Juices!

A juicer is an essential piece of kit, and the sky’s the limit when it comes to price. To get you started, buy a simple, cheap model (Åí30 should cover it!). That way you can experiment and see if it is something you love. Although, once you’ve started there’s no turning back. Whether you’re someone who needs a nutrient injection in the mornings to get you up and out, or you have teenagers who seem to survive on nothing but junk food, or toddlers who clamp their mouths shut at the sight of a carrot, juicing is the answer!These three juices are delicious and easy to make, try them at home, each recipe makes approximately 250ml juice/1glass.

Ingredients:

Pump it up

• 1 pear
• 1 small beetroot
• 2 carrots
• Small pinch of cayenne pepper

Detox

• 2 sticks of celery
• ½ a cucumber
• ½ an unwaxed lemon
• A handful of mint
• A handful of coriander

Quick Fix

• 2 oranges, peeled
• 2cm fresh ginger
• 2 cm fresh turmeric
• 1 round of pineapple
• Pinch of black pepper

Method:

Try to use organic fruit and vegetables, but if you can’t, wash everything in a solution of water and apple cider vinegar. This will remove residues from the surface as, generally, we juice the fruit or vegetable whole. Citrus fruit is the only exception, as the skins can be quite bitter and, in large quantities, can damage the juicer. Experiment and see what you enjoy. 

To make your juice, wash the fruit and/or vegetables, cut into chunks that will fit into the feeder of your juicer, and juice! You can adapt recipes to suit your palate, adding more or less of the stronger ingredients such as lemon or ginger. Most fruits have a higher calorific value than vegetables, so, if you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you use more vegetables. For example, carrots have a natural sweetness and work really well with apples and oranges to make a vegetable-packed juice (especially good for small people who don’t like their vegetables!).