{Food & Entertaining}

Why I drink Green Juice + a Recipe

Why I drink Green Juice + a Recipe | www.thebudgetsocialite.com

I could wax poetic about the nutrients of greens or tell you about the dangers of processed food, but I’m not going to.  That gets boring quick doesn’t it? Want to know a secret? I drink green juice because every now and then, I think eating baked brie and an entire baguette for dinner is a good idea. I drink green juice because sometimes my co-worker brings in brownies and I find myself in the break room every half hour until all the brownies are gone. I drink green juice because occasionally, I get a little too happy at happy hour. I also drink green juice because it makes my skin glow.  And I drink green juice because it gives me a ton of energy. I drink it pretty much because it’s awesome.

Green Juice is like restarting your computer, except your computer is your body. You know that restart sound?  It’s the sound of sweet relief. It’s your body saying “OMG, it’s not another krispy kreme. Its nutrients! Now we are so happy we do the dance of joy!”

Yummy Green Juice | www.thebudgetsocialite.com

To juice or to blend?

The recipe below is for juice. You could easily add ½ a cup of coconut water, throw it in the blender and make it a smoothie. Pretty much the difference between juicing or blending is fiber. Juicing is great because it gives your body a break from digestion. You get all the nutrients already broken down so your body can use them quickly, but you don’t get any fiber.

With a smoothie your body does have to do some digesting, so you don’t use the nutrients right away. But it has fiber, which keeps you full longer + your body needs fiber.  It helps you do things. You know what things. Don’t make me say it.

You could have a juice WITH your breakfast, while you could have a smoothie AS your breakfast. It really just depends on how you wanna roll.  I mix and match, depending on my mood, the amount of time I have, and if I feel like cleaning my juicer that day. On to the recipe!

Green Juice Supplies | www.thebudgetsocialite.com

The Goods

  • 3 Celery ribs
  • ½  a Cucumber
  • 1 handful of Kale (Can also use spinach, collards, or dandelion greens)*
  • 1 handful of parsley (Can also use mint or cilantro)
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 1 inch of cut ginger
  • ½ a lemon
  • Optional -1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Super Green Powder (or powder green of choice)

Let’s get cracking

  1. Juice the Greens, herbs and ginger first**
  2. Then juice the celery, cucumber and apple
  3. Squeeze the lemon into your juice
  4. Add a scoop of Trader Joe’s Mean Green and stir
  5. Add vodka Resist the urge to add vodka
  6. Enjoy

*Feel free to experiment but be careful with mustard greens. Those bad boys are spicy!

**The greens don’t yield a lot of juice, but if you juice them first, the other juices have to go through the pulp of the greens and catch more of the nutrients on the way down.

If you are blending, just throw it all in the blender. It’s that easy. Bottoms up!

So what do you think… Are you a green juice fan? Where do you stand on the smoothie vs juice debate?  Do you have a to-die-for recipe? Let us know in the comments.

tp_contributer_pic

Co-founder | Trinidad Pena
Trinidad Pena is a blogger, foodie, and design superhero bent on helping others kick-ass online, world domination and convincing the world that wine belongs in the fruit food group since it’s made from grapes.

34 comments

  1. Jon Jefferson

    When I worked at the spa years ago, I made quite a few smoothies. One week a woman came in that required a green smoothie. This meant only green veggies. She could tell if anything else was used. The apple and lemon in your smoothy would stand out.

    • Trinidad Pena

      A granny smith apple is green… kinda, sorta. You might use a lime instead of a lemon. That woman’s palette is superb. I bet she can make recipes just by tasting a dish. I’m a bit jealous.

  2. Angela at Diyhealthblog.com

    I love this post. You are so funny. And I love that you don’t paint yourself as a perfect health goddess who never drinks or eats any sugar. The key is definitely balance and not perfection. Love your message and your juice.

    • Trinidad Pena

      I can’t help myself… If you threw an even called “cupcakes and cocktails” I would be there lickety-split. You wouldn’t even have to invite me. I’d just know and show up. I do avoid processed food, but I am also a foodie. I figure eat healthy 75% of the time and indulge 25% of the time.

  3. claire

    I am a green juice fan and love how you made it not a “must do” but something that is full of benefits if you decide to. 🙂
    claire recently posted..A bunny, a girl and angels in heaven.My Profile

    • Trinidad Pena

      It’s a gentle, should try.

  4. Yanti

    Trinidad you are so funny you crack me up- loved this post and now I am going to juice !! <3

    • Trinidad Pena

      Thanks! YAY juice. Also try a beet, carrot and apple juice. It’s so sweet and yummy!

  5. Krystyna Lagowski

    Now you’ve got me wanting to try a green juice! That’s how well done this post is. Love the photos and design – you go girl!
    Krystyna Lagowski recently posted..If Einstein was a woman …My Profile

    • Trinidad Pena

      Thanks so much! If you try it, let me know how you like it.

  6. Leora

    I love your photographs – the background designs are great fun. I say I will do juicing, but I usually just eat the vegetables, ferment them or cook them.
    Leora recently posted..Onions: Watercolor, Colored PencilMy Profile

    • Trinidad Pena

      Thanks so much! ohh… I haven’t tried fermenting them. I might have google how to do that.

    • Trinidad Pena

      Let us know what you think of it, after you try it.

  7. Julia

    Tried it this morning and it was great! Can’t wait to play around with it.

    • Trinidad Pena

      So glad that you liked it!

  8. stephanie bryant

    I am glad that you referenced the blender usage, I don’t have a juicer but have definitely been considering going green a few days a week! Good post.

  9. Susan Cooper

    I love smoothies and make them for breakfast sometimes. I have never tried a green smoothie but it sounds interesting. A recent fad that I have heard a lot about is juicing. 🙂
    Susan Cooper recently posted..Chocolate Dipped Spoons: RecipeMy Profile

  10. april

    wonderful post, trinidad. and i really appreciated how you acknowledge that sometimes we might just eat a brownie. i think that’s a realistic way of looking at our eating habits. thanks for the great recipe too!
    april recently posted..i am here to hear your story.My Profile

  11. Jessica Fedorko

    I have always wondered about the difference between the two. I feel so knowledgable now! Thanks for the info, and I love your blog post 🙂 Your writing style is super cute and quirky. I know I will be back for sure…”adding you”

    • Trinidad Pena

      Thanks! Knowledge is power, so says GI Joe.

    • Trinidad Pena

      Vodka does make everything better…

  12. Arynetta

    Trying this recipe ASAP. Looking for a green juice to adore:).

    • Trinidad Pena

      YAY! Let me know what you think of it.

  13. Angie Andriot

    I need to start doing this. I’ve been buying those Naked Green Machine drinks, but the cost can add up!

    • Trinidad Pena

      And the one’s you make yourself have no preservatives. Go for it!

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  16. don howes

    I can assure you that out of the 500 million in the US that instead of everybody is drinking green, only a tiny few of you are. Make mine just about anything else
    I do eat some of that green stuff now and then
    Don

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