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July 22, 2010 By Wendy Leave a Comment

Juice Newbie

Wow! I attended my first Twitter party last night–2 of them actually (in a row!)–and I’m exhausted!

Kind of exhilarated, but exhausted! And I can’t really see straight… 🙄


The topics were the campaign for safe cosmetics and the film, “The Story of Cosmetics: The Ugly Truth of Toxins In, Toxins Out” followed by more talk of toxicants in our personal care products, sponsored by Earth Mama Angel Baby in conjunction with Mothering Magazine. There was a lot of great info to be had, and my tweeter got a super workout!

Tweet, tweet!

But the world of social media is not the only area of my life where I’m branching out! Thanks to my Mom and Dad,  I have a new addition to my kitchen arsenal!

See it here.

Happy Birthday to me! It’s a juicer! Well, it doesn’t call itself a juicer. It calls itself a fruit and vegetable extractor, whatever that means, but it’s a juicer.

The recipe book that comes along with it touts it as a weight loss plan in which you use the pulp as a filler in things like burgers, but I’m just planning on juicing stuff. When something starts saying “easy weight loss” to me, I kind of stop listening…

But, I have a confession to make. I’ve never really been a fan of juice. 😯

Yes, it’s true. Juicing just isn’t my thing. I had a juicer years ago, but I didn’t really like using it and it just sat in my garage and died.

I guess I like the taste of a glass of juice just fine, but I’ve never been one to actually make juice. Here’s why:

  • I don’t like to drink my calories and juice can have a ton of them.
  • I’m not a fan of stripping the fiber out of a perfectly good fruit or vegetable and then consuming it in a few gulps, when I could leave the fiber in and enjoy an entire meal of nutritious food. 
  • Juicing is expensive! Reducing a pile of good organic fruits and veggies into a mere glass of juice doesn’t seem like the best use of my grocery dollar. 

But I fancy myself an open-minded kind of chick, so I have been rethinking my stance on juice. Here’s why:

  • I need to find a way to stay hydrated while nursing. I never drink enough, so if I make it a little more interesting, I just might up my fluid intake. I have a bit of a store-bought-drink phobia because there are so few natural options out there, and juicing at home might be a good remedy.
  • I don’t have to drink the juice at full strength. I plan to use my juices like concentrates and water them down considerably. 
  • At this point in my life, when I’m thinking about trying for baby #2, the nutrients found in a glass of homemade fruit and veggie juice could prove very beneficial, because with the amount of time I spend chasing my newly mobile son, I just don’t always have the time to sit down to a full bounty of garden veg.
  • As much as I don’t like the thought, I’m going to have to introduce some kind of juice to my boy before long. He drinks water and breastmilk now, but when the time comes to give him something else, I’d much rather it be something I made at home with vegetables I know and trust than a bottle of mystery skittle-flavored liquid from the store. Right now, I can’t do things like carrots, beets or spinach, because they contain too many nitrates for young nurslings like mine, but he’ll be able to have them before long. 
  • It’s not expensive if you use your fruit and veggie overflow–then it’s a thrifty practice.  We have an abundance of leftover garden beets, cucumbers, leafy greens, and lots of other produce that will juice quite nicely. Juicing will also help me use up anything I buy at the grocery store and find myself not using. If it looks like we might not eat it, I’ll just juice it up!

  • And finally, while I don’t think I’ll ever view it as a feasible weight loss plan, I can actually use the pulp for baking, or making delicious compost. 

So, I’m determined to make juicing a habit, or at the very least, give it a real try. But here’s the problem. I don’t know what makes a good juice! I can come up with some on my own (carrot, apple, mango? Ginger peach?) But when it comes to combining fruits with veggies, I’m not sure what goes with what, and what doesn’t go with anything.

That’s where you come in! I know all you fine foodies out there have enough collective knowledge to set me off on a happy path to juice nirvana, so please, send me your tips and suggestions! I’ll be sure to share my creations just as soon as I get myself hooked up with a new camera…

Related

Filed Under: Recipes, The Everyday Tagged With: Biggest Loser Fruit and Vegetable Extractor, breastfeedling, fruit and vegetable juice, green baby, green mommy, healthy drinks, homemade, homemade juice, juice recipes, juicer, juicing, natural, nursing mom, nutrition while breastfeeding, organic, staying hydrated, Twitter party, whole foods

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa says

    July 22, 2010 at 7:12 am

    I’m like you with juice – I’ve never really been one to drink it! You have definitely made a good case for juicing, however. I may have to re-think my position!

    Reply
  2. kelsey@snackingsquirrel.com says

    July 22, 2010 at 9:24 am

    OooO i love apple, spinach pear cucumber

    celery, ginger, pineapple

    mango, green apple, lemon, kale, zuchinni

    lemon, strawberry, grapefruit, celery

    cucumber, raspberries, lemon, orange, chard

    orange, zuchinni, apple, ginger

    those are all of my fav fresh juice combos <3

    Reply
    • wendy @ ABCs and Garden Peas says

      July 22, 2010 at 9:25 am

      Ooooh…that’s a good start! Thanks! We harvested over 60 pounds of cucumbers yesterday, so I’m set!

      Reply
  3. Katie @ Health for the Whole Self says

    July 22, 2010 at 11:42 am

    I wish I had a juicer! I’ve tried several of the combinations at a local cafe called Zia’s, and they’ve been pretty good! Check out the menu:

    http://www.ziascafe.com/menu.html

    Reply
    • wendy @ ABCs and Garden Peas says

      July 22, 2010 at 11:46 am

      Hey, what a great idea! I’ll definitely try some of those combos. Thanks!!

      I so envy you for having fun places to eat! We are reallllyyyy lacking in that department!

      Reply
  4. Amber Shea @Almost Vegan says

    July 22, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    A juicer is practically the only kitchen appliance I DON’T have, for many of the reasons you mentioned re: not being a huge fan of juice. You’ll have to tell me how you like it, and if you get a lot of use out of it!

    Reply
    • wendy @ ABCs and Garden Peas says

      July 22, 2010 at 1:47 pm

      Will do!

      I am going to try to post each one I do for a little while, maybe 3 times a week or so….I’m just waiting for my new camera!

      Reply
  5. saltytooth says

    July 22, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    My mother-in-law bought my a juicer a few years ago and I think I have only used it once or twice. Thanks for reminding me that I have it, now I just need to find where it’s stored in the basement and dust it off!

    Reply
    • wendy @ ABCs and Garden Peas says

      July 23, 2010 at 5:28 am

      Do it! We can trade recipes!!

      Reply
  6. fooddreamer says

    July 29, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    Like you, I never take in enough fluids. And for me, a glass of juice is not really a thirst-quencher. But it definitely has it’s uses. You definitely need to stay hydrated while nursing (I’m currently nursing kiddo #3!).

    Reply
    • wendy @ ABCs and Garden Peas says

      July 29, 2010 at 8:21 pm

      #3? That’s great (and a lot of work and dedication!) Good for you!

      You’re right…I think juice seems more like a snack. But given the calorie and nutrient content, I think that’s a pretty accurate way to look at it!

      Reply

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