Get Your Juice On: My Hamilton-Beach Juicer Adventure

[Saladsamurai]

I used to work at a juice bar some years back; I can't believe it did not occur to me that I need fresh juice back in my life! I have just been so busy with my degree that I have been completely neglecting my health. This will be a great, easy way to make sure I get a lot of my missing nutrients!

Anyone else have a juicer? I would love to share some recipes! I would love to hear some ideas for some 'all vegetable' recipes since as of now I have just been drinking fruit juices (but more fruit recipes are good too!).

Right now my favorites are:

3 Apples + 1/4 of a pineapple + small chunk of peeled fresh ginger

3 Oranges + 1/4 of a pineapple + ginger + 5-7 baby carrots

I drop a few ice cubes in these guys and they are so delicious! It's like getting almost a full days worth of fruit in one drink! I mean, I know it is not exactly the same as eating it, but close enough!

BTW: It is a cheap one that I got for $35; a Hamilton-Beach. I expect it will break at some point, but the $150 Jack LaLanne model is a little extreme for me right now.

 

[Kerrie]

Juicers are great! I love mine, it wasn't expensive and I got it as a gift nearly 6 years ago. My favorite has 2 granny smith apples, 1 carrot and a piece of ginger.

 

[leroyjenkens]

How much of the nutrients are you actually getting? I've always wondered that Are you essentially just getting sugar water? There's a ton of stuff left in the juicer after you've extracted the juice.

 

[Saladsamurai]

How much of the nutrients are you actually getting? I've always wondered that Are you essentially just getting sugar water? There's a ton of stuff left in the juicer after you've extracted the juice.

I am under the assumption that it depends on the juicer. I think that the "dryer" the pulp that it left, the better. But it is a good question. Where doe the majority of the nutritional value of piece of fruit reside? In the juice? Or in the fibrous matter that is left over?

I know that I tend to think that it is a combination. When you juice fruits and veggies, the juice is not "clean" like store bought juice. It has a lot of pulp in it too.

Any nutritionists out there who can give some input?

 

[haael]

I used to make potato pancakes with a juicer...

 

[Saladsamurai]

I used to make potato pancakes with a juicer...

Please elaborate! This sounds interesting Did you just use the juicer to create the potato pulp and use that?

 

[Saladsamurai]

Just made another one: 1 gala apple + chunk of cucumber + handful of baby carrots + 5-7 collard greens + 5-7 leaves of red leaf lettuce + handful of green seedless grapes.

I thought that it would be awful, but it was actually quite good!

 

[haael]

Please elaborate! This sounds interesting Did you just use the juicer to create the potato pulp and use that?

Yeah, just insert some potatoes and onion and drop the result onto the pan. Instant pleasure.

 

[Saladsamurai]

Yeah, just insert some potatoes and onion and drop the result onto the pan. Instant pleasure.

Nice! I am thinking I could do the same to facilitate the making of some nice fresh potato gnocchi. Mmmmmm...

 

[Kerrie]

Yeah, just insert some potatoes and onion and drop the result onto the pan. Instant pleasure.

How liquefied is the "batter"? My husband and I love potato pancakes.

 

[Kerrie]

Thanks to your inspiration Saladsamurai, I made a juice with a tangelo, honey tangerine, one granny smith apple, a few purple grapes, a handful of strawberries and just a little ginger. Good stuff!

 

[turbo]

My wife makes juice about every morning. I bought her a Breville Juice Fountain, after we had a couple of really crappy experiences with juicers. It's very easy to clean, and the pulp comes out pretty dry, compared to our previous juicers. She just mixes and matches fruits and vegetables, depending what we have on hand. Our dog loves the pulp.

 

[haael]

How liquefied is the "batter"? My husband and I love potato pancakes.

It is approximately the same as if you made it by hand. It's just easier to make and more safe, since it is harder to hurt your finger.

 

[Moonbear]

I'll stick with pina coladas.

Okay, seriously, I don't have a juicer, and probably won't ever bother with one. But, yes, if you like juice, making it yourself is definitely healthier than buying it in the store with added sugar.

And, sure, especially if you aren't taking time to cook a lot of vegetables for yourself, some fresh squeezed juices are a great way to get your vitamins.

I'm not a huge fan of ginger, though, so you can leave that out of mine, please.

 

[IcedEcliptic]

Yeah, just insert some potatoes and onion and drop the result onto the pan. Instant pleasure.

On a similar note, you can make nearly instant Vichyssoise with potatoes, onions, leeks, place into simmering chicken stock to bring out flavour, hit it with salt and white pepper and a stick blender to finish. Yum.

My favorite I admit, is just banana, and berries, with a bit of apple and a hint of celery.

For potato pancakes, I find a cheese grater/micro-plane to be better than a juicer for the sake of texture, but for potato croquettes or gnocchi it is perfectly pulverized.

 

[Moonbear]

For potato pancakes, I find a cheese grater/micro-plane to be better than a juicer for the sake of texture, but for potato croquettes or gnocchi it is perfectly pulverized.

I agree that part of the enjoyment of a potato pancake is the texture. I don't want it to have the texture of a breakfast pancake, I like the bits of shredded potato.