Juice Up This Spring!

You probably have one lurking in your home somewhere.   A little dusty, maybe slightly sticky from your last interaction with it…perhaps you shoved it up on the highest shelf during a dinner party, or you needed some more counter space last Thanksgiving.  Wherever it maybe hiding, it’s time to get it out, scrub it up, and put it to work.  It’s your juicer!

Late winter in Moscow is a marathon, not a sprint.  Sure, the birds are singing in the morning, and it stays light until 7 pm, but it is still winter, and if you are like me, you are feeling sluggish, still shaking off that awful bronchial thing that was going around, and feeling like you need a boost of something.   This is the perfect time to get juicing!

You can buy bottles of “fresh” juice in many of Moscow’s supermarkets, but nothing beats doing it yourself at home.  Fresh juice from raw fruits and vegetables is a great way to load up with vitamins, detoxify, and boost your immune system.   I’ve been mixing up different juices for about ten days and I feel the effects:  I have more energy, my skin looks better, and my sinuses are clearing up.

Manual Citrus Juicer

Juicers come in two basic types:

Citrus juicers (Соковыжималки для цитрусовых,) either manual or motorized, these juicers squeeze or press juice from lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines.

Juice Extractors (Соковыжималки) use 500-1000 watt motors to power tiny blades which separate the juice from the fiber of non-citrus fruits such as apples and pears, and vegetables such as carrots, celery, beets and such.   Both kinds of juicers are readily available in electronic stores in Moscow.  Prices start at 990 rubles for a basic plastic model from Scarlett, all the way up to the deluxe 25,990 ruble  Bork Juicer with a built-in blender.   For juice extractors, my advice is to spend a little more to get a model that is metal, and has more than a 500-watt motor.   The plastic models I’ve experienced are a bit flimsy and tend to crack under the pressure.  A good citrus juicer is a wonderful tool in the kitchen, not only to make juice, but to quickly add some fresh lemon juice to anything.

Motorized Juice Extractor

Once you have your equipment up and running, the possibilities are almost endless.  Add a blender or a hand-held mixer to your arsenal, and you can combine fresh juice with yogurt, berries, and stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines, and avocados for energizing smoothies.  Be sure to add lots of fresh herbs to your juice – these help the detoxification process as well as boosting the flavor and color of your final concoction!

As with all kitchen equipment – SAFETY FIRST!

*Keep your fingers well away from the hopper, and use the plunger that comes with your juicer to guide your chunks of fruit and vegetables into the machine.  Do not use wooden or metal spoons as a substitute.

*Make sure children are fully supervised around any equipment.

*Avoid dangerous food contamination by plunging the bladed part(s) of your juicer into hot soapy water as soon as you are finished.  Scrub carefully with a plastic brush and run through a sterilizing cycle of your dishwasher.

Feel flexible in terms of combining fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables for your smoothies.  While raw food gives you the best nutrients, you can do a lot with frozen bagged fruit such as berries and mango, which are not always in season.  Not only will this save you time and money, but it will also make your smoothie nice and cool!   Buy a bunch of bananas, then peel and cut them into 2-inch chunks.  Freeze these and throw a few into your smoothie in the morning.  A great way to mitigate spoilage and make your smoothie taste great!

Mix and match vegetables, herbs, and fruits for a fresh and healthy smoothie

Here are a few juicing recipes to get you started.  Be sure to log on and share your own favorites with the community on our Facebook page or by hitting the comment button below!

“The Purple Passion:”

2 beets, peeled

1 orange, juiced

1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled

1 punnet of fresh or frozen blackberries

1 bunch of seedless black grapes

2 plums, stones removed.

Extract the juice of the beets, grapes, plums, and ginger in the juicer, then combine with the orange juice and blackberries in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

“It’s So Easy Being Green:”

1 bunch of celery, cleaned, and trimmed

1 head of broccoli or cauliflower

2 cucumbers, peeled

1 stalk of lemon grass

1 bunch of parsley

1 bunch of mint, leaves removed

1 bunch of cilantro

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ avocado, stone and peel removed.

Juice the celery, broccoli, lemon grass, and cucumber with the fresh herbs, placing the herbs in the bottom of the hopper so the firmer vegetables force the herbs through.    Add the lime juice and avocado to the juice mix in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.   Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

“The Middle Eastern:”

4 carrots, peeled, topped and tailed

4 ribs of celery, trimmed

1 bunch of parsley

1 bunch of mint, leaves removed from the stalk

250 ml (1 cup) of bottled tomato juice

30 ml (2 Tbl) plain yogurt

1 lime, juiced

Crushed coriander seeds

Cracked black pepper

Sea salt

Juice the carrots, celery, parsley, and mint together, placing the herbs in the bottom of the hopper and pressing the firmer vegetables on top of them.  Combine with remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

“The Carrot Top:”

6 carrots, peeled, topped and tailed

1 apple, cored

1 knob of ginger

1 bunch of mint

1 Tbl honey

Zest and juice of one orange

Juice the carrots, apple ginger, and mint together, placing the mint in the bottom of the hopper and pressing the firmer vegetables on top.  Combine with the remainder of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

“The Velvet:”

3 ripe pears, peeled and cored

1 punnet of blackberries

1 banana, peeled

250 ml (1 cup) of packaged frozen strawberries

125 ml (1/2 cup) of plain yogurt

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

“The De-Icer:”

1 bunch of celery, trimmed

2 cucumbers, peeled

1 turnip, stem removed

1 yellow pepper, cored

1 bunch of radishes, stems removed

1 bunch of flat Italian parsley

1 bunch of cilantro

Juice of one lime

Pinch of good quality sea salt

Dash of Tabasco

Juice all of the ingredients except the lime, salt and Tabasco together, placing the parsley and cilantro at the bottom of the hopper so that the firmer fruits press them into the blades.  Add the lime to the finished juice, serve over ice and season with salt and Tabasco.

“The Provencal:”

4 cucumbers, peeled, topped and tailed

4 ribs of celery, trimmed

1 bunch of tarragon

250 ml (1 cup) of fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries

Juice of one lime

Juice the cucumbers and celery with the tarragon, placing the tarragon in the bottom of the hopper and pressing the firmer vegetables on top of it.   Combine with the strawberries and lime juice in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Dear Readers,

What is your favorite combination of fresh juices?  Do you have a recipe you would like to share?   Log on to our Facebook page and share it, or leave a comment below!