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There isn't much of a secret to juicing and blending. As long as
you're using great-tasting ingredients, including produce that is
both ripe and fresh, it's pretty
hard to go wrong. There are, however, a few rules of thumb that will
help you achieve great results every time.
Fruit and Vegetable For Juicing
You can pretty much juice any fruit, vegetable or leaf except
bananas, which just don't give out juice. Choose well-flavored
specimens in peak condition.
Don't be tempted to use over-ripe fruit. juicing seems to intensify
the sweetness of fruits and vegetables, and using very ripe fruits,
which are naturally very sweet, will produce very sweet juices.
Fruits For Blending
Soft fruits such as berries, stone fruits and soft tropical fruits
are perfect for blending because they whizz up to smooth, juicy
purées without becoming too pulpy. Harder fruits such as apples and
pears are better for juicing because they become too thick and
fibrous when blended rather than smooth and creamy.
However, this doesn't mean you can't add these ingredients to your
smoothies - simply juice them first, then add to the soft fruits in
the blender and
blend until smooth.
Creamy Smoothies
Dairy products are a popular addition to smoothies - whether it's a
splash of milk, a spoonful of yogurt or custard, a drizzle of cream
or a scoop of ice cream.
However, if you want a creamy smoothie but want to keep it
dairy-free, there are all kinds of other ingredients you can use
instead. Dairy-free milks, such as soya, oat, nut and rice milks,
are great for smoothies and add their own distinct flavor. Silken
tofu blends up to a silky, smooth, creamy consistency that's just
divine when combined with soft, ripe fruits, while creamy soya
desserts offer a good alternative to yogurt.
Keeping It Sweet
As well as the natural sweetness provided by ripe fruits and
vegetables, you may want to add other sweeteners to juices and
smoothies. Honey is a popular choice as the natural sugars in honey
are kinder to the body than refined sugars and complement the other
healthy ingredients in many juices and smoothies. However, there are
plenty of other sweeteners too, including white and brown sugars,
molasses with its intense flavor, toffee syrup and
chocolate syrup - both of which add sweetness and flavor.
Other Flavorings and Additions
Once you've got the basics of fruits, vegetables, dairy products and
sweeteners, you can start adding other ingredients to your smoothies. Simple flavorings such
as coffee, chocolate (melted or cocoa powder) and vanilla are always
popular choices, but you can also be adventurous too.
Try adding
brownies, meringues or
nougat, or adding a splash of spirit or liqueur such as Grand
Marnier or brandy. Sorbet, ice cream and frozen yogurt are great in
iced smoothies and shakes, while chocolate shavings and curls can be
great for decorations. For added flavor, ingredients such as lemon
and orange curd can add both sweetness and zest, while nuts, muesli
and dried fruit can add both body, texture and taste.
Wash Your Juicer Immediately After Used
No matter how much you spend on your juicer, there's no getting away
from the fact that they're a bit of a pain to wash up. There are
generally several pieces to
take apart and each bit will need a good scrub. When you do it
straight away, it will take mere minutes, however, if you decide to
leave your juicer to dry with
bits of pulp and juice attached - the task of washing up will be a
gargantuan one.
Order In Juicing
As a general rule, put smaller or less juicy items such as ginger,
chili or spinach through the juicer first, then 'flush' the juice
through with larger, juicier items such as carrots or apples.
Dealing with Strong Flavors
Some ingredients can have very strong, overpowering flavors so you
only need to use a little bit and 'dilute' it with a milder base
juice. For example, cabbage and
celery both have quite strong flavors, so a little goes a long way.
If you find you've put too much of a strong ingredient in your
juice, add more of your milder-flavored ingredients such as carrots
or apples.
Enhancing Flavors
If your smoothie or juice tastes a little bland, often all it needs
is a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice to pep up the flavors and
enhance the tastes that are
already there. For example, mango has an intense, fragrant, sweet
flavor but is vastly improved by a good squeeze of lime juice, which
can transform a sweet,
fruity smoothie into something utterly tantalizing and
tongue-tingling.
Thinning Smoothies
Some fruits will create smoothies that are more of a purée than a
drink and are just too thick to sip so you'll need to dilute them. A
splash of milk or a
complementary fruit juice are usually good choices. lf the smoothie
is very sweet and strongly flavored, you may simply be able to add a
splash of water.
Thickening Smoothies
If your smoothie is too thin, try adding a spoonful of yogurt, créme
fraiche or thick cream to give it more body. Alternatively, add a
small quantity of banana,
mango or avocado, all of which will help to thicken it.
Smoothing Out Smoothies
Some ingredients such as pineapple can be quite fibrous and can make
rather pulpy smoothies, so you may want to remove some of the fibers
after blending.
Simply pour the smoothie into a sieve and press through using the
back of a spoon.
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