The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [16]
Being prepared for that emergency smoothie is easy once you get the hang of it. Keep some dates soaking in water in a glass container in the refrigerator. These will last up to a week. Keep whole peeled bananas in an airtight plastic bag or glass container in the freezer. You can also blend fresh fruit, such as papayas, mangoes, strawberries, and peaches, into a puree, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. Use in smoothies or to add an interesting flavor to juices.
A good drink can take the place of an appetizer when you are having guests. Picture the scene. You are still working on the food when your guests arrive early and hungry now! Rather than hurrying out a plate of sliced watermelon, you throw that same watermelon in the blender with a little rose water and suddenly you are the brilliant culinary mastermind that saved the day. You genius, you! And everyone still has room for the dinner you are making.
A couple of tips to get the most out of your beverages:
• Always drink fresh juice within twenty minutes, for optimal flavor and nutrition.
• For all juice recipes, yields are approximate and will vary depending on the produce and the strength of your juicer.
• Check out the juicing section in chapter 2 for more tips and tricks on the art of juicing.
APPLE-BLUEBERRY JUICE
Berries aren’t quite juicy enough to enjoy an entire glass by themselves. Luckily, they create sweet harmony with so many other fruits.
MAKES APPROXIMATELY TWO 12-OUNCE SERVINGS
1 pound blueberries (about 3 cups)
1 (1- to 2-inch) piece fresh ginger (optional)
4 medium-size apples, quartered
1. Run all of the ingredients through a juicer and enjoy in the bright sunshine!
2. You may want to start with the berries, then the ginger, and finish off with the apples, to clean all of the berry and ginger juice from the juicer.
Variations
• Replace the blueberries with an equal amount of other berries, such as raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries. Or try other fruits, such as cherries or grapes.
• Replace all or some of the apple with pear or an equal amount of pineapple.
Superfoods for Health
All fresh fruits contain antioxidants, but berries really take the cake! In particular, blueberries are a treasure trove of these cell-protecting antioxidants.
CARROT-VEGETABLE JUICE
This classic vegetable juice, high in vitamins C and A, is actually quite sweet, so you may wish to dilute it with a bit of water. You can also try mixing in a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds per glass to balance out the sweetness and the effect on blood sugar levels. If the ginger is organic and the skin is thin, you don’t need to peel it.
MAKES APPROXIMATELY TWO 10-OUNCE SERVINGS
Several sprigs of parsley
6 stalks celery
1 (1½-inch) piece fresh ginger
½ medium beet
10 medium-size carrots
1. Put all of the ingredients through a juicer, in the order listed above, and enjoy. Putting the least juicy stuff through first and ending with the juiciest is an effective way to get all of the goods into your cup.
2. Strain if you wish for a smoother, albeit less nutritious beverage. If you are not able to drink immediately, store in a tightly sealed glass jar in the refrigerator. You can increase the amount of parsley according to your taste, up to about one ounce.
Variations
• Countless variations are possible. Using carrots as a base, add your favorite veggies and herbs, such as cabbage, tomato, lettuce, bell pepper, kale, beet greens, or cilantro in quantities that suit your fancy.
• Try leaving out all of the veggies except the carrots and blending with 1 cup of almond milk (page 42) and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, for Jamaican carrot juice.
Quicker and Easier
Straight carrot juice is one of the best ways to introduce kids to vegetable juices. You can slowly add other veggies once they are accustomed to the carrot juice on its