juice

Juicing for Dummies

I hope that everyone had a happy Halloween!Cactus-CostumeIf anyone was curious about this year’s Halloween costume… I was a cactus! I cut white pipe cleaners into small pieces, folded them into “V” shapes and stitched them all over a green fitted American Apparel dress! I added a cactus flower in my hair and as a ring as well : )

Thursday-Saturday consisted of lots of sugary drinks, candy, and costume changes and I think it’s about time for a juice cleanse!

I’ve been complaining to my friends about being super tired and sluggish, and to be honest it’s probably all of the extra crapola that i’ve been eating! Halloween is only once a year, and candy and punch is necessary to celebrate.

My friend Brett (my gorg bunny model) and I are starting a 3 day juice cleanse and I would love some bunnies to join us! I’ll be posting my daily juices and feedback on my blog for you guys to read and follow along. It’s always great to have a buddy so you can hold each other accountable and stay motivated.

I’m really really excited for this post, because I love sharing what i’ve learned along the way of my weight loss journey. I want to showcase my simple juicing tips to make a homemade juice cleanse less intimidating and less time consuming for you guys. Hopefully you will learn some new tricks or be inspired to do a cleanse of your own after reading this!

TIP #1: BUY LOCAL. IT’S CHEAPER.
A lot of people can get turned off by juicing or juice cleanses because of the price. Store bought juice cleanses are super pricey, but making it at home doesn’t have to be!I went to a local store called “Growers Direct” which has excellent prices. I bought all of my produce for the next 3 days for $14.50 (unless I forgot something and need to go back!). Farmers markets are excellent for buying produce for a juice cleanse because they tend to be less expensive than your average grocery store or Whole Foods. Even hit Costco or Sam’s Club for bulk produce!
What I bought:
4 bunches of kale
4 oranges
4 lemons
4 cucumbers
7 Fuji apples
ginger root
5 lb bag of carrots
All for $14.50! That’s the price of 2 store bought juices, or one meal at a restaurant!

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TIP #2: LINE THE PULP BIN WITH A PLASTIC BAG.
This will definitely help when cleanup time comes! You won’t have fruit and veggies bits all over your kitchen and they will be pre-bagged and ready to be transferred. For ideas on what to do with your pulp, see TIP #7.
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TIP #3: SORT YOUR PRODUCE FOR WASHING.
Place all of your produce that needs to be washed in the sink (anything that the skin remains on i.e. apples, greens, cucumber, grapes, etc.). In the meantime, place a few pieces of paper towel next to the sink for easy drying. Kind of like a little fruit & veggie washing assembly line!

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-5 After your produce has been rinsed, place them on the paper towel and gently blot dry. Don’t worry about drying them completely, just blot the excess water.

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TIP #4: SORT ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE CHOPED
Sort any produce that needs the skin removed (i.e. citrus and ginger.) At this time, you will also want to chop any large fruits or vegetables that cannot fit into the juicer whole. I like to chop my apples into 4 pieces each so they’re easier to feed into the juicer.

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TIP 5: JUICE CITRUS IN BETWEEN SOLID PRODUCE.
To get the most juice out of your citrus and greens, place them in between more solid produce like apples or cucumbers. I like to line up the “mouth” of my juicer with an apple, lemon, and then more apple and press it in with the “plunger.” This way I know I’m getting all of my citrus juice pressed in!

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TIP #6: FILL THE SINK WITH SOAP AND WATER FOR QUICK CLEANUP
Fill your sink with warm water and soap while you juice your produce. This will make the cleanup process MUCH faster! Once you finish juicing, place all of your washable juicer parts in the sink and let them soak while you bottle up the juice. This will allow the soap and water to help loosen up the pump for quick and easy part cleanup!

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TIP #7: RECYCLE YOUR PULP!
Now that your pulp is already stored in a plastic bag, it’s super easy to transfer it to your refrigerator for later use, or to compost! I love using juice pulp for crackers (recipe coming later this week)! Just remember, if you want to use your juice pulp for another recipe later on, be sure to remove any inedible seeds and skin before juicing. Get that pulp in the refrigerator and save it for my Juice Pulp Cracker recipe later this week!

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TIP #8: LINE YOUR COUNTER WITH PAPER TOWEL FOR JUICE STORING.
Line your counter with a couple sheets of paper towel to make the juice storing process less messy. Remove lids from your glass jars and get ready to pour.

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Tip #9: HOW TO PROPERLY STORE YOUR FRESH JUICE
Fresh juice right out of the juicer is not only the best tasting but the best for you because of it’s high nutrient level. But we can all agree that it’s not always practical, right?  No one really has time to juice several times per day, so it’s necessary to make juice beforehand. A couple of questions I frequently receive are “Is it possible to make juice ahead of time?,” “how long does juice last in the fridge,” and “how do you store fresh juice?” Well here are my answers. Yes, it is possible to make a batch of juice ahead of time and store it for later. Fresh juice can last about 24 hours without losing any nutrients if stored properly.

The biggest concern for keeping juices fresh is oxidation. During the juicing process, fruits and vegetables are broken open and their enzymes and other nutrients are released from the fiber.   When the juice is exposed to air it gives up an electron to the oxygen in the air, thus oxidizing the juice and making it less nutritionally stable.  If you can reduce the amount of time the juice is exposed to the air and seal it up quickly you have a better chance of keeping the nutrients intact.

This means storing your juice in glass jars with an air tight seal. Below I will describe the process of filling the jars to get the least amount of oxygen in them as possible!

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-14Fill the jars all the way to the top rim with juice so that they actually overflow a little.  The goal is no air inside the jar.

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-19Place the metal lid on top of the jar. Some juice may overflow, which is ok. This ensures that there is no excess oxygen in the jar.

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-15Screw the metal band on tightly to ensure the lid is on and sealed.

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-16Clean off the jars and throw away the paper towel. Store for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator! Careful when opening, they’re full!

TIP # 10: DRY JUICER PARTS ON A DRYING RACK
After cleaning all of your juicer parts, let them air dry on a drying rack (I bought a bottle rack at Target for about $10). The less work, the better, and the more likely you will be to juice again!
Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-18Now for that juice recipe you’ve been waiting for!

Juicing-for-Dummies-Homemade-Juice-Cleanse-17Catherine’s Glowing Green Juice
Makes 4  16oz servings

2 bunches of curly kale
4 Fuji Apples
2 Lemons, skin removed
2 large cucumbers
1.5-2 inch slice of ginger, skin removed

This is one of my favorite juices and an excellent basic green juice for a cleanse!

I hope that these juicing tips have helped and/or inspired you to juice at home! xo
If you have any juicing tips, let me know in the comments below!

All Green Everything

Hi loverbuns!

Just incase you were wondering, yes the title of this post was inspired by Young Jeezy’s song “All White Everything.” I couldn’t resist.

I’m writing to you from San Francisco, CA! I’m here speaking at Produce for Better Health’s Annual Conference 2013: The Consumer Connection! I’ve been enjoying the past few days in the city trying some fun restaurants, meeting new friends, and walking up lots and lots of hills! My gluteus and calves are going to look superb when I get home. My stay in San Francisco have been incredible and I feel so lucky to be a part of DOLE and work alongside such talented bloggers like Kathy Patalsky of Healthy. Happy. Life. I will get into more detail and post photos from the conference when I get back!

Ok I don’t know what it is, but recently I have been absolutely obsessed with all things green. Maybe because it’s March and St. Patrick’s day is on Sunday? Oh, and I’m not just talking about the color. I’m talking about micronutrient rich green veggies my friends.

For the past week, I have been living off of clean green meals. I’m pretty sure this obsession is all thanks to Suja Juice (ummm how cute is their packaging?), who sent me a shipment of their finest USDA certified organic cold pressed juices. Which ones do I go for first? The vibrant emerald green juices!

Some of you have been asking on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookWhere do I find Suja Juice?” Suja informed me of their awesome Suja Locator feature on their website! Just type in your zipcode and it will show you where it’s carried!

Here’s a look at my recent green rabbit food addiction:

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Kale Chips

And in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I have to leave you guys with an awesome green monster smoothie recipe! This is one of my absolute favorite green smoothies, and it totally deserves some love. So I’m bringing this recipe back out of the archive! This was created by the incredible Chef AJ, and I have been hooked ever since she first made it for me. This smoothie is an excellent “first green smoothie” for anyone who is hesitant to try them.

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It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie
Recipe by Chef AJ
serves 3

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup almond milk
1 bunch kale
2 frozen ripe bananas (peel and freeze beforehand)
2 cups frozen mango
about 1 cup of mint leaves (start with less and add to taste)

Start off by combing orange juice and almond milk with kale and blend until smooth. Then add the frozen banana, mango, and mint leaves.
Blend until thick and smooth, pour into 3 glass jars and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

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Have a happy St. Patricks Day!
EAT YOUR GREENS! xo

Love Spell

Today, my heart is heavy. This past weekend, I lost one of my best friends, and heaven gained another angel. This angel being extremely goofy, sarcastic, and creative!
This has been a reminder of just how precious our days are. As my world has turned completely upside down, I am left with so many amazing and funny memories that we spent together. In the spirit of Valentine’s day this week, make the best of every moment with your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends and tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Show them your love not only on Valentine’s day but everyday, for life is entirely too short.

This week has just begun, and it has already been so challenging. I’ve noticed my eating behaviors changing, but I am trying to stay strong because I know that is what he would want. Instead of isolating myself and crawling into a hole, I want to celebrate his life and continue doing what makes me happy: creating new recipes and blogging!

With that said, it’s time for some Monday motivation.
Motivation Monday: “Your stomach shouldn’t be a waste basket.”

This Valentine’s Day, love yourself and your body.
Love everything you have been given, and love your life.
Show your body some love with a fresh Love Spell juice!
This juice is sweet, highly nutritious, and absolutely gorgeous.
Make a juice for you and your sweetie this Valentine’s day, cheers!

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Serves 1

4 carrots
1 fuji apple
1/2 medium beet
1/2 lemon
1/2 inch piece of ginger

Rinsee the carrots, apple, and beets. Cut beet in half. Cut the lemon in half and remove rind.Cut ginger into a half inch section and chop off the skin. Juice, and enjoy! I also adorned my juice with heart shaped slices of beets!
Note: I like to refrigerate all of my ingredients before juicing so my juice is nice and cold!
ANother Note: I recommend using organic fruits and veggies for juicing. No one wants wax from a shiny apple in their juice, EW!

Love Spell Juice

Avo Fruit Smoothie

I am still hooked on fresh juice since participating in my Juice Challenge. I made a Rainbow Sherbet juice this past Monday, and I was craving it the instant I woke up yesterday. I wanted to try making it into a smoothie, so I combined the fresh juice with some avocado and ice cubes and blended it up in my Vitamix. It turned out rich, and creamy, and kept me full and energized until lunch!

I love throwing avocados in my smoothies because it adds a dose of healthy fats, fiber, tons of  nutrients, and adds thickness. I’m a huge fan of thick smoothies, so avocados are always my go to when I want to get a creamy consistency.


Avo Fruit Smoothie
serves 1

2 fuji apples
½ lime
¼ pineapple
¼ large cucumber
1/4 Hass avocado
5 ice cubes

Juice the apples, lime, pineapple, and cucumber. Combine fresh juice with avocado and ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy cold.

Juice Challenge: Day 5

Hola Conejitos!
Feliz Shrinko de Mayo!
I hope everyone is celebrating with tons of raw heart healthy avos!

Now onto the Juicinggggg! Day 5 flew by!
I had so much fun playing with my new Breville juicer last night that I made a Shrinko de Mayo fiesta of rainbow juices! I loved ALL of my juices today! WOOOO!

Emotions & Hunger: 
Drinking only juice is getting progressively easier. Maybe because I jut got a new juicer and am so pumped to use it? I’ve been feeling great physically, and love not having to drink 2 cups of coffee to get through the day. I will definitely be incorporating juice in my regular diet because it makes me feel healthy and refreshed. I have also noticed that my skin has been more dewy and fresh than usual. All of these micronutrients I’ve been taking in seem to be helping!


For The Love Of Kale
makes 1 serving

5 carrots
2 small red apples
6 kale leafs

Spring Beet
makes 1 serving

6 carrots
1 fui apple
6 sprigs of parsley
1 small beet

From A to P
serves 1

1 apple
8 carrots
6 parsley sprigs

Sherbet Lemonade
makes 1 serving

2 golden delicious apples
1/2 lemon

Mean Green
makes 2 servings

6 Kale Leaves
1 Cucumber
4 Celery Stalks
2 Green Apples
1/2 Lemon
1 small piece of ginger

Juice Critique:
For The Love Of Kale: I had an overload of green juice in the past couple of days, so I wanted to make some sweeter juices that still incorporate veggies. I love the combination of apple & carrots. It was so sweet that I could’t even taste the kale!

Spring Beet: Ok you guys, I am trying so hard to use up the rest of the beets left in the fridge and well… I did it. The first beet drink that I actually liked! I started with my favorite new base of apples and carrots, and then added in some beet and parsley. It was sweet and fresh and I actually loved it! So glad I didn’t give up on the beets!

From A to P: Apples, carrots, & parsley oh my! my favorite sweet combo and some parsley, yummmm!

Sherbet Lemonade: DELICIOUS! I was so happy with the outcome of this one. It tasted like rainbow sherbet! This would make such a yummy summer cocktail over ice! R&R: Refreshing & Raw. Mmmm!

Mean Green: This is Joe Cross’ original juice from the film “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.” I had the same reaction that most taste testers had in the film: “This isn’t too bad!” Considering all of the greenery that is incorporated in this juice, I was worried, but the lemon, apple, and ginger added a great balance to the veggie taste. I’m not sure if I could drink this juice 6 times a day for 60 days like Joe, but I did like it!

Loved these juices so much, I cannot wait to make more!

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