Super Fresh Juices and Smoothies E-Book

Nicola Graimes

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Whether you're looking for a potent pick-me-up, an effective detoxifier, a post-workout boost, a weight-loss aid or an anti-ageing rejuvenator, this book shows you how to make flavour-packed juices and smoothies with health-enhancing properties. Along with the nutrients gleaned from fresh fruit and vegetables, these great-tasting drinks contain active super-nutrients such as spirulina, wheatgrass, maca, baobab, lacuma, acai berries, chia seeds and raw cacao. To help those unfamiliar with these super-nutrients, an in-depth list of their numerous health benefits, with information on how to use them. There is no comparison between home-produced juices and mass-produced ones - with homemade drinks you can choose your favourite fresh produce, they are additive-free with no added sugar, and they're not pasteurized, a process which can deplete their nutritional status. Alongside over 100 recipes, this book gives practical advice on getting the most from your fresh produce, plus a guide to buying a juicer or blender.

Leseprobe

Super fresh juices & smoothies

Super fresh juices & smoothies

Over 100 recipes for all-natural fruit and vegetable drinks

Nicola Graimes

photography by

Kate Whitaker

Senior Designers Toni Kay and Megan Smith

Head of Production Patricia Harrington

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Food Stylist Lucy McKelvie

Props Stylist Liz Belton

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2014

by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

Ryland Peters & Small, Inc.

519 Broadway, 5th Floor

New York, NY10012

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Nicola Graimes 2014

Design and photographs

© Ryland Peters & Small 2014

eISBN: 978 1 84975 682 2

ISBN: 978 1 84975 493 4

Printed and bound in China

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data has been applied for.

Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any claim arising out of the information in this book. Always consult your health advisor or doctor if you have any concerns about your health or nutrition.

Notes

• The recipes have been created with adults in mind; if serving them to children omit the superfoods and dilute half and half with pure or filtered water.

• All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified.

• When a recipe calls for frozen fruit there is no need to defrost the fruit before using.

Contents

Introduction

The juice kitchen

Detoxifiers

Energy-enhancers

Pick-me-ups

Weight-loss aids

Beauty boosters

Index

Suppliers

Acknowledgments

Introduction

By enjoying fresh, raw juices, smoothies and blends on a regular basis you are on the path to good health and with the addition of superfoods you are on the superhighway to rejuvenating and invigorating both mind and body. Whether you’re looking for a potent pick-me-up, an effective detoxifier or an anti-ageing rejuvenator, this book shows how to make flavour-packed juices, smoothies and blends with these – and many other – therapeutic properties. But what makes this juicing book different from so many others is that, along with the nutrients gleaned from fresh fruit and vegetables, these great-tasting drinks contain the added benefit of active superfoods, or supernutrients, such as spirulina, wheatgrass, maca, baobab, açaí berries, chia seeds and cacao nibs among others. To help those unfamiliar with these superfoods there is an in-depth list with a detailed explanation of their numerous health benefits.

Alongside over 100 recipes this book gives invaluable, practical advice plus tips on how to choose and what to look for when buying a juicer or blender to best suit your needs. There are also hints for getting the most from your fresh produce, including shopping advice, as well as storing and preparation. For those who want to start from scratch, there are recipes for making-your-own natural yogurt and nut milk as well as information on how to sprout seeds and beans so you can rest assured that your fantastic juice or smoothie is not only nutritious but also 100 per cent home-produced.

There is no comparison between home-produced juices and shop-bought from a health point of view; with homemade drinks you know what you’re getting, you can choose your favourite fresh produce, they are additive-free with no added sugar and they’re not pasteurised, which can deplete their nutritional status. Homemade juices can be described as liquid fuel, nourishing the body with a potent combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and enzymes. As well as giving a nutritional boost, juices, smoothies and blends have the ability to cleanse the liver and kidneys, revitalise flagging energy levels, flush the body of toxins, boost immunity, de-stress, rejuvenate the mind and body and aid weight-loss. These nutritional properties are flagged in each recipe alongside an explanation of key health benefits and nutrients. The recipes are divided into the following chapters: Detoxifiers; Energy-enhancers; Pick-me-ups; Weight-loss Aids; and Beauty Boosters. For easy-reference, each chapter is split into refreshing juices, soothing smoothies and rejuvenating blends, with each one featuring an added active ingredient. And, perhaps most importantly, they all taste great.

The juice kitchen

Juicing basics

To ensure that you get the most from your juicer or blender, let’s go back to basics by explaining the difference between a juice, smoothie and blend. The former is made by passing fresh raw vegetables or fruit through a juicer, which extracts the fibre to provide a readily digestible, nutrientladen juice. Smoothies, on the other hand, are made by pulverising fresh raw produce into a pulp in a blender with yogurt, milk or a dairy-free alternative, while a blended drink replaces the dairy element with juice, water and the like; either way the end result is thicker than a juice and also retains valuable fibre, although the nutrients take longer for the body to absorb.

• Choose fresh produce that is in season and at the peak of ripeness as the juice, smoothie or blend will not only taste superior but will also be at its nutritional best. Conversely, avoid under-ripe, old, wrinkly or damaged fruit and vegetables. It’s advisable to buy fresh produce from a retailer with a steady turnover. Better still, grow or pick-your-own!

• One of the goals of drinking juices is to flush out toxins from the body so it makes sense to avoid using foods that contain unwanted additives, chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers and use organic fresh produce instead. If the purse allows, the health benefits and often the taste are well worth the extra cost. If using non-organic fresh produce, wash it well. Also choose unwaxed citrus fruit or alternatively scrub it thoroughly before use.

• It’s not always necessary to remove the skin from fresh produce before blending and as most of the nutrients lie in, or just below, the skin it pays to leave it on whenever possible (obviously if the skin is very thick or inedible this isn’t an option). The skin will make the blend slightly fibrous, but I don’t usually find this an issue when you take into account the health benefits.

• Some juicers may struggle with leafy vegetables and herbs, so an easy solution is to roll them into a bundle or wrap them around a more juicy vegetable or fruit before putting them through the machine. For maximum juice extraction if you have a centrifugal juicer (see page 12), soft or particularly juicy fruit and vegetables, such as berries, peaches, pears, melon or cucumber, can be put through the appliance twice.

• Juices, smoothies and blends don’t tend to keep well and should be drunk soon after making as their flavour, texture and nutritional value diminish with exposure to light and oxygen. You can add lemon juice to extend their life slightly, but I find they are still best consumed shortly after making.

• Fresh juices can be strong-tasting and potent, so if you have a delicate digestive system or are not used to drinking them, dilute with pure or filtered water before drinking. The recipes have been created with adults in mind; if serving them to children omit the superfoods and dilute half and half with pure or filtered water.

• Superfoods can be bought in various forms from fresh to tablets, capsules and powders. For convenience and consistency, the recipes in this book use them in powdered form. The dosage given in each recipe is perhaps conservative, but if you haven’t taken superfoods before it’s advisable to start off small and then increase the dosage after a period of time when your body becomes more attuned and after monitoring any reaction. It’s also recommended to compare the quantity of superfood specified in the recipe with the dosage on the pack as strengths can vary. For herbal remedies, again check the recommended dosage on the pack.

Equipment and tools

Juicers and blenders have come a long way in recent years but which piece of equipment you choose to buy largely depends on your budget and what you need from your appliance.

Centrifugal juicer

This juicer works by using a flat cutting blade in the bottom of a rapidly spinning basket, which shreds the fresh produce and flings the pulp to the sides of the basket, or in a separate container, while the juice passes through the small holes into a jug/jar. If you are making a small amount of juice, there is an advantage to using a centrifugal machine as it doesn’t eject the pulp but continues to work until the basket is full, so it reduces the amount of cleaning. This type of appliance does vary in its juice yields, but it is a quick and convenient way of juicing. Choose a model with a robust, high-powered motor to handle the high-speed extraction process.

Masticating juicer

This type of juicer effectively shreds or ‘chews’ vegetables and fruit, releasing their juice and the nutrients that go with it. It is extremely effective in extracting juice and tends to be more proficient at handling leafy greens and herbs than a centrifugal model. However, for some people, it is preferable to have a juicer and a separate wheatgrass/leafy greens machine, possibly hand-operated, to cover all bases. Masticating juicers tend to produce juices with a reasonable nutritional shelf life as they incorporate less oxygen in the juicing process than centrifugal machines. Opt for a sturdy appliance with a reliable, powerful motor and it should last you for many years. Also choose one that is easy to clean and put back together afterwards. Most machines come with various attachments that allow you to make ice cream, mill grains and grind nuts, for instance, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when considering your options.

Blender

If you intend to use your blender on a regular basis it pays to invest in a sturdy, heavy-based model with a powerful motor as it will certainly make light work of smoothies and blended drinks that include firm fruit and vegetables. Other factors you may wish to consider are whether the jug/jar is the right capacity for your needs and that it is sturdy with a tight-fitting lid and a hole in the top for adding ingredients. It should also be easy to clean. You may not need a plethora of speeds but look for an appliance with a range of functions, 3 or 4 speeds and a pulse button; many blenders also have pre-programmed cycles that make them easy and convenient to use, as well as attachments that can grind nuts and spices or mill grains.

Citrus juicer

Expensive equipment is not essential for making citrus juices. The hand-held reamer, citrus squeezer or the more costly citrus press are perfect for extracting juice from oranges, lemons and limes. Many electrical juicers also come with an attachment that can extract the juice from citrus fruit.

Hand-held blender

A hand-held immersion blender is perfect for handling an individual serving of a smoothie or blend as well as pulverising herbs or greens to stir into juices if your juicer has difficulty coping with fresh leafy stuff. As with a blender, look for a sturdy appliance offering variable speeds and one that is easy to clean.

Superfoods

Superfoods (or super-nutrients) are the buzz-word of the moment. This collection of potent, nutrientrich, bioavailable foods is believed to be essential for optimal health, both of body and mind. If taken regularly, they help to correct imbalances in the body, strengthening immunity and cleansing and rejuvenating the system. The following list details the superfoods used in the recipes in this book in alphabetical order for easy reference. It isn’t exhaustive as ‘new’ superfoods regularly come to our attention, but this makes them all the more exciting.

Açaí berry

A purple, blueberry-looking fruit from the Amazon rainforest, the açaí berry is believed to aid weight-loss. It works by improving digestion, reducing cravings and boosting metabolism, enabling the body to process food more efficiently and consequently burn fat. The berries are also high in anti-ageing and energy-boosting antioxidants. Look for a good-quality, reputable brand. In a powdered form, açaí berries add both colour and a rich, slightly chocolaty flavour to smoothies, blends and juices.

Aloe vera

The leaves of this succulent plant contain a colourless, jelly-like substance that is trusted as a topical treatment for burns, bites and abrasions, but if taken internally it supports the health of the digestive system, hydrates the skin and supports the immune system; quality is key when buying this vitamin- and mineral-rich supplement.

Baobab

Packed with vitamin C (around three times as much as found in an orange), this nutrient-dense African fruit boosts energy levels and the immune system as well as the health of the skin. It is also a good source of antioxidants, calcium, potassium and B vitamins. With its slightly sharp citrus flavour, baobab adds zing to vegetable- and fruit-based juices and tastes great in blended drinks.

Barleygrass

With similar therapeutic attributes as wheatgrass and brimming with vitamins and minerals (see page 18), barleygrass is slightly easier to digest and has a milder flavour than its cereal counterpart. This high-chlorophyll food acts as a free-radical scavenger and also reduces inflammation in the body. The recipes in this book use powdered barleygrass, but do use fresh, if available, and your juicer can cope with it, as its nutrient content is likely to be superior.

Bee pollen