Revitilizing Green Juice

One of the best health investments we have made in our lives so far has been a juicer we received for Christmas. It has been a fun science experiment combining plants together and hoping that the end result will be drinkable. I did have to hold my nose and chug a few glasses of muddy-tasting green sludge but slowly we are a learning what combinations of plants taste better than others. Here is a basic recipe for juicing (mostly) vegetables that we found to be both affordable (in season) and loaded with antioxidants. It costs us about 9 dollars for the whole array of plants we juice. If some of you might think it is too expensive, remember it is for two people so it is only $4.50 each. Also if you are on a really tight budget, just skip the green salad for dinner and drink the juice instead.

Revitalizing Green Juice

• 1 bunch of Kale (2 is even better)
• 2 Carrots
• 1 bunch of Celery
• 1 bunch of Parsley
• 2 Apples or Oranges

1. Wash all the plants with a vegetable brush.
2. Rinse the parsley and pat it dry. 
3. Slice the apples and take out the seeds (alternatively, peel the oranges)
4. Run all the vegetables and apples through the juicer.
5. Drink it up right away, do no save for later. Fresh squeezed juice is very sensitive, the vitamins and pyto-nutrients start leeching away within minutes.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 4-5 minutes
Servings: 2

Health Benefits
Next time you are fighting a cold, instead of reaching for the Emergen-C Packages and synthetic Vitamin C, try making this juice. Our bodies digest and assimilate these whole vitamins and nutrients instantly, as opposed to the complicated process of filtering all the synthetic derivatives. It is a nice way to save our bodies some work especially when sick.

Kale
Contains Vitamin C, Vitamin K,  Lutein, Calcium and Fiber. Kale also contains a phyto-nutrtient called sulforaphane that has anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and antimicrobial properties.

Carrots
Contain the highest amount of provitamin A caretonoids, including alpha and beta-carotene, which can be converted in active form of the vitamin A. They help support vision and boost immune system.

Celery
Contains high amounts of Vitamin C, which releases anti-oxidants in the body that help fight inflammation, free radicals and raise the immune system

Parsley
Contains a good amount of Folic Acid that promotes cardiovascular health. It is also full of Vitamin C and a flavonoid called luteolin that prevents the oxidation of the cells throughout the body.

Apples
While apples are rather sweet, the fructose they contain will not cause a severe spike to the sugar levels in the bloodstream. Due to certain polyphenols, apples help regulate and stabilize the blood sugar levels.

This post is featured on: Party Wave Wednesday, Thank Your Body, Allergy Free Wednesday, Fat Tuesday,