With the citrus season coming to an end and the first spring produce still off in the distance; I would like to focus on root vegetables. Often forgotten, except maybe in the occasional salad, as a side dish of mashed and fattening creaminess, or only at holidays in pickled form, root vegetables comprise more than the traditional potato -sweet or russet- or the bright orange hues of carrots, there are also beets, yams, onions, garlic, radishes, and a wonderful spicy root -ginger.
Edible roots were often left in the ground to keep over the winter, and as long as they could be found beneath the snow added much needed minerals and some vitamins when fresh fruit and delicate greens were gone. So in honor of these troopers of the earth the juice for February will be a rich one comprised of beets and a hint of sweet apple.
Beets, once believed in ancient times that the color of these ruby-red roots would benefit the blood. And with the wonderful mélange of minerals they weren't far off in that thought. Beets contain iron, calcium, sulfur, potassium, and chlorine as well as beta carotene and vitamin C. Because of the wealth of minerals beets are great additions to any meal or juice in that they promote a healthy liver and gall bladder as well as building blood corpuscles and cells, and stimulating the lymph glands.Simply Beet
The simplest beet juice includes one beet with the green tops with two apples (preferably organic). Since beets are a very hard root vegetable if you do not have a juicer you will want to slice them and lightly steam them before placing them in a blender, you'll want to add a little fresh water as well so your juice is more juice and less chunky smoothie. Be careful with pure beet juice the deep red color which is full of carotene will stain cutting surfaces, clothing, your fingers ... you get the idea.
[Serves 2]
Some other variations include:
AAA Juice -a great combination of ingredients that will give your immune system a boost, keeping you healthy while everyone else gets sick.
3 carrots, 1 stalk of celery, 1 apple, 1/2 beet (with the greens), 1/2 a handful of wheatgrass, and 1/2 a handful of parsley.
[Serves 1]
Note: This juice definitely deserves a juicer
The Red Roar -the sweeter the apple the tastier the drink
5 carrots, 1 apple, 1/4 beet (with greens)
[Serves 1]
Juice recipes courtesy of:
Kordich, Jay (1993). The Juiceman’s Power of Juicing. New York, NY: Warner Books.
