Detoxing Blended Green Juice

I am late to the juice game. To be honest, I never wanted to buy a juicer because they seem so clunky and messy. (If anyone wants to send me a juicer that is neither clunky OR messy, I’m willing to give it a try!) But then we moved close to an amazing smoothie/juice spot and my love affair with green juice began. The only problem? The price tag. Who can even afford to get a green juice whenever they want? If you can, I’m very happy for you and I would very much appreciate it if you could send me a gift certificate to Nekter Juice Bar on a regular basis. THANKS.

Long story short, I started making my own green juice with my trusty blender at home. And you know what? It’s actually really, really delicious and just the thing I need when I’ve overindulged (read: all of December).

They key here is to use a high powered blender. Beyond that, it’s a balance of greens, citrus, an apple, and a touch of cayenne!

Detoxing Blended Green Juice

Makes 2 servings (or 1 large serving)

• 2 cups baby spinach

• 1 lemon, peel removed

• 1 small green apple, peeled, cored and cubed

• 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger, grated

• 3 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon-1 teaspoon cayenne

1. Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender.

2. Blend on high until smooth.

3. Pour over ice and enjoy!

Cocktail Friday: Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

I am ready for Spring now. It was warm and sunny yesterday and I thought I was going to burst with happiness despite my lack of sleep thanks to a late night ER trip with our little guy who has croup. (All is well now - just waiting it out at this point.) Don't get me wrong. I still love winter and won't complain when we get our inch of slushy stuff tomorrow, but there comes a time in the year when I, along with everyone else, am ready for things to grow and be green. Or as green as things can be here in Colorado.

So, although St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, I have another green cocktail to share with you in honor of Spring. Admittedly, this is not a convenient cocktail to just whip up. I made some zucchini-farro cakes the other night and the recipe required me to shred 2 1/2 pounds of zucchini, sprinkle with salt, then squeeze out the extra juice. I saved the juice because it was so vibrant and beautiful it just broke my heart a little to think of discarding it without a second thought.

I'm so happy I saved it because this is a great trick that will come in very handy this summer. Added to a vodka soda with some lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, this juice makes a lovely, fresh twist on a sometimes boring cocktail. My sister would be offended that I called a vodka soda boring. It's her favorite. I just think everything needs a little sprucing up sometimes.

So, if you find yourself with some leftover zucchini juice (said no one ever), go ahead and give this fun drink a try! You could do something similar with carrot juice, cucumber juice, or even tomato water. What a great way to incorporate veggies into cocktails, right?

OK- that's my contribution to the list of unrealistic-but-super-awesome-cocktails. But seriously, once zucchini season kicks it into high gear I bet you'll find yourself with some leftover juice at least once or twice!

Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

Ingredients

• 2 oz zucchini juice (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• flaky sea salt
• club soda
• 2 lbs zucchini, shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine the zucchini juice, vodka, and lemon juice in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Stir to combine.
2. Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.
3. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately.
4. Place the shredded zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.
5. Let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Collect the shredded zucchini in a large, clean dish towel. Squeeze the shredded zucchini over a small bowl until about 1/2-2/3 cup juice has been removed.
7. Save the shredded zucchini for making zucchini bread, zucchini fritters, or to toss with stir-fries.
8. Keep the juice in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.