Juice and enjoy.

Stef’s Tropical Tonic:

Stefanie was born and raised in the tropics, so she grew up with mango trees in her back yard. When she is missing her home in Belize, she loves to make a tropical fruit shake to bring her back.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pineapple
• 1 mango
• 2 oranges
• 1 banana

Directions:

Cut around the pit of the mango and peel the oranges. Juice the pineapple, mango, and oranges in a juicer. Transfer the juice to a blender and blend with 1 banana. Enjoy!

Jason’s Green Giant Quick Fix:

Jason has been fooling us all with his eerie green morning juice. What looks like it could be a blend of kale, spinach, and cucumber is actually a quick green short-cut to making juice. Don’t have a juicer, or are you strapped for time? Then follow Jay’s lead to get your vitamin fix.
Here’s how he makes his concoction: Jason buys “Vega” Chlorella. It’s a green superfood supplement made of fresh water algae. He adds a scoop to a glass of water (or sometimes, coconut water), mixes well, and then consumes it throughout the morning. He says it tastes like grass, but I guess that’s how he likes it!

Juicing Tips:

• If you are afraid of not liking vegetables in your juice, start off with carrot. Carrot doesn’t affect the taste of your fruit juice very much (you barely taste it). On the other hand, with celery or beets, a little bit goes a long way in terms of flavor.
• If you prefer to have juice for breakfast but don’t have much time in the morning to prepare it, a good trick is to wash and chop your fruit and vegetables the night before. Chopping ahead will save you time in the morning. However, it is not recommended for you to juice ahead of time. You should drink your juice fresh, because once a fruit or vegetable is juiced it starts to lose its nutritional value.
• Save the pulp. You can freeze it, it can be used in various different recipes. Fruit pulp is great for baking, and vegetable pulp is amazing to use in pasta sauces, soups, or stews.
• Some fruits and vegetables are unjuiceable. These include bananas and avocadoes. It’s best to save these for shakes and smoothies.