7 Ways To Get the Most Out of Your Juicer
August 5, 2016 | Foodie Tips | No comments
Do you know your juicers from your blenders? If you’re an appliance nerd like we are perhaps you do, but just in case we’ll tell you anyway. The crucial difference between the two is blenders very finely chop fruit and veg into smoothie consistency whereas a juicer separates fruit pulp from the juice.
Smoothies are super healthy because they contain all the fibre in fruit and veg as well as vitamins and minerals. But freshly squeezed juices are great for health too. All the good stuff in juice is absorbed into the bloodstream much more quickly so you’ll feel invigorated, refreshed and full of energy quicker!
If you have a juicer, they’re useful for more than just squeezing some fresh OJ to accompany your morning toast. Here are some uses for your juices to ensure your juicer doesn’t just sit on your kitchen counter (or worse at the back of a cupboard) gathering dust.
Tasty Easy Juicer Soups
On hot days you probably lose your appetite for a big hearty bowl of soup. Juicers are great on days like these for making raw, cold soups ideal for easy summer dinners. You can also use juiced vegetables as a delicious broth base which can be simmered with other ingredients when a warming soup tickles your fancy too. So whatever the weather soup can stay on the menu!
Making Nut Milks and Butters
Fancy trying your hand at homemade peanut butter or almond milk? With a juicer, it couldn’t be easier. Soaking nuts overnight then juicing them with water will create delicious nut milk. The remaining pulp can then be combined with a little oil, a small pinch of salt to enhance the flavour and honey to taste if required to make delicious nut butter!
Flavour for Teas or Sauces
Small amounts of ginger or lemon juice can enhance the flavour of black teas. You can even combine the two with hot water to make a healthy, fresh ginger and lemon tea – ideal for warding off a pesky sore throat! Add flavour to your dipping sauces or marinades too with a whole host of versatile ingredients like juiced herbs, citrus fruits or nuts.
Healthy Baking
Some baking recipes call for fruit juices to add colour or flavour like orange juice cakes or muffins. And there’s no better juice to use than fresh-pressed juice direct from your juicer!
Fruit juice reductions can also make wonderful sauces – the perfect accompaniment to desserts or meat dishes.
Fruity Ice Cubes
One problem with juicing is the inconvenience of having to clean a whole appliance for just one glass of juice. But there’s an easy way around this – just double up and freeze the excess. A great idea for summer: freeze leftover juice in ice cube trays. Decant into a bottle with a splash of liquid juice or coconut water whenever you need to keep cool, healthy and alert.
Hangover Cure
If you’re feeling the effects of the night before, use your juicer to make the perfect nutrient filled green juice or a famed hangover cure, a Bloody Mary. Juice tomatoes with lemon (one part lemon juice with six parts tomato juice) and add salt, pepper, Worchestershire sauce, and Tabasco to taste. (And of course, if you’re going the whole hog a splash of vodka!)
Don’t Forget the Pulp
Pulp doesn’t have to be that annoying by-product that needs clearing up every time you juice. You can use it to add extra fibre to smoothies, create a healthy, natural face mask or body scrub and even in cooking as a soup thickener or an ingredient in veggie burgers or muffins. There are so many uses for pulp, you never need to throw it away again!
Do you have a go-to juice recipe that converted you from using your juicer once in a blue moon to regular juicing? If so please do share it! Or if smoothies are your preferred fruity drink, check out these favourite smoothie recipes from our office.
When choosing your juicer it’s worth taking into account the warranty and the ease of cleaning as these are two of the downsides of juicing bemoaned by our customers. Juicers with not too many parts and parts that can be cleaned in the dishwasher are great and long warranties are always awesome. Of course, if your juicer is out of warranty and you need spare parts to fix it we’re here to help.
Tags: juicer tips
