The Juicing Chronicles Pt.2

Hello friends! I wanted to give you an update on my little world of juicing. I have to admit that I kind of fell off of the wagon for a bit, and even stopped juicing for a few weeks. Then, I finally watched the documentary, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and it jump started my desire to juice (I totally recommend watching it, it's really good). I've been juicing consistently, but am not letting myself feel guilty if I miss a morning.

I've realized that I really enjoy making natural juices from fresh fruits and vegetables. Last night I was able to share some of my favorite recipes with some girlfriends, and it was so much fun! If you're interested in starting out, here are some of my recommendations and things that I've learned:

• Apples and oranges make great bases for juice; their flavors are not too strong, but they produce a lot of juice
• Carrots will sweeten the flavor of any juice you make (read: it's great to add with bitter veggies)
• Spinach is a great vegetable to juice because it's flavor is hidden so well 
• Don't be afraid to use all kinds of veggies (spinach, kale, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, etc.), the darker the better!

Also, here are some of my favorite combinations:

• 1 apple + 1 orange + boatloads of spinach + 1 carrot + 3 strawberries 
• 3 oranges + a hearty handful of spinach
• 1 beet + 7-8 strawberries + spinach (always use a lot :) + 1 carrot
• 1 carrot + 2 apples + spinach + kale + 3 asparagus stalks 

And a juice that feels more like a dessert:

• 1 peach + 1 nectarine + 1 apple + 1 carrot + spinach + a few strawberries

I continue to learn as I go, and it's just a matter of finding the flavors you like best. I, personally, have been feeling convicted to use more vegetables in order to increase the amount of nutrients I am getting, but I think you should start with whatever you like best.

Have you ever tried juicing? Do you have any recommendations from your experience?