One of my absolute favorite “cookbooks” is called Juices and Smoothies: Over 160 Healthy, Refreshing and Irresistible Drinks and Blend by Suzannah Olivier and Joanna Farrow. It is full not only of amazingly delicious nutritious drinks but it also has tons of valuable information. The introduction gives you the ins and outs of the different processes you can use to make juices and smoothies, such as when to use a blender instead of a juicer or food processor. It also goes through all of your fruit and vegetable families. It tells you how to pick and when to eat them. It also teaches you how to clean and cut them. And most importantly tells you the nutritional values of each one. There is also a section discussing vitamins and minerals. It tells what each of them is needed for and what you should be eating to get them. THEN… on top of all of that, you get 160 recipes that use a variety of fruits and vegetables in different combinations. I haven’t tried them all, but of the ones that I have tried, I have yet to be disappointed. If you like juices and smoothies, this book is sure to impress!
One of my family’s favorite recipes in this book is called the Red Defender. It is a delicious blend of red fruits, full of vitamin C, and is very easy to make.
RED DEFENDER
Ingredients
1 3/4 c STRAWBERRIES
small bunch of RED GRAPES
small wedge of WATERMELON Directions
Hull the strawberries and halve them if they are large. Pull the grapes from their stalks. Cut away the skin from the watermelon. Put the watermelon in the blender and or food processor and blend until the seeds are broken up. Add the strawberries and grapes and blend until completely smooth, scraping the mixture down from the side of the bowl, if necessary. Serve in tall glasses. Makes 2 glasses.
1 3/4 c STRAWBERRIES
small bunch of RED GRAPES
small wedge of WATERMELON Directions
Hull the strawberries and halve them if they are large. Pull the grapes from their stalks. Cut away the skin from the watermelon. Put the watermelon in the blender and or food processor and blend until the seeds are broken up. Add the strawberries and grapes and blend until completely smooth, scraping the mixture down from the side of the bowl, if necessary. Serve in tall glasses. Makes 2 glasses.
