My husband and I want to get back into juicing vegetables. Normally we juice a mixture of carrots, apple, and celery together. Just a single glass of fresh vegetable juice a day makes a world of difference in mental acuity, reflex speed, and just a wonderfully heightened sense of being in your body and a general physicality.
I'm very much in my head most of the time but the rush of vitamins seems to increase the senses and really brings the world into sharp focus.
Part of the reason juicing tends to come in and out of our lives is because of the waste of pulp that juicing leaves behind. All the fiber and apple peelings that juicing inherently creates which is kind of a mental turnoff. There's only so much soups and baking and feeding to the dog along with rice that a person can do with the vegetable pulp.
Much more often we tended to do fruit smoothies: strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, oranges, etc. all blended together with soy milk in the blender. But once we had a baby that completely stopped. I've been making tons of baby food in that blender and using it for fruit smoothies seems so... Ugh. I don't want to. You can't make me.
Plus with fruit smoothies you don't get that sharpness, although you do get a sugar high but with all that fiber you're consuming there's no hard sugar crash.
But the baby is starting to get away from pureed baby foods and just eating what we normally eat. So. Hmmm. Juicing and fruit smoothies are starting to sound enticing again.
So, in the garden I've been planting carrots. Tons and tons of carrots. In preparation for juicing. To be honest I've just ordered more carrot seeds so I can plant even more carrots. If I could grow celery, I would because then I know what's in it and what's not in it.
6 comments:
I understand about the juicing and the pulp etc. I am a huge fan of juicing myself! I agree as well that one can feel the effects of a good glass of juice fresh from the juicer! Such a energy boost.
Do you have chickens? They love the pulp from juicing and you get it back in the form of eggs if you eat eggs. I also put the pulp straight into my vegetable rows as its so fine that it turns to good stuff really fast. I just take it out to a row and toss it in.
I have not been successful in growing carrots or celery here. I think I need to try both as a winter crop here and see how they do.
It would be great to be able to grow both as you said then you know for sure what is in them. Celery is always on the dirty dozen list for highest pesticides if not organically grown and even then I prefer to grow my own organic vegetables.
Now you have me inspired to crank up the juicer!
Hi Texan,
We don't have chickens but it's a great idea to just put the pulp directly in the vegetable row. Makes sense, since it's so finely ground.
I've tried growing celery in the spring and it failed for me, I might try starting it really early like in January or February. This is the first year for growing carrots in Kentucky for me. The plants started at the end of August are sizing up so I'm hopeful.
I've never tried juicing since I'm not a fan of flavoured drinks other than coffee & tea (preferring water or sparking water), although I do enjoy smoothies. Like you I hate waste - I even freeze the broccoli water after blanching to use in broccoli soup during the winter.
Having children really does change how you cook - or at least it did for me. I have a library of cookbooks most of which have sat gathering dust after my 1st was born - I just didn't have the energy nor enthusiasm for cooking that I did before. Now that the kids are older, I'm hoping to brush the cobwebs off the bookshelf and be a bit more adventurous in the kitchen.
Hi Margaret,
Water is definitely the best beverage by far. The funny thing about juicing and drinking fruit smoothies regularly is that I find we do a lot more healthy things in general like take vitamins on a daily basis.
I think having a child has made a huge difference in how we cook as well. Cooking now is a mad rush and only one of us can do it. No more complicated multi-course meals. My aunty tells me we'll get our freedom back when he turns 3 years old. Do you find that to be the case also?
3? Ummm...mine are 8 & 10 and I'm only now starting to do more adventurous meals. But we did go through several very busy years with a couple of moves, etc., so I'm sure that contributed to how late I am at getting back into it. There were just too many other things that I was trying to catch up on & cooking just took a back seat.
Hi Margaret,
Kids can take so much energy and time. It really forced us to simplify our lives especially when it came to food since he requires so many feedings in a day. It's the reason I took such a long break from gardening and blogging.
I love cookbooks too. Reading them and planning an intricate meal and trying to get everything timed perfectly. Love. It. Although, it's been years since I've done anything like that.
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