Not Your Typical Green Juice
By: Feli Musing
When I’m not eating my fruits and vegetables, I’m drinking them. There is often excess produce in my refrigerator, so juicing is one of the methods that help me eliminate food waste. It’s always so sad to have to throw away produce that’s gone bad because I did not get to them in time. If you also have this issue, it may be a good idea to transform some of your greens into juice. The following recipe was created from having a surplus of zucchini and leftover kale stems. I love zucchini, but I unfortunately don’t always get to cooking them all before the organic ones spoil. I added more vegetables for good measure.
Hydrating Green Juice Recipe Ingredients:
Yield: About 3 servings
- 2 large zucchinis with skin on
- 7 lacinato kale leaves with stems
- 3 curly kale leaves with stems
- 5 swiss chard leaves with stems
- 2 inches of fresh ginger
- 2 large apples with skin on (any apple variety will do)
- 1/2 of a peeled lemon
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- Optional:
- 7 leftover kale stems or the stems from any leftover leafy greens you have
Directions:
- Prep produce by cleaning your fruits and vegetables very well. Cut off any parts of the fruits and vegetables that may be going bad before running them through the juicer.
- Cut vegetables if they are too large to fit into your juicer.
- Cut apples in half and remove the stems and seeds.
- Add your prepped fruits and vegetables to the juicer one at a time. I like to juice the greens before the apples.
- Pour into your desired cup, bottle, or container.
- Marvel at your juice and enjoy!
A Few Notable Health Benefits of these ingredients
Zucchini juice is extremely low in calories, salt, fat, and carbohydrates. It has high water content, and it contains plenty of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
Kale juice is popularly known as one of the most nutrient rich greens. It is bursting with vitamins A, C, and K. It also contains iron and calcium. For these reasons, it is revered as a powerhouse.
Swiss Chard juice is rich in a plethora of vitamins and minerals just like many other dark leafy greens. For instance, it contains vitamin A, which is good for eye health. It also contains vitamin K, which positively impacts bone health.
Ginger juice is anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, and rich in antioxidants. The flavor is spicy and fragrant. Its unique flavor profile is a lovely addition to green juice.
Apple juice is a cholesterol-free beverage. In addition to its desirable sweetness, fresh apple juice contains sorbitol, which assists with constipation relief.
Lemon juice has been connected to aiding in digestive health as it contains vitamin C and citrate.
Parsley juice is a great source of vitamin C making it excellent for heart health. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
You can mek (make) nuff tings (lots of things) with the fruits and vegetables that you juice. In my case, what started as a mad dash to save perishable produce from spoiling in my refrigerator, turned into a refreshing experience. In the process, I gained a bunch of helpful suggestions on vegetables I should try juicing. For instance, I love to eat swiss chard, but I didn’t think to juice it until my sister figured out that she enjoys it juiced way more than she does as a raw addition to tacos. Drinking your micronutrients from time to time can make you gain many nutrients in a flash. Give this juice recipe a try and enjoy a cup that runeth over with nutrient rich hydration. The great thing is, it is not super sweet. Cheers!
Disclaimer: All photos taken are owned by Feli Musing. Kindly cite this blog post upon the use of these images. Thank you.
