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Liquid engineering
Squeeze it or blend it there's nothing quite like home-made juice, so why not give it a whirl, says Jonathan Goodall
If you’re not convinced that juicing your own fruit and vegetables is worth the extra washing up, then consider this: freshly-extracted juice does not taste good, it tastes sensational. The wholefood trinity of apple-carrot-and-ginger juice (see below) couldn’t be any simpler, but if you were to take a drink from the Holy Grail, this is probably how it would taste. And if you’re blessed with an allotment, or fruit trees in the garden, you can pick-and-juice then compost the discarded pulp to create your own virtuous food cycle.
If you’re not lucky enough to be growing your own, once you’ve factored in rising food prices and the cost of a juicing machine (anything from £25 to £800), homemade juice may not work out cheaper than shop-bought – but there’s no doubt that it’s better.
Even juice described as "freshly pressed" will have been in the bottle long enough for it to lose vitamins and nutrients, which are broken down by enzymes from the minute the fruit is crushed. This is why homemade juice should be drunk straight away for maximum "five-a-day" impact.
Not only is your our own juice additive-free, and possibly organic if this is important to you, there’s also the fun factor. When was the last time you tried to buy a carton of tomato, beetroot, basil and lemon juice (just add vodka)? In fact, the most unusual fruit and veg combinations usually work surprisingly well, so do be adventurous.
Top juicing tips
- Carrot and apple are the most versatile juicers; their sweetness can save even the dowdiest combinations
- Green leafy vegetables usually need some fruit or spice, like ginger, to give them a lift
- Leaves can be difficult to juice – roll them into a tight ball or place them between more solid ingredients like apples
- With the exception of citrus fruit and bananas, most fruit and veg can be juiced unpeeled. When using citrus, keep the pith for maximum nutritional value; remove it for best flavour
- Lemongrass adds lemony flavours without sharpness
- Stir – juices separate quite quickly
- Soak juicer parts in hot soapy water immediately
Apple, Carrot and Ginger Classic
Makes one glass
- 1 apple
- 2 carrots
- ½ inch root ginger
Quarter the apples. All the ingredients can be used unpeeled – most of the nutrients are just under the skin.
Wild About Watercress
Makes one glass
- 1 apple
- 1 handful watercress
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1 stick of celery with leaves
Quarter the apple. Roll spinach and watercress into tight balls for more efficient juicing.
Smoothie operator
Compared to a common-or-garden juice a smoothie, made with a blender, is like a liquid lunch – though not in the louche sense. A juicer, be it centrifugal or masticating, extracts the juice leaving fibrous pulp behind.
A blender uses the whole fruit and requires the addition of yoghurt, milk or juice for best results. Providing you use only soft fruit, for obvious reasons, the permutations are limitless – strawberries and bananas are enduringly popular. My favourite recipe is the Mango Lassi because it’s exotic and shows that smoothies are not just a fad. And if the ground pistachios are "optional" then my name's Haile Selassie.
Mango Lassi
- 3 parts plain yoghurt
- 1 part milk
- 1 part water
- 2 parts mango pulp
- ½ part sugar (optional)
- ½ part ground pistachios (optional)
Blitz all ingredients in blender and serve with ice.
