There's lots of reasons to drink fresh juice, from the flavor (of course) and the blast of vitamins easily absorbed by the body, to the more esoteric concepts of detoxifying and cleansing. Since there is no fresher juice than the kind you make yourself, why not experiment with ripe, readily available fruits and vegetables, balancing sweet and tart produce in complementary combinations? Here are five recipes to get you started.
Photo: msheldrake/Shutterstock
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes, plus refrigeration
Yield: 4-6 glasses
Ingredients
- 1 3-pound cantaloupe, cut into sections
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 1/2 cups filtered water
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 lime wheel, optional garnish
- Rinse produce. Cut cantaloupe to size, juice and pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Combine with remaining ingredients. Stir and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 one hour. Serve over ice.
***
Photo: Multiart/Shutterstock
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 glasses
Ingredients
- 1 pound organic carrots
- 6 Valencia oranges, peeled
- 1 1-inch nub fresh ginger, peeled
- 4 ounces light coconut milk
- 1 orange wheel, optional garnish
- Rinse produce. Cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Add coconut milk and stir.
***
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes, plus refrigeration
Yield: 4-6 glasses
Ingredients
- 3 cups seedless watermelon, cut into sections
- 1/2 English cucumber, cut into spears
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon citrus seasoning (optional)
- Handful mint, torn
- 1 cucumber wheel, optional garnish
- Rinse produce. Cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
- Combine with remaining ingredients. Stir and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve over ice.
***
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 glasses
Ingredients
- 1/2 pineapple
- 3 tangerines, peeled
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 cup filtered water
- Rinse produce, cut to size and juice. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp. Add lime and water.
- Stir and serve over ice.
***
Photo: holbox, Larina Natalia/Shutterstock
Yield: 2 glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups jicama, peeled and cut to size
- 2 organic carrots, rinsed
- 1 ripe Bosc pear, rinsed
- 1 lemon, peeled
- 1 sprig mint, optional garnish
- Rinse produce. Cut jicama in half and remove skin with paring knife.
- Juice with carrots, pear and lemon. Pour liquid contents into small pitcher, straining through sieve if needed to remove pulp.
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