I’ve recently started to dip my toes into the world of juices and smoothies and I feel a little unsure about which fruit and veg will combine to make a juice that is still somewhat edible! So, I was trilled when Quarto Publishing asked if I would review “1000 Juices, Green Drinks and Smoothies” by Deborah Gray. I was even happier when I received it and saw what a great book it is.
The book kicks off with an introduction that is excellent for a beginner like me as it assumes no prior knowledge of preparing these drinks. It explains equipment and techniques very well and also has notes on lots of different fruits, vegetables and other ingredients; giving tips on how to prepare and enjoy them and also listing health benefits.
I really like the concept behind the recipes; in each section there are multiple ‘base’ recipes, each with suggested variations. These usually involve adding, removing or replacing certain ingredients to give a different flavour or health benefit. It’s a great idea as it promotes understanding of what can be changed and combined to make your own unique juices.
As a food blogger, I really appreciate the beautiful photography present on every double page of the book. It makes my mouth water to just flick through the pages!
The first juice I tried from the book was the ‘Apple Salad Juice’ which is labelled as a Super Energy Booster; they’re not kidding! It really packs a punch and is a delicious juice, perfect as a pick me up if you’re feeling a little lethargic.
All in all, I’d give this book a very well deserved 9/10 !
All in all, I’d give this book a very well deserved 9/10 !
The Optimum 600 has just been released in the UK after taking Australia by storm. It is a ‘slow juicer’, also sometimes labelled a ‘masticating juicer’. As the name suggests, it works by crushing or ‘chewing’ the fruit and veg then pressing through a fine mesh to separate the juice from the pulp. As a result, you can end up with as much as 50% more juice than a centrifugal juicer!
For me, the 600 is the ultimate juicer due to it’s ability to juice WHOLE fruit and veg. Just watch it munch through whole apples, a pepper and even a whole cucumber! This makes it so easy to create a quick juice with minimum fuss. The icing on the cake is that it washes by just running under a tap. Awesome!
If you’d like to get your hands on an Optimum 600, Froothie have given me a code for my readers to get £50 off! Just click here to order and enter the code “50GBPOFF” at checkout.
The kind people over at Quarto Publishing have allowed me to publish the recipe for the Apple Salad Juice so you can see how great the recipes are before you buy the book!
Apple Salad Juice
The combination of the acidic sweetness of apples blends particularly well with the earthiness of vegetables. Apples are great for anyone who is feeling run down and they can have an invigorating effect on the skin. These are great starter drinks for those unsure about drinking vegetable juices.
Ingredients
- 4 apples
- 15 baby spinach leaves
- 1 orange or yellow pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 lime, peeled
- 5cm piece ginger, peeled
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp spirulina powder (optional)
Instructions
Juice the fruits, vegetables and ginger. Stir in the nutmeg. Take 2 tablespoons of this juice and mix it with the spirulina until smooth, then stir into the remaining juice.Handy Tip: If serving to guests, put small pieces of chopped apple dipped in lemon juice on skewers with a few chunks of cucumber and balance them over the top of the glasses.
Details
Prep time: Yield: 2 generous glassesCheck out my Pinterest board for more Shakes, Smoothies and Juices…
DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of "1000 Juices, Green Drinks and Smoothies" and an Optimum 600 Juicer for free to review. I was not expected to write positive reviews and any opinions expressed are my own.
Oh that does sound like a great book Kevin. I just bung stuff in and hope for the best. I must have a good feel for flavours, because I have only had one I wasn't keen on, the rest have been delicious.
Yep, I would definitely recommend it! I don't think you can really go all that wrong with a juice to be honest but sometimes it's tricky to make sure one flavour doesn't take over the whole juice… I'm enjoying juicing and really liked my pineapple, sweet potato, lemon and ginger shake this morning 🙂
I was searching some thing relevant to this, And i am feeling lucky, as its the perfect one for what i am looking for. I will share this Blendtec
When I took the Green drink for the first time, a cool rush permeated my entire digestive track and I was actually able to feel it going to work in my stomach!
Juicing gives you access to the complete vitamins, minerals, amino acids, complete fatty acids, and enzymes that raw vegetables and fruits contain. Sounds good? Read more here and start you vitamin life!