Hi guys! I loved hearing from so many of you following my last post (ICYMI: Easy Garlicky White Beans + Couscous) and figured that, in case more of you were actually into the Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese recipe that I teased than let on, I’d follow things up with a little detoxifying green “juice.” Maybe you made the mac and cheese, maybe you didn’t. I’ll never know. 😉
A few months ago, my husband and I did a 21-day detoxifying cleanse (the Clean Program, if any of you are familiar — I documented the whole thing here) and we learned real quick which smoothies we burned out on quickly and which ones we still looked forward to after three long weeks of a 60% liquid diet. This green blender “juice,” for lack of a better word, stood the test of time. It’s zesty and refreshing, just sweet enough to take the edge off of any cravings, and perhaps best of all, beloved by the whole family, including Lana. (Just to be clear, she didn’t participate in the cleanse with us, but she did sample everything that we consumed as part of it.)
The Best Green Juice Detox Recipe
I love making “juice” in the blender for a number of reasons. Using whole fruits and veggies means more fiber, so the resulting juice is more filling and nutritious. It also means you can use frozen fruit, which is convenient, cost-effective and refreshing (I will always, always prefer my juice to be cold, no matter how the trendy juice bars serve it). And most obviously, there’s no need for a clunky, hard-to-clean juicer. For the smoothest, most satisfying juices and smoothies, I do highly recommend a high-speed blender — it’s an investment, to be sure, but we use ours for everything from smoothies and soups (like our favorite summer gazpacho andaluz!) to cashew milk, pancakes, and nut butter. We are currently using this blender from Wolf Gourmet, and we love it, but I consider the most powerful and effective blender on the market for the price to be this guy from Vitamix. Still a big purchase, mind you, but it’s such a multitasker in an active kitchen.
We like to whirl up a blender of this stuff for breakfast (supplemented with a poached egg and half a piece of sourdough toast, for the little one) — and in the summer, when I’m too lazy to fire up the kitchen, we’ll have tall glasses of green blender juice alongside a simple cheese board (hi, snack dinner wins every time) or a couple of our favorite freezer-friendly Corn + Scallion Pancakes, reheated in the toaster.
And of course, if you’re looking for this guy to stand completely alone as a meal replacement, you can bulk up the nutrition even more with a scoop of collagen peptides, a couple tablespoons of hemp seeds (it’ll become a little more creamy in texture) or a teaspoon of spirulina. If I’m making this for myself in the morning, I’ve even been known to blend in a heaping teaspoon or two of matcha powder. (Encha is my absolute favorite brand, and the latte grade is more than adequate for how it’s used in this recipe.)
Our Go-To Green Juice Recipe, No Juicer Required
Our go-to green juice recipe, no juicer required. Just a refreshing green "juice" that's good for your gut and kid-friendly, too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups coconut water
- 2 large handfuls baby spinach or other neutral green (we accented ours with pea shoots because I had some on hand!)
- 1 handful mint, optional (see note)
- 1/3 English cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 large apple
- 1 heaping cup frozen mango
- 1-2” grated ginger (see note)
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Combine everything in a high-powered blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, using the tamper, if needed to push ingredients down into the blade. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
On ginger and mint: We always keep ginger in our freezer to have on hand for recipes both sweet and savory. Frozen ginger can be easily grated with a microplane right into the blender (or whichever dish you’re preparing!). In this recipe, I lean toward 1 inch of grated ginger or so if Lana (4 years old) is drinking it, double that if it’s just for adults. Same goes for mint. I love the refreshing herbal notes, but we scale it back for the kido version.
Regarding the blender: We are currently using this blender from Wolf Gourmet, and we love it, but I consider the most powerful and effective blender on the market for the price to be this guy from Vitamix. Still an investment, mind you, but it’s such a multitasker in an active kitchen.
Shop Products For Our Go-To Green Juice Recipe
After my birthday date night and hitting up a couple of parties on the ol’ preschool birthday circuit this past weekend, I’ll be offsetting the copious amounts of cake with this green juice.
xo!
Em
Guys! Follow me on Instagram for more peeks into our life on the Northern California coast. And if you feel so inclined, pop over to my personal food + lifestyle blog, The Pig & Quill, where I share salty scribblings from my kitchen and home life. Byeeeeee!
And this one’s for the Pinners:
