Healthy Green Juice

This green juice recipe is great for detoxing after the holidays or whenever you have overdone it! It’s worth buying organic celery, even if you buy conventional for everything else. Adjust fruit and veggie amounts to suit your taste. More apples equals a sweeter drink.

Why do I drink green juice?

I’m not much of a 3-day green juice for detox type person, and I don’t drink green juice to replace breakfast necessarily, although sometimes it does. But it’s something I added to my daily routine to pack in more vegetables.

Eating the Mediterranean way, I focus on eating more vegetables, fruit, grains, and lean proteins. But, some days, I do need a bit more of a vegetable power kick, and adding homemade juice has been a good way to do that.

The benefits of green juice are many, but I do want to share, from my own experience, why I drink it:

– Extra dose of plant-based nutrition. Like I said earlier, I use this juice to amp up my greens and vegetable intake. Juicing allows me to condense several servings of vegetables in one single drink that’s easy-to-consume and packed with vitamins like Vitamin K and Vitamin C, fiber, minerals, including a bit of iron.

– More energy all day. After just a few days of drinking green juice first thing in the morning, I’ve felt more energetic throughout the day that I was able to eliminate my afternoon cup of coffee without a problem.

To curb cravings. This is again from my personal experience, since I’ve been consuming this juice, I’ve found myself more satisfied throughout the day and less interested in snacking and junk food. I still enjoy a healthy snack occasionally, like a handful of nuts or a little avocado with a sprinkle of za’atar, no problem. But I’m not as interested in sweets (and for this sweet tooth, that’s a big deal.) Like my 4-ingredient mango smoothie, it’s a great way to satisfy a sweet craving.

– Enhance detoxification. I’ll repeat again that I don’t do a juice-fast or anything of that nature. In fact, when I think of a “detox,” my mind often goes to something like a good soup. But, I’ve found that a homemade juice with greens and vegetables supports a healthy liver and can be a good way to kick-start the day and reset my system.

What’s in it? Ingredients:

– Kale: can’t go wrong with this super green! And any variety of kale will work. I used one whole bunch of organic Dinosaur kale which has flatter leaves. (If using a blender, remove the tough veins)

– Ginger: about 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled, works for me. But if you love the taste of ginger and want to do a bit more, you sure can! It’s great for digestion and an extra boost to the immune system.

– Granny Smith Apple: these are the less sweet of the apple options, but they still add just enough natural sweetness to this green juice. Low on carbohydrates, Granny Smith apples provide vitamin C and can help inflammation, among their many benefits But you can also use other apple varieties. If you want your green juice a bit more on the sweeter side, try Honey Crisp apples, for example.

– Celery: probably the one thing I always have in my juice is celery. I use 5 to 6 celery stalks in this recipe. It’s rich in vitamins and antioxidants, but to me, one super important benefit is that it provides some good digestive support.

– English cucumber: any kind of cucumber will work here, but English cucumbers (those longer ones) are sweeter-tasting and their skin is thin, so they’re easier to juice. I like adding cucumber because it really does provide ample liquid to help this juice, and I love the refreshing flavor.

– Parsley: parsley is a big part of the midnight, and I use it in many of my recipes and not just to add a nice little garnish. I love the refreshing herby taste it adds here, plus, it’s rich in vitamins, and antioxidants, and good for your bones!

How to Make Green Juice:

Making green juice at home is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. First, clean and cut your veggies and apple. Depending on what kind of juicer you have, you’ll want to cut the veggies to a size that fits well in the feeder (the part of the juicer you use to add the veggies). With the juicer I use, I can cut my vegetables and fruit in large chunk and that works just fine.

Tip: need to save some time, do this step one night in advance and save your fruit and veggies in a tight-lid glass container in the fridge.

2. Juice (or blend). I use this Beeville juicer but a good blender should work just fine.

3. Drink!

I don’t have a green juicer, can I use a blender instead?

You can make this green juice in a blender. Here is what you do:

Cut the vegetables and apple into smaller chunks, unless you’re using a high-power blender, like a Vitamix (affiliate), that can handle big chunks. For kale, it’s a good idea to remove the tough veins.

– Place all the juice ingredients in your blender. Cover, and run the blender on the highest setting like “liquify.”

– The juice will be thicker, more the consistency of a smoothie. If you like it this way, simply pour and enjoy.

– If you don’t enjoy pulp in your juice, use a small mesh sieve to pour the juice through, and use the back of a spoon to press the pulp into the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible.

Variations of Green juice:

I hardly make the same green juice everyday. In fact, I think it’s a really good idea to change things up! Here are a few tips on that:

– For example, try replacing kale with spinach or other leafy greens of choice.

– Add citrus, in the form of peeled orange or tangerine. Carrots and tomatoes, both add a bit of sweetness without overwhelming the juice.

– Avoid the temptation to use fruits that are extra sweet like pineapples, or too much fruit. I typically stick to one apple in my juices to keep the sugar content as minimal as possible.

And for herbs, try basil or cilantro. On occasion, I like adding a pinch of organic turmeric powder to give things even more of a boost!

How long will this juice last?

Green juice is best consumed immediately. So for me, I drink it as soon as possible. But, check the manual of your juicer; some allow you to store the juice for 24 hours in a tight-lid glass jar (or whatever container came with the juicer).

One final important note: some people with certain medical conditions should not have green juice, and some may not tolerate it as well. Please check your doctor, if you are unsure about trying green juice.

Ingredients

Directions

Gather all ingredients.
Process celery, apples, cucumber, kale, lemon, and ginger through a juicer.
Serve immediately or store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to one day; shake before drinking.

Recipe !