1. Shots

No, I’m not referring to the hard stuff, but a concentrated dose of everything that is good for you, all in one. “Wellness shots” or “boosters”,  are often used as a natural remedies for fighting a cold or the flu. However, they can also give you a burst of energy while boosting your immune system. There are many ingredients that can be used in a shot; cayenne pepper, turmeric, lemon and ginger are common. Simply juice your ingredients, add your spice/powder to the top, throw it back!

2.  Coconut

Adding coconut to juice amplifies the hydration of your drink along with adding B vitamins and minerals. You can use the fresh coconut juice found in the center of the nut, or the meat. Once you have opened the coconut, scoop out the “meat”. Then soak for 15-20 minutes in covered hot, but not boiling, water. Blend with remaining juice ingredients and enjoy.

3. Cocktail

Why limit your consumption of juice to breakfast? This juicing method may shock most people, but yes, you can have a shot of alcohol in your juice! Many trending restaurants are offering juice-based cocktails on their drink menu. “Juice-tails” or “kale-tinis” serve as a healthy alternative to traditional mixers as they are coupled with low calorie spirits, such as tequila and vodka. If you’re going to spend $10-15 on a bar drink, it might as well be healthy for you!

4. Nut Milk

Soy milk has been popular during the last few years, but alternative milk choices are taking the throne this year, and you can make your own by juicing. The key is to soak your nuts or seeds in a bowl of water overnight, (about 8-12 hours). This softens the texture to be easily juiced to a milky consistency. Soaking your nuts also makes the protein readily available for absorption, breaks down any gluten, and increases the supply of vitamins. There are many options when making your own nut milk, try a more exotic nut like macadamia, hazelnut or brazilnut.

5. Kombucha

A fermented concoction of bacteria, yeast and black tea, Kombucha can add a tangy taste to juice. It is a natural anti-inflammatory, can improve circulation, and can lower high blood pressure; just to list a few benefits. It is no wonder that it is being added to fruit and vegetable juices to equal one powerhouse. 

Regardless of how extensive or exotic your drink is, the first step to successfully juicing at home is choosing the right juicer. The two leading juicer types are centrifugal, the most affordable option, and cold press, the best quality option.

When selecting a juicer consider:

• Budget
• Versatility
• Quality
• Style

Centrifugal Models 

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor ($49)

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-67601A-Mouth-Extractor/dp/B00E0IBKLQ

This juicer is a good for beginners. It doesn’t extract all juice from fruits or vegetables but gets the job done. It has a powerful motor and a container to separate the pulp from the juice.

Breville BJE510XL Juice Fountain Multi-Speed 900 Watt Juicer ($194)

http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BJE510XL-Fountain-Multi-Speed-900-Watt/dp/B000QBFFU8

This juicer is not only affordable, but performs quicky. Most parts are dishwasher safe, including the large feeding chute. Although, it does take extra time to clean and juice comes out slightly foamy. For most greens, this juicer works great, but doesn’t juice more leafy greens well.

Cold-Press Models 

Breville Fountain Crush Masticating Slow Juicer ($229)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008P8LAVW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008P8LAVW&linkCode=as2&tag=hubp0a7e4-20

This juicer is also a great starter. Unlike some juicers of its grade, this model extracts juice from kale easily. It has easy direction control and easy cleaning.

The Omega 8006 Nutrition Center ($269)

http://www.amazon.com/Omega-J8006-Nutrition-Center-Juicer/dp/B001L7OIVI

This juicer does more than juice fruits and vegetables. It can make baby food and nut milk with ease. It fully extracts vitamins, minerals and enzymes from all fruits and vegetables. Because of its low rotation speed, juice is extracted foam-free.

Juicing is an easy way to introduce fruits and veggies into your food regimen.  I’m not one to eat an entire plate of kale on its own, but mixed up with some of my favorite juicing ingredients, not only is the bitter taste disguised, but I am feeding my body with power foods all at once. As a bonus, blended with banana, apple chia seeds and carrots it tastes great!    

If you have never juiced before, don’t worry! It’s not as intimidating as those bulky blenders make it look. The important thing is to find combinations that you like, and slowly branch out to new ones. When formulating for your juice, always start with a base. Fruits and veggies produce the liquid in your drink, therefore producing the most volume. (For the beginners out there, it’s ok to start with the majority of your base being fruit.) Carrots, berries, apples, celery, cucumber, wheat grass and sweet potatoes are just a few bases to begin with along with the sweet taste of beets and cucumbers. 

Next add leafy greens! It might be easy to assume that by adding your least favorite part of a salad to your juice, the taste is going to take a turn for the worst. Here’s a secret, that I’ll give to you completely free! Spinach disguises the taste of kale. Really?? Yes! Really! So load it up! The amount of vitamins and minerals that this pair offers is impeccable and you’re not going to want to miss out on it. To add more flavors and anti-oxidants to your juice, add mint leaves, ginger, parsley lemon/lime or even honey to taste. 

It’s important that when juicing, that you remove any skin, rinds or peels that the fruits and veggies may have. Juicers are meant to finely grind what you mixing, the blades are not meant to break down anything other than the leaf or fruit interior. 

When juicing, it is best to drink it right away, but you may store up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Make sure you store your juice in an airtight container…Mason jars, while trendy these days make for a great juicing vehicle. 

Now all you have to do is buy a juicer. There are so many juicers on them market, that will meet the needs of all budgets. The Cuisinart Juicer and Breville both offer low and high end juicers. It seems this holiday season the Magic bullet made the top list for its compact size and east cleaning features. 

Start your new juicing journey with these three recipes:

Green Juice Blend

1 C. Pineapple

1 Green apple

1 Green pear

6 Kale leaves

Orange Juice Blend

1 Mango

1 C. Pineapple

10 Carrots

2 Orange

Purple Juice Blend

½ C. Blueberries

Handful of mixed berries or Strawberries

½ head of medium red Cabbage

½ C. Cranberries