Juicing

I am blessed in that I can eat pretty much anything, and thrive on a diet that includes a lot of vegetables, both raw and cooked.  But not everyone has the time, desire, or digestive track to consume copious amounts of vegetables. I think that juicing is a good way get nutrition from raw vegetables (and fruit too) if you need easy to digest calories because of health issues or endurance exercise and you don't want empty calories.  Unfortunately, juicing has more hype surrounding it that most food preparation methods, with health claims that are more false than true. Finding recipes for juices are a challenge, you need to wade through all sorts of weight loss advertising and "cleanses" which don't have any scientific basis.   And what you find are hundreds of seemingly random combinations of fruits and vegetables with vague quantities and no yields.  Which all just brings out the engineer in me.  I had the chance to do some experimenting with my mom's juicer, and here is what I learned.

Yields...  Most vegetables yield about 50% juice... If you start with a pound (16 ounces) you end up with 8 ounces. Celery is particularly juicy, you get about 75% juice, cucumbers and bell peppers will also will yield more than average.  Fruit, like apples and oranges, yields around 75% juice.   So if you want 10 ounces of finished juice, you should start with about 7 - 8 ounces of fruit or juicy vegetables, and 10 ounces of veggies (just over a pound total).

Flavors... In general, juicing concentrates flavors.  If you don't like the vegetable, you won't like the juice, so don't think that juicing is a good way to get lots of the vegetables you don't like.   Fruit and juicy vegetables are more neutral in flavor (but still there).  Ginger is especially strong, a piece the size of the end of your little finger will go a long way. Vegetables with bitter flavors (spinach, broccoli) will have juice with bitter undertones, and if you are not a fan of bitter, don't use too much of these, there is only so much you can cover up with sweeter or stronger flavors.  My mom even found she could taste the bitterness of carrot peels in the juice, and prefers to peel the carrots first.

Color...  You can get some beautiful red or green juices.  For red, beets, pomegranate pips, red bell peppers, and carrot all give a nice color.  For green, greens (spinach, herbs, broccoli, etc) will add vibrant green to a neutral base.   However, a mix of red and green can result in a fairly  mucky (i.e. swamp water) looking juice, which might taste fine, but you have to get it past your eyes first.

Juices are best when they are first made.  The same reaction that causes cut fruit (like apples) or vegetables to turn brown happens with the juice.  The mint that I juiced had a noticeable brown layer on top after sitting on the counter for an hour or so.   That said, the juices will still be tastely after being in the fridge (sealed in a glass container) up to a day but not longer.  There is a lot written about how the enzymes and other nutrients will drop over time, but it's not clear there is any science behind this (other that the drop that occurs for all vegetables starting when they are harvested).

So here is my advice.  Don't worry about a recipe, because even if you find ones that look interesting, you likely don't have everything on hand  (they are useful to give you thoughts about what else to juice, but leave it at that).    I liked a blend of juicy things (orange, apple, celery or cucumbers)  as a base plus some greens and root vegetables to get a nice color, more flavor and body plus a flavor pop from something like ginger, lime, and/or lemon.  Herbs like mint also give a nice pop, and sometimes a little salt is needed.  Like anything, you need to have a balance between the sweet / sour (acid - like lemon juice) / bitter / spice that can only come from tasting then adjusting.  Salt will balance bitter and grassy flavors, acid will brighten the taste.  Also, mix it up as you are putting stuff through the juicer, end with a good bit of the base, as some of this will stay in the juicer (for example, if you put the ginger in last, you would not get much of it out).  

One thing that everyone needs to tailor is sweetness.  You can do all fruit juice blends and they will be tasty.  But this is a big pop of sugar without the fiber of fruit, which I don't think is the best thing for you other than as a treat, like dessert.  The trick is to put in enough fruit to provide sweetness so its drinkable. Here is another bloggers input on juicing, which comes to the same conclusion.  I liked juices that had a good base of celery or cucumber, some sweeter vegetables like carrot or beet, plus a good hit of lemon or lime and ginger, but most people like to have a bit more sweet from fruit.  And when looking at the juice that you can buy at juice bars, they almost always have a good fruity base (so think of these as a treat, not a wholesome meal).

I'm not ready to go out an get a juicer of my own, but really glad I got to try one out.  Next I'll have to experiment with a Vitamix and smoothies.  Any volunteers with a Vitamix?

Fruit Crisp

We have been getting some nice fruit this summer.  Today at the farmers market, there were some late season peaches and first of the season apples (both from Wilcox).  Plus,  we have been getting good blueberries from Safeway and Trader Joes (big boxes – that cost what the small boxes normally cost).  Last week Roy picked up some wonderful white peaches at Trader Joes.  Add to that some local melons, and we have certainly been getting our daily requirement of fruit… plus. 

And sometimes we get a bit overloaded, especially when you need to buy large boxes. That’s when it’s time to start the oven.  There are all sorts of fruit with a crust desserts, starting with pie but also including cobblers, slumps, crisps, crumbles, and buckles.    Pie crust is the most simple it terms of ingredients  – just flour and butter (or other shortening), crisps and crumbles get sugar added, the cobblers and buckles get milk or cream added.    My favorite is the crisps – they are very quick to put together (much easier than pie), you can scale from individual servings to a family size pan, and the topping can be frozen. 

Normally for two of us, I make crisps in oval gratin dishes (sized for an individual casserole).  One of these is the perfect amount.   I make a full recipe of the crisp topping, and use about half.  The other half goes in the freezer, to be used at a later time (no need to thaw, just crumble and use).   I have also make them in individual size ramekins, and occasionally make a full size one.  The same crisp mixture can be used for all different fruit.

Generally, I through these together as I’m cooking dinner, then pop it into the oven as we sit down.  They will be done and still warm for desert (although they are good at room temperature too).  But warm is best for ice cream.

Use the below recipe as a guide.  I did one last week with the above mentioned peaches and a handful of blueberries.  It was real pretty as well as tasty. (did I think to take a picture? no) Sometimes I throw some slivered almonds into the crisp topping.  Or dry cranberries into an apple crisp. Often I cook them in the toaster oven (just a note – in mine, I need to drop the temperature to 325F or they brown too quickly).  Adjust the amount of fruit and thickener for the size pan (and this is not too critical, worst case is it’s a bit runny or thick), use more or less topping.   If using a smaller pan, shorten the cooking time.   You will get a feel how long to cook, just wait until they are bubbly and browned, and in the case of apples, the fruit is tender.   All in all, this is a very tolerant recipe. 

Fruit Crisp:

Serves 4

Crisp Part:

¾ cup sugar

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter, cut into chunks

Mix sugar and flour in a small bowl, and work in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. 

Summer Fruit Crisp:

Blueberries, Peaches, Apricots, and / or Raspberries

enough fruit to fill 9x9 pan an 1 – 1 ½ inches deep

~ 2 teaspoons corn starch

~ 2 tablespoons Amaretto, Grand Marnier, or orange juice

Preheat oven to 350F.

Peaches or apricots should be pitted and sliced (no need to peel).  Berries should be rinsed and reasonably dry.   Place into pan.  Mix corn starch and liqueur, then pour evenly over the fruit.    Sprinkle crisp mixture over top.  

Bake at 350F for 35 – 45 minutes. The fruit should be tender, filling bubbly, and crust  lightly browned.   Serve warm or room temperature, ice cream is a nice extra.

Apple Crisp:

4 large granny smith apples or other baking apples

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350F.

Core and slice the apples into a 9x9 baking dish (optional – peel the apples, or partially peel the apples).  Sprinkle with the spices, and add the lemon juice and water. Sprinkle crisp mixture over the top. 

Bake at 350F for 40 – 45 minutes. The fruit should be tender, filling bubbly, and crust is lightly browned.   Serve warm, ice cream is a nice extra.

Happy Mother’s Day, 2008

It was a special Mother’s day for us, with both of our Mom’s at our house to celebrate!  We did a brunch with salmon, a Spanish tortilla (a.k.a. egg and potato thing), asparagus and tomatoes, artichokes, strawberries, cheese, and a blueberry coffee cake. It was quite a spread, I need to remember to take pictures (of the food and the mom’s).

The salmon was oven poached (first time I have done that), using a recipe I found on the web.  I used the side of a whole fish (about 3 ½ pounds), which was big enough to need my turkey roasting pan.   After poaching, I cooled the fish in the poaching liquid (started by setting the roaster on granite that was cold from ice packs, then putting the pan on a half sheet (jelly roll pan) with some ice in to further cool).  I then drained and wrapped to chill overnight, and served cold with some thin orange slices for decoration.  I also did the sauce, which I would rank as OK, not great.  But serving a piece of fish this big  is quite impressive, and tasted quite good (not to mention conveniently done ahead). 

I also made a blueberry coffee cake.  This recipe does double duty, as it can also be a apple coffee cake (which I made last week for the group doing clay… more on that later!)….  Here is the recipe:

Blueberry (or Apple) - Almond Coffee Cake

This is really just a muffin recipe (maybe a bit more sugar), and like most muffins, pretty adaptable.

¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk  (or equal parts plain yogurt and milk… soy OK)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1 cup blueberries, divided (can be fresh or frozen)
    OR  1 large apple, peeled and diced

Preheat oven to 350F, and spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.

Mix almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking power, soda, and salt with a whisk.  In another larger bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Add the dry to the wet, and toss in 2/3 cup of the blueberries or apple. Gently fold together. Put into prepared pan, and sprinkle the top with remaining blueberries (or apple), then the almond topping. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (cooking time is usually a little longer if you use frozen berries).  Good when warm.    Yields 8-9 medium size pieces.

Muffins and humility

This has been a fun weekend.   My folks were up for a visit, Mom and I went to the LPGA Safeway golf tournament on Saturday, and Sunday I played golf with both Mom and Dad.  The weather (which a week ago threatened to go from winter right into summer) was perfect spring weather after a healthy rain Thursday and Friday (my definition of spring weather: warm enough to wear shorts, but not to hot to be in the sun).

I also showed off a bit in the kitchen.  Friday night  Roy's folks were over too, dinner was a big pot of Mediterranean-style fish soup.  It really came out nice (and one of these days I will get it written down).  On Saturday night, we did a nice herb grilled chicken and asparagus.  Simple, but pretty and very good.  Then, on Sunday morning I made muffins, something we do almost every Sunday morning.  Sometimes I make them, sometimes Roy does, but I have made them enough I practically know the recipe by heart.  This morning, Roy opens the oven, and says my muffins look especially flat.  (Roy's muffins always peak higher than mine therefore, much prettier, so I think he is just kidding me a bit).  The timer goes off, I go look, and not only are they really flat, they are not done yet... the problem was the oven was at 350, not 400.  After another 10 minutes in the oven (everyone, coffee in hand, waiting for breakfast), they were ok (and we managed to eat all of them today).  But know I now why Roy's muffins are prettier:  he makes banana muffins with the same recipe (bananas and raisins instead of apples and cranberries), and doesn't have cold cranberries slowing down the process of rising the muffins. 

Here are the recipes for the muffins and the chicken  (to grill the asparagus, just role the asparagus in little olive oil, maybe some balsamic vinegar, add some pepper and grill along side the chicken).

Grilled Savory Chicken

This chicken always comes out nice and moist -- a good one to fix for company (especially since you have to think ahead a little bit to marinate the chicken).  Of course, you don't have to marinate overnight, 20 minutes works.  It comes out best if you use at least half fresh herbs, OK to not follow below exactly (I often use chives since they are usually plentiful in the garden, and skip the marjoram)

 Serves 4

4 half boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme (or 1 teaspoon dry)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dry)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dry)
3/4 teaspoon fresh minced marjoram (or 1/4 teaspoon dry)
3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
Juice from ½ a lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges (garnish)

Flatten chicken breasts to even out the thickness (best to do between sheets of plastic wrap.  Combine all herbs, spices, lemon rind, and oil.  Rub mixture.  Arrange in shallow dish or Ziploc baggie.  Cover and chill overnight if doing ahead.   Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Muffins

12 MUFFINS

1 cup old-fashioned oats (or quick cooking)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (optional)
dash salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup un-packed brown sugar
1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk or soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cranberries (thawed under running water if frozen)

OVEN:  Preheat to 400oF.  Grease muffin cups with Pam.

Mix oats, flour, baking powder, soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl.

In a food processor, mix eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Add apples, and pulse until small chunks. Add milk, oil, and vanilla.  Put in cranberries, and pulse a few times, to barely chop the cranberries.

Pour the batter on the dry ingredients, and fold together.

Scoop batter into muffins cups (put water into any empty cups). Bake 20 minutes or until springy to the touch in the center.  Turn out onto a rack to cool, we like them hot from the oven.

As always - send your feedback if you try the recipes!