Welcome to my first blog post! After months of filling friends’ Facebook feeds with piccies of my blended juice concoctions, it seemed only appropriate that this first post featured the very best of the blends.
First up, my piña colada juice – which comes with its own
warning.
Piña colada juice
Makes 3 cups
Blend:
1 banana
1 pineapple (core and all)
1 cup chilled coconut water
2 cm grated fresh turmeric (if unavailable, the powdered
version is fine)
2 cm grated fresh ginger
A bunch of coriander
A few kale leaves/3 teaspoons spirulina
1-2 tablespoons chia seeds
I’ve also added an overripe mango to the mix in the below blender piccie, and it tasted
even more fantastic.
Recently my naturopath suggested I introduce some anti-inflammatory
foods into my diet. What better way, I thought, than throw them all in
the blender with a couple of regular favourites and get the goodness in one big
hit. The result dark blue-green hue was disturbing, but the taste was totally
tropical.
Now, here comes the warning: drink it quick or keep it in
the fridge for up to 48 hours max, as it ferments rapidly. A few days ago I made a batch for breakfast and poured the
remainder into a jar to take to work the next day. The tightly sealed jar went
to work – and home – and back to work again – and home yet again before I
finally remembered it and took it out of my bag today. The sludge in the bottom of
the bag should have been a heads up. I took the jar to the sink and loosened
the lid. There was a loud phoop of
air and an explosion of frothy liquid. No surface was left unscathed. There were
fluorescent bluey-green blobs on the sink, windows, blinds, walls, splashback
and cupboards, appliances, and passata-filled jars. Somehow, the jar was still
nearly full, so I took it out the back where the mixture sat quietly bubbling
away like porridge for the next few hours until I buried it. Cleaning the sludge
off the walls revealed a new disaster. The turmeric had, in record time,
stained every surface the juice had touched a neon yellow. Thankfully, repeated
applications of spray n wipe faded it to an near-imperceptible level.
My go-to green juice
Coconut water
Banana
Strawberries/raspberries/blueberries/mulberries … you get
the picture!
Kale, or whatever greens you have handy. I’ve used lettuce,
silverbeet, spinach, beetroot leaves, Asian greens and even borage leaves.
This combo was my go-to breakfast bevvy of choice for about
two months. It works best with frozen berries, either from the store or from
your own garden. I have a few kilos of my home-grown strawberries in the
freezer – something I was particularly grateful recently as they meant I hadn’t
eaten the imported berries (also in the freezer and now the bin) that were just
recalled due to links with a Hepatitis A outbreak. Grow your own or buy
Australian, people!
Unless you have a whizz bang Nutri Bullet, I’d recommend
blending the greens and water first before adding the rest. Tuscan kale in
particular can be a little fibrous unless well blended.
Pink juice
Mango
Berries
Almond milk
Cinnamon
Chia seeds
This also works best with frozen berries and mango. The
almond milk makes it lovely and creamy. I make my own almond milk as it’s easy,
healthier and more flavoursome (recipe to come in a future post) but store-bought works. Dairy is also fine. In Canberra, there’s some fantastic local milks
now on the market, with a colour and flavour that’s unrecognisable from the
usual stuff. Check out Supabarn Crace or the Capital Region Farmers Market, held
every Saturday at Exhibition Park. Chia seeds are entirely optional – I add
them for the added protein and omega-3 fats.
No funny business green juice
Coconut water
Cucumber
Greens
Garlic
Ginger
The merest pinch of cayenne pepper
Banana, pear or apple
This one takes some adjusting to as it is spicy and tastes
very … green. But it is seriously good for you as it’s highly nutritious,
boosts the immune system, full of antioxidants, hydrates the skin, and
contains a range of minerals and vitamins.
Quantities in all of the above recipes are to taste - have fun experimenting to see what works for you :)
