Starting with juicing

One of the first steps I took when I started working on getting healthier and eating more fruits and vegetables was to juice.

I'm as guilty as the next girl of buying a shiny new kitchen appliance then losing interest in it as soon as the next shiny new appliance catches my eye. I can be fickle that way! Because of this, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a juicer, but I didn't want to buy something that would fall apart. After a little bit of research, I bought a small Breville juicer. There are hundreds out there, this is just the one that worked for me. I can say, though, if you buy a juicer, look for one that is easy to clean!

It looks like there are basically two different "camps" when it comes to thoughts about juicing. Some people don't like it because it strips the fiber out of food. Others are fans because they say without the fiber, we can absorb nutrients more easily. My personal feeling is that while I would love to get every single last bit of goodness out of everything I eat, including the fiber, any nutrition from fruits and vegetables is good.

Making juice was a fantastic way for me to ease my way into eating more plants. It's like cooking, which I love to do, but it is healthier than things I used to cook. It also was a great way to get hands on experience with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. I tried all KINDS of combinations, to find out what the texture would be like and how different foods would taste with other foods. I noticed quickly that my skin cleared up, and I had energy in the morning that felt like real energy, not a caffeine buzz.

I did learn a few tricks along the way, too. A few grapes thrown add just enough sweetness. Sweet potatoes are NOT my favorite thing to juice. And there are a TON of uses for the pulp that's left over. I made crackers with it, my husband makes a surprisingly delicious noodle dish with the pulp, spices, and extra tomato, it can be composted... there are a gazillion ideas out there!


Making juice has also been a great way to use some of the produce from our CSA that I might not get around to cooking.

Juicing isn't for everyone, I'm sure. For me though, I have a lot of fun with it. And if it's not fun, I'm not doing it!

Puffy Pancakes, Pretty Juice

I had a lot to do Saturday - clean the house, hike, finish up a new song I've been working on, and later, shake my groove thing at a 60's Soul night. That kind of agenda called for a pumped up breakfast!

Late last year, I watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. While I never planned on doing a juice fast, it did inspire me to buy a juicer. Like a lot of people, I used it a lot at first.  I made a pact with myself and used it every single day for over a month. Then, I quit. Now though, I'm at a "happy medium". When the mood strikes me, I make delicious juice creations for Tom and myself.

Today's creation included apple, carrot, red pepper, a beautiful lime, and mango. After it was all mixed together, I stirred in some fresh grated ginger and sort of muddled in some fresh mint from the garden. I usually go heavier on the vegetables than fruit, but I was all about energy for the day!

When I don't make some kind of crazy hash for weekend breakfasts, I'm usually giving a new vegan pancake recipe a whirl. Some of them have been flat out duds ("flat as a pancake"? I get it now!), some have been very good, but this one? This one is by far my favorite. It's based on the Puffy Pillow Pancake recipe on The Post Punk Kitchen, but I made a couple of tweaks. Here's a link to the original: Puffy Pillow Pancakes 

Here is the recipe with my tweaks:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground flax meal
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (because I didn't have canola)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarse chopped walnuts (optional but awesome)


Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Measure the milk into a small bowl. Add vinegar and ground flax seeds, and use a fork to vigorously mix the ingredients until foamy. (Honestly, I didn't read the directions all the way through and put all the wet ingredients together for this step. It all came out fine.)

Pour the liquid mixture into the center of the dry ingredients. Add the water, canola oil and vanilla and mix until a thick, lumpy batter forms. Like any pancake batter, don't over mix!

Chemistry time! Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. A chemical reaction will happen thanks to the vinegar that will make the batter bubbly and fluffy. Don't rush! Preheat your pan while you wait.

Lightly coat the pan in oil. Do not use too much, and don't cook too many at one time, they need room to breathe. Add about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake. If you want to use walnuts, sprinkle a few on top of the raw cake at this time. Cook for about 4 minutes, until they puff up. Flip the pancakes, adding a new coat of oil to the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Pancake should end up about half an inch to an inch thick, and golden brown.