It’s that time of year again, when we start getting back into our routine after a couple weeks of anything goes.
One of the things we do at our house probably once or twice a month is make homemade juice, in this case green juice. It’s a great way to use up fruits and veggies that are on the verge of going bad; and an awesome way to get an extra handful of vitamins, minerals and other micro nutrients into our bodies. With the way the cold and flus are whipping around this season, we need all the extra good stuff we can get.
I love this green juice and lucky for us so do the kids! In fact they love pretty much any homemade juice we make as long as it isn’t spicy.
Is juicing really worth it
In general I’m more of a smoothie person; and there’s some more health benefits to blending versus juicing too. But, we don’t juice to detox, because spoiler alert – that’s not a thing; we actually have livers that do that work for us….but I digress.
Making homemade green juice is a great way to get some extra micronutrients into our bodies because it’s harder than you think to get all the fruits and veggies we need on a daily basis. Juicing is a great way to get a concentrated amount of vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed. That being said, it is NOT a meal replacement, but a great addition to the middle of your day. If you are looking for a meal replacement, smoothies are definitely the way to go.
On top of that, juicing has really helped us with the waste factor in our house. We don’t juice on a regular basis, we do it mostly to use up any fruit and veggies that are about to become compost.
So to the point, is juicing worth it? I think so. The amount of produce we no longer throw out alone is worth the cost of the juicer we bought. Plus having a healthy afternoon pick me up like this refreshing green juice feels good; way better than the ‘ol afternoon coffee crash.
What you need for this healthy green juice
This recipe makes use of loads of fresh fruits and veggies.
Spinach there are tons of other greens that work well if you don’t have spinach, you can substitute swiss chard, kale, beet greens, or even romaine lettuce.
Mint leaves while this is my favourite herb to add to this recipe, parsley is awesome too.
Celery one of my favourite ingredients here, it adds a ton of water (great for hydration) and a very subtle slightly salty flavour which balances the rest of these ingredients so well.
Apples add that sweetness that makes any juice taste great. I prefer a juicy apple like a gala or fuji, but any apple will do.
Pineapple adds a sweet, tart, tangy flavour that takes this juice next level.
Lemon adds some acidity that balances out the earthiness of the greens and the sweetness of the fruit
Ginger my favourite part of green juice is to add ginger to it (it works in so many other juices too). We don’t add a ton, because kids – but if you like it spicy, feel free to bump up the amount; you’ll love it!
Benefits of this healthy green juice
One of the most important benefits to juicing these beautiful fruits and veggies is to take in a more concentrated amount of micronutrients like vitamins, minerals and other plant compounds.
This recipe specifically has an awesome nutritional profile.
Spinach (other greens) are packed with insoluble fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K1, carotenoids, folic acid, iron and calcium and contains moderate amounts of others like potassium, magnesium and more. Plus it carries a handful of important plant compounds like lutein & quercetin.
Mint is not only loaded with flavour but also vitamin A, iron, manganese, and a plethera of antioxidants.
Celery is a low calorie vegetable that still packs a punch with moderate amounts of vitamin A, C and K, some potassium, folate and fiber.
Apples is a great source of both soluble and insoluble fibers, decent amounts of vitamin C and potassium and a ton of antioxidant plant compounds like quercetin, catechin and chlorogenic acid.
Pineapple truly one of my favourite fruits – they are loaded with nutrients. Where do I even start. They have large amounts of vitamin C and manganese. That’s not all, they also have smaller amounts of vitamin B6, copper, thiamine, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and iron. They are also rich in flavanoids and phenolic compounds.
Lemon has a ton of vitamin C, a bit of Vitamin B6, potassium and a handful of other plant compounds. We love adding this to our green juice as it helps absorb all the iron in the veggies.
Ginger while loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, one of the most important benefits to ginger is its anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and antimicrobial properties. So go ahead and throw a bunch in your green juice.
What juicer is the best
Honestly we bought ours from HomeSense over five years ago; it was this Jamba Juicer and it was $79.99. It’s nothing fancy, but it works great! I don’t believe you need to spend a ton of money on a juicer. It’s just not necessary. There are some REALLY good, but still reasonable juicers out there that will allow you to make your healthy green juice. The one that we purchased isn’t available right now that I can find, but here are a couple others I’ve heard great things about:
This healthy green juice recipe is the perfect way to jump back into your routine this January.
My Favourite Green Juice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 handfuls spinach swiss chard, kale or beet greens are all great options too
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 1 head celery
- 2 whole apples
- 2 cups pineapple large pieces
- 1 whole lemon peeled
- 2 inch ginger you do NOT have to peel it, just brush clean
Instructions
- Rinse your veggies really well
- Juice a bit at a time, starting with the spinach and mint. Then add the celery, apples and pineapple; and finally the ginger and lemon.5 handfuls spinach, 1 handful mint leaves, 1 head celery, 2 inch ginger, 1 whole lemon
- Give the juice a good stir. If you don't like pulp, you can strain it. I don't bother.
- Juice is best enjoyed within 24 hours, however will stay ok for up to 72 hours maximum in the fridge in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
If you make my favourite green juice, I’d love to hear all about it. Please comment below, post it on Instagram and tag me @mysweetmess and hashtag #mysweetmess. And if you really love it, please share the link with friends and family.
Other recipes you might enjoy
CARROT APPLE GINGER SOUP
HEALTHY HOMEMADE CINNAMON RAISIN GRANOLA
SLOW COOKER MOROCCAN BEEF STEW
Till the next recipe,
Kristen xo
This recipe convinced me to dust off our juicer, and I’m so glad I did! This delicious healthy green juice is just what we needed after all the holiday excess.
So glad you enjoyed it Colleen, it’s definitely great for that extra punch of veg in your diet.
Beautiful, healthy, delicious combination. I particularly like the added touch of mint. I’m going to have to try green juices more often, rather than my typical (terrible) habit of throwing a bunch of fruit in the blender with some spinach and ending up with something rather… brown looking. This is much better in all respects!
Thanks so much Sean. I’m so glad you enjoyed the vibrant colour and flavour. I know what you mean about throwing it all in and getting a brown mess, haha! It often tastes ok but isn’t the most appetizing.