So for all of you out there thinking that juicing requires a big expensive juicer with lots of attachments, growing wheatgrass on your kitchen counter and always having bushels (yes I said bushels) of fresh produce on hand, I’ve got news for you.
It’s really much easier than that.
Now, don’t get me wrong, owning a juicer is great. I have one. (Cleaning it is a pain in the butt, but yes, I have one). And you can make some fabulous concoctions with the thing. However, it recently came to my attention that putting kale and other items in my regular kitchen blender will work just fine. How’d I learn this?
My mom.
I was visiting her, lamenting the fact that I really needed to do a cleanse or a short juice fast or something and she asked me why I didn’t do one while I was staying at her house. With a frustrated sigh, I said…
“Because Mom, you don’t have a juicer.”
Then my mother gave me a look that she usually saves for small children…and my father.
I watched as she went to the fridge and proceeded to put a handful of kale, pineapple, banana, and fruit juice into the same blender she’s had since I was born. (Trust me it’s an old blender). She made a fabulous green smoothie in about five minutes. She again directed her exasperated gaze in my direction as she put the glass full of fresh green juice in front of me on the table.
As I was washing the blender it hit me that we often miss out on the simplest of things, like fresh juice, because we’re so busy worrying whether or not we have the right equipment.
Below are a couple of juice recipes that I have made in my own blender that I love.
Pineapple Green Smoothie
- 1 small peeled organic cucumber
- 12 chunks of pineapple (or 2 rings)
- 2 kale leaves
- 1/8 cup water
- 2-3 Ice cubes to make it frothy
Banana Almond Protein Smoothie
- 1 small organic banana
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 3 tbsps applesauce
- 1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1/8 cup water
Strawberry Peach Yogurt Smoothie
- 1/2 cup strawberry or honey flavored greek yogurt
- 4 cut up strawberries
- 4 frozen sliced peaches
- 1/8 cup water
I have made all of the above smoothies in my regular blender at home and they’ve turned out great! So remember, you can put kale and other veggies in the blender! Don’t let the fact that you don’t have a juicer (or just don’t feel like cleaning it) stop you from juicing!
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Image credit: dar1930 / 123RF Stock Photo