How to Create Delicious Green Juices

I've been creating organic green juices for 32 days now.  No fruit, no carrots, no beets, not one high glycemic piece of produce anywhere to be found.  I thought that I'd share some of my tips and discoveries so that you can try to make some delicious green juices for yourself.  I must tell you that I did share one of my creations with one of my students here, and she loved it.  My mother, grandmother, and aunt came to visit a couple of weeks ago and we had a green juice tasting.  I flavored the base green juice with different tastes to create three different juices - parsley, red pepper, and ginger.  They all really liked the juices, and had different favorites.  So, anyone can discover and love green juices.

I do use all organic produce so that I won't introduce more pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides into my body while I am trying to detox my organs.  However, although it is beneficial, it is not absolutely necessary to use organics.  You will still get the many benefits of consuming the juice for high enzyme and nutrient density flowing into your cells and changing you on a cellular level.  But, this topic is for a future post!  Also, take a look at www.juicefeasting.com for an extremely comprehensive study on juices, their benefits, and how to make them using the blender method.  I use a Green Star juicer since it does greens really nicely and since due to its juicing process more nutrients are kept intact.  

Use celery and cucumbers for a base because celery and cucumbers are mild tasting, create a lot of juice, and have their own individual benefits.  Then, just add whatever fresh greens are available.  I travel to The Berkshire Coop to buy my organic greens.  I typically add one milder tasting green such as romaine, green leaf lettuce, escarole, and then I add one darker green to really get the benefits of the nutrition found in the darker greens.  You can add darker greens such as spinach, kale, red kale, lacinto (dinosaur) kale, collards, bok choy, or swiss chard because the darker the green, typically, the more nutrients it has.  You can also add an entire package of sprouts (or grow your own) because sprouts add a really delicious light flavor as well as being packed with enzymes and protein.  I really feel an immediate boost in energy when I drink a juice made with sprouts.  Then add low glycemic fruit/vegetable/herb flavorings such as red peppers, daikon root, radish, parsley, cilantro, fennel, ginger, lemon, tomato or whatever you see that you like. At times or every time, also add Himalayan or Celtic salt (highly mineralized salts), cayenne, turmuric, or kelp granules.  However, the simpler you make your juice, the easier it is to make, the faster it is to make, and the more inclined you'll be to make it on a regular basis.  The combinations are endless. Play with it and have fun!   

Please share any questions you might have.  Try making a juice, and post your recipe!  I'd love to hear how it goes!

The Green Yogi's favorite green juice recipes: 

1Q:  1 head celery, 1 cucumber, 1 package of baby spinach, 1 package of pea shoots. 

1Q:  1 head of celery, 1 cucumber, 1 bunch of brocolli, 1/2 lemon, 1/2" ginger

1Q:  1 head of celery, 1 cucumber, 1 bunch of Romaine, 1 bunch of lacinto kale

Tip:  Rotate the ingredients in the juicer so that the juicer runs smoothly, the celery will push in the greens, and it will create less foam on top of your juice.  For example:  Push in 2 celery stalks, then a handful of spinich, then a slice of celery, and then repeat.

  

Comments

[Cheryl Chow]

Dawn,

Thank you for these great tips on juicing. I like your idea of adding celery and cucumber. I've made juices so vile tasting that I gagged. I think your recipes look much better!

Great links.

Your post is so very helpful!

Do you have any information or suggestions on transitioning a cat to a raw food diet?

Thanks,

Cheryl

http://cat-tales-blog.blogspot.com/

[Dawn Gaynor]

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it!

Sorry, but I don't know much about transitioning a cat to raw food. However, I do believe that cats are carnivores - so if raw - I think they need meat...? Best to check...

Best wishes,

Dawn