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By Root 422 0

mild vegetables—such as cucumbers and celery—need some boosting in the flavor department. These qualities produce a complex flavor profile.

A Balancing Act

One of my goals in writing this book is to give you the confidence to start experimenting with different juices so you can increase your repertoire of options and suit your personal taste. This chapter is a good place to begin.

When you’re concocting a juice, think about colors as well as flavors. Remember we eat with our eyes before our taste buds enter the picture, so you want a juice to have a pleasing hue.

Then think about the Chinese concept of yin-yang. In this case it means balancing flavors. Sweet should be balanced by sour, and hot should be balanced by mild.

If you keep these precepts in mind when you’re making the recipes in this chapter, you’re on your way to improvisational juicing!

Minted Honeydew and Celery

¼ honeydew melon

4 celery ribs

3 scallions

1 cucumbercup firmly packed mint sprigs

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to

taste

2 mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Serves 2

Prep time:

less than 10 minutes

Each serving:

135 calories

9 calories from fat

1 g fat

0 g saturated fat

6 g protein

27 g carbohydrates

1. Peel honeydew and cut into 2-inch cubes.

Rinse celery, scallions, and cucumber, and cut into 2-inch lengths. Rinse mint sprigs.

2. Push melon, celery, scallions, cucumber, and mint through the juicer, and process until juiced. Pour juice into a blender, and add yogurt and vinegar. Blend for 30 seconds; then pour juice into two glasses. Season each glass to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately, garnished with mint sprigs if desired.

Variation: To pulp this recipe in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade, discard melon seeds, trim scallions, and cut all ingredients into pieces no larger than 1 inch. If using a blender or food processor, add yogurt and vinegar with other ingredients.

Juicy Jive

You can always use soft tofu in place of yogurt or sour cream in a recipe to make it non-dairy. Use the same amount of tofu as the dairy ingredient, and then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice for each cup of yogurt to give the dish the same tangy flavor.

Spicy Cantaloupe and Cucumber

½ cantaloupe

2 carrots

1 cucumber

4 scallions

1 orange

¼ lemon

¼ cup cider vinegar

Cayenne to taste

2 cantaloupe spears for garnish (optional)

Serves 2

Prep time:

less than 10 minutes

Each serving:

164 calories

9 calories from fat

1 g fat

0 g saturated fat

4 g protein

38 g carbohydrates

1. Peel cantaloupe and cut into 2-inch cubes. Scrub carrots, discard tops, and cut into 2-inch lengths. Rinse cucumber and scallions, and cut into 2-inch lengths. Peel and quarter orange. Peel lemon.

2. Push cantaloupe, carrots, cucumber, scallions, orange, and lemon through the juicer, and process until juiced. Pour juice into two glasses, stir ⅛ cup cider vinegar into each glass, and season to taste with cayenne.

3. Serve immediately, garnished with cantaloupe spears if desired.

Variation: To pulp this recipe in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade, discard cantaloupe seeds, trim scallions, remove orange and lemon seeds, and cut all ingredients into pieces no larger than 1 inch. If using a blender or food processor, add vinegar and cayenne with other ingredients.

Liquid Lingo

Cider vinegar has an underlying fruity flavor and is made from distilled apple cider. It’s milder than wine vinegars or distilled white vinegar, and the best substitute would be half balsamic vinegar mixed with half white wine vinegar.

Gingered Beet and Apple

3 apples

2 beets

1 pear

½ lemon

4 TB. sliced ginger

2 apple wedges for garnish (optional)

Serves 2

Prep time:

less than 10 minutes

Each serving:

209 calories

9 calories from fat

1 g fat

0 g saturated fat

3 g protein

54 g carbohydrates

1. Rinse apples and cut into sixths. Scrub beets; discard tops if wilted or use them