The Energizing Powers of Juice!

Warmer weather, fresh air, and farmers’ market openings often inspire healthier eating. Late Spring is a great time to find an abundance of fresh, locally-sourced fruits and vegetables. And with all the outdoor activities summer brings, many of us wonder how we can have more energy throughout the day.
 
Instead of reaching for more caffeine, give juicing a try! It’s done marvels for my overall health and energy levels. After my workout, a pint of green juice makes an refreshing and energizing mid-morning snack to hold me until lunch.

For green lemonade, my favorite veggies are:

• Bok Choy: high in vitamin A, phenolic antioxidants that scavenge free radicals
• Celery: rich in minerals, and reduces inflammation
• Parsley: loaded with vitamins A, C, folate, iron, and helpful for migraines
• Fennel: adds sweetness to counter the bitter without adding fruit sugar
• Lemon and Lime: balances the bitter greens and makes their iron bio-available
• Mint: brightens the flavor and aids digestion
• Ginger: great for digestion and boosting immunity
• Turmeric: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, destroys mutated cancer cells to prevent spreading, enhances liver function

ADD ONS if you like: 

• Dandelion greens: high in iron, improves circulation and anemia
• Cucumber: excellent for hair, skin, and nails

Packed with readily-available nutrients and living enzymes, fresh juice energizes the body. Juicing separates the fiber in vegetables from the nutrients, which gives your digestive system a break. It’s like a nutrient transfusion!

In our family, we juice regularly and our 8-year old, Olivia, loves to help!

Recently we invested in a juicer upgrade to the Omega VSJ from our previous Omega VRT. The new one is much quieter, stronger, and easier to clean, though the VRT worked well for a while. If you’re just getting started with juicing and want to get the hang of it without a big financial commitment, Juiceman has made some decent juicers in the past. Hopefully they still do!

Allison's Green Juice
By Allison Rivers

Makes approximately two 16 oz servings

Ingredients
1 medium head bok choy
6 stalks celery
1 bulb fennel
1/2 bunch parsley
1 bunch mint
1/2-inch finger ginger
1/2-inch finger fresh turmeric
1-2 lemons, yellow part of skin removed
1 lime, green part of skin removed

Directions
1. Wash and cut ingredients into bite-sized pieces.

2. Follow instructions for your juicer, alternating between firm vegetables and leaves.

© Recipe by Allison Rivers, MSW Coach, award-winning vegan chef, author of Quick + Easy DIY Salad Bar, The Dairy-Freedom Cookbook, Comfortably Yum, and Co-Founder of The Dairy Detox.