Food

The Super Juices

Food

Sure, fresh squeezed juices are good for you. But they can also be bad for your budget when recipes call for pricey exotic produce (Yubari melon, anyone?). That’s why we’re Naturally in love with these DIY juices. They pack a punch that will boost your immunity, give you superhero strength, and help you power through the day—and they cost no more than a buck a serving to make. How’d we do it? First, we turned to the king of fresh-squeezed juicing—Kiel Pollitt, founder of hot-spot L.A. Juice—and challenged him to use seasonal produce that’s low in price and high in nutrition. Second, we made sure each recipe is worth the squeeze by tasting, sipping and sometimes chugging each one to make sure they tasted mighty good.

Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski

Food Styling by Cyd McDowell

Prop Styling by Kristine Trevino

Recipes by Kiel Pollitt @lajuiceshop

DECEMBER

CITRUS CRUCIFEROUS JUICE

MAKES ONE 16-OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 1⁄2 head of broccoli
  • 3 hearty leaves of organic kale
  • 1 whole grapefruit (skinned)
  • 1 whole orange (skinned)

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

“This is a refreshing and tangy green juice that will boost your energy levels and keep your immunity high. Broccoli is super rich in B vitamins that help maintain energy levels and Vitamin C from the citrus is our hero immunity booster.”

Good to know:

We prefer only using organic kale because the thick, leafy greens have a lot of surface area for chemical pesticides to cling to. These toxins can be tough to clean off, so it’s worth seeking the organically-grown variety.

HOLIDAY PUNCH

MAKES ONE 16-OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 1 medium-size sweet potato
  • 3 whole tangerines skinned
  • 1 pomegranate (scoop out whole pomegranate)

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

“’Tis the season! This delicious holiday blend of sweet potato and readily available, seasonal fruit that is rich in skin-healthy beta-carotene and packed in pomegranate antioxidants for an extra glow.”

Good to know:

Sweet potatoes are loaded in potassium and beta carotene, which your body needs to convert into Vitamin A (your skin and eyes will thank you for that). If you want the fiber you’ll lose from juicing a sweet potato, add a spoonful of chia seeds to this drink.

JANUARY

THE RESOLUTION CLEANSER

MAKES ONE 16-OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 1⁄2 head of organic green cabbage
  • 2 skinned lemons
  • 2 skinned tangelos
  • 3 hearty organic kale leaves

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

“This is a great way to start off the year right! The tasty veggie and citrus mix is loaded with liver and colon detoxifiers.” In other words: This juice can help undo all the holiday indulging.

Good to know:

A tangelo is a hybrid between a tangerine and a grapefruit. But it’s not genetically modified. A hybrid means two related species are naturally cultivated together and they are perfectly safe to consume.

CITRUS COLD BLASTER

MAKES ONE 16-OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 1 whole skinned grapefruit
  • 1 whole skinned lemon
  • 1 whole skinned orange
  • 1 whole skinned tangelo
  • 2 whole skinned tangerines

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

When winter weather turns into cold and flu season, fight back with this citrus celebration. According to Kiel, this juice is “an enriched blend of vitamin C” that takes advantage of the bounty of seasonal citrus.

Good to know:

It may be snowing outside, but in warmer climates December is prime citrus season—which means high yields and low prices. Buy in bulk and store them in the fridge where they’ll stay fresh for weeks.

FEBRUARY

CAULIFLOWER CLEANER

MAKES ONE 16-OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 1⁄2 head of cauliflower
  • 3 hearty organic kale leaves
  • 1 lemon skinned lemon
  • 1 whole skinned orange

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

“This green juice will provide you with exceptional anti- inflammatory and digestive benefits. Cauliflower contains sulforaphane which protects the stomach lining, improves digestion and stops bacterial growth. Moreover, lemon alkalizes and flushes the lymph and liver to provide even more ‘cleansing’ benefits.”

Good to know:

Store cauliflower in a paper bag in your refrigerator. It should be standing stem side up, which helps prevent moisture from forming on the clusters of florets.

THE GET ROOTED

MAKES ONE 16 – OZ SERVING

Gather:

  • 2 whole rutabaga
  • 1 whole parsnip
  • 1 turnip
  • 3 whole skinned tangerines

Make it:

Run all ingredients through a juicer.

Kiel says:

This is Kiel’s take on getting grounded on your nutrition (no pun intended): “This is a clean juice with a medicinal blend of root vegetables that is both satisfying and nourishing. It’s created with three root veggies that in ayurveda are believed to keep us more grounded. This blend is rich in iron, potassium, and vitamins K and E, which are excellent for skin health.” Just one serving of rutabaga has more than half of our daily recommended vitamin-C intake. This stimulates your immune system to fight off illness.

Good to know:

While citrus peels are loaded with anti-oxidants, the oils found in the peels can be tough on a sensitive stomach. If you want to take advantage of the health benefits of citrus peels, just put a few pieces through the juicer.

NATURALLY, BRILLIANT:

SUPERSTAR JUICER

Love juicing but hate figuring out where to store all the containers, blades and accessories that come with a juicer? The juicing kings at Omega Juicers have come up with the first-ever appliance that literally stores within itself. Imagine if Apple designed a juicer: this user-friendly, well-designed guy would be it. Naturally, we love it!

$349.95; omegajuicers.com.