All About Juicing, Blending, Smoothies, Nut and Grain Milks
Juicing for Health and Vitality
Juicing, Blending, Smoothies, Nut and Grain Milks
Juicing Versus Blending
Juicing extracts the juice from a fruit or vegetable, leaving the pulp behind. The big benefit of juicing is that you can consume large amounts of nutrients and digest and assimilate them quickly. After all, it is a lot easier to drink 8 ounces of liquid, then to try to consume 3 pounds of food! Juicing also gives your digestion, assimilation and elimination systems a rest from the constant work they do while still taking in some nourishment.
But juicing does not take the place of eating. While it is possible to go on lengthy juice-only fasts (something best done with professional supervision), you cannot remain just on juices indefinitely. You still must consume fiber to keep your digestive tract healthy.
Blending Food
Blending breaks down the food in order to make it easier to eat and to taste better. Some examples of blended food are: raw applesauce, banana- papaya pudding and spinach mousse.
Blended food contains all the original fiber. Smoothies are an example of a combination of juicing and blending.
The Ultimate Juice *
In a perfect world, this is the juice we would drink every day. As a matter of fact we would drink 10-14 ounces of it twice daily. It is served every day at Hippocrates Health Institute, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Use it for a mid-morning and mid-afternoon “pick-up”.
Especially if you are dealing with serious illness, make this drink an integral part of your routine. Use it in conjunction with wheatgrass juice, definitely not in place of it.
The juice is made of 50 percent juice from sprouts and 50 percent juice from green vegetables. In the beginning, if you find the taste of this juice unpalatable, add a small amount of carrot juice until your taste buds become accustomed to the flavor. Most people enjoy this drink when it is made with 50 percent celery juice.
- 1/2 tray sunflower sprouts
- 1/3 tray pea shoot or other soil grown sprouts
- Green vegetable juice – see method
- Garlic or ginger or onion or fresh herbs (optional)
In a heavy duty juicer, using the juicing screen, juice the sprouts. If the pulp is still wet, put it through again, or place it in a mesh bag and press out remainder of juice. The sprout juice should yield 5-6 ounces of juice. Juice enough green vegetables to make a total of 10-12 ounces of juice.
Note: For your veggies: Celery, cucumber, kale, spinach, cabbage, edible weeds, or any other dark green vegetable are all good choices, but celery and cucumber contain a lot of water and will yield a nice tasting juice.
Wheatgrass Juice *
A number of books have been written about wheatgrass juice and its benefits. Wheatgrass juice should be consumed on an empty stomach. It is considered to be a cleansing and healing substance. Typically you would take one ounce in the morning and evening, and work up to 3 – 4 ounces a day. Wheat grass is best taken alone. There are many topical uses for wheatgrass as well. If you sincerely want to experience a cleanse, include wheatgrass as an important part of your routine. Once you feel that you are well and are on a
maintenance program, it is not as important to use wheatgrass on a daily basis. Many people use it twice a week, but listening to your body is the best advice.
Watermelon Juice *
Watermelon juice is highly recommended during the initial 3-week cleanse. If the watermelon is organic, juice some of the green rind (about a 2-inch square piece) and the seeds with the pink flesh. As all juices are rapidly digested and assimilated, you can eat as soon as 30 minutes later, if you feel like it.
Watermelon juice is alkalizing and is a natural diuretic. Limit consumption to 6-10 ounces because of the high sugar content. If you are ill, or have sugar related health issues such as diabetes, candida, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, watermelon juice should not be part of your menu plan.
If you have normal blood sugar levels, in season watermelon is a wonderful way to begin a weight loss program. You will feel full, its
diuretic properties will allow you to shed retained water quickly, and by following a raw food program, you will begin to lose weight.
Cucumber Juice *
Like watermelon juice, cucumber juice is a natural diuretic. It is best used in combination with other vegetables for a tasty drink, although many people love their cucumber juice “straight up”. The challenge is to find unwaxed cucumbers. If the skin is waxed, they must be peeled, thereby losing some valuable nutrients. In summer, pickling cucumbers abound, and they are wonderful juiced. Long English cucumbers are sold in many markets encased in plastic wrap. They are also good juiced, although not as sweet as the little pickling cukes.
3-4 pickling cucumbers will yield about 6-8 ounces of juice.
Fruit Juices
The most popular fruits to juice either singly or in combination are oranges, apples, pears, and grapes. Take advantage of seasonal fruits such as cherries, strawberries, blueberries and cranberries.
Tomato Juice Supreme *
The tomato is a fruit and as such is best eaten alone. It’s refreshing for breakfast, although you should wait at least 20 minutes
before eating anything else. Use only local, vine-ripened, in – season tomatoes, not the ghostly, gassed orbs they sell in the wintertime in cold climates.
Here’s a simple recipe, but just plain tomato juice is also perfectly delicious.
- 8 ounces tomato juice. (3-5 tomatoes, or one pound of tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Dash of nama shoyu or wheat free Tamari (a type of soy sauce)
- Pinch of pepper
- Dash of dulse powder
Combine tomato juice, lemon juice, nama shoyu, pepper and dulse powder.
Serves 1.
Pineapple Grape Ambrosia
The season for organic grapes is brief, but the wait is worthwhile when you taste this delicious sweet drink.
Be sure to thoroughly wash the grapes first. This drink is not meant for people with any kind of sugar issues.
- 1 whole pineapple, skinned
- 1-2 pounds organic red grapes
- 2 tangerines or one orange, peeled
- 1 lemon, peeled
In a heavy duty juicer, using the juicing screen, put pineapple, grapes, tangerines and lemon through machine and into a bowl. Drink as is, or cut with water. Refrigerate.
Will keep for 1-2 days. Makes 1 1/2-2 quarts.
Carrot Juice Controversy
Carrot juice is by far the most popular vegetable juice at juice bars. While it’s delicious, the fact is that each quart of carrot juice contains 2 cups of sugar. Some Living Foods experts advise avoiding all sugars, even natural ones. At many health institutes, carrot juice and beet juice (also very high in sugar) are not served at all during the initial 3-week cleanse phase.
On the other hand, extremely well respected people in the alternative health field strongly advocate the use of large quantities of carrot juice, especially if disease is present. The eminent and well-loved father of iridology, Dr. Bernard Jensen, D.C., reportedly used copious amounts of carrot juice and raw goat’s milk, along with green drinks, to save himself from very serious illness. He has long recommended this practice to his patients.
The Reverend George H. Malkmus also feels that he saved himself from grave illness with the use of carrot juice and raw food, and is reaching out to thousands of Christians with this information through his health ministry ‘Hallelujah Acres’, in North Carolina. Dr. Norman W. Walker, the pioneer of juicing and juicing equipment, claimed that he completely recovered from a liver weakness by drinking large amounts of carrot juice.
It has come to light that years ago when Dr. Walker and subsequently Dr. Jensen and Rev. Malkmus were juicing large amounts of carrot juice – carrots were not as sweet as they are today!
Responding to the demands of the public, farmers have developed sweeter carrots, so it could very well be that 30-40 and more years ago, there was far less than 2 cups of sugar in a quart of carrot juice.
Even though many people are still big carrot juice believers, at the same time, there have also been many cases where the restriction of any type of sugar seems to be beneficial.
Since Hippocrates Health Institute first began in Boston in 1963 thousands of people feel that they have healed themselves of illness with green drinks and wheatgrass juice, and by avoiding high sugar foods.
These health proponents believe that sugar feeds certain conditions such as cancer, candida and pancreatic insufficiencies. The bottom line is that you need to find your own way and come to your own conclusions in this matter.
If you choose to follow the specific Living Foods program as presented at several Living Foods health institutes and in my book,
The Raw Gourmet, the copious use of carrot or beet juice is not recommended. At the most, their sweetness is used to flavor the green drink that this program recommends.
Juice Combinations
There is a growing trend that is very economical. People are using their high powered BLENDERS to make JUICES. Rather than making the investment in an expensive juicer, especially if you’re not going to juice regularly, you just blend up your veggies with some water, then strain through a nut milk bag.
It is difficult to make a juice that tastes bad. Here are some combinations for you to try. Use strong flavors–for example, parsley, garlic or onion– in small amounts.
It is very important that your vegetables be fresh and well washed. (Whoever came up with the concept of “using food up before it goes bad” needs to be informed that wilted veggies contain wilted nourishment.)
Juicing Combinations
Carrot, Celery
Carrot, Celery, Parsley
Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley
Carrot, Celery, Spinach, Parsley
Carrot, Celery, Beet, Spinach, Parsley
Carrot, Beet, Red Pepper, Spinach, Parsley
Carrot, Beet, Red Pepper, Cucumber, Parsley
Carrot, Cabbage, Celery
Carrot, Cabbage, Celery, sprouts
Carrot, Cabbage, Parsley
Celery, Spinach, Red Pepper, Cabbage
Celery, Spinach, Red Pepper, Cucumber
Carrot, Cabbage, Celery, Parsley
Carrot, Cabbage, Celery, Sprouts, Parsley
Carrot, Cabbage, Celery, Spinach
Carrot, Sprouts, Celery, Parsley
Sprouts, Celery, Parsley
Cucumber
Cucumber, Carrot, Parsley
Cabbage, Spinach, Cucumber, Carrot
Cucumber, Sprouts, Parsley
Other vegetables to use include: all dark leafy greens, beet greens, peashoot sprouts, butternut squash, dark leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, dill, edible wild weeds, fennel, garlic, ginger, green beans, jerusalem artichokes, jicama, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, radish, rutabagas, scallion, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, sunflower sprouts, tomato, turnips, turnip greens, watercress and zucchini.
Blending
If you own a powerful blender, you can enjoy blended rather than juiced drinks. What is the difference? With blending, all the fiber is left in. For example, your favorite salad combination can go into the blender with a bit of juice or water. Depending on how much juice or other liquid you use, this can be served either as a drink or a soup. Any vegetable or fruit juice can be blended with 1-2 cups of sprouts, for an extra hit of nutrition.
Sprouted Juice Drinks
Whether you are making a fruit smoothie or a vegetable drink, you can give juices or smoothies a big nutrition boost by blending some sprouts in with them.
In fruit smoothies you can add 1 or 2 dates for sweetness, or a frozen banana, cut in chunks, for thickness and substance.
- 1-2 cups freshly made juice*
- 1/2-1 cup sprouts **
- Dash lemon juice
In blender, combine juice with sprouts; blend until smooth.
Drink immediately. Serves 1.
*Note: For juice, consider: pineapple, apple, tomato, carrot and carrot/celery. Or celery/cucumber, cucumber, apple/celery/lemon.
**For sprouts, try alfalfa, clover, pea shoot and sunflower sprouts, or any combination of them.
Nut Milks
Dairy products are the cause of a great deal of misery in this world. The nutrients in cows’ milk are very different from those found in human milk. Cows’ milk is meant to nourish a newborn calf that is going to gain an incredible amount of mass in its first year, but with scarcely any brain development.
But we not only feed this inappropriate food to our infants and ourselves, we also alter it by heating it (pasteurization) and by feeding chemicals to its producers (cows) to increase the yield.
We move further and further from nature by changing dairy food into even less recognizable substances with products such as cottage cheese, cheese, and ice cream.
If you think about it for a moment, what other mammal consumes the milk of a different mammal? The human body simply does not know what to do with cows’ milk. It reacts to it by secreting mucous to protect itself from the effects of this unnatural substance.
In many instances nut and seed milks can take the place of dairy milks. They are superior to soy milk products because soy products are all cooked and are difficult to digest. Nut milks make an excellent drink, and their richness and sweetness can be altered depending on taste and need. They can serve as a base for soups and smoothies, and can also be used in gravies and sauces. Nut and seed milks are often used by body builders to increase their calorie and protein intake and by people who are underweight to help build themselves up.
Almond Milk
Almond milk can serve as a milk substitute in recipes or as a nourishing drink on its own. These recipes call for straining the milk through a fine nut milk bag. Please note that if it is being used for a young child*, it should be strained at least twice. For additional ease of digestion, blanch and peel the almonds. If using for a young child, definitely peel the almonds first. After straining, you are left with a pulp that can be used in cookies, crackers, halavah, soups or dressings. Use the pulp the same day or freeze it for later use.
* nut milk CAN NOT be used alone in place of breast milk.
It does not contain the complete nutritional profile that breast milk has. If you are a nursing parent and need to replace breast milk with another food, please seek responsible nutritional assistance.
Basic Almond Milk
Once the almonds have soaked overnight, it is important to discard the soak water and to rinse the almonds. All nuts and seeds contain growth inhibitors so that if the nuts are briefly moistened they won’t sprout prematurely. This is nature’s way of protecting them and gives them a better chance to grow under the right conditions. In quantity and over time, these inhibitors are toxic, but soaking and rinsing eliminates most of these naturally occurring substances.
The first time you make this milk, be sure to taste it after the first half is made. If it is not “rich” enough, you can then change the ratio of nuts to water at that time. Simply place the nut milk you have just created back into the blender with the remaining almonds and repeat the process. You will reduce your yield by 1/2 and have a much richer milk.
- 1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours
- 3 cups pure water
Soak for 8-12 hours. Rinse. Drain. Place the almonds and pure water in the blender. Blend for a minute or longer. You want the almonds blended as finely as possible. Strain through a nut milk bag into a jar. Store in the refrigerator. Will keep for 2 to 3 days. If you desire a richer milk, use less water. Yields just over 3 cups.
Lots of people like to add a date or two to their almond milk, or a bit of vanilla or a pinch of salt.
Sweet Almond Milk
- 1 cup almonds, soaked 8-12 hours
- 5 pitted dates, soaked in three cups water 8-12 hours
In a bowl or jar, place dates and water. Refrigerate and let soak 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse almonds.
In blender, combine almonds, dates and date soaking water and blend well. Strain. Refrigerate. For a richer milk, use more almonds.
Refrigerate. Will keep for 2-3 days. Yields 3 cups.
Quick Almond Milk
This recipe is a quick solution when you need almond milk for a recipe, but not recommended for everyday use. Almond butter is made from unsoaked almonds so you do not have the benefit of a nut that has begun its sprouting process, nor have the growth inhibitors been eliminated.
- 1-2 tablespoons raw almond butter
- 1 cup water
In blender, combine almond butter with water. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate. Use within 1 day. Yields 1 cup.
Sesame Milk
Sesame seeds are extremely nutritious and this is a delicious way to increase your intake. The milk can also be
made from the sprouted seeds. (Use 1 1/2 cups of sprouted
sesame seeds.)
Whatever you do, be sure to carefully strain the milk, as
the hulls are irritating to many people. If you like a
sweeter taste, add dates, maple syrup, honey or stevia.
1 cup hulled sesame seeds, soaked 8-12 hours
2-3 cups water
Dates or maple syrup or honey or stevia (optional)
In blender, combine sesame seeds with water. Blend
thoroughly. Strain twice, carefully. Add sweetener if
desired. Store in the refrigerator. Will keep 2-3 days,
Yields 2 1/2- 3 1/2 cups.
Quick Sesame Milk
While sprouted sesame seeds may make a nutritionally
superior milk to tahini based milk because the sprouting
process has begun, the growth inhibitors have already been
eliminated from the tahini because it is made from hulled
sesame seeds. (This quick sesame milk is also a better
nutritional choice than the quick almond milk.)
Some people find the roughage from sesame seeds irritating,
even when strained, for them tahini based milk is a better
choice. Be sure your tahini–and all your nut butters–are
raw. If you can’t find raw products locally look on the
internet to find a mail order supplier.
This is a rich milk, start with 2 tablespoons tahini and
taste.
2-4 tablespoons raw tahini
1 cup water
Dates or maple syrup or honey or stevia (optional)
In a blender, combine 2 tablespoons raw tahini with water.
Blend thoroughly and taste. Add additional tahini and blend
again if a richer milk is desired. Add sweetener if desired.
Store in the refrigerator. Will keep 2-3 days. Serves 1.
Other Nut and Seed Milks
Although almonds and sesame seeds are by far the best
nutritional choices for milk, other nuts and seeds can be
made into good milks also. Soaked sunflower seeds make
a nourishing milk. You can also use
soaked pecans, walnuts, cashews, or a combination.
Try adding a tablespoon of flax seeds
with other nuts and seeds for a thicker milk. For a sweeter
milk, use dates, raisins, maple syrup, stevia or vanilla. Follow the
ratio in the almond and sesame milk recipes: 1 cup nuts or
seeds to 3-6 cups water.
Grain Milks
Sprouted grains are another excellent source of non-dairy
“milks”. You get the benefits of the live enzymes, along with carbohydrates
and proteins in an easy- to-make and easy-to-digest milk. Grain milk can be
used the same way as nut and seed milks–as a beverage or as
a base for gravies, soups and dressings. It’s also used by
bodybuilders for strength, stamina and building up. There is
a sprouting chart in The Raw Gourmet for sprouting
directions.
Make your grain milk from one or a combination of sprouted
grains. If you’re using oats, be sure to buy the unsteamed variety. If
you’re using unhulled grains, be sure to strain well.
3 cups sprouted grain (see note)*
3-6 cups water, or more
In blender, combine as much grain and water as your blender
can safely accommodate. Blend for at least 1 minute. Strain twice
through a fine nut milk bag. Continue blending in batches
until complete. Refrigerate. Keeps 1 or 2 days. Yields 7-8
cups milk.
*Note: Good choices include: wheat, kamut, quinoa, amaranth,
millet, teff, spelt and oats.
Smoothies
Smoothies are not served at any of the Living Food health
institutes. Even the best smoothies are very high in sugar and usually don’t
follow the principles of good food combining. On the other hand, you
could make a far worse nutritional choice. Many people really enjoy starting
their day with a smoothie and often mix in any supplements they are taking.
They are quick, easy to make and they taste wonderful. All
you need is a blender.
The ultimate smoothie uses a base of fresh juice that has
just been made in your juicer, like fresh apple, grape, orange
or pineapple juice. That said, the next best choice is a good
brand of bottled juice. (There are no live enzymes in bottled
juice because of the heat involved in pasteurization and bottling.)
Look for a juice that is organic and has no preservatives,
additives, or high fructose corn syrup. Apple juice is a
popular base, but grape, cranberry, pineapple or other flavors
work very well also. Water is also just fine to use as a base and
as your palate matures, it is probably what you will choose.
The next item to have on hand is a variety of fruit in the
freezer, cut in chunks and ready to use. Bananas are simple-
-just peel when very ripe, put in plastic bags and keep in the freezer.
Other fruits that are good to have on hand are:
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries,
mangos, papayas,peaches and pineapple. Buy them in quantity,
in season, and peel, cut into bite-sized chunks and freeze.
You can find fruit already prepared and frozen in the
freezer section of health food stores. While it may not always be
organic, at least the fruit won’t have any preservatives or additives.
Other good sources for high quality frozen fruit are
Costco and Trader Joes.
Fruit and Berry Smoothie
This smoothie will be so thick you can eat it with a spoon!
If you want to keep the sugar and calories down, replace the juice
with water. Put any supplements you use in the liquid at the
very beginning. An example of the type of supplements often used is
bee pollen or blue-green algae.
This recipe is also delicious using grape or cranberry juice as a base.
1 cup apple juice or plain water
1 handful frozen mango chunks
2 large frozen strawberries
4 tablespoons frozen blueberries
In blender, combine apple juice and mango chunks. Blend
until smooth. Add strawberries one at a time and blend until
smooth. Add blueberries; blend until smooth. If you have a ‘regular’
blender(NOT a K-Tec or a Vita-Mix) you may have to tilt the
entire blender ~not just the container~ in different directions for
the blades to get all the fruit blended in. Serve immediately.
Yields 2 cups.
Variation 1: Replace apple juice with cranberry juice and
replace mango with 1/2-1 frozen banana, cut in chunks.
Variation 2: Replace apple with grape juice, and use the
following fruit: handful of frozen papaya chunks, 2 frozen
strawberries, 1/2-1 frozen banana, cut in chunks.
Note: Any fruit smoothie, as above, would be greatly enhanced
if you add in some fresh greens like spinach, kale, collard and or
some powdered or liquid green algae such as E3Live Superfood
“Milk” and Fruit Smoothie
You can make variations of this drink by adding 2-3 dates,
blueberries or other frozen fruit.
1 cup grain or nut or seed milk
1 frozen banana, cut in chunks
2 frozen strawberries
In blender, combine “milk”, banana and strawberries. Blend
until smooth. Drink immediately. Serves 1.
Carob Shake
For an old fashioned “soda-fountain” type of treat.
3-4 pitted dates, soaked 20 minutes
1 cup nut or grain milk
1 frozen banana, cut in chunks
3-4 tablespoons carob or cacao powder
Dash vanilla (optional)
In a small bowl, place dates with just enough water to
cover. Let soak 20 minutes; drain. In blender, combine dates,
nutmilk, banana, carob powder and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Drink immediately. Serves 1.
Well here’s hoping you now have a better understanding of
juicing, blending, smoothies, nut and grain milks-there
is a tremendous variety of yummy and healthy food
and once you learn a few tips and tricks you can make
wonderful sustaining food for yourself and for your
loved ones.
Written by Nomi Shannon AKA The Raw Gourmet
Raw for over 25 years and still going strong at age 70, Nomi Shannon is an award winning author and world renowned coach. Her best- selling book, The Raw Gourmet, has sold over 250,000 copies, making it one of the best-selling raw food books of all time.
){kind=link}