Whole Carrot Ginger Juice
Ever since getting our Vitamix I have been making smoothies at least every week. One of the reasons we went with such an amazing blender is I wanted to be able to do some “Juicing” without purchasing (and then having to clean) a Juicer!
While making your own juice at home (with a juicer) is super healthy for you and there are so many vitamins you are getting from that fresh juice, you are missing out on some things as well. When juicing, you lose all of the pulp and fibers in the fruits and vegetables. By processing your whole produce you do end up with a slightly thicker juice (which you can always strain), but you are also getting 100% of the nutrition that the fruit holds!
If you are like me and trying to make sure you get as many fruits and vegetables into your diet but sometimes wish there were more ways to get all those whole./raw goodies into your body besides just munching on raw fruits & veggies (which I love, and do multiple times a day), then you should start blending them up! This Juice is LOADED with health benefits! Ginger makes for happy stomachs, helps with arthritis, boosts your immunity, and has also been rumored to maybe help prevent Cancer! Carrots are overloaded with Vitamin A, are a great source of fiber, as well as all the other good healthy things that you find in most vegetables. Apples add not only a bit of sweetness to this juice, but they also make for happy tummies, keep your weight under control, and are loaded with antioxidants.
Since you are blending the whole fruits and vegetables, the final juice product that you end up with has a bit of a texture to it. I did not mind it at all, but if you want a smoother juice – running the final juice through a fine strainer before serving would be the perfect solution. Yes, you will loose some of the fiber and health benefits, but you’ll still end up with more vitamins in your body than if you don’t drink it at all!
Serve chilled, and this juice is almost filling enough to be a quick breakfast. Personally, this juice made a great filling mid-day snack to hold me over until it was time to start thinking about making & eating dinner. And how about this color, on a dark, dreary, cold day – I dare you to not have this drink brighten you up. The way that the Winter is with Flu Germs floating all around you, this bright and delicious juice will ward off the bad guys! If you are enjoying this on a warm summer day, it just seems to fit right in; you could even sip this pool-side and do something good for yourself on those hot days when you are sweating out as many nutrients as you are taking in!
Juicing without a Juicer…
- 1/2 bag baby carrots (approx. 4 oz) OR 3 medium carrots, peeled & chunked
- 1 inch ginger, peeled & diced
- 1/2 – 1 cup water
- 1 apple, cored & quartered
- Place all ingredients in a high quality blender and mix until super smooth (at least a minute). Add more water if needed until you get the right consistency. Strain if desired, enjoy chilled!
Inspired by Nosh and Nurish
Three Years Ago – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (Rich still talks about these buttery, chocolate chip cookie loaded cupcakes). AND another personal favorite are the Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake Bites
And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… Do you like thick or think juices/smoothies?