Juicing Art

The next time you visit your local grocery store, see if they have a discount produce area. This is a juicer's secret stash for inexpensive but sweet and ripe fruits and veggies. Often the fruit will be bulked packed and discounted heavily - it may be a little bruised or wrinkly but optimal for juicing. I use a zyliss soft skin peeler when contending with much of the bruised fruit. It aids greatly in the removal of the fruit's soft skin and simultaneously helps to remove most of the surface sprayed pesticides. The peeler has a serrated edge and really grips the skin nicely. The end of the peeler has a pre-sharpened stainless steel scoop that is great for removing apple stems and soft spots. (Stems can go in the juicer, but I would rather remove them prior to juicing to preserve the life of the unit.)  For this particular juice, I was able to score 4 pears and 6 apples for around $2. The watermelon, lime and ginger hunk were left over in the fridge. When mixed together, you are left with a delightful refreshing combination.  Watermelon is great for your complexion, pears are great for sore throats and a massive natural source of energy - the lime and ginger give you a little needed bite to liven up the mixture.

You have walked by cartons of them in the grocery store, shrugged, and thought "I don't know how to cut that open, and it seems kind of tricky." Another group of people happily put them in their cart but don't really know how to clean a Mango properly. They often end up throwing away a good portion of the fruit unknowingly.

Mango flesh is somewhat unique in that it really adheres to the wide falt central pit and must be "freed" or "pried away" with a sturdy spoon. Here is a 'How to' video that shows you how exactly to leave the Mango pit-less - using only a spoon and a sharp knife in under 2 minutes.

If you are going to eat the Mango straight away, I like to squeeze a bit of lime on the top. It adds a complex dimension of sweet and sour that is unmatched. A little bit in a juice combination goes a long way in terms of vitamins per ounce and sweetening up a veggie centric drink. They are packed with anti-oxidants and are great for a post workout snack. Mango also has some unique anti viral properties which help with various ailments. This site has some more great Mango facts. Mango is also great for your complexion - try eating a few per week and see how you face looks in the mirror after a month.

When choosing mango fruit, look for a larger one. Also pick up several and select one that is heavy for its size. I also like to get one that has a lot of deep reds and a tiny bit on the soft side. Then you can bring it home, let it sit for a day or two and it's the perfect ripeness. Waiting a week or more to eat your mango because it was unripe when you bought it is taste bud torture.

Paradise PA is located deep in predominantly Amish Lancaster County. The Spring Water Farm can be found there and offers some of the finest organically grown foods in the region. I went there for the raw cultured butter, whole chickens, and sauerkraut. They also sell meats there and a variety of other items. They utilize Dutch belted cows which have a characteristic white belt around their belly. This breed is known for making excellent dairy products, which are easily digestable. Here is a link for more info on the breed.  

This article about the Spring Water farm gives you some more info and directions. The Amish folks on the farm run the shop where they sell the items they produce. Looking forward to my next trip back. Plan a trip there and take a friend, you will have a great time seeing all the animals and Pennsylvania countryside. They accept cash and checks only, leave your plastic at home.

Filling up glass jars of ground forest fed spring water. Only 33 to 47ppm (parts per million) of contaminants compared to a typical tap water reading of 700ppm+. This spring's water is loaded with hydrogen and is free of flouride, chlorine, and other nasties. The pH of 6. This spring flows year round and can fill up a gallon container in only a few seconds. I like to use this water for drinking, coffee, tea, or any other food / beverage that calls for water. You will taste the difference and reap the health benefits by consuming this RAW unprocessed water. http://www.juicingart.com for more tips. use Find a Spring website to fond a source of unprocessed water near your hometown.

When I was shopping for juicers - one question remained in the back of my mind.

How do you clean these mysterious machines? This video demonstration shows how easy it really is to clean a Jack LaLanne power juicer. In under 2 minutes, it is on the drying rack. Fiber is in the compost bin. So the next time your feeling a bit lazy about making some fresh juice, and since the fruit and veggie preparation is half the fun, - ask yourself if you can spare two minutes to make a healthier you?

You just discovered that you have two extra bags of cranberries in the fridge - why not make some of the healthiest tastiest juice around? Gather some seasonal apples (I chose 4 large USA sourced golden delicious). Wash everything well and then pat the apples dry with a towel - ensuring that you get all the wax and critters off the skin. Pick off the apple stems (i use pliers to save my fingers). To get the layering effect, juice the apples first - then the cranberries. Something tells me that you have never seen colors like these before in store bought mass produced juice...

Cranberries can offset a asthma attack, treat urinary tract infections and fight kidney stones, reduces bad cholesterol, prevents stomach & mouth ulcers, and protects your brain from neurological issues. They are vitamin C powerhouses and rich with tannins - a contributer to a healthy heart.

Apples are no slouch at keeping the doctor away. The skin on golden delicious apples is particularly full of healthful goodies and not very bitter, so don't peel them. Golden's boost digestion, stave off cancer, are good for the lungs - and keeps your heart strong.  

 

Get 8 young Thai coconuts from the local Asian market or food store. (They are a beige color and soft on the outside)

Hammer a nail into the crown, flip over and place on a pint glass. Nail a hole into the other side and let the 8-12 oz of coconut water drip into the glass.

Pour each glass through a woven strainer into a large pot on the stove.

Heat up the coconut water to 92 degrees using a thermometer.

Add a packet of Body Ecology Kefir Starter

Take the coconuts, leave the plastic wrap on them, put into two plastic bags, using the handle, and smash them on the floor of a garage or sidewalk. Some people pry off the crown, but its not as fun.

The meat comes out easily with a spoon, not like a regular brown coconut

Pour contents into a blender with some of the coconut meat

add a little goji, hawthorne, maqui, camu camu, or other tasty organic soluble organic powder into the blender.

blend on low and pour into a ball canning jar, tighten lid an place into a dark closet for 72 hours at room temperature.

Refrigerate and enjoy a little before you goto bed each night.
The health benefits to your entire digestive system is incredible.

Coconut water is among the most hydrating substance on earth. The live active cultures consume most of the sugar in the Kefir, (so you wont be bouncing off the walls.) Another added benefit is your cravings for sugars will decrease if you have a little each day.

This is a great project to do with your friends or family.

The meat is also great in smoothies - you will find it hard to resist eating some while you are making the Kefir too.

1lb strawberries, 6 oz blueberry, 5 carrots, wedge lime, wedge lemon, 1 navel orange, 1 pear

Due to the wacky weather this year - there is a bumper crop of strawberries that need to be consumed from FL and CA. Take advantage of the low prices and get juicing one of natures sweetest gifts.

Blueberries are good for getting your eyes to adjust to the night - and give you better visual acuity.

The strawberry is really a wonder- it is one of the eight foods most linked to lower rates of cancer (according to a study in NJ with over 1200 elderly people. They are loaded with anticancer compound ellagic acid. Folks in the study who consumed the most strawberries were 3x less likely to develop cancer as those who ate them infrequently! 

This drink will give you a rush so a little goes a long way. Plus if you are having a party - a little rum and ice will have your guests taste buds doing somersaults. 

1 Beet (peeled), 1 Pear, 10 Carrots, 6 radishes, sprig of parsley, 1/3 bunch celery, slice of lemon, slice of lime, piece of ginger

Carrot and beet juice together gives your body phosphorous/sulfur and potassium in a high dose. Vitamin A is also very rich in this mix. All of this equates one of the best natural builder of blood cells - especially the red blood corpuscles.

Peeling the beet is not required but it makes the juice a bit sweeter. Make sure to wash your root veggies well, unless you like eating dirt.

Caution: drinking too much beet juice at one time may cause a cleansing effect of the liver. This can actually cause you to become dizzy. So use plenty of carrots in your juice for balance. Also, beet juice will stain anything it touches including your skin - so pay attention to what you are wearing.