Fresh Juice

Fresh Juice

WHO IS READY FOR SPRING?

I know I am.  This is like the winter that is never going to end.  I’m currently sitting on my couch covered in a heavy chenille blanket, with a heating pad wedged between my upper back and the back of the couch, freezing.

I am so ready for spring.

Old Man Winter needs to know when his time is up and give up and move on.

A couple years ago, my mom got me a juicer for my birthday.  I had all these grand ideas about juicing green things and drinking them so I wouldn’t have to eat them.

It really only took one sip of one green juice to ensure that I wouldn’t make that mistake ever again.

(It might not help that I juiced broccoli, celery, spinach, and a green apple, thinking Hey those are all green things I like well enough, they should taste good all juiced together right?!  WRONG.)

At least I can say I tried though.

So I turned my attention to juicing fruit because what tastes better than fresh fruit juice?

I had recently tried a fresh orange, carrot, and pineapple juice from a juice bar downtown and it was so good.  I hate carrots, but I actually loved the flavor of the juiced carrot with the orange and pineapple.  It kept it from being overly sweet.  So I tried my hand at that and it turned out so well that I kept going with all kinds of combinations.

And since I had a kiddo that absolutely loved helping with the juicer, she also loved the end result.  And that got me to thinking about all the other things I could make with fresh juice.

Like popsicles.

Popsicles

And ice cubes.

Ice cubes

And the awesomest thing is that you’re making the juice yourself, so you know what’s in it (and what’s not!!).  My daughter loves homemade popsicles and I love that it’s healthier for her than most of the things I can buy in a grocery store.

And think about all the fun things you could do with ice cubes.  Make strawberry juice, freeze into ice cubes, and drop into glasses of lemonade.  Make lemon juice, freeze into ice cubes, and drop into glasses of iced tea.  Make cherry juice, freeze into ice cubes, and drop into glasses of Coke.  Orange juice ice cubes into glasses of sangria.  Any flavor ice cube into a glass of Sprite or water!  The possibilities are endless.  Let your imagination run wild!

Fresh Juice

Ingredients
Orange-Carrot-Pineapple Juice:
2 oranges, peeled
3 large carrots, peeled
1 cup diced pinapple

Orange-Pineapple-Strawberry Juice
2 oranges, peeled
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup strawberries, hulled

Directions
This is easy: Put all your ingredients into the juicer and let it do its thing.

Then: Do what you want with the juice! Drink fresh, turn into popsicles, turn into ice cubes, use it as a base for mixed drinks… Have fun!