If you haven’t officially kicked off your New Year’s Resolutions yet, today, this first Monday of the year is the perfect time to start.
I have a few good resolutions for the year, but I’m also planning on giving myself mini challenges each month. I like doing these little baby resolutions. For one, they aren’t as big and mighty as 12-month long resolutions, but more importantly, they are little healthy-living goals that help me ladder up to an overall healthy and happy year.
This month, I’m challenging myself to not eat anything processed. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think all processed foods are bad for you (I love me a good Quest Bar), but I just want to see if I can do it for 30 days. I’m not going as far as eliminating things like healthy whole grains like brown rice and oats, but I am going to stay away from anything prepackaged (like premade granola bars or protein bars).
To kickstart things, I’ve made my own green juice for the very first time. I’m a huge smoothie lover, but I’ve never actually made a pure juice. I figured it was time to dabble. The only problem? I don’t have a juicer. Hitherto: an experiment making juice with a blender!
I tossed in all my favorite green juice ingredients: kale, ginger, cucumber, apple, and celery. It came out quiet tasty, but also quiet pulpy. I grabbed myself a cheese cloth and got to straining. It takes a while, but be patient young grasshopper, for green juicy goodness awaits.
The result? Very yummy. The experiment proved it is possible to make juice in a blender. It’s a bit of a pain in the butt, but it is possible. Still, I wouldn’t mind a juicer to save on time… and messiness! I wish I’d snapped a picture of my kitchen post juice straining. There may or may not have been green pulp everywhere…
Who needs a fancy juicer when you can make healthy green juice in a blender?! Learn how! #lifehack
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- 1/2 cup water
- 1 large cucumber, cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
- 2 large apples, cored and quartered
- 4-5 kale leaves, torn into pieces
- 1-inch piece ginger root*
- Place water in the bottom of a high speed blender.
- Layer remaining ingredients in order, with kale and ginger at the top.
- Blend well, pressing ingredients down with a tamper or stopping and pressing down with a spatula.
- Strain through a nut milk bag or cheese cloth.**
- Enjoy now or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- *My grocery was surprisingly out of fresh ginger so I subbed in 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger. Not as good, but ok in a pinch.
- **This will take a few rounds and a lot of patience. You'll have to discard the pulp after each round/squeeze.
Let’s Chat:
Have you ever made juice in a blender?
Favorite type of juice. Go!