There are certain times of year when I feel more like a resident alien than others and Halloween is one of those times. Having lived in America for 11 years now, I can honestly say that I feel very at home here and enjoy embracing many of the traditions and celebrations that your nation holds dear. When October 31st comes around though, I find myself cringing at the thought of what’s to come.
Our first American Halloween was spent in San Francisco, and I will never forget going to Belvedere Street, Cole Valley and being totally blown away by the whole experience. I had never, ever seen anything like it! Whole houses bedecked in life size spiders, garages turned into cavernous vampire dens, the front doors left open revealing bloody, mangled body parts left halfway up staircases (I still hope they were fake!), axe murderers mingling with little mermaids, and yes, SO much candy!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a far cry from the token pumpkin which would be carved and left outside my front door in London with a little tea light in it, to ward off any evil spirits. Extinguished at 8.30pm without a knock at my front door. From anyone. No little grim reapers, ghosts or ghouls ever came calling.
My children of course, like all children here, love Halloween, they’ve grown up with the parades, the costumes, the drama and trick or treating. I do try to enter into the spirit of it, but I think that because I didn’t grow up making a big deal of it, it’s hard to get as excited as they do.
This year however, I’m a little more excited than usual because I’ve decided to make a special Halloween Juice! As we decorate our house this coming weekend (always the last up on the block and first down!) and carve our pumpkins, we will be sipping this delicious Spooky Pumpkin Juice. My daughter, a die hard Harry Potter fan, will be delighted, as she will be drinking it out of her Hogwarts goblet and singing "Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts!" My son will be happy because it’s VERY yellow (his favorite color of juice). My husband will be happy because in the traditional Ayurvedic medicine of India – home of the fabled Kama Sutra – the pumpkin is believed to both preserve and increase male virility, (say no more!) and I will be happy because they’ll all be drinking juice instead of eating candy!
Happy Halloween!
Jx
Spooky Pumpkin Juice
½ sugar pumpkin (deseeded but not peeled)
2 apples
¼ lemon
½” piece of ginger
Handful of frozen mango chunks
Put the first four ingredients through the juicer. Blend the frozen mango chunks into the juice with a hand blender. I would have added garlic, just to keep those vampires at bay, but really, you just can’t get the taste out of your juicer!!!!!!! The other good thing about this juice is that you can save the seeds, roast them in the oven and snack on them, and use the pulp left over from making the juice to make pumpkin soup or add to pumpkin spice muffins!!
This juice is rich in beta-carotene, flavonoids, potassium, vitamin C and folic acid.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Doing More of What You Like
I am reading an interesting book this week. One of the chapters is about doing more of what we like and less of what we don’t like. By doing this the hope is that we become happier and more satisfied people. It makes sense to me. If I spend all day sitting at my computer writing plans, paying bills, catching up on correspondence, then I end my day somewhat frustrated and fatigued. If, on the other hand, I am training with clients, inspiring potential juicers, working on juice recipes, giving juice workshops, I find that I end my day feeling satisfied, full of energy and eager to do the same thing tomorrow.
The same principle can be applied in the area of juicing and exercise. Whilst it is good to mix things up and try new things, sometimes doing more of what you like is a great way to move forward. If you like walking but hate running, then go for a long walk somewhere that you really love, perhaps adding a few more minutes to your walk. If you love lifting weights, but feel bad that you’re not doing cardio, add some extra sets to your free weight routine, or lift a little heavier weight. Perhaps you can include some circuit type activity to your weight lifting routine, incorporating jumping jacks, or jump rope between sets, thus achieving your cardio goal without slogging away doing something you don’t enjoy.
You are more likely to continue with an exercise program if you enjoy what you’re doing, than if you are simply pounding away because you feel you have to. There are a million ways to exercise, find one that works for you and do more of it!!
The same applies to juice. I was talking with someone the other day who was describing her morning routine of making a “green smoothie.” She said that she only did it because she knew it was good for her, but that she dreaded drinking it because it tasted gross, and she had to “hold her nose to get it down!” What a way to start your day!!!!!
Imagine instead, finding a juice combination that you LOVE, with your favorite fruits and vegetables, and knowing that you will enjoy a fresh glass of it every day! Feeling inspired to make something that you know your taste buds are going to relish and that your body is going to thank you for, will give you a much happier and fulfilling start to your day, than forcing something down because you think it’s good for you.
So, if my book is right and you’re doing something you love for exercise, and drinking something you love for health, you should be on cloud nine for the whole week, as well as being healthy, inside and out!!!!!
Try this happy combination which I start my day with many mornings of the week.
Happy Juicing,
Orange Eye Opener
3 carrots
1 grapefruit
½ inch ginger
As well as tasting delicious, this orange beauty will give you a good kick of vitamin C, boosting your immune system, and the ginger, as natures best “anti-everything” will help decongest, and fight any bugs which might be lurking within your system. Of course, I have this juice at any time of day, not just in the morning.
The same principle can be applied in the area of juicing and exercise. Whilst it is good to mix things up and try new things, sometimes doing more of what you like is a great way to move forward. If you like walking but hate running, then go for a long walk somewhere that you really love, perhaps adding a few more minutes to your walk. If you love lifting weights, but feel bad that you’re not doing cardio, add some extra sets to your free weight routine, or lift a little heavier weight. Perhaps you can include some circuit type activity to your weight lifting routine, incorporating jumping jacks, or jump rope between sets, thus achieving your cardio goal without slogging away doing something you don’t enjoy.
You are more likely to continue with an exercise program if you enjoy what you’re doing, than if you are simply pounding away because you feel you have to. There are a million ways to exercise, find one that works for you and do more of it!!
The same applies to juice. I was talking with someone the other day who was describing her morning routine of making a “green smoothie.” She said that she only did it because she knew it was good for her, but that she dreaded drinking it because it tasted gross, and she had to “hold her nose to get it down!” What a way to start your day!!!!!
Imagine instead, finding a juice combination that you LOVE, with your favorite fruits and vegetables, and knowing that you will enjoy a fresh glass of it every day! Feeling inspired to make something that you know your taste buds are going to relish and that your body is going to thank you for, will give you a much happier and fulfilling start to your day, than forcing something down because you think it’s good for you.
So, if my book is right and you’re doing something you love for exercise, and drinking something you love for health, you should be on cloud nine for the whole week, as well as being healthy, inside and out!!!!!
Try this happy combination which I start my day with many mornings of the week.
Happy Juicing,
Orange Eye Opener
3 carrots
1 grapefruit
½ inch ginger
As well as tasting delicious, this orange beauty will give you a good kick of vitamin C, boosting your immune system, and the ginger, as natures best “anti-everything” will help decongest, and fight any bugs which might be lurking within your system. Of course, I have this juice at any time of day, not just in the morning.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Buying a Juicer
Be warned. This is not an amusing, nor witty blog post. There isn’t a funny story, or a great life lesson that can be applied to a juice recipe this week. There isn’t even a recipe. It’s not that I’m lacking in material. I could have written about the “great fix everything juice” that I’m hoping to create soon, or the “tidy up your house juice”, the recipe for which is proving somewhat illusive! Perhaps a blog about the benefits of wheatgrass juice for pets as well as people, or building on the recent article I read about the benefits of nitrates in beetroot juice. But no, this week, I’m going to keep it straight and informational. Read on…………………….
I’m aware that I write this blog every week, and I know that a large percentage of people who read it don’t have a juicer. My hope is that eventually, something I write will resonate with a reader which will inspire them to either rent a machine from me, or take the plunge and buy a juicer for themselves. If you are considering buying a juicer, I thought I would take some time this week to review the three main types of at home juicers available on the market today to make the purchasing decision easier for you.
Essentially there are three kinds of juicers available to the at home juicer; manual, centrifugal and masticating juicers. Below you will find an outline of each kind, what they do, and a brief summary of the pros and cons, in addition to my recommendation of the best brand within each of the three categories.
Manual Juicers
These tend to be manual juice presses, which you can buy very cheaply. They are good for the odd glass of orange juice, but are not very practical when it comes to making vegetable juices, or larger quantities of juice. They are relatively inexpensive at around $30-$50. You can also buy manual wheatgrass juicers in a similar price range, (in which case I would recommend Weston Wheatgrass Juicer) but then you have to source a good supply of wheatgrass, or grow your own and that will require a whole other blog post!
Centrifugal Juicers
This type of juicer chops your fruit and veg into small pieces and then throws them against a spinning bowl that in turn separates the juice from the fibre. The benefit of this kind of machine is that it is quick and easy to use, and much less expensive than the next category of juicer. The quality of the juice you get is excellent and the yield is good too. The downside, is that because of the heat generated by the frictional nature of the process, you do lose some of the nutritional value of the juice. However, in tests done on good centrifugal juicers, 90% of the nutrients remained in the juice. The best one on the market is the Breville Juice Fountain Elite. It is widely available for around $280. It is easy to clean, easy to assemble and very easy to use.
Masticating juicers
Masticating juicers grind the produce into very small particles and then press them through a screen. This means that because the juice is extracted at much lower speeds than a centrifugal juicer, more of the live enzymes stay intact. The downside of these machines is that the feed chute for the produce is very small, so it requires a lot more prep time cutting up your fruit and veg. The machine also runs more slowly, so the actual juicing process takes longer. The best machine on the market, in my opinion is the Green Star Elite GSE 5000 Juice Extractor which is around $500.
My recommendation for a first time at home juicer would be to go with the Breville centrifugal juicer. This will allow you to make great tasting, nutritionally overflowing juices, quickly and easily with little prep or clean up. If you decide that you want to take juicing to another level, then the bigger investment in the Green Star masticating juicer would be something to consider.
I hope the information proves useful and that it will allow you take the leap and get a juicer on your counter top today! As for the recipe for that “tidy up your house” juice, I guess you’ll just have to wait a little longer.
Happy juicing,
Jx
I’m aware that I write this blog every week, and I know that a large percentage of people who read it don’t have a juicer. My hope is that eventually, something I write will resonate with a reader which will inspire them to either rent a machine from me, or take the plunge and buy a juicer for themselves. If you are considering buying a juicer, I thought I would take some time this week to review the three main types of at home juicers available on the market today to make the purchasing decision easier for you.
Essentially there are three kinds of juicers available to the at home juicer; manual, centrifugal and masticating juicers. Below you will find an outline of each kind, what they do, and a brief summary of the pros and cons, in addition to my recommendation of the best brand within each of the three categories.
Manual Juicers
These tend to be manual juice presses, which you can buy very cheaply. They are good for the odd glass of orange juice, but are not very practical when it comes to making vegetable juices, or larger quantities of juice. They are relatively inexpensive at around $30-$50. You can also buy manual wheatgrass juicers in a similar price range, (in which case I would recommend Weston Wheatgrass Juicer) but then you have to source a good supply of wheatgrass, or grow your own and that will require a whole other blog post!
Centrifugal Juicers
This type of juicer chops your fruit and veg into small pieces and then throws them against a spinning bowl that in turn separates the juice from the fibre. The benefit of this kind of machine is that it is quick and easy to use, and much less expensive than the next category of juicer. The quality of the juice you get is excellent and the yield is good too. The downside, is that because of the heat generated by the frictional nature of the process, you do lose some of the nutritional value of the juice. However, in tests done on good centrifugal juicers, 90% of the nutrients remained in the juice. The best one on the market is the Breville Juice Fountain Elite. It is widely available for around $280. It is easy to clean, easy to assemble and very easy to use.
Masticating juicers
Masticating juicers grind the produce into very small particles and then press them through a screen. This means that because the juice is extracted at much lower speeds than a centrifugal juicer, more of the live enzymes stay intact. The downside of these machines is that the feed chute for the produce is very small, so it requires a lot more prep time cutting up your fruit and veg. The machine also runs more slowly, so the actual juicing process takes longer. The best machine on the market, in my opinion is the Green Star Elite GSE 5000 Juice Extractor which is around $500.
My recommendation for a first time at home juicer would be to go with the Breville centrifugal juicer. This will allow you to make great tasting, nutritionally overflowing juices, quickly and easily with little prep or clean up. If you decide that you want to take juicing to another level, then the bigger investment in the Green Star masticating juicer would be something to consider.
I hope the information proves useful and that it will allow you take the leap and get a juicer on your counter top today! As for the recipe for that “tidy up your house” juice, I guess you’ll just have to wait a little longer.
Happy juicing,
Jx
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wrinkle Busting
It has been a busy week. There's no doubt about it, things have moved up a gear in the Jones household - a new highschooler, a fourth grader, running a small business and a travelling husband have all combined to press my foot a little harder to the gas pedal of life. I thought I was handling it all pretty well. Thought I was keeping my stress levels fairly balanced. Even though I might have been frazzled on the inside, I felt that the picture I was portraying to the outside world was one of energy, youthfulness and inner calm.
It would seem I was wrong.
I was doing my grocery shopping this morning at a local store when the young gentleman on the checkout gave me a sharp dose of reality. When I say "young" gentleman, I'm guessing he was around 25 years old. As I cheerily began putting my produce away, he looked at me closely, and said "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" I didn't recognise him, and commented that I didn't think we had met before, but that I do have a common looking face, and people will quite often think they know me when they don't! "No, really" he said "you're very familiar to me, do you have kids that are my age, maybe I play soccer with them?"
After I resisted the urge to hit him over the head with my bag of kale, I pulled myself together, flashed him what I hoped was a withering smile and left.
I'll be honest with you. I was disappointed. I carry around an image of myself in my head, I think we all do. I believe there is a mismatch between the image of me in my head, and the real me on the outside! In my image, I really don't look like I might have kids who are 25 years old instead of 13 and 9.
Obviously, my new pace of life in the fast lane is having an outward impact after all, and it prompted me to look to my juice books and find a recipe for increasing skin glow and reducing wrinkles!!!!!!!!!
So here it is, the wrinkle busting juice -super-rich in vitamin C, and bursting with substances called anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins which among other things, have powerful protective and regenerative properties directly linked to collagen. It's easy to make, fabulously good for you, and tasty as well. I will be drinking it by the quart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if the checkout guy at Trader Joes will notice?
Happy Juicing
Jx
The Wrinkle Buster
2 apples
12oz pitted cherries
I make the apple juice using the juicer. Then buy a bag of frozen cherries (the aforementioned store do a good line in these!). Use a hand blender to whizz the cherries with the apple juice, making a delicious smoothie. You can make this using fresh cherries (which is better, but more expensive and harder to do at this time of year) but make sure to take the pits out first, before putting them through your juicer.
It would seem I was wrong.
I was doing my grocery shopping this morning at a local store when the young gentleman on the checkout gave me a sharp dose of reality. When I say "young" gentleman, I'm guessing he was around 25 years old. As I cheerily began putting my produce away, he looked at me closely, and said "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" I didn't recognise him, and commented that I didn't think we had met before, but that I do have a common looking face, and people will quite often think they know me when they don't! "No, really" he said "you're very familiar to me, do you have kids that are my age, maybe I play soccer with them?"
After I resisted the urge to hit him over the head with my bag of kale, I pulled myself together, flashed him what I hoped was a withering smile and left.
I'll be honest with you. I was disappointed. I carry around an image of myself in my head, I think we all do. I believe there is a mismatch between the image of me in my head, and the real me on the outside! In my image, I really don't look like I might have kids who are 25 years old instead of 13 and 9.
Obviously, my new pace of life in the fast lane is having an outward impact after all, and it prompted me to look to my juice books and find a recipe for increasing skin glow and reducing wrinkles!!!!!!!!!
So here it is, the wrinkle busting juice -super-rich in vitamin C, and bursting with substances called anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins which among other things, have powerful protective and regenerative properties directly linked to collagen. It's easy to make, fabulously good for you, and tasty as well. I will be drinking it by the quart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder if the checkout guy at Trader Joes will notice?
Happy Juicing
Jx
The Wrinkle Buster
2 apples
12oz pitted cherries
I make the apple juice using the juicer. Then buy a bag of frozen cherries (the aforementioned store do a good line in these!). Use a hand blender to whizz the cherries with the apple juice, making a delicious smoothie. You can make this using fresh cherries (which is better, but more expensive and harder to do at this time of year) but make sure to take the pits out first, before putting them through your juicer.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Juicing for the Holiday
I like to embrace the high days and holidays of my own religion and those of other religions which have an impact on me and my family. Since moving to the east coast, we have come to learn more about the Jewish faith, and some of the traditions which surround important Jewish festivals. One of my favourites is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. Those of you who know me personally, know I love a good fresh start! The calendar new year is also a high point for me, all that reflecting on what's happened over the last few months, all that looking forward to upcoming adventures and challenges for the months ahead. I just love it!
So, every year, at Rosh Hashanah, I encourage myself (and my poor long suffering family!) to embrace the idea of thinking about how we have behaved over the last year, have we tried to live well, act well and be well? In the areas where we find ourselves lacking, (and there are many!!) we try to think about how we might do better in the coming months and what we might focus on, to help us become kinder, more accepting and brighter people.
Part of our tradition is to go apple picking at some point, when the children are off from school. We have had some really "golden days", where the sun has shone, and we have gathered apples by the boxful. (We have also had freezing cold days where it rained, and the family's enthusiasm for my endeavour was sorely tested!!) The great bi-product of this is that we end up with a whole bunch of apples to eat, cook with, and JUICE!
So, this weeks recipe is in honour of Rosh Hashanah, and I hope it gives you a healthy sweet delight for a sweet year ahead.
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Sweet Apple Delight
4 apples
1/2 lemon (not peeled)
Wash the produce, then whizz them through the juicer. Serve over ice.
So, every year, at Rosh Hashanah, I encourage myself (and my poor long suffering family!) to embrace the idea of thinking about how we have behaved over the last year, have we tried to live well, act well and be well? In the areas where we find ourselves lacking, (and there are many!!) we try to think about how we might do better in the coming months and what we might focus on, to help us become kinder, more accepting and brighter people.
Part of our tradition is to go apple picking at some point, when the children are off from school. We have had some really "golden days", where the sun has shone, and we have gathered apples by the boxful. (We have also had freezing cold days where it rained, and the family's enthusiasm for my endeavour was sorely tested!!) The great bi-product of this is that we end up with a whole bunch of apples to eat, cook with, and JUICE!
So, this weeks recipe is in honour of Rosh Hashanah, and I hope it gives you a healthy sweet delight for a sweet year ahead.
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Sweet Apple Delight
4 apples
1/2 lemon (not peeled)
Wash the produce, then whizz them through the juicer. Serve over ice.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
You Can't Beat a Juicy Pear!!
When I was out grocery shopping at the weekend, I was delighted to see a glut of pears on display wherever I went. There are a number of different varieties available, and all of them make delicious juice. The other great news about pear juice is that you don’t have to wait until the pears are ripe before juicing them. This is particularly brilliant, as I don’t know about you, but I have great difficulty in choosing ripe pears in the store, so I buy slightly under ripe ones. I get them home and then I seem to wait and wait and wait and wait for them to get soft, and then all of a sudden, overnight they turn to mush!
Thankfully, you don’t need to worry about this when making pear juice, in fact slight under ripe pears work better through the juicer. Pears produce lots of thick, sweet and creamy juice. It can sometimes be too thick and sweet, which is why it’s best when combined with other fruits.
Pears are a valuable source of vitamins B6 and C and of copper. They are also are high in soluble fiber, similar to apples, making them good for the bowels and digestive tract.
Why not nip out and get a bag of pears to try this juice, you’ll be glad you did!
Pear-fectly Delicious
2 pears
2 carrots
1 thick slice pineapple
½ inch ginger root
Put everything through the juicer and enjoy. This juice can be a little thick, so you can either blend it with some ice to thin it down, add an extra carrot, or add some water.
Happy Juicing
Jx
Thankfully, you don’t need to worry about this when making pear juice, in fact slight under ripe pears work better through the juicer. Pears produce lots of thick, sweet and creamy juice. It can sometimes be too thick and sweet, which is why it’s best when combined with other fruits.
Pears are a valuable source of vitamins B6 and C and of copper. They are also are high in soluble fiber, similar to apples, making them good for the bowels and digestive tract.
Why not nip out and get a bag of pears to try this juice, you’ll be glad you did!
Pear-fectly Delicious
2 pears
2 carrots
1 thick slice pineapple
½ inch ginger root
Put everything through the juicer and enjoy. This juice can be a little thick, so you can either blend it with some ice to thin it down, add an extra carrot, or add some water.
Happy Juicing
Jx
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Getting Back to Normal
What a crazy few weeks it has been. How circumstances can change so quickly.
Events which have happened both here and elsewhere in the world have reminded me of how precious life is, and how the balance of life can be upset in a heartbeat. My thoughts go out to those who were seriously impacted by hurricane Irene. We were out of the country at the time, and it was just awful seeing the reports of what was happening here to friends and neighbors. It didn't seem like the right time to write a cheery blog post about a tasty juice, so I thought I would wait a couple of weeks.
Now, we enter the phase of getting back to normal - getting houses repaired, getting children off to school, getting yards fixed up. It's a lot of work, and a lot of stress.
I thought it might by helpful to give you a recipe for a restorative juice, to use when you've had a hard day,or are expecting one, when things just feel too hectic and you need to help your system recover and repair, giving it the energy it needs to deal with all the "stuff" that needs dealing with.
Restorative Stress Buster
1 handful English (of course!) parsley
5 carrots
2 apples
2 big handfuls spinach
2 stalks celery
Pack the greens into the juicer chute before you turn it on, then top with an apple, turn on, and push through the juicer. Juice the other ingredients.
This should make enough for two big glasses of juice, so share it with a friend, or put it in a flask to have at lunchtime.
The combination of vegetables will restore the balance of magnesium and potassium which can be lost during stressful times, as well as providing beta-carotene, zinc and vitamin C.
Here's to a good week!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Events which have happened both here and elsewhere in the world have reminded me of how precious life is, and how the balance of life can be upset in a heartbeat. My thoughts go out to those who were seriously impacted by hurricane Irene. We were out of the country at the time, and it was just awful seeing the reports of what was happening here to friends and neighbors. It didn't seem like the right time to write a cheery blog post about a tasty juice, so I thought I would wait a couple of weeks.
Now, we enter the phase of getting back to normal - getting houses repaired, getting children off to school, getting yards fixed up. It's a lot of work, and a lot of stress.
I thought it might by helpful to give you a recipe for a restorative juice, to use when you've had a hard day,or are expecting one, when things just feel too hectic and you need to help your system recover and repair, giving it the energy it needs to deal with all the "stuff" that needs dealing with.
Restorative Stress Buster
1 handful English (of course!) parsley
5 carrots
2 apples
2 big handfuls spinach
2 stalks celery
Pack the greens into the juicer chute before you turn it on, then top with an apple, turn on, and push through the juicer. Juice the other ingredients.
This should make enough for two big glasses of juice, so share it with a friend, or put it in a flask to have at lunchtime.
The combination of vegetables will restore the balance of magnesium and potassium which can be lost during stressful times, as well as providing beta-carotene, zinc and vitamin C.
Here's to a good week!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Just Peachy!
I have been enjoying being back at home, making the most of those creature comforts that I missed so much last week.
Getting out and about at the farmers markets and experimenting with different juices. I am often trying to work with specific ingredients in order to incorporate them into juices to help specific ailments, that's what juice therapy is all about.
Sometimes though, as I wander around my local store, or market, I am inspired to make something, with some great, fresh, local organic produce. That happened this week with peaches.
Aswell as being perfectly delicious, peaches are a great source of beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B3.
That being said, the main reason to try this weeks juice is because it is just decadently delicious, and can only be made with ripe, succulent, juicy peaches, just like you'll find in the store this week.
If you don't have a juicer, you can also make this by simply stoning the fruit, and putting it into your blender along with some ice. It will be thicker in texture and more like a smoothie, but just as fabulous.
Peachy Perfect
6 peaches
ice
Wash the peaches and stone them. Juice four of them, and add the juice to the remaining two peaches in a blender along with the ice. Whizz the lot together, pour into a pretty glass and relish every sip!
Happy juicing,
Jx
Getting out and about at the farmers markets and experimenting with different juices. I am often trying to work with specific ingredients in order to incorporate them into juices to help specific ailments, that's what juice therapy is all about.
Sometimes though, as I wander around my local store, or market, I am inspired to make something, with some great, fresh, local organic produce. That happened this week with peaches.
Aswell as being perfectly delicious, peaches are a great source of beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B3.
That being said, the main reason to try this weeks juice is because it is just decadently delicious, and can only be made with ripe, succulent, juicy peaches, just like you'll find in the store this week.
If you don't have a juicer, you can also make this by simply stoning the fruit, and putting it into your blender along with some ice. It will be thicker in texture and more like a smoothie, but just as fabulous.
Peachy Perfect
6 peaches
ice
Wash the peaches and stone them. Juice four of them, and add the juice to the remaining two peaches in a blender along with the ice. Whizz the lot together, pour into a pretty glass and relish every sip!
Happy juicing,
Jx
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Camping and Juicing.............
I've just returned from a week camping in beautiful Narragansett, Rhode Island. My husband was competing in the Providence Ironman 70.3 which took place on Sunday July 10th. My family and I love camping, and always manage to fit in a trip or two at some point throughout the summer. I'm always faced with the dilemma of what to do about my juicing though. Should I take my juicer along, and plug it into the outlet in the restroom area in the same way that half the campsite plugs in their iphones and computers? Is there a way of powering it up through the car outlet, in the same way that my children avidly charge up the batteries on their ipods? Has someone come up with a clever way to make a solar powered juicer???? It seems not, and so, I sadly left my juicer at home, and decided to do the best I could with what Narragansett had to offer in the juice department.
We left Friday, and so I stocked up with a massive green juice before we left, and took a flask with me for the journey.
Our first night under the stars proved that some tents are more waterproof than others, and after several hours of torrential rain, our tent was left seriously lacking. The only upside was that Mark got in some extra swim practise for his race!! Under normal circumstances I would have been reaching for my juicer first thing to give myself some extra ping for the morning, but that wasn't an option.
The next night saw us up at 3am in order to drive the hour away to the start of the race. My children are great supporters of their Dad, but this challenged even their enthusiasm! However, we got into the spirit of things and had a good day cheering on the amazing athletes who challenge themselves to their limits. I must admit that by this point I too was feeling quite challenged, and really was missing my juice!
You would think we would get a good nights sleep, that we'd kind of deserved a break by this point, but no, mother nature was really out to show us who was boss on this trip. In anticipation of the weather forecast, we covered the tent in plastic sheeting tied down by string. Just as well. At 3am the heavens opened, and we were under the most vicious thunderstorm I have ever witnessed. The plastic sheeting held up, the tent remained relatively dry, but we were terrified that we were about to get struck down by lightning at any point - and Archie, my son, slept through the whole thing!
Monday morning dawned bright and clear, but by this time I was having quite a large sense of humour failure and was suffering from quite serious juice withdrawal symptoms! A detox in reverse!
The remainder of our trip passed relatively uneventfully, just the usual sprinkling of crazy campers, insect bites, earwigs, and frozen squid for fish bait leaking in the back of the car.
You can only imagine my joy as we pulled into our drive last night after a long drive home.
With relish I pulled out my juicer and made my favourite go to juice. A green delight of apples, kale, romaine lettuce, lemon, spirulina and wheatgrass, all blended with ice. Fantastic.
This camping trip gave me the break from my routine which showed me how much I really value my juicy lifestyle and the benefits that it gives me. I think perhaps I had become a little complacent about it, like we do about so many things. It's so easy to take things for granted when it becomes part of our everyday wallpaper.
This morning I feel like a new woman. I am marvelling at how lucky we are to have a microwave, a cooker, clean bedding, no bugs, a roof that doesn't leak and most importantly a juicer!!!
Below is my go to Green Juice, give it a try - I'm going to be drinking it all day!!
Green Juice
1 head romaine lettuce
1 big handful kale
2 apples
1/2 lemon
1 tsp spirulina
1 tsp wheatgrass
ice
Juice the first four ingredients, then add the spriulina and wheatgrass powders along with a handful of ice and whizz with a hand blender.
We left Friday, and so I stocked up with a massive green juice before we left, and took a flask with me for the journey.
Our first night under the stars proved that some tents are more waterproof than others, and after several hours of torrential rain, our tent was left seriously lacking. The only upside was that Mark got in some extra swim practise for his race!! Under normal circumstances I would have been reaching for my juicer first thing to give myself some extra ping for the morning, but that wasn't an option.
The next night saw us up at 3am in order to drive the hour away to the start of the race. My children are great supporters of their Dad, but this challenged even their enthusiasm! However, we got into the spirit of things and had a good day cheering on the amazing athletes who challenge themselves to their limits. I must admit that by this point I too was feeling quite challenged, and really was missing my juice!
You would think we would get a good nights sleep, that we'd kind of deserved a break by this point, but no, mother nature was really out to show us who was boss on this trip. In anticipation of the weather forecast, we covered the tent in plastic sheeting tied down by string. Just as well. At 3am the heavens opened, and we were under the most vicious thunderstorm I have ever witnessed. The plastic sheeting held up, the tent remained relatively dry, but we were terrified that we were about to get struck down by lightning at any point - and Archie, my son, slept through the whole thing!
Monday morning dawned bright and clear, but by this time I was having quite a large sense of humour failure and was suffering from quite serious juice withdrawal symptoms! A detox in reverse!
The remainder of our trip passed relatively uneventfully, just the usual sprinkling of crazy campers, insect bites, earwigs, and frozen squid for fish bait leaking in the back of the car.
You can only imagine my joy as we pulled into our drive last night after a long drive home.
With relish I pulled out my juicer and made my favourite go to juice. A green delight of apples, kale, romaine lettuce, lemon, spirulina and wheatgrass, all blended with ice. Fantastic.
This camping trip gave me the break from my routine which showed me how much I really value my juicy lifestyle and the benefits that it gives me. I think perhaps I had become a little complacent about it, like we do about so many things. It's so easy to take things for granted when it becomes part of our everyday wallpaper.
This morning I feel like a new woman. I am marvelling at how lucky we are to have a microwave, a cooker, clean bedding, no bugs, a roof that doesn't leak and most importantly a juicer!!!
Below is my go to Green Juice, give it a try - I'm going to be drinking it all day!!
Green Juice
1 head romaine lettuce
1 big handful kale
2 apples
1/2 lemon
1 tsp spirulina
1 tsp wheatgrass
ice
Juice the first four ingredients, then add the spriulina and wheatgrass powders along with a handful of ice and whizz with a hand blender.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Red, White and ..................
With the fourth of July weekend rapidly approaching, I wanted to give you a juice recipe that you could serve at a party or barbecue which would be both festive and healthful.
In almost every magazine issued in June/July there will be a recipe for a red white and blue smoothie which involves, blueberries, strawberries and a creamy vanilla something or other. I love these smoothies too, and they make very colourful additions to any table. However, I thought something a little different might be in order.
Coupled with the fact that the farmers markets are just bursting with fresh local produce right now, this is a great excuse to get down to your local market and pick up the main ingredient for this juice - tomatoes!
It's a classic, spicy tomato juice, but believe me, when you've tasted it made with fresh tomatoes, the stuff you get in the can just won't cut it anymore!
What you should know is that the tomato is the fantastic source of lycopene which is part of the family of pigments called carotenoids. Lycopene has been shown to be incredibly useful in disease prevention and in the fight against cancer.
There's only one problem with this recipe, and that's the blue. The red comes from the tomato obviously, the white comes from the ice, so I suggest that the blue can come from the colour of the cocktail napkin that you serve it on!!
Spicy Tomato Juice
3 big ripe tomatoes
2 stalks celery
1/4 lemon (rind on)
Fennel slice
1/4 cucumber
So, put everything through the juicer and pour over ice. I add some Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco, and of course to really spice up your party, you could add a shot of vodka - who says juicing can't be fun!!
In almost every magazine issued in June/July there will be a recipe for a red white and blue smoothie which involves, blueberries, strawberries and a creamy vanilla something or other. I love these smoothies too, and they make very colourful additions to any table. However, I thought something a little different might be in order.
Coupled with the fact that the farmers markets are just bursting with fresh local produce right now, this is a great excuse to get down to your local market and pick up the main ingredient for this juice - tomatoes!
It's a classic, spicy tomato juice, but believe me, when you've tasted it made with fresh tomatoes, the stuff you get in the can just won't cut it anymore!
What you should know is that the tomato is the fantastic source of lycopene which is part of the family of pigments called carotenoids. Lycopene has been shown to be incredibly useful in disease prevention and in the fight against cancer.
There's only one problem with this recipe, and that's the blue. The red comes from the tomato obviously, the white comes from the ice, so I suggest that the blue can come from the colour of the cocktail napkin that you serve it on!!
Spicy Tomato Juice
3 big ripe tomatoes
2 stalks celery
1/4 lemon (rind on)
Fennel slice
1/4 cucumber
So, put everything through the juicer and pour over ice. I add some Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco, and of course to really spice up your party, you could add a shot of vodka - who says juicing can't be fun!!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Juice Therapy to Ease the Pressure
Having written a few blog posts now, I wanted to go back to basics and talk about what Natural Juice Therapy really is, and how it can help some common complaints that get us down.
The basic theory is that when our bodies are lacking in some vitamin, mineral or enzyme, we become out of balance and suffer from "dis-ease" literally. This can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, perhaps with a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis, maybe asthma, arthritis, stomach pains, acid reflux, high blood pressure. Sadly, the list is long.
Natural juice therapy seeks to re balance the body, by flooding our cells with the appropriate vitamins, minerals and enzymes in a form which the body can use almost instantly, without having to digest it and process it first. In this way, we hope to redress the internal balance, and give the body the tools it needs to heal itself. At times when our bodies are fighting disease, giving the digestive system a break, and allowing that energy to be used elsewhere, whilst at the same time providing total nutrition, can be just the thing a body needs to help in the process of recovery.
Of course, it's important when considering using juice in a therapeutic way, to take the advice of your health care professional. You wouldn't want to suddenly come off your high blood pressure medicine and go on a strict regime of spinach and beetroot juice! However, incorporating specific juices into your diet, in order to help with specific conditions can be incredibly effective in the search for great health and vitality.
So, this weeks juice is one which you might choose to make and enjoy if high blood pressure is indeed one of your issues.
High blood pressure can be caused by the major blood vessels leading from the heart and lungs becoming furred up and constricted. The elasticity of the arterial walls is reduced, making the vessels very stiff. This increases the internal pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries and makes the blood pressure very high. The juice below contains spinach, carrots and beetroot all of which are known to be beneficial blood cleansers, clearing the blood of impurities which might otherwise be left behind to clog up the blood vessels. Apples contain pectin which is a soluble fibre and can help refine impurities from the blood stream and also help to clean the blood. Of course you need to have a sensible diet too, it's no good downing this juice three times a day then going out, having a burger and fries and expecting to see your blood pressure come down!
Whatever you do, don't change any of your medications, but try drinking this two or three times a day, for a week or so, and see if you feel any difference? The beautiful thing about juice, is that you can't do yourself any harm at all. Only good. There aren't many things that you can do to excess with no downside now are there?! Why not give it a try?
No Pressure
Spinach (a handful)
Carrots 3, unpeeled
Apple 1, unpeeled
Beetroot 1 medium, unpeeled with leaves
Put the spinach in the blender before turning it on, pack it down into the chute, then put the apple on top, and turn on the machine. Whizz everything else through, and serve over ice.
Happy Juicing,
Jx
The basic theory is that when our bodies are lacking in some vitamin, mineral or enzyme, we become out of balance and suffer from "dis-ease" literally. This can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, perhaps with a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis, maybe asthma, arthritis, stomach pains, acid reflux, high blood pressure. Sadly, the list is long.
Natural juice therapy seeks to re balance the body, by flooding our cells with the appropriate vitamins, minerals and enzymes in a form which the body can use almost instantly, without having to digest it and process it first. In this way, we hope to redress the internal balance, and give the body the tools it needs to heal itself. At times when our bodies are fighting disease, giving the digestive system a break, and allowing that energy to be used elsewhere, whilst at the same time providing total nutrition, can be just the thing a body needs to help in the process of recovery.
Of course, it's important when considering using juice in a therapeutic way, to take the advice of your health care professional. You wouldn't want to suddenly come off your high blood pressure medicine and go on a strict regime of spinach and beetroot juice! However, incorporating specific juices into your diet, in order to help with specific conditions can be incredibly effective in the search for great health and vitality.
So, this weeks juice is one which you might choose to make and enjoy if high blood pressure is indeed one of your issues.
High blood pressure can be caused by the major blood vessels leading from the heart and lungs becoming furred up and constricted. The elasticity of the arterial walls is reduced, making the vessels very stiff. This increases the internal pressure of the blood flowing through the arteries and makes the blood pressure very high. The juice below contains spinach, carrots and beetroot all of which are known to be beneficial blood cleansers, clearing the blood of impurities which might otherwise be left behind to clog up the blood vessels. Apples contain pectin which is a soluble fibre and can help refine impurities from the blood stream and also help to clean the blood. Of course you need to have a sensible diet too, it's no good downing this juice three times a day then going out, having a burger and fries and expecting to see your blood pressure come down!
Whatever you do, don't change any of your medications, but try drinking this two or three times a day, for a week or so, and see if you feel any difference? The beautiful thing about juice, is that you can't do yourself any harm at all. Only good. There aren't many things that you can do to excess with no downside now are there?! Why not give it a try?
No Pressure
Spinach (a handful)
Carrots 3, unpeeled
Apple 1, unpeeled
Beetroot 1 medium, unpeeled with leaves
Put the spinach in the blender before turning it on, pack it down into the chute, then put the apple on top, and turn on the machine. Whizz everything else through, and serve over ice.
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Hot, Hot Hot!!!
You know it's hot when the Jones put on their air conditioning.
It's something that I instinctively fight against. I'd love to say it's because I'm trying to help the environment by not using the electricity, or because I'm trying to save money by not turning on the air conditioning system to keep my house cool. But really, it's because I love the heat. I love that it's too hot to sleep well, that every window and door in my house is open and that it's not cold!
For so long I was bundled up in fleece and wool, praying for the day when I could leave the house without adding several layers to my already bundled up body, and finally, those days are here! Why would I want to make my house cold again???
However. Tonight, I turned on the air conditioning. It's really hot.
The schools are advising that the children will be allowed to bring extra water to school tomorrow, they won't be running around outside and parents are allowed to collect them early if they are concerned. It must be really hot.
So, this weeks juice is double winner, a delicious sparkling juice which can also be turned into a fantastically refreshing popsicle for when the kids come home from school, ready to burn off all the energy they've not been allowed to burn at school!!!
Seriously, when the weather is like this, hydration is critical. Juice can be a good way to stay hydrated and still get valuable nutrition into your system. It's also helpful for children who don't like to drink straight water, diluting juice helps them get more water into their hot little bodies in a tasty way.
Thirst Quencher
2 grapefruits
2 oranges
1 pear
1/4 pineapple
1/2 a lime
Peel the grapefruit and oranges, then whizz everything through the juicer.
To make a delcious fizzy quencher, pour juice into a glass until it's about half full, add some ice and sparkling water to the juice. To make fantastically fun popsicles, pour the non diluted juice into the popsicle molds and put in the freezer for 4 hours or so. Really yummy!
So, for those of reading this in the tri state area, keep cool out there over the next few days! For those of you reading this in less sunny climes, turn on the heating and try it anyway!!!!!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
It's something that I instinctively fight against. I'd love to say it's because I'm trying to help the environment by not using the electricity, or because I'm trying to save money by not turning on the air conditioning system to keep my house cool. But really, it's because I love the heat. I love that it's too hot to sleep well, that every window and door in my house is open and that it's not cold!
For so long I was bundled up in fleece and wool, praying for the day when I could leave the house without adding several layers to my already bundled up body, and finally, those days are here! Why would I want to make my house cold again???
However. Tonight, I turned on the air conditioning. It's really hot.
The schools are advising that the children will be allowed to bring extra water to school tomorrow, they won't be running around outside and parents are allowed to collect them early if they are concerned. It must be really hot.
So, this weeks juice is double winner, a delicious sparkling juice which can also be turned into a fantastically refreshing popsicle for when the kids come home from school, ready to burn off all the energy they've not been allowed to burn at school!!!
Seriously, when the weather is like this, hydration is critical. Juice can be a good way to stay hydrated and still get valuable nutrition into your system. It's also helpful for children who don't like to drink straight water, diluting juice helps them get more water into their hot little bodies in a tasty way.
Thirst Quencher
2 grapefruits
2 oranges
1 pear
1/4 pineapple
1/2 a lime
Peel the grapefruit and oranges, then whizz everything through the juicer.
To make a delcious fizzy quencher, pour juice into a glass until it's about half full, add some ice and sparkling water to the juice. To make fantastically fun popsicles, pour the non diluted juice into the popsicle molds and put in the freezer for 4 hours or so. Really yummy!
So, for those of reading this in the tri state area, keep cool out there over the next few days! For those of you reading this in less sunny climes, turn on the heating and try it anyway!!!!!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Metabolic Boost!
There's an expression that my granny used to say which was “ne’er cast a cloot, til May is oot”. She was from Edinburgh, Scotland, and roughly translated it means “ don’t put away your winter woollies until the end of May, or you’ll end up freezing cold and wet!” I would say this year, she was on the money‼
However, now that June is here, it seems we have turned a corner. The dull days do seem to be over (hope I’m not speaking too soon!) and the lazy hazy days of summer are feeling tantilizingly near. I am feeling confident enough to put away the majority of my winter woollies, and bring out the shorts and t-shirts. You’re probably doing the same. However, as we dig out the short shorts, bikinis and swim shorts, the short sleeved shirts and skimpy sundresses, it’s worth doing a bit of an assessment as to the state of the affairs in the body department. In my house at least, it seems that the extended winter months have taken their toll, and the warm comfort food, the casseroles, breads, cakes and cookies have found themselves sitting comfortably in areas where they really shouldn’t be and aren’t appreciated!
I was therefore thrilled when reading one of my juicing books, to find a recipe for a metabolism boosting juice which I am really enjoying and it is certainly getting me zinging again! That and the regular 30 minutes running with Abby the retriever, and I am soon going to be feeling ready to put my gardening shorts on in public!
Here’s the recipe, it really is delicious.
Metabolic Boost Juice
1 tomato
3 sprigs parsley
2 sticks celery
1 orange
1 spring onion
1 grapefruit
1 radish
1 medium red or green pepper
Peel the grapefruit and de-seed the pepper. Wash all ingredients, trim, chop and put through the juicer.
The pepper, tomatoes, parsley and orange are all rich in bioflavonoids to support the capillaries. The grapefruit stimulates fat metabolism and celery helps to remove excess fluid. It's a fat melting, metabolism boosting glory in a glass!
Happy Juicing
Jx
However, now that June is here, it seems we have turned a corner. The dull days do seem to be over (hope I’m not speaking too soon!) and the lazy hazy days of summer are feeling tantilizingly near. I am feeling confident enough to put away the majority of my winter woollies, and bring out the shorts and t-shirts. You’re probably doing the same. However, as we dig out the short shorts, bikinis and swim shorts, the short sleeved shirts and skimpy sundresses, it’s worth doing a bit of an assessment as to the state of the affairs in the body department. In my house at least, it seems that the extended winter months have taken their toll, and the warm comfort food, the casseroles, breads, cakes and cookies have found themselves sitting comfortably in areas where they really shouldn’t be and aren’t appreciated!
I was therefore thrilled when reading one of my juicing books, to find a recipe for a metabolism boosting juice which I am really enjoying and it is certainly getting me zinging again! That and the regular 30 minutes running with Abby the retriever, and I am soon going to be feeling ready to put my gardening shorts on in public!
Here’s the recipe, it really is delicious.
Metabolic Boost Juice
1 tomato
3 sprigs parsley
2 sticks celery
1 orange
1 spring onion
1 grapefruit
1 radish
1 medium red or green pepper
Peel the grapefruit and de-seed the pepper. Wash all ingredients, trim, chop and put through the juicer.
The pepper, tomatoes, parsley and orange are all rich in bioflavonoids to support the capillaries. The grapefruit stimulates fat metabolism and celery helps to remove excess fluid. It's a fat melting, metabolism boosting glory in a glass!
Happy Juicing
Jx
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Exercise is just like brushing your teeth!
So far in this blog I have focused on the benefits of vegetable and fruit juicing. But I did promise to talk about fitness too. I am a qualified American College of Sports Medicine personal trainer and enjoy a full range of fitness activities.
One of the things I have learned over the last few years, is that you can't keep in shape without exercising to keep in shape! It sounds obvious, but so many of us optimistically hope that we'll be able to continue to eat and drink as we like without any consequence to our waistline, or our feeling of well being.
Exercise is like brushing your teeth - you can't maintain cavity free teeth and a healthy mouth, without brushing twice a day. We don't question it, we just do it, it's part of the job when looking to maintain a healthy body, and we encourage our children to do it too. Exercise needs to take the same priority in our daily lives. You won't be able to keep your body in good shape and your heart healthy without flexing those muscles and increasing your heart rate every day. Just as you wouldn't dream of going out of the house before giving your "pearly whites" a good scrub, you need to feel the same about giving your heart a good workout every single day. We need to educate our children too, that exercise must become part of their daily routine.
Many people in this community are very physically active, enjoying triathlons, biking, running, walking, soccer etc. You only have to walk down Wyoming Avenue on a Saturday or Sunday morning to see people getting out there and getting on with it. Now, some of these people will be exercising because they just love to get out there and run, bike, or walk. Perhaps others will be pounding the pavement because maybe they have got the message. The message that exercise is a necessary part of everyday body health care - it's not a choice if you want to stay healthy and active as the years go by.
I believe the solution to everyday exercise is to find something that you are able to fit into your daily routine and then just accept the fact that it needs to be done every day, no debate, no questions. Maybe you can combine it with something else, another job that needs doing, so that you can multi task to get both things done - walking the kids to school and then taking the long way home perhaps, walking to the store to get the groceries and then carrying the bags home, cycling to the next town to meet friends instead of driving, cycling with the kids to soccer practise instead of driving.
Recently I have started running with my golden retriever Abby. My dog needs at least 30 minutes exercise every day, and so do I. By putting the two together, I am able to combine two things which I need to do every day, and we are both loving it!
So, this weeks juice recipe is a reward for those of you who are inspired to take up the challenge of 30 minutes exercise every day. Try it for a week. It's said that it takes seven days to establish a new habit. Make this the week that you try to make exercising a great new habit. When you come home, this great post-workout juice will give you a good energy boost to get you through the day.
Post Workout Treat
6 carrots
1 apple
1 stick celery
1" piece ginger
1/4 pineapple
1/2 a lime with peel on
Simply push all the ingredients through the juicer and enjoy!
Happy Juicing, and Happy Exercising!!!!!
Jx
One of the things I have learned over the last few years, is that you can't keep in shape without exercising to keep in shape! It sounds obvious, but so many of us optimistically hope that we'll be able to continue to eat and drink as we like without any consequence to our waistline, or our feeling of well being.
Exercise is like brushing your teeth - you can't maintain cavity free teeth and a healthy mouth, without brushing twice a day. We don't question it, we just do it, it's part of the job when looking to maintain a healthy body, and we encourage our children to do it too. Exercise needs to take the same priority in our daily lives. You won't be able to keep your body in good shape and your heart healthy without flexing those muscles and increasing your heart rate every day. Just as you wouldn't dream of going out of the house before giving your "pearly whites" a good scrub, you need to feel the same about giving your heart a good workout every single day. We need to educate our children too, that exercise must become part of their daily routine.
Many people in this community are very physically active, enjoying triathlons, biking, running, walking, soccer etc. You only have to walk down Wyoming Avenue on a Saturday or Sunday morning to see people getting out there and getting on with it. Now, some of these people will be exercising because they just love to get out there and run, bike, or walk. Perhaps others will be pounding the pavement because maybe they have got the message. The message that exercise is a necessary part of everyday body health care - it's not a choice if you want to stay healthy and active as the years go by.
I believe the solution to everyday exercise is to find something that you are able to fit into your daily routine and then just accept the fact that it needs to be done every day, no debate, no questions. Maybe you can combine it with something else, another job that needs doing, so that you can multi task to get both things done - walking the kids to school and then taking the long way home perhaps, walking to the store to get the groceries and then carrying the bags home, cycling to the next town to meet friends instead of driving, cycling with the kids to soccer practise instead of driving.
Recently I have started running with my golden retriever Abby. My dog needs at least 30 minutes exercise every day, and so do I. By putting the two together, I am able to combine two things which I need to do every day, and we are both loving it!
So, this weeks juice recipe is a reward for those of you who are inspired to take up the challenge of 30 minutes exercise every day. Try it for a week. It's said that it takes seven days to establish a new habit. Make this the week that you try to make exercising a great new habit. When you come home, this great post-workout juice will give you a good energy boost to get you through the day.
Post Workout Treat
6 carrots
1 apple
1 stick celery
1" piece ginger
1/4 pineapple
1/2 a lime with peel on
Simply push all the ingredients through the juicer and enjoy!
Happy Juicing, and Happy Exercising!!!!!
Jx
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A Glass of Salad Anyone?
This week, I was out for dinner with the family, enjoying a delicious meal. I ordered a beet and orange salad as an appetizer and was not disappointed in the result. The way the taste of the earthy beetroot was offset by the sweetness of the orange was delicious. I suddenly thought what a great juice this would make, and how good for you it would be!
Beetroots are one of nature's finest blood builders and cleansers, so can be very useful in the treatment of high blood pressure, and also anaemia. Although they are a vegetable, they have a surprisingly sweet taste, so work well in a number of different vegetable juices.
As with the salad, the addition of the orange juice cuts through the earthiness of the beet flavour, making it much more palatable.
The grated carrots on the top of the salad gave me the idea of incorporating the great beta-carotene king carrot into the juice too.
Now of course the real benefit comes in turning these great flavours into a juice, because your juicing machine has already done the digestive work for you, so that your body can access the vitamins and minerals much more quickly and efficiently. you get all the flavour and benefits without the work!
I highly recommend giving this recipe a try - it really is delicious, and your blood cells will thank you for it!
Beautiful Beet
1 beetroot (washed but not peeled)
3 oranges (peeled)
6 carrots (washed but not peeled)
Put everything through your juicer. You'll end up with a gorgeous rich pink/purple juice which is sweet and creamy. Enjoy!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Beetroots are one of nature's finest blood builders and cleansers, so can be very useful in the treatment of high blood pressure, and also anaemia. Although they are a vegetable, they have a surprisingly sweet taste, so work well in a number of different vegetable juices.
As with the salad, the addition of the orange juice cuts through the earthiness of the beet flavour, making it much more palatable.
The grated carrots on the top of the salad gave me the idea of incorporating the great beta-carotene king carrot into the juice too.
Now of course the real benefit comes in turning these great flavours into a juice, because your juicing machine has already done the digestive work for you, so that your body can access the vitamins and minerals much more quickly and efficiently. you get all the flavour and benefits without the work!
I highly recommend giving this recipe a try - it really is delicious, and your blood cells will thank you for it!
Beautiful Beet
1 beetroot (washed but not peeled)
3 oranges (peeled)
6 carrots (washed but not peeled)
Put everything through your juicer. You'll end up with a gorgeous rich pink/purple juice which is sweet and creamy. Enjoy!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Good Housekeeping
This week I'm preparing to welcome my parents who will be visiting with us from Dinnet in Scotland, UK. I'm so excited to have them come, I get butterflies in my tummy when I think about it. My Mum was the one who first got me into juicing, when, many years ago, she embarked on a programme by UK juicing guru Jason Vale. Inspired by her success with weight loss, glowing skin and improved overall health, I too bought a juicer and followed in her footsteps.
However, as I scurry around my house, trying to make sure that all the dust bunnies are swept away, that the windows are sparkling and the floors shining, I find myself drawing one or two analogies about both my "housekeeping" and my "bodykeeping" if you will.
Our bodies are like our houses. They are where we live. They need regular care and maintenance to make sure they don't fall down, or develop dry rot. They need decorating (at least that's what I call those trips to the Mall!) and exercising to make sure they look nice, inside and out. Our homes like our bodies should be a source of pride to us, a place where we feel comfortable and safe, but they do require looking after.
So, it occurred to me that my big Spring Clean in preparation for my parent's visit, is like a "Juice Fest" or "Detox". Where I give my body a chance to clear out all the rubbish that has been gathering over the last few months. I give my digestive system a break, and allow the extra energy to be used on other body systems, making sure that all the cells in my body have everything they need to function better. So in the same way as my vacuum cleaner sucks up all the dust bunnies from under the beds, so, my liver helps to suck up and eliminate all the toxins that have been lurking in my body!
With that in mind, I offer you my Spring Clean Juice. If you have one of these tasty juices every day for a week, as well as plenty of water, and some moderate exercise, you'll be well on the way to a "cleaner house" for you to live in!
Remember, if you don't look after your body, you'll have nowhere to live!
Spring Clean Juice
3 carrots
1 beetroot
1/2 red pepper (deseeded)
1 handful parsley
1 handful spinach
Put everything through the juicer, packing down the greenery first before you turn the juicer on. This juice is super rich in vitamins A, C and E. Rich in folic acid and potassium it also contains useful amounts of some B vitamins.
Happy Juicing
Jx
However, as I scurry around my house, trying to make sure that all the dust bunnies are swept away, that the windows are sparkling and the floors shining, I find myself drawing one or two analogies about both my "housekeeping" and my "bodykeeping" if you will.
Our bodies are like our houses. They are where we live. They need regular care and maintenance to make sure they don't fall down, or develop dry rot. They need decorating (at least that's what I call those trips to the Mall!) and exercising to make sure they look nice, inside and out. Our homes like our bodies should be a source of pride to us, a place where we feel comfortable and safe, but they do require looking after.
So, it occurred to me that my big Spring Clean in preparation for my parent's visit, is like a "Juice Fest" or "Detox". Where I give my body a chance to clear out all the rubbish that has been gathering over the last few months. I give my digestive system a break, and allow the extra energy to be used on other body systems, making sure that all the cells in my body have everything they need to function better. So in the same way as my vacuum cleaner sucks up all the dust bunnies from under the beds, so, my liver helps to suck up and eliminate all the toxins that have been lurking in my body!
With that in mind, I offer you my Spring Clean Juice. If you have one of these tasty juices every day for a week, as well as plenty of water, and some moderate exercise, you'll be well on the way to a "cleaner house" for you to live in!
Remember, if you don't look after your body, you'll have nowhere to live!
Spring Clean Juice
3 carrots
1 beetroot
1/2 red pepper (deseeded)
1 handful parsley
1 handful spinach
Put everything through the juicer, packing down the greenery first before you turn the juicer on. This juice is super rich in vitamins A, C and E. Rich in folic acid and potassium it also contains useful amounts of some B vitamins.
Happy Juicing
Jx
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Life Saver
It's been an exciting week here at Jane's Juice. I had my first Juice Party earlier in the week. Hosted by my good friend Rita, a group of interested ladies were able to participate in an informative and tasty session on how to prepare and incorporate juices into their every day routines. It was so much fun to share my passion for juicing with such a fun group of people. Thanks Girls! If YOU are interested in learning more about how to use juicing to help you and your family then check out the link to the right marked "juicer demonstrations" to find out more, or drop me an email and I'd be glad to talk through ideas with you. And now, on to this weeks recipe............
This is just the juice to revive you on a day when you wake up feeling just a bit below par. Whether it's because you've had a hectic weekend, your "to do" list is getting longer, or you have exams coming up. If you're feeling tense, anxious and irritable, as well as being run down, then this is the cure. Try having one glass a day for a week and before you know it, you'll be feeling much perkier.
Lettuce contains substances known as lactones, and was used by the ancient Assyrians as a mild sedative. This helps to make the Life Saver an ideal calming and restorative juice, good for children recovering from illness.
Life Saver
3 apples
2 oranges (peeled but leaving the pith behind)
1 lemon, with peel
1 head romaine lettuce
Put everything through the juicer, and enjoy!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
This is just the juice to revive you on a day when you wake up feeling just a bit below par. Whether it's because you've had a hectic weekend, your "to do" list is getting longer, or you have exams coming up. If you're feeling tense, anxious and irritable, as well as being run down, then this is the cure. Try having one glass a day for a week and before you know it, you'll be feeling much perkier.
Lettuce contains substances known as lactones, and was used by the ancient Assyrians as a mild sedative. This helps to make the Life Saver an ideal calming and restorative juice, good for children recovering from illness.
Life Saver
3 apples
2 oranges (peeled but leaving the pith behind)
1 lemon, with peel
1 head romaine lettuce
Put everything through the juicer, and enjoy!
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Just Because..........................
I spend a lot of time thinking about what juices to make, depending on how I'm feeling, or how someone in the family is feeling. If one of the kids has a bit of a sniffle, then I make a big lemony based citrus juice, if someone has an upset stomach, then i tend to lean more towards an apple based juice, with a bit of ginger thrown in if there's nausea.
This week however, I stood in front of my juicer, and was grateful that everyone seemed in pretty good health (touch wood!!), and so I decided to make something just delicious!
With help from my son, Archie, I put these ingredients through the juicer, and created a gorgeous, creamy, smooth juice which was an amazing golden yellow colour and which felt like we were drinking sunshine!
Juicing is great for helping to furnish our bodies with the things which we might be lacking, but we mustn't forget, that sometimes its lovely to make a juice just because ...........it's delicious!
Pineapple Ping!
1/2 a ripe pineapple
2 grapefruits
2 oranges
1 lime
Juice the lot and serve over lots of ice.
Happy Juicing!
Jx
This week however, I stood in front of my juicer, and was grateful that everyone seemed in pretty good health (touch wood!!), and so I decided to make something just delicious!
With help from my son, Archie, I put these ingredients through the juicer, and created a gorgeous, creamy, smooth juice which was an amazing golden yellow colour and which felt like we were drinking sunshine!
Juicing is great for helping to furnish our bodies with the things which we might be lacking, but we mustn't forget, that sometimes its lovely to make a juice just because ...........it's delicious!
Pineapple Ping!
1/2 a ripe pineapple
2 grapefruits
2 oranges
1 lime
Juice the lot and serve over lots of ice.
Happy Juicing!
Jx
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Apple Free!
It's very exciting to realise that people are actually reading my blog, and that it is prompting some discussions about what to juice, what tastes good, what people hate to juice, and interestingly, what people are allergic to.
In a recent conversation, the issue of an allergy to apples came up, and I realised that nearly all my posts (with the exception of the Very Berry Smoothie) contained apples; with good reason, I might add, as apple juice is superbly good for you - rich in beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur!
However, if you're allergic to apples that doesn't really help! So, Dave, this weeks juice contains no apple, but is still choc full of goodies to keep you firing on all cylinders.
In fact, this weeks juice is more of a protective one. There have been a number of people complaining of sore throats this week, so if you're one of them, try this and see if it helps!
Cucumber Soother
3 carrots
2 sticks celery
1 small pineapple
6 fresh sage leaves
Half a cucumber
The healing properties of carrots combine well with the soothing effect of cucumber on the mucous membranes, and the diuretic action of celery reduces swelling of the tonsils, adenoids and throat. Add sage, which is powerfully antiseptic and a traditional remedy for all mouth and throat problems and, ladies and gentlemen, you have a winner!
Happy Juicing
Jx
In a recent conversation, the issue of an allergy to apples came up, and I realised that nearly all my posts (with the exception of the Very Berry Smoothie) contained apples; with good reason, I might add, as apple juice is superbly good for you - rich in beta-carotene, folic acid and vitamin C, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur!
However, if you're allergic to apples that doesn't really help! So, Dave, this weeks juice contains no apple, but is still choc full of goodies to keep you firing on all cylinders.
In fact, this weeks juice is more of a protective one. There have been a number of people complaining of sore throats this week, so if you're one of them, try this and see if it helps!
Cucumber Soother
3 carrots
2 sticks celery
1 small pineapple
6 fresh sage leaves
Half a cucumber
The healing properties of carrots combine well with the soothing effect of cucumber on the mucous membranes, and the diuretic action of celery reduces swelling of the tonsils, adenoids and throat. Add sage, which is powerfully antiseptic and a traditional remedy for all mouth and throat problems and, ladies and gentlemen, you have a winner!
Happy Juicing
Jx
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Spring Greens! (But the Colour Purple!)
This week, we are going to add some green ingredients to the juice, building on the apple and carrot base which you have been using in previous weeks. By using the base with which you are familiar, you can begin to add some more "taste challenging" vegetable juices, but by mixing them with the familiar taste, you're less aware of the earthiness of some of the flavours.
Cleansing Spring Greens (But Purple!!)
4 carrots
2 apples
1 palm sized raw beetroot
1/4 lime (leave peel on)
2 sticks celery
1/2 medium cucumber
good handful spinach
If you have a juicer, or if you're renting one from me (click on the tab on the right hand side of the page for details), then you will more than likely have a centrifugal one. To get the most juice out of your green leafy veggies, you need to pack them down into the chute of the juicer before you turn it on, then pop an apple down to sit on top of them. When you turn the juicer on, do so on it's lowest speed whilst the leafy greens, in this case spinach go through, then turn it up to the higher speed to push everything else through.
This is a really tasty juice, especially if you have it served over ice. The colour can be a bit off putting, but once you taste it you'll realise how yummy it is!
Now here's another tip. A serving size of juice is really about 8oz, a tall glass full. My recipes often make more than that - so what to do with the leftovers? If you can, persuade your children to try a little, but if you're still left with some, get yourself a thermos flask.
Keep the empty thermos in the freezer, then when you've finished juicing, but the remainder into the flask, where it will stay deliciously cold for you to enjoy later in the day, ideally keep it in a fridge untill you're ready to drink it.
Vegetable juice is best taken, right from the juicer, before the nutrients have a chance to deteriorate at all, but the next best thing is to keep it as cold as possible and in an airtight container.
Keeping the juice in the flask gives you access to the best juice you can get hold of. You know exactly how it was made, where it came from, and that it's as fresh as you can get. Whilst it's not quite as good as the juice you will have had earlier, it will be infinately better than anything you can buy in the store, or get delievered to your home.
Try it!
Happy Juicing!
Jx
Cleansing Spring Greens (But Purple!!)
4 carrots
2 apples
1 palm sized raw beetroot
1/4 lime (leave peel on)
2 sticks celery
1/2 medium cucumber
good handful spinach
If you have a juicer, or if you're renting one from me (click on the tab on the right hand side of the page for details), then you will more than likely have a centrifugal one. To get the most juice out of your green leafy veggies, you need to pack them down into the chute of the juicer before you turn it on, then pop an apple down to sit on top of them. When you turn the juicer on, do so on it's lowest speed whilst the leafy greens, in this case spinach go through, then turn it up to the higher speed to push everything else through.
This is a really tasty juice, especially if you have it served over ice. The colour can be a bit off putting, but once you taste it you'll realise how yummy it is!
Now here's another tip. A serving size of juice is really about 8oz, a tall glass full. My recipes often make more than that - so what to do with the leftovers? If you can, persuade your children to try a little, but if you're still left with some, get yourself a thermos flask.
Keep the empty thermos in the freezer, then when you've finished juicing, but the remainder into the flask, where it will stay deliciously cold for you to enjoy later in the day, ideally keep it in a fridge untill you're ready to drink it.
Vegetable juice is best taken, right from the juicer, before the nutrients have a chance to deteriorate at all, but the next best thing is to keep it as cold as possible and in an airtight container.
Keeping the juice in the flask gives you access to the best juice you can get hold of. You know exactly how it was made, where it came from, and that it's as fresh as you can get. Whilst it's not quite as good as the juice you will have had earlier, it will be infinately better than anything you can buy in the store, or get delievered to your home.
Try it!
Happy Juicing!
Jx
Monday, March 28, 2011
Smoothies Are Good Too!
I'm aware that some of you might not have juicers at home, and might not have access to my "Rent a Juicer" programme! (See link opposite!)
However, I'm willing to bet that most of you will have a blender somewhere in your kitchen cupboards, perhaps gathering dust, or perhaps well used as a margarita mixer!!
So, this week I want you to dust it off, and get it out on your counter! We're going to use it to make a delicious smoothie which will be a vehicle for you to get all sorts of other healthy goodies into your system without you even realising! For those of you with kids, smoothies are also a great way getting nutrient rich fruits into them, especially if they are a little choosy about what they like to eat.
The combinations of fruit that can be used in a smoothie are endless, but one of our favourites uses a blend of berries and bananas. I use a bag of frozen mixed berries, with blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, but there a variety of mixes out there, and you can choose to suit your taste. (For local readers, both Trader Joes and Whole Foods do great blends).
Very Berry Smoothie
1 Banana
8oz Frozen Berries
1/2 cup Goats Milk Yoghurt
1 cup Almond Milk
1tbsp Agave Syrup (or to taste)
1 tbsp Wheatgerm
1 tbsp Flaxseed Oil
Place all the ingredients into your blender, and whizz them up to the desired consistency. I like to be able to eat my smoothie with a spoon, but if you like it more drink like, then add more almond milk. Because you're using frozen fruit, you don't need to add any ice to make it cold, it's already chilly!
Now, we have dairy sensitivities in my house, which is why we use goats milk yoghurt and almond milk, if you don't, then you can use regular dairy products.
I add the Wheatgerm because it is a great way to get Vitamin E into your body, and that is so good for your skin. The Flaxseed oil is a rich source of Omega-3 oil, which supports heart health and promotes healthy skin, hair and nails, when you blend it in to the smoothie, you don't notice it at all, so it can be a good way to give it to your children.
When you have tasted this smoothie, you will never want to buy a sugar laden, preservative enhanced, gloopy mush from the store or restaurant again - this one wins hands down!
'Till next week,
Happy Juicing,
Jx
However, I'm willing to bet that most of you will have a blender somewhere in your kitchen cupboards, perhaps gathering dust, or perhaps well used as a margarita mixer!!
So, this week I want you to dust it off, and get it out on your counter! We're going to use it to make a delicious smoothie which will be a vehicle for you to get all sorts of other healthy goodies into your system without you even realising! For those of you with kids, smoothies are also a great way getting nutrient rich fruits into them, especially if they are a little choosy about what they like to eat.
The combinations of fruit that can be used in a smoothie are endless, but one of our favourites uses a blend of berries and bananas. I use a bag of frozen mixed berries, with blueberries, strawberries and blackberries, but there a variety of mixes out there, and you can choose to suit your taste. (For local readers, both Trader Joes and Whole Foods do great blends).
Very Berry Smoothie
1 Banana
8oz Frozen Berries
1/2 cup Goats Milk Yoghurt
1 cup Almond Milk
1tbsp Agave Syrup (or to taste)
1 tbsp Wheatgerm
1 tbsp Flaxseed Oil
Place all the ingredients into your blender, and whizz them up to the desired consistency. I like to be able to eat my smoothie with a spoon, but if you like it more drink like, then add more almond milk. Because you're using frozen fruit, you don't need to add any ice to make it cold, it's already chilly!
Now, we have dairy sensitivities in my house, which is why we use goats milk yoghurt and almond milk, if you don't, then you can use regular dairy products.
I add the Wheatgerm because it is a great way to get Vitamin E into your body, and that is so good for your skin. The Flaxseed oil is a rich source of Omega-3 oil, which supports heart health and promotes healthy skin, hair and nails, when you blend it in to the smoothie, you don't notice it at all, so it can be a good way to give it to your children.
When you have tasted this smoothie, you will never want to buy a sugar laden, preservative enhanced, gloopy mush from the store or restaurant again - this one wins hands down!
'Till next week,
Happy Juicing,
Jx
Monday, March 21, 2011
Keeping It Simple
When you make juices on a regular basis, there can be a tendancy to make what I call a "drink the fridge" juice. That is when you use up all the leftover fruit and vegetables from the fridge, whizzing it through the juicer and producing a delicious mish mash of flavours. Very tasty, but somewhat unfocused!
Sometimes there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple.
Less can be more, and keeping the number of ingredients in your juice down to a simple delicious few can be a good thing. Take the Florida Carrot juice below. With this juice you get all the benefits of carrots, particularly good for eyesight, and cancer prevention. Then when you add grapefruit and orange you get a delicious citrus tartness to the juice which cuts through the sweetness of the carrots. Simple, orange, fabulous!
Grapefruit juice has a high vitamin C content, and is an excellent cleanser for a clogged lymphatic system. When you're peeling grapefruits for juicing, try to leave as much of the white pith on the fruit. This pith contains a host of vitamins and minerals, including salicylic acid, which has the amazing ability to help break down and shift the inorganic calcium which may have formed deposits in the cartilage of the joints.
Orange juice is of course rich in vitamin C too, but also high in folic acid and potassium.
The Florida Carrot is a great breakfast juice. Try this for a morning routine. Wake up your system with a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice in it. Then make your juice and enjoy it slowly, savouring the explosion of flavours in your mouth. Then and ONLY then, have your coffee - but you may find, that you don't even want it!
Florida Carrot
3 carrots
1/2 grapefruit
1 orange
Peel the grapefruit and the orange, (remember to leave on as much pith as possible) put everything through the juicer and serve over ice.
This will make enough for one large glass of juice, but you could also double the quantities, and put the remainder in a thermos flask which you've kept in the fridge overnight, and enjoy it at lunchtime!
If you would like more information on the benefits of incorporating juicing into your lifestyle, or taking up my "Rent a Juicer" offer, then see link on the right for details. I'm also available to come along to your book group, health club, or home to talk about juicing and the great health benefits it offers. For specific health concerns, you might want to set up a one on one consultation at my studio. See the information page for details and rates.
Happy Juicing!
Jx
Sometimes there is a lot to be said for keeping things simple.
Less can be more, and keeping the number of ingredients in your juice down to a simple delicious few can be a good thing. Take the Florida Carrot juice below. With this juice you get all the benefits of carrots, particularly good for eyesight, and cancer prevention. Then when you add grapefruit and orange you get a delicious citrus tartness to the juice which cuts through the sweetness of the carrots. Simple, orange, fabulous!
Grapefruit juice has a high vitamin C content, and is an excellent cleanser for a clogged lymphatic system. When you're peeling grapefruits for juicing, try to leave as much of the white pith on the fruit. This pith contains a host of vitamins and minerals, including salicylic acid, which has the amazing ability to help break down and shift the inorganic calcium which may have formed deposits in the cartilage of the joints.
Orange juice is of course rich in vitamin C too, but also high in folic acid and potassium.
The Florida Carrot is a great breakfast juice. Try this for a morning routine. Wake up your system with a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice in it. Then make your juice and enjoy it slowly, savouring the explosion of flavours in your mouth. Then and ONLY then, have your coffee - but you may find, that you don't even want it!
Florida Carrot
3 carrots
1/2 grapefruit
1 orange
Peel the grapefruit and the orange, (remember to leave on as much pith as possible) put everything through the juicer and serve over ice.
This will make enough for one large glass of juice, but you could also double the quantities, and put the remainder in a thermos flask which you've kept in the fridge overnight, and enjoy it at lunchtime!
If you would like more information on the benefits of incorporating juicing into your lifestyle, or taking up my "Rent a Juicer" offer, then see link on the right for details. I'm also available to come along to your book group, health club, or home to talk about juicing and the great health benefits it offers. For specific health concerns, you might want to set up a one on one consultation at my studio. See the information page for details and rates.
Happy Juicing!
Jx
Monday, March 14, 2011
Post Workout Treat......................
As many of you know, I also run my own personal training business.
Over the years, I have experimented with different post, pre, during workout drinks and bar, goo and jellies which will boost both my performance and my recovery.
Thankfully, I have now found a great assistant in mother nature, who actually has it all worked out!
The recipe below is a perfect post exercise juice, because of the addition of this weeks new ingredient - Celery.
When we exercise, we lose vital nutrients and body fluids through our sweat glands. Celery, when combined with apple, is able to furnish your system with sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins B and C. Celery juice also helps to flush the body of excessive carbon dioxide, which is excellent if you live in a city or drink soda, on top of tht it helps to reduce acidity - superb for certain cases of arthritis.
Celery juice, like cucumber and carrot, will be come one of the staples in your juice kitchen. You will find that most vegetable juices you make will have celery somewhere in it.
Make your juice BEFORE you workout, then put it in a flask (which has been empty in the freezer overnight) and take it to the gym with you. That way, when you've finished working out, you'll have a delicious, cold nutritious flask of goodness waiting for you as your reward!
Please check back to the blog later this week, for exciting details of the "Rent a Juicer" programme. You will also be able to find these details on my website.
Post Workout Punch
3 apples
3 sticks celery
1 carrot
1/2 lime
Put everything through the juicer and voila! You don't have to add the lime, but I find that it cuts through some of the other flavours and gives the juice a nice ping, if it's not to your taste, then leave it out.
Over the years, I have experimented with different post, pre, during workout drinks and bar, goo and jellies which will boost both my performance and my recovery.
Thankfully, I have now found a great assistant in mother nature, who actually has it all worked out!
The recipe below is a perfect post exercise juice, because of the addition of this weeks new ingredient - Celery.
When we exercise, we lose vital nutrients and body fluids through our sweat glands. Celery, when combined with apple, is able to furnish your system with sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins B and C. Celery juice also helps to flush the body of excessive carbon dioxide, which is excellent if you live in a city or drink soda, on top of tht it helps to reduce acidity - superb for certain cases of arthritis.
Celery juice, like cucumber and carrot, will be come one of the staples in your juice kitchen. You will find that most vegetable juices you make will have celery somewhere in it.
Make your juice BEFORE you workout, then put it in a flask (which has been empty in the freezer overnight) and take it to the gym with you. That way, when you've finished working out, you'll have a delicious, cold nutritious flask of goodness waiting for you as your reward!
Please check back to the blog later this week, for exciting details of the "Rent a Juicer" programme. You will also be able to find these details on my website.
Post Workout Punch
3 apples
3 sticks celery
1 carrot
1/2 lime
Put everything through the juicer and voila! You don't have to add the lime, but I find that it cuts through some of the other flavours and gives the juice a nice ping, if it's not to your taste, then leave it out.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Why Drink Juice Instead of Eating the Fruits and Vegetables?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions of juice therapists, and it's a great question. Thankfully, it's also very easily answered.
When you put fruits and veg through your juicer, you are basically using the juicer as the front end of your digestive system. You're using the juicer to extract all the nutrients, the vitamins, minerals and enzymes from the produce you're juicing, and to separate them from the natural fibre of that produce, just as your body does.
So, when you come to drink the juice you've just made, your body can get to work absorbing and using the nutrients without having to "waste" valuable energy digesting them first. Nutrients begin to flow through your bloodstream within minutes, and none of the pure, natural liquid energy you are drinking needs to be used by your digestive system, as the work has already been done. It can all be put to good use repairing and rebuilding the cells of your body - brilliant!
So, this weeks recipe is building on last week, using the apple and carrot base.
Beet Treat
3 carrots
2 apples
1 small beetroot
1/2 lemon
I've added beetroot to this weeks juice. Buy it fresh, and although you can juice the greens, to begin with, cut them off and don't add them to the juice. You'll be surprised at the sweetness of it.
Beetroot is a fabulous blood cleanser, and is rich in vitamins A,B, C, betacarotene and folic acid.
It can be useful in the treatment of anaemia, and in the reduction of high blood pressure, as it can help reduce hardening and blockage of the arteries.
Give this one a try, put all the ingredients through the juicer, and again, serve over ice. The beetroot adds a certain earthiness, but the overall flavour is sweet and delicious, and it's a gorgeous colour!
Remember! If you don't have a juicer, you can find a local juicebar and ask them to make it for you, or choose an option which has the majority of these ingredients in it. I also rent out juicers so that you can try things out if you're uncomfortable with buying a juicer outright before you've really tried it. I'm sure once you have, you'll want to get one pretty quickly!
You can find details of the juicer rental on my website at jjptonline.com
Till next week -
Happy Juicing!
When you put fruits and veg through your juicer, you are basically using the juicer as the front end of your digestive system. You're using the juicer to extract all the nutrients, the vitamins, minerals and enzymes from the produce you're juicing, and to separate them from the natural fibre of that produce, just as your body does.
So, when you come to drink the juice you've just made, your body can get to work absorbing and using the nutrients without having to "waste" valuable energy digesting them first. Nutrients begin to flow through your bloodstream within minutes, and none of the pure, natural liquid energy you are drinking needs to be used by your digestive system, as the work has already been done. It can all be put to good use repairing and rebuilding the cells of your body - brilliant!
So, this weeks recipe is building on last week, using the apple and carrot base.
Beet Treat
3 carrots
2 apples
1 small beetroot
1/2 lemon
I've added beetroot to this weeks juice. Buy it fresh, and although you can juice the greens, to begin with, cut them off and don't add them to the juice. You'll be surprised at the sweetness of it.
Beetroot is a fabulous blood cleanser, and is rich in vitamins A,B, C, betacarotene and folic acid.
It can be useful in the treatment of anaemia, and in the reduction of high blood pressure, as it can help reduce hardening and blockage of the arteries.
Give this one a try, put all the ingredients through the juicer, and again, serve over ice. The beetroot adds a certain earthiness, but the overall flavour is sweet and delicious, and it's a gorgeous colour!
Remember! If you don't have a juicer, you can find a local juicebar and ask them to make it for you, or choose an option which has the majority of these ingredients in it. I also rent out juicers so that you can try things out if you're uncomfortable with buying a juicer outright before you've really tried it. I'm sure once you have, you'll want to get one pretty quickly!
You can find details of the juicer rental on my website at jjptonline.com
Till next week -
Happy Juicing!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Why Juice? Aren't you a Personal Trainer??????
Each week I hope to inspire you to incorporate juicing fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet. I will do this by providing you with a delicious juice to try, sharing with you the health benefits of that particular juice, and offerring creative ways to try juicing at home.
Last month, I qualified as a Natural Juice Therapist with the Complimentary Medical Association in the UK. It was an intensive 8 months of study, formalising years of practising "juicing" in my own diet and that of my family. I am very passionate about the benefits of using fresh fruit and vegetable juice as part of a balanced and healthy diet, and also in a more theraputic way, to help in the treatment of longer term chronic health concerns.
I already run my own successful Personal Training business, and feel that the juice qualification offers the perfect balance - I like to think of it as body conditioning, inside and out!
Over the coming weeks, I hope to share some of my experiences with you, and I am always available for private consultations. You can check out my website at jjptonline.com
Classic Juice Combination
Apple Carrot Crush
4 carrots
2 apples
1/2 " fresh ginger
1/2 lime (rind on)
Put all the ingredients through your juicer - serve over ice.
I find that all juice tastes better when it is really chilly. You can either blend the ice into the juice itself with a hand blender, or simply pour it over ice cubes which are already in the glass.
Apple and carrot based juices are a great way of entering the juicing arena, it tastes great to almost everyone, and then you can begin to add things to it depending on your needs. Carrot juice is loaded with a host of vitamins, B, C, D, E, K, folic acid, and the anti-cancer king, beta-carotene.
When you have it fresh, all this goodness is absorbed straight into your bloodstream and can get straight to work without your digestive system having to do any work at all!
I recommend the Breville Juice Fountain Elite which retails at around $260. You can get less expensive juicers, but you will end up having to replace them sooner rather than later. Whilst the Juice Fountain Elite represents a significant investment, it's an investment in the long term health of you and your family. I offer a service where I will rent the above juicer for a week, come and show you and your family how to use it, and offer a few starter recipes. Please contact me for details on this great way of introducing you to the concept of juicing.
Last month, I qualified as a Natural Juice Therapist with the Complimentary Medical Association in the UK. It was an intensive 8 months of study, formalising years of practising "juicing" in my own diet and that of my family. I am very passionate about the benefits of using fresh fruit and vegetable juice as part of a balanced and healthy diet, and also in a more theraputic way, to help in the treatment of longer term chronic health concerns.
I already run my own successful Personal Training business, and feel that the juice qualification offers the perfect balance - I like to think of it as body conditioning, inside and out!
Over the coming weeks, I hope to share some of my experiences with you, and I am always available for private consultations. You can check out my website at jjptonline.com
Classic Juice Combination
Apple Carrot Crush
4 carrots
2 apples
1/2 " fresh ginger
1/2 lime (rind on)
Put all the ingredients through your juicer - serve over ice.
I find that all juice tastes better when it is really chilly. You can either blend the ice into the juice itself with a hand blender, or simply pour it over ice cubes which are already in the glass.
Apple and carrot based juices are a great way of entering the juicing arena, it tastes great to almost everyone, and then you can begin to add things to it depending on your needs. Carrot juice is loaded with a host of vitamins, B, C, D, E, K, folic acid, and the anti-cancer king, beta-carotene.
When you have it fresh, all this goodness is absorbed straight into your bloodstream and can get straight to work without your digestive system having to do any work at all!
I recommend the Breville Juice Fountain Elite which retails at around $260. You can get less expensive juicers, but you will end up having to replace them sooner rather than later. Whilst the Juice Fountain Elite represents a significant investment, it's an investment in the long term health of you and your family. I offer a service where I will rent the above juicer for a week, come and show you and your family how to use it, and offer a few starter recipes. Please contact me for details on this great way of introducing you to the concept of juicing.
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