I love juicing! Here are some of my favorites:

Green: Spinach, cucumber, kale, parsley, lemon, apples and ginger.
Carrot and apple
Orange and parsley

I personally don't like juiced celery but it's very good for you. I haven't had much luck with juicing soft fruits like berries. I prefer blending those in a smoothie. For me, apples are the key if something is too green or bitter tasting. I add until I can drink it. Lemon and ginger are really nice "brighteners."

oh, he used lemon and ginger in his green drink that he made!
Thanks Chi!
The host said it was delicious. He used kale, and an apple, and celery.

That movie got me back to juicing earlier this year. My juicer had been sitting for longer than I care to admit.

My favorite combination is the one used at my local health food store: carrots, kale (or romaine or leaf lettuce or spinach or a combination), celery, a small beet or part of a beet, some apple, and a chunk of ginger. Because of the movie, I sometimes add some lemon.

For awhile I was drinking 16 oz. every morning, but that was too much for my stomach. Now I make between 8 and 12 oz., and sometimes I skip days. I love juicing. It has made a noticeable difference in my energy levels.

I think I posted on here awhile ago about that movie. I bought a vitamix afterward, and DH and I went on a 10 day fast like he had people in the movie do. I don't think I could do it for 60. I don't really juice, I guess, but I do blended smoothies. There's supposed to be a difference with the micronutrients being more macerated in the smoothies, but I find them more filling than pure juice. I usually use spinach, kale, beet or turnip greens, coconut water mixed with regular water or diet juice for liquid, and then frozen fruit. Sometimes I throw in some greek yogurt. I always use chia seeds to give it volume. I love frozen bananas, grapes, blueberries, and strawberries. Not all at the same time. I generally do a green veggie, 2 fruits, and some protein powder. Very filling and very healthy. Have fun experimenting!

I am considering getting started with smoothies. I'm a real foodie, though, and am concerned that I would not feel satisfied after consuming a smoothie. Do you use it as a meal replacement? Do you miss the actual eating experience (chewing, etc.)? How many smoothies a day would be the norm?

I make smoothies maybe 1-2 a week. My favorite green one is ice, spinach, green grapes, slice of lime (or lime juice) and green cabbage. The lime is essential!!

If I want a fruit one, I mix whatever fruit is on hand: blueberries, strawberries and greek yogurt.I haven't had good luck with apples. I think the texture is mushy. I like the fact that the bananas can be too ripe to eat by themselves, but when you throw them in the blender you never notice!

I drink one 8-12 oz for breakfast around 8am. If I am still hungry I eat some thing around 10:30, banana or a piece of toast etc. There is NO way I could use it as a meal replacement.

I love juicing. Before my morning coffee today I juiced two carrots, a cucumber, two celery stalks, a handful if escarole, and a small beet with the greens. Very earthy tasting. Stick more to greens and sweeten them up a bit with things like carrots and apples. Juicing too many sweet fruits can do you more harm than good.

This post was edited by BryonM on Thu, Sep 26, 13 at 22:22

I'd never use a "juicer ", but I do make daily (one per day) green drinks with my NutriBullet, which pulverizes the fruits and veggies into a very fine liquid. I would never, ever waste the fiber and nutrient value by using only the juice.

The drink is about half dark leafy greens of some sort and half an assortment of fruits. I'll use water or soy or coconut or almond milk as the liquid. Added, too, can be chia seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, protein powder, yogurt. It's different every morning and you will be surprised at how filling it is.

If you're merely drinking the juice....I'd think you'd be hungry in an hour.

I do use my morning 'sludgie ' as a meal replacement. With the other nuts, seeds, protein powder, etc., it's a very healthy meal option. One a day has lowered my cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, has eliminated digestive problems I was having, and more. I have long, strong fingernails for the first time in my life. :-)

My husband makes one every morning and takes it to work with him for his breakfast.

ByronM, welcome to the KT! It sounds like we start our day in a similar fashion. :-)

Thanks alisande. I appreciate the welcome. No better way to start the day imho.

I had an infection in my jaw that so painful that I could not chew or even brush my teeth. Juicing kept me alive. It was difficult at first, but I soon came to appreciate it.

Because it was my only food, I juiced every kind of vegetable I could find in the grocery store or my garden. I often used a handful of leaves of kale, cilantro, lettuce, celery, parsley, collards, and spinach to name a few, then I night add carrots, parsnips, and apples to the greens. So much of the nutrition is in the peel and rind of the foods. Watermelon rind is juiced right along with the fruit as are raw sweet potato and all fruit peels (except banana, of course). All kinds of berries are so good in it. You can add any kind of spicing that you like. I sometimes added cinnamon and nutmeg. The health food stores carry a protein powder that can be put in the juice.

I had only juice for 62 days. I wasn't obese when I started, but the weight was slowly beginning to pile up before I began juicing. I lost 30 pounds. Because I lost my taste for sweets and fatty carbs, it has been easy to keep it off for the past year or so. As I slowly transitioned to regular food, it felt strange to actually chew again.

While on the juice, I had lots of energy and found that I only had to drink the juice several times a day to feel full because it was so nutrient rich. The fiber can be incorporated into foods like soup or cookies perhaps, most of mine went into the compost pile.

We had a glass each.
Kale, cabbage, green peppers, carrots, a lemon, a pear, celery.

Too much kale, overpowering with that. A little goes a long way it seems, but the concept is good. I'll look for some specific recipes.

Just finished my smoothie, which was delicious. I put it in a bottle with a straw and sip on it all morning. I used a whole package of baby spinach, one half frozen banana, one half cup frozen blueberries, a glob of greek yogurt, one half of a little squash I baked yesterday, protein powder and coconut water. Oh and 2 tbsp. of chia seeds.

I have a juicer, but hate to use it because it is tedious to clean. For about a month now, I have been making smoothies for DH and myself. DH will only drink fruit smoothies, the only concession he will make is that I can add lots of spinach to them, because he cannot taste it in the smoothie. I like vegetable smoothies as well. I did an experiment last week and made what I dubbed the "Caesar salad smoothie" - an entire heart of romaine, parmesan cheese, a boiled egg, a clove of garlic, even a couple of croutons. I know it sounds strange, but I really liked it. I think next time I'll throw in a tomato too.

Basically, all the fruit smoothies start out with an apple, an orange and a couple of handfuls of spinach. I also add about a quarter cup of water to get things going. Then I might add either a peach, mango, some pineapple or kiwi, then some frozen banana slices or frozen berries (strawberry, blackberry or raspberry).

This makes enough to fill both of our 24 ounce travel cups. I sometimes drink the entire thing. Other times I drink about half during my commute to work and call it breakfast, then refrigerate the rest and have it for lunch. Then eat a regular dinner.

We'll have to resort to more frozen fruit now that summer is coming to an end, but it was great while it lasted. The stuff they import during the winter looks nice, but has no flavor or is mealy.

I've found that using something tart in the smoothie really livens the flavor. Macintosh apples rather than insipid, sweet varieties, a slice of lemon (peel and all). I like to use frozen fruit I like mine really frosty.

This morning, mine consisted of a packed cup of kale, small Mac apple (cored not peeled), half a banana, some frozen mixed berries, and a slice of lemon. Soy milk was my liquid Added my ground flax and protein powder.

I always feel like I "glow " inside and out, lol!

I only juice to the extent of making gazpacho in the summer, but certainly no "traditional" fruit in that.

I do make fresh strawberry dacquiris frequently, if that counts.

I LOVE orange & grapefruit juices, but separately, & couldn't imagine diluting them with any other fruits and/or vegetables. Tried a banana once in orange juice, ugh.

Donna, is your juicer a Jack La Lanne? I bought one of those for one of my kids, but after reading so many reviews complaining about what a pain it was to clean, I returned it. Should have read the reviews first like I usually do.

I've had my Acme juicer for decades and love it, but if it ever fails I would get a Breville, the brand they used in the movie that inspired this thread.

Just had a morning veggie drink.
Kale, celery, carrots, half a lemon, some basil that was at it's end in the frig. A splash of orange juice and it was good.

The pulp is now in the spaghetti sauce that's simmering on the stove. I'm also putting some pulp in my meatloaf tomorrow.

I generally make smoothies using frozen strawberries, a banana or blueberries if I have them, and some yogurt and a splash of milk and drizzle of honey. I use my immersion blender.

This post was edited by jasdip on Sat, Sep 28, 13 at 8:20

Alisande, my juicer is called "The Juice King", by Lorelei Products. It is made very similarly to Jack's juicer. It is at least 60 years old and going strong - probably because it got used only infrequently because it is a pain to clean and it weighs a ton. But it is as good as new, LOL! I bought it from my ex-husband's grandmother about 35 years ago. I have offered it free to friends, but insisted they try it out before accepting my offer. It always ends up back in my cupboard. I probably use it once a year. I'm posting a link to one just like it on ebay, so you can see what a monster it is.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Juice King

Donna, the picture was gone, but I read the description. Seventeen pounds?? I thought my juicer was heavy, but I just weighed it and it's under 12 lbs.

Maybe you could sell it on eBay. ;-)

Would chard work?

o j

Since kale is good, chard would be as good I would think, OJ

When one had been juicing for a while ...

... would the neighbours say that one was "well juiced"?

ole joyful

Have a $$$ Cuisinart juicer--it is ok, but what a pain to clean!! So it rarely got used.

Bought a Nutribullet from kohls (as one can easily find 20% off coupons online) and I am very impressed with it!!! None of that pulp mess I had to deal with the Cuisinart!

A ball bearing went on the extractor blade--so I called up the 180# and the service was great! I had registered the product, but had never scanned/emailed (or faxed) in a receipt. Lady said I could do that now. So in a few days I will cal back and just have to pay the $2.99 for shipping.

It does take awhile to find that right combination! For losing weight, one wants more vegetables. Very happy with it so far.

Airforceguy, the NutriBullet isn't a juicer. Juicing machines separate the pulp from the juice.....all that good stuff becomes waste!

The NB pulverizes everything....you're drinking 'that pulp mess ' and benefitting hugely from it. I've been using one for several months and really love it.

Our fridge contents look a whole lot different since we started making our green sludgies (my word), that's for sure. How about you?

Keep up the good work.