making jucing user friendly

so lately there is a lot of talk about juicing. it seems everywhere you go now you can usually find somewhere that has some form of veggie/fruit juice. so what's all the fuss about? it's really not a new concept, nor is it something that a fancy chef on tv came up with. could it be everyone is finally catching up to what some of us have know forever.  you are what you eat and your body is not a dumping ground for convenient, prepacked foods full of preservatives.
the truth is people have been juicing for years for all sorts of reasons, health, weight loss, medical and dietary issues. those are just the tip of the iceberg. so really who knows what has truly brought it to the forefront, the good news is it's there and people are starting to understand all the benefits of this wonderful nectar of the earth.
 i am not here to preach all those things to you today, really this is just a chance for me to share my reason and how easy it is at home. i even have a few of my family favorite juices. yes, i did just say family, my kids drink it too! even the kind with spinach in it.
if you follow my fb page and blog you already know i am blessed wih kids that have wonderfully open food tastes and will agree to try just about anything. saying that, i am going to be brutally honest and say, they are kids. that means they don't always eat the best, are constantly being exposed to sugar, perservatives and packaged foods. i can't be with them all the time, and they are not always going to pass up on the things that if they were with me they wouldn't eat, like i said, they are kids. so for me if they drink a glass of juice in the am filled with everything they need for the day i feel better with them eating the stuff they don't need.

when the subject of juicing comes up, the first thing most people say is "yuck! how do you drink that stuff without gagging?" the second is "i wouldn't even know where to begin or what to put in the juice. isn't it a lot of work?" the answer is no and really any fruits and veggies you like and even a few you think you don't. truthfully, even the veggies you won't eat on a plate can make a juice taste great. my son won't eat spinach on a plate, but will drink it even knowing it's in the juice. i'm not a huge fan of beets on their own, but love them in juice. so we have covered the yuck and some of the what, now the "isn't it hard?" part.
i think the hardest part of juicing is the first step, picking a juicer, if you don't have one that is. if you do, than the rest is easy. they are so many choices out there it's hard to pick the "best" one. my advice to you is pick the one that will work for you, because if it's a pain for you to use or clean, you won't use it, plain and simple.

so this is my juicing friend. it is by omega and is a little more work than the average juicer. it is designed for completely raw juicing. this means it grinds the fruits and veggies removing all hard to digest fiber. the grinding never heats the fruits/veggie leaving all nutrients in tact and is great for those of you who do the raw diet, where nothing is cooked. there are other juicers out there they do the same, this is just the one i decided worked best for me. some juicers puree everything and the friction from the blades heat the veggies just slightly, which doesn't follow raw guidelines but are fabulous anyway. when i purchased mine i was using it for juicing, baby food and a close friend who was following the raw diet for medical reasons. juicers come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. there is also a difference between a juicer and things like the vitamix and the blendtec models, which make all sorts of things like smoothies, juices, soups, ect. i have one of those too, which i do use for just that. like i said pick a choice that works for you. i am posting two links, one is for juicers the other is for the all in one models. in no way do i say  either  is the last word on the products, but i wanted to give you a place to start if you don't own one already.
http://www.fernsnutrition.com/juicers.html this is a juicer site, and if you notice the one i use is on the top of the page so you can do your own research.
http://gotgreensrevolution.com/Vitamix-versus-blendtec-review.html this is a review of the two top all in one models.
after you get your juicer the rest is easy.
now what to put in them you ask, the answer really is what can't you. i am going to share two of our everyday juices. one is a green juice which is filled with iron, vitamins and chlorophyll. great for your immune system, your blood and everyday wellness.

           green juice
1 english cucumber ****
2 stalks of celery
2 cups raw spinach
2 green apples ***
1 cup pineapple
2 kids to help with the process ****
1/2 cup of coconut water (optional, you can add alkaline water or none at all your choice)
i add coconut especially in the summer so we start our day hydrated as well.

that's it, now depending on your juicer/ blender, your prep is all up to you. my juicer requires some chopping and a plunger to help it in the feeding tube. this is what my kids love to do.
*** you can use any type of cucumber and apple you choose, i like english and green apples for this juice, but we really just use what we have that day. i also use all organic produce so i don't have to peel any of the ingredients, but again do what works for you. the trick to this juice tasting good to the kids is the pineapple and apples. we also use mango or flavored coconut waters and then everyone is happy. getting them involved in the process helps.
this recipe makes enough for 4 if your like me and don't have the time to do the actual juicing everyday, double the recipe and store in airtight mason jars. the vitamins start to deplete daily so drink by the next day. we try and do a couple of different batches every other day during the week and use the weekends to experiment with other juice flavors when we have the time.

               carrot beat juice
1 large beet
3 large carrotts ***
2 fuji apples
2 stalks celery
1 pear
1/2 cup coconut water (optional)

that's it, this juice is so sweet from the beets and carrots you'll be surprised how much the kids like it. like i said i don't really like beets, but this juice is a great energy boost and great for pre workout or sports activities.
*** use whatever carrots you want, even baby if that's what you have.

so there you have it, two simple yummy recipes, that are easy and family friendly. two other great combos are orange/blackberry and pineapple/orange/blueberry. let the kids come up with their own combos, we have used everything including strawberries in our juices. we have had some hits and some flops, but it's a great way to take the "yuck" out of juicing and a little comfort for you with your family facing the big bad food world.