The Juicing Chronicles

A couple months ago, I shared my desire to start juicing. Shortly after my initial post, I asked some friends on Facebook if anyone had a spare juicer that I would be able to borrow. Luckily, I have amazingly generous friends and I was able to get my hands on one (thanks Cindy!). I am so grateful she let me borrow hers so that I can see if I really should invest in one of my own.

As it turns out, I use the stinkin' juicer almost every single day! I've gotten into a habit of buying my fruits and vegetables from a local produce stand on Sundays and then juicing them throughout the week. I've begun substituting juice for breakfast rather than the sugary cereal I was eating at work, and I even made juice popsicles this past weekend. I'm a bonafide juicer!

I have noticed that I have a bit more energy when I start my day with juice, but more than that, I really like knowing what I'm drinking. There is something very freeing about consuming a meal that only contains 3 or 4 natural ingredients. It's completely guilt-free and totally rewarding. If you are interested in juicing yourself, here are some of my recommendations:

• If you are unable to borrow a juicer, start with smoothies. All you need is a blender and you're ready to go! 
• Spinach is one of my favorite vegetables to juice. It is packed full of nutrients, but not strong enough to be tasted in the juice (it's perfectly hidden). 
• If you are going to use kale, put it in a smoothie. I've found kale to be super dry and difficult to juice. Instead, I like to add it to smoothies so that I can still get it's benefits without tasting it. 
• Make sure you always include a fruit "sweetener". This is a fruit (i.e. carrots, apples, strawberries) that will sweeten up other tart fruits and vegetables (i.e. pears, kale, rhubarb). It helps to make sure nothing is too bitter or sour.
• Pure orange juice (with a little spinach) is AMAZING. 
• Start experimenting with different flavor combinations, you never know what you'll like best until you try it. 

Have you tried juicing fruits and vegetables? Do you have any recommendations or favorite recipes?