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JOLLY GREEN JUICE

Get your green on with this nutritious beverage that makes a refreshing elixir first thing in the morning or anytime you wish to put a little zip into your day. You can adjust the apple quantity to your desired sweetness.

MAKES APPROXIMATELY TWO 10-OUNCE SERVINGS

6 large leaves kale

6 stalks celery

2 large cucumbers

1 small lemon, peeled

2 large apples, quartered

1. Cut the cucumbers, apples, and lemon so that they will fit through the juicer.

2. Run all of the ingredients through a juicer, in the order listed above, and enjoy. Strain if desired.

Variations

• Replace the kale with Swiss chard or your favorite dark leafy green.

• Add a ½-inch piece of fresh ginger and/or a clove of garlic.

• Try replacing the apple with pineapple or pear.

Superfoods for Health

Green juices and smoothies are perhaps the most nutritious way to get your daily supply of dark leafy greens—revered for their potent antioxidant levels, and powerhouse of minerals and vitamins. The green comes from the high quantities of chlorophyll, which helps the plants convert energy from the light of the sun.

LOVELY LIMEADE

Put limes to good use with this satisfying alternative to traditional lemonade. Made with coconut water and vanilla, it’s the ultimate tropical refresher.

MAKES TWO 14-OUNCE SERVINGS

Seeds from ½ vanilla bean, or

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2½ cups coconut water or water

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons agave nectar or

organic cane sugar, or to taste

Mint leaves and lime wedges

(optional)

1. If using the seeds of the vanilla bean, blend them well with the lime juice, coconut water, and agave nectar.

2. Otherwise, simply stir all of the ingredients well in a pitcher. Garnish the glasses with mint leaves and lime wedges, if desired.

Variations

• For lemonade, replace limes with . . . you guessed it . . . lemons.

• For lime-gingerade, add a ¼- to ½-inch piece of fresh ginger—blend and strain before serving.

• For pink limeade, add a very small sliver of beet before blending. A little goes a long way with beets.

• For lavender-rose limeade, add 1 teaspoon of lavender flowers and 1 tablespoon of rose water before blending. Strain before serving.

CHERRY-VANILLA SPRITZER

This homemade brew is perfect for when you are looking for something a bit jazzier than a fruit juice. There are many pluses to this recipe: it allows you to control the amount of sweetness of your beverage; it also calls for numerous variations; and, as an added bonus, these syrups can also be used on the “Buttermilk” Pancakes (page 66), Waffles (page 270), or French Toast (page 71).

MAKES FOUR 12-OUNCE SERVINGS

10 ounces frozen cherries, thawed

(If you don’t have time to defrost the

cherries, you may need to add a bit of

water to get things going in the blender.)

¾ cup agave nectar, pure maple syrup,

or organic sugar, or to taste

2 tablespoons vanilla extract,

or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean

48 ounces sparkling water (6 cups)

Fresh cherries (optional)

Orange slices (optional)

1. For the syrup, place cherries, agave nectar, and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Place 5 to 6 tablespoons of the syrup in a large glass with ½ cup of the sparkling water. Stir well until the syrup is dissolved. Add another 1 cup of sparkling water and gently stir. Use more or less syrup to desired sweetness. Garnish with a fresh cherry and/or orange slice, if using. Repeat this step with additional glasses to make the other three servings.

Variations

• Replace the frozen berries with 2 cups of fresh berries. If using a granulated sugar, you may need to add ¼ to ½ cup of water to reach a syrupy consistency.

• Try with other berries, such as strawberries. If you use raspberries, pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer after blending to remove the seeds.

• Expand your repertoire by experimenting with other fruits, such as peach, pineapple, mango,