4 Energizing Juice Recipes from a Nutritionist
Elissa Goodman, a holistic nutritionist based in Los Angeles, is a juicing queen. She shared four recipes with us that are incredibly refreshing (balancing those bitter and earthy greens is crucial) and rich in diverse nutrients.
Before you bust out the juicer, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- •Fresh juices aren’t meant to be meal replacements. You still need balanced, fiber-rich meals throughout the day.
- •A lot of nutrient-dense juicing veggies can be bitter or earthy tasting. Adding mint, basil, lemon, lime, and ginger helps round out those flavors.
- •You can also add sweet root vegetables, like beets and carrots, or fruit, like green apple and mandarin oranges, to mellow out the bitterness. These are sources of nutrients and sugar, so use them sparingly if you want to keep the sugar load low.
- •Buy organic produce when possible, and wash your produce well to avoid pesticides in your juice.
- •Juice tastes best fresh—meal prep and batching aren’t a great option here. The nutrients can break down and the flavor will become flat over time, so drink it immediately after juicing.
If you don’t have a juicer or if you are looking to upgrade in a major way: Kuvings makes the most impressive one we know of. It’s not bulky like most juicers. And it has two pulsating speeds that can take a whole fruit, which makes juicing significantly more efficient. It also comes with a built-in strainer for pulp haters—and can be used for making homemade nut milks or puréeing baby food.
MEET THE JUICES
Mint Condition
½ bulb fennel
2 stalks celery
½ large cucumber
1 large handful mint leaves
juice of 1 lime
“I recommend using celery and cucumber as a base for most juices,” says Goodman. “Celery contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B vitamins. Cucumber contains vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It also contains antioxidants, and it hydrates the body. Fennel is another great, refreshing plant to mix in.”
Dandelion Greens and Orange
1 bunch dandelion greens
4 stalks celery
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1 1-inch piece ginger
1 mandarin orange
“Methylation is your body’s biochemical superhighway that controls your ability to detox. B vitamins act as fuel for methylation and they are found abundantly in dandelions,” says Goodman. “This recipe is a great option for anyone who is new to juicing vegetables and needs to cut the bitter flavor of dandelion greens with some sweetness from the orange. Mandarins provide antioxidant vitamin C to support your immune health. And the overall combination of fruits and veggies here packs a nutritional punch.”
Beet, Celery, and Ginger
½ burdock root (4 to 6 inches long)
1 medium beet
4 stalks celery
½ large cucumber
juice of 1 lemon
1 2-inch piece ginger
“Burdock root—which you can find in most Asian markets—has natural diuretic properties, so it flushes fluids from your body,” Goodman says. “Beets are an extraordinary root vegetable; they contain compounds that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Lemon is another fruit that I add to almost all of my juices. It contains vitamin C, which supports not only the immune system but also the absorption of iron.”
Herb Appeal
3 stalks celery
½ large cucumber
1 large handful arugula
1 large handful basil
juice of 1 lime
1 1-inch piece ginger
“Arugula is a bitter green that we do not talk about enough. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, potassium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin C,” says Goodman. “Fresh ginger is wonderful to add into juices because it supports digestive health and may help ease some forms of nausea.”
