Most of us wander into our kitchens rather groggily first thing in the morning, and reach for a cup of coffee or tea for a caffeine kick. Instead of starting your day with a caffeinated jolt, consider sipping something a little more nourishing and rejuvenating.
These juice and smoothie recipes are as good for you as they are delicious, and can be enjoyed as either a wake-up tonic or an afternoon refresher. Live nutrients and enzymes in juices and smoothies feed every cell in your body, while liquids from the fruits you’re using keep you hydrated, and that’s a far better method of staying awake and energetic than knocking back all those dehydrating coffees.
What you’ll need: a juicer, a blender or food processor, fresh fruits and vegetables, milks, herbs, and spices as the recipes require.
- Morning Sunshine Smoothie
Packed with vitamin C, this sweet and tangy citrus smoothie will inspire smiles on even the rainiest morning.
2-3 freshly-juiced tangerines
1 ruby red grapefruit (juiced)
A handful of frozen strawberries
Peel and juice the tangerines with the grapefruit, and puree the blended juice with the frozen strawberries.
- Mango Blueberry Bliss Smoothie
1 mango, peeled and cubed
1 pint of blueberries
1 banana (frozen or fresh)
1 teaspoon of maple syrup.
1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (almond, soy, or coconut are recommended)
Puree all ingredients together in a blender, and enjoy. A handful of chopped ice can be added if desired.
- Minted Fruit Cocktail Juice
1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 orange, peeled and divided
1/2 cup pineapple
2 cups watermelon, cubed and seeded
1 teaspoon lemon juice
A small sprig of fresh mint
Juice the apple and orange first, followed by the pineapple. Transfer juice to a blender, and add the watermelon, lemon juice, and mint. Puree until smooth.
- Berry Boost Smoothie
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup cherries
1 banana
1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon flax oil
1 teaspoon honey
dash of cinnamon
Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
- Green Goddess Juice
1/2 a cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 stalk of celery
1 handful of kale
1 apple, peeled and sliced
1 pear, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Juice all of the ingredients in order, ending with the lemon juice. If you find that the juice is too thick, pour a bit of water into your juicer to get the last bits of goodness out, and dilute the end product.
- The Iron Maiden Juice
This juice is ideal for women who might feel weak or depleted after menstruating or giving birth.
2 large beets, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, trimmed
1 small apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
a handful of spinach
1/4 cup of water
Juice all of the ingredients in order, ending with a bit of water. This is an iron-rich, replenishing tonic that’s also a liver cleanser.
- Strawberry Fields Forever Smoothie
1 cup strawberries
1/2 a frozen banana, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
Puree all of the ingredients in your blender, and adjust sweetener to taste (if desired).
- Peachy Keen Smoothie
1 large peach, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1/2 cup red strawberries or raspberries
1/2 cup peach or berry low-fat yoghurt
1/4 cup milk (dairy or non)
Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve cold, and enjoy.
- Vitamin C Booster Shot Juice
1 cup blackberries
1 cup currants (any colour)
1 orange, peeled and divided
1 tangerine, peeled and divided
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Juice all of the ingredients, and serve immediately.
- Easy Being Green Juice
2 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup honeydew melon, peeled and chopped
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 handful spinach or kale
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/2 a cucumber, peeled and sliced
Put all of these ingredients through your juicer in order, and drink immediately. It’s best if the fruit has been in the fridge for a while so the drink is nice and cold.
- Berry Gorgeous Juice
1 cup blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1 pear, peeled and sliced
2 small red apples, peeled and sliced
Juice all of the ingredients, and enjoy this luscious, fruity drink while it’s cold.
- Melon Melody Smoothie
1 cup watermelon cubes
1 cup cantaloupe cubes
1/2 cup honeydew melon cubes
1 cup frozen strawberries
Puree all ingredients until creamy and smooth. This is an amazingly re-hydrating elixir.
- Garden Refresher Juice
1 carrot, trimmed
2 celery stalks
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 tomatoes
1 handful of watercress, with hardest stems removed
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Juice all of these ingredients in order, and drink immediately. It’s great as a post-workout rehydrating elixir, or as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Add salt and/or a dash of hot sauce if you like.
- Paradise Smoothie
4 or 5 slices of pineapple
1/4 cup water
2 oranges or tangerines, peeled and sectioned
1 large handful berries (your choice)
1 banana, peeled
a handful of ice
Juice the pineapple and oranges, adding a bit of water to get all the last yummy bits out, and transfer this juice to the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients, starting on low first to crush the ice, and then cranking up to high until it’s all smooth.
- Cold Remedy Juice
2 celery stalks
3 carrots
1 clove of raw garlic
1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 large handful of spinach
1 lemon, peeled and sectioned
cayenne pepper or Sriracha sauce
This is a perfect immune-boosting juice to help fight off colds and flus.
Juice all of the ingredients in order, and then transfer juice to a small saucepan. Warm it slowly, but do not let it boil. Add hot sauce or cayenne to taste, and transfer to a mug. Drink it slowly, but finish it while it’s hot.
- Mango Lassi
1 mango, peeled and sliced
1 cup milk of your choice
1/2 cup plain or peach low-fat yoghurt
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
a few shakes each of cinnamon and cardamom
Add all ingredients to your blender and puree for a minute or so until absolutely smooth.
- Green Tara Juice
5 celery stalks
1 large handful of kale
1 small handful of spinach
8-12 stalks flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, peeled and sectioned
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Juice all of the ingredients in order, and serve chilled for ultimate goddess-like rejuvenation.
- Pomegranate Tart Smoothie
seeds of 2 pomegranates, or 1 cup bottled Pom juice
1 banana, peeled
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
honey or agave syrup (optional)
If you’re using pomegranate seeds, juice those first. Add pom juice to a blender, add the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth. Add sweetener if it’s too tart, and either more juice or a bit of water if it’s too thick.
- Remember Your Roots Juice
2 large beets, peeled and sliced
3 carrots, trimmed
1 parsnip, trimmed
1/2 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons water
Juice the ingredients in order, finishing with the water to extract anything left behind. Pour into a glass and serve immediately. You can add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
- Creamsicle Smoothie
2 clementine oranges or honey tangerines
1 peach, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup vanilla soy or almond milk
Juice the oranges first, and add that to a blender with the peach, and vanilla milk. Blend until smooth.
