The Complete Idiot's Guide to Juicing - Ellen Brown [16]
Powerful Powders
You can easily turn a juice into an energy- and nutrient-packed meal by just adding a few tablespoons of a nutritional supplement for additional protein, vitamins, and minerals. You should be able to find most of these supplements in many grocery and most health food stores. They are not specified in the recipes in this book, but you can add any of them to any juice concoction.
Bee pollen. Bee pollen is made from the seeds of flower blossoms that stick to the bees’ legs as they’re going about their tasks. When they return to their hive, they clean their legs, mixing these seeds with nectar and their own enzymes to form the pollen. It’s rich with protein; vitamins A, B, C, and E; as well as calcium and magnesium. Bee pollen doesn’t change the taste of juices at all, so add up to 2 tablespoons to any juice recipe.
Flaxseed. Flaxseed is the best vegetable source for essential omega- 3 fatty acids, the same beneficial fat found in salmon and other fish. Flaxseed also contains lecithin, which aids in digestion. The seeds have to be ground up to release their benefits, so put up to 2 tablespoons into any juice recipe and blend away. Flaxseed does have a nutty flavor, but it will probably be masked by other ingredients in the juice.
Soy protein powder. There are protein powders on the market made from cow’s milk or eggs, but the most popular is a flavorless powder with all the health benefits of soybeans. The texture of some brands tends to be a bit grainy, but you can add 2 or 3 tablespoons per juice recipe, and the texture from the other ingredients will mask that of the powder.
Wheat germ. Wheat germ is the embryo of a wheat berry, and adding just 1 tablespoon to a juice recipe adds 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.
Juicy Jive
It’s best to add all nutritional supplements to juices at the beginning of the blending process. Some, such as flaxseed and wheat germ, benefit from being puréed well while other ingredients are added to the blender.
Wheat germ has a slightly nutty flavor. It’s an exceptional source of vitamin E and also contains thiamin and copper. Add up to 2 tablespoons per recipe—or more if you like the nutty flavor.
Herbal Additions
Fresh herbs add anticipatory aroma as well as fresh flavor to all foods, including juices. Botanically an herb is the leaf of specific plants, most of which grow in temperate climates.
It’s easy to grow fresh herbs in your garden, and the aroma and flavor is never as good as the moment they’re picked. Even if you live in an apartment, you can grow small pots of herbs on a sunny window sill.
The recipes in Chapter 7 are devoted to juices that star herbs along with vegetables and even the occasional fruit. But you can add herbs to any vegetable juice. Here is a list of frequently used herbs:
Basil. Now more popular than ever garnishing many Italian dishes and as the main ingredient in pesto, basil has a pungent flavor and aroma that’s almost a cross between anise and cloves. Choose bunches with bright leaves that aren’t wilted.
Chives. Chives are related to onions and leeks and have a very mild onion flavor. They’re long and green and can be snipped to any length with a pair of scissors.
Cilantro. Cilantro, sometimes called fresh coriander or Chinese parsley, was almost unknown in this country until the 1980s when both regional American and ethnic cooking began to grow. It has a pungent aroma and flavor, and many consider it an acquired taste. It’s used extensively in Mexican, Southwestern, and Asian cooking.
Dill. This fresh-tasting herb has feathery bright green leaves that look similar to those of fennel and is used extensively in Scandinavian cooking for such dishes as Gravlax and Swedish Meatballs. It’s also used in Greek dishes.
Mint. Mint will take over a garden, so relegate it to a pot if you’re growing herbs. Two