Juicin' Hints

I’m sorta new to Juicin’, since I only began in mid January of this year, and there are some things that I’ve learned along the way that might help you out if you are also new to Juicin’ OR want to start Juicin’.  I don’t profess to be an expert … these are just some helpful hints I’ve discovered.

First off ~ Leave your Juicer on your countertop, otherwise, you will find an excuse every day NOT to juice if you have to drag it out every time.

If you buy fresh produce in bulk, like I do, most times it will not be prewashed: such as Carrots or Celery.  I wash them ahead of time and place them in ziplock baggies in the fridge.  Important Note: I do not zip the baggies closed or else the veggies will go bad really fast, I’ve found.  I think it might be because unlike leafy veggies, you can’t run them through a salad spinner after washing so you can’t really get them good and dry.  It really makes Juicin’ so much easier if you don’t have to wash everything each time before Juicin’.  It takes me about 30 minutes to wash an entire 5 pound bag of Organic Carrots and that’s enough Carrots to last a couple weeks!!!  Oh!  And you do not need to cut them though I do cut mine in half.

I also wash and trim my Cilantro and/or Parsley, dry it in my salad spinner and then store it in glass mason jars.  Yep, I have found that it stays fresher MUCH longer if I store it that way instead of in a ziplock baggie.

Look what I found in my Parsley a couple days ago ... a clover flower.
(I think that's what it is... it gets purple flowers in it)
  Anyway, I discarded it cause I'm not sure if its even edible.

When you go to juice your Cilantro or Parsley, wrap it around a Carrot or Cucumber (and tie it if you can) before running it through the juicer … you’ll get more juice out of it that way and less waste.

For my Spinach, I buy the prewashed (triple washed) Organic Spinach so it’s always ready to go.  I grab a large handful and squish it into the chute of the juicer and release (not allowing it to go all the way into the juicer down to the blade) and then ‘chase’ it into the blade with an Apple on top … the Apple will hold down the Spinach and keep it from going straight into the waste part of the juicer and you’ll again get more juice from it this way.  Less waste.

I run my Apples/Pears through whole, unless, of course, they are too large but I’ve found that most Organic Apples/Pears are on the small side and I’d say at least 90% of the time I do not have to cut them.  IMPORTANT NOTE: I have read conflicting arguments about whether or not it is safe to juice apples whole or to remove seeds first as the seeds contain trace amounts of arsenic … BUT I’ve also read that the amount is so minute that it would take HUGE amounts to ever do you any harm … so you be the judge.  I prefer not to remove them as it’s a pain plus I’m pretty sure that apple juice companies don’t take the time to deseed them.

Don’t be afraid to put Carrots or Celery or any other veggie you don’t normally like in your juice … believe me, I cannot stand raw Carrots or Celery but in my juices, can’t EVEN taste them!!! 

Clean up is pretty easy too ~ take your Juicer apart as instructed in your owner’s manual and wash each individual piece with dish soap and steaming hot water (to disinfect).  Mine can go in the dishwasher but since it takes up most of the dishwasher I usually wash it by hand.  Its just easier for me but you may find that its more convenient to run it through the dishwasher … it does have to be rinsed first though.