Green juice-without-a-juicer, 45p
With the events of the last two days, I have mostly been eating toast. When I’m down, or life goes a bit wrong, I retreat from the kitchen – I find it very hard to cook or be creative or even taste things properly when my head is off-balance. And so I mostly eat toast. Mackerel on toast, corned beef on toast, something quick and mindless. This afternoon I figured enough was enough and my body was SCREAMING at me for fruit and vegetables – I’ve learned to listen to it over the years as those cravings are usually important, more on that another day.
Anyway, unusually for us the fruit bowl and veg drawer were seriously lacking, apart from a very bruised and squashy apple, a practically dry lemon, a wilted few stalks of celery and half a bag of kale I bought nearly a month ago that refuses to die. Unsurprisingly I didn’t want to eat any of it in its current pathetic state, so green juice it was. And a good opportunity to do something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now; a ‘how to make juice without a juicer’ recipe. You can use this method for practically any juice recipe that is already out there, or you can use it for my green juice, which despite its sorrowful origin is actually quite yummy. I usually have cucumber in place of the celery, but not today.
Makes 300ml strong juice, serves 1 hardened juice fiend or 2 gentler souls if diluted. Prices based on Sainsburys, Basics where available, coz that’s where I did my last shop.
1/2 a lemon, 11p (£1.10/5) – or 1tbsp bottled lemon juice
1 apple, 20p (80p/4 min)
a small slice of ginger, 2p (40p/100g)
a handful of kale, 5p (£1/200g) – can use spinach, fresh or frozen defrosted, instead
a stalk of celery, 7p (80p/450g)
First dice everything up really small – don’t worry about peeling the lemon or ginger, or deseeding anything. Since the whole ‘NutriBullet’ craze kicked off (basically throwing whole fruits and veggies into a tiny powerful expensive blender to pulverise them into a smoothie) I’ve been a lot more relaxed about peeling and deseeding things for juices. And by ‘a lot more relaxed’ I mean ‘celebrated the excuse to be even more lazy – sorry, time-saving – in the kitchen’. So dice it all up, and pop it into a blender.
Add about 200ml water and blend until it is well combined.
Pour into a sieve and hold over a bowl to catch the juice. If you don’t have a sieve, line the bowl with a clean tea towel (not the microfibre sort or you run the risk of fluffy juice), pour the mix into it, and gather the edges together. Hold it over the bowl and squeeze gently and the juice will pass through. Use a spoon to stir the pulp to get as much juice as possible out, and keep going, you’d be amazed at how much comes out with a vigorous stir.
And voila. Juice. If you’re looking at that pulp and thinking it’s a waste, it’s about the same as you’d scrape out of your juicer. I put mine into ice cube trays and feed them to my guinea pig as treats. Some people add water again to the pulp and re-blend it for a second run at the juice, albeit a bit of a weaker version. Up to you. Still, now you can join the juicing craze without shelling out a hundred quid for a fashionable juicer.
Blender advice: My first jug blender was a Sainsburys Basics one and was less than a tenner. It survived a couple of years of daily use, and then recipe testing for my blog and column, and my first book, and then some. I seriously put that thing through its paces but it gave up on me when I dropped a spoon in it by accident, and now is resting in smoky sulky peace. So, you don’t need a superfancy blender either. But a £10 one is a good investment – mine more than repays itself in using up mushy fruit and wilted veg that might have headed to the bin otherwise in perfectly delicious smoothies, juices, soups and pasta sauces. Charity shops are good places to pick them up for less than a tenner too, just check that they have been PAT tested first – most charity shops are good at this these days.
Do you have a favourite juice recipe? Share it below in the comments so we can all have a go – and now I’ve shared the method, I can’t wait to share some more of my juice recipes with you all 🙂
Jack Monroe. I’m on Instagram @MsJackMonroe (and have a Twitter account under the same handle, but am currently not using it after some quite horrendous abuse recently. Not sure if I’m going back.)
Categories: BREAKFASTS, DRINKS, Recipes & Food, RECIPES UNDER 50P, RECIPES UNDER £1, VEGAN, Vegan Recipes, VEGETARIAN
I can thoroughly recommend Nigel Slaters juicing book in its lovely bendy yellow plastic covers which stand up to all manner of drips and slurps of fruit pulp.
I love a ginger, carrot and apple with a drip of smokey maple syrup to toughen it up. Not the premium grade stuff though, look for the richer and less expensive grade that New Englanders in the know tend to keep to themselves.
Best juice I’ve ever tasted – about an eighth of a smallish watermelon, removed from rind but seeds ignored, a largeish carrot (organic), scrubbed and topped, and a half-thumb sized piece of organic fresh ginger, skin scraped off with a spoon. Bliss, and gave me a big boost despite being on day 2 of a cold.
This sounds so good!
Hi Jack. Thank you for this. I don’t make many juices as I’ve always found them a fath (I do make lots of smoothies though). However, this recipe has inspired me to try again. Sorry for all the crap you’ve encountered this week – you have showed yourself as having shovelfuls of integrity though and I hope you are feeling better soon x
I don’t juice but I do make thick smoothies using a banana, 90g frozen blueberries, 50g tesco value rolled porridge oats and around 200ml milk (I use hemp milk to make it vegan) and just blend it all together for a minute or two, our into a glass and I’m away 🙂
It’s my regular go-to breakfast and I sometimes add kale to it too if I have some left over 🙂
I love this site! So many great ideas and lovely people.
You have very lucky guinea pigs!
I think you’ve just changed my life. Why did I never think I could just whack it all in a blender and then sieve. Genius. Thanks, as could not afford posh juicer ever – and obviously expensive smoothies are just too…. well…. expensive. I have a long day working today but I can almost hear the juice from my not very perfect fruit and veg calling me home.
It came to me a few months ago as I was cleaning my Mrs expensive juicer that is an absolute pain to take apart and clean, that actually all it did was mush it all up small and fast to squeeze the juice out. I experimented with my blender and have been doing it this way ever since! 🙂
I blended and I sieved. I sat back and enjoyed. Simply carrot, apple and a squeeze of lemon juice with some ice. Fantastic. Thanks Jack.
Join your local Freegle group and post a WANTED: Juicer message. You might be lucky. I gave mine away on Freegle and I can’t be the only one!
Give up Twitter if it is causing you angst. Again, I am worried about you. Not good to be thrown off your path and many love your blog, recipes, insights etc. I am a grandmother, experienced counsellor, and very willing to assist if ever needed.maha45@me.com. hold on…things get better, true!
I’ve read elsewhere of your Twitter troubles – there are some very disturbed people about, who can only feel good when they’re spreading hatred and malice – you’re better off out if it!) Thanks for the recipes, you’re an inspiration to many people, including me! Keep it going.
The juice sounds great. Not too sweet
Sorry to hear about the scum abusing you on twitter. It’s probably a handful of spotty inadequates – but I realise this doesn’t make it any less unpleasant. Welcome to the large numbers of us that have never been twits.
to use up loads of left overs I made this and now I drink it everyday.. 4 carrots, 1 apple and 1 orange.. all in my juicer that I was lucky enough to win in a competition.. than the left over pulp I flatten out and put in my dehydrator .. can easily put in a low low oven to make biscuits/crackers you can do that with any pulp.. I used to buy these in a health food shop but these are just as good and practically free
Hi Jack, do you remember the days before Twitter? Yeah, so doI. It wasn’t that long ago eh? Did we live without it then – YES. Can we live without it now – YES! You don’t need Twitter, nobody does. Say goodbye. Close account. Move on. The ‘JACKPOT ARMY’ know where you can be found and we will be there. No sweat. No fret. Just you, doing what you do, and us doing what we do ( and wishing we could be doing what you do!😊) chin up girl! There are a lot of people out here who look to you for foods inspiration. (And your a bit gorgeous, sorry couldn’t help myself).
I realised when looking at an NB advert that actually they were blending for longer than I usually do. I timed the blend on the ad and then tried the same with my liquidiser – the machine didn’t overheat and the smoothie was really smooth. Next time I’m going to pour through a sieve to get rid of the last of the bits – brilliant idea of yours, thank you – and then i think that I’ll be able to blend/juice any fruit, veg or leaf. My favourite so far is kale, pear and ginger. If anyone likes the thicker smoothie but doesn’t like bananas then a tablespoon of linseeds soaked for 10 minutes in three tablespoons of water can be used instead of half a banana. (add the soaked seed and the soaking water before blending)
Great! Thanks for this. Have always wanted to get into juicing but can’t afford the price tag… A great tip someone told me is to use the pulp to make heart crackers. A quick search of the Internet for pulp crackers and tons of recipes come up. Great way to use everything up!
The guy is well-known on Twitter as a particularly nasty right wing troll and has a record. I’m astonished he hasn’t been jailed right now for breaching the terms of his last court appearance. Believe me, apart from a few knuckle-draggers you have the sympathy of everyone on Twitter.
Sorry for all the animosity you’ve encountered this week. You are a better person than some people could ever aspire to be so ignore them. Love this idea, I’m suffering from an autoimmune condition and I bet this would perk me up no end – now off to internet shop for a cheap blender, would my stick blender suffice until then? Would love to see you do some large family veggie meals Jack, we have 2 older teens and a 9yr old and I am veggie and we are definitely on a budget. You inspire me to shop wiser and make things go further Jack 😊
I have to admit Jack that I do have one of those expensive NutriBullets and it is one of my best buys….Hubby has Dysphagia(swallowing problems) so on bad days I can quickly get good stuff down him including nuts and seeds without faffing about and no waste at all(no guinea pigs!)….a dream 5 secs swill under the tap to clean….seriously recommend to anyone with similar problems or who will use daily…sometimes it helps to know if a gadget is going to be worth the hefty price tag and in my opinion this one is. Can always rely on you to find an alternative method though and think outside the box…so sorry to see you being hassled..stay strong love, you are in my thoughts and prayers xXx
Juice without a juice is GREAT. I’m sick of being prodded and pushed to accumulate ever more over priced electricals. Thanks.
Hi Jack. Really enjoyed listening to you on R4 this morning. Must have been quite intimidating, up against that lot. Sue Perkins has a brain the size of Mars. Thought you held your ground very well & you were genuinely funny. You really have important things to say. I have had issues with depression but only in a mild way, so I can really relate to what you are saying. Stay true to yourself Jack Munroe. Lots of love!
Oh poop, I missed you. What programme was it and I’ll listen on iplayer?
Dilemma: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qg5jh for yesterday’s edition.
I have never juiced. But I love kale crisps instead. Tek no notice of Twitter trolls. They’re not worth the paper they’re not written on. Life is too short to arse about. Concentrate on good stuff, instead. XX
I’m always really scared of breaking my blender but I think I’ll have to be a bit braver with it if you’re basics one managed to last through so much!
Lime, kiwi, frozen spinach, cucumber, hand full of carrot sticks 🙂 all needed using up and looked a bit sorry for themselves… thanks for the inspiration Jack!
Sadly the Internet can be a very dark and dangerous place for women; particularly successful, intelligent women with – shock! horror! – an OPINION. You are amazing and inspirational don’t let them get to you x
I’m gutted that you’ve been driven off Twitter (and Sue Perkins too! My role models are drifting away) but fully understand and support your decision. These people and their sad little lives where their sole form of entertainment is anonymously abusing people, it’s just depressing.
Take care 🙂
Twitter should be doing a lot more to get rid of the abusers, but I think you’ve done the best thing by taking a beak from it. Be aware hardly anyone is like the trolls you’re dealing with – they’re a tiny percentage of the total.
I have a juicer my mother bought for me and it really is a complete pain to clean, which puts me off using it. My favourite juice is carrot – have to be organic, they really do taste better – apple, spinach, cucumber and celery.
Love your recipes—- you are an inspiration!
Sent from my iPad
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I gave up twittee for a good.while.then re.invented a more anonomous account so i could just read education stuff that i wanted. There is and always will be…a lot of weirdos and evil about. They are the problem not you Jack.
Am off to see if i can find the R4 programme . You have so many faithful followers all rooting for you. Take care …ease up…have a good rest. You will feel better hopefully soon.
d
I just don’t get why, with juicing – I like the lumpy bits and if you remove them you remove most of the fibre and lots of the goodness. You probably end up with an unhappy guinea pig though!
Dear Jack,
I enjoy your recipie book and make good use of it. My wife is vegeterian so I have to cook with that in mind all the time. I do wonder why your book does not include any recipies for leeks as they are so versatile? I have followed your career with great interest and admiration. Best wishes for the future. Rodney Shepherd (happily retired, now a carer).
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2015 13:12:42 +0000 To: rodshepherd@hotmail.com
Oh dear, sounds like you’re not a great fan of the Nutribullet, Jack! My friend recommended it as she got one for Christmas and has been devoted to it daily ever since. I am EXTREMELY lazy when it comes to peeling and fancying-up fruit ready for eating, so the bullet’s been my salvation. Used every day – sometimes twice – even for a slimming shake, which is no longer slimming once it’s got 2 spotty bananas and a handful of pistachios whizzed in! The difference between this appliance and an ordinary blender (apart from the gutsy motor) is that it extracts the oils from the skin, seeds etc, which you can feel on the inside surface of the cup if you try to give it a quick rinse with no washing up liquid. I’m now getting a lot of my 5-a-day plus a few “superfood” boosters like seeds and goji berries in one hit and feeling a lot better for it, and I can get all cheffy and fussy with our mail meal just once a day, so it doesn’t feel like a chore. Long live the Nutribullet! It also helps to have a very cheap fruit & veg shop about 15 minutes’ bike ride away where one can take a chance on whatever cheap goodies they’ve got in, and keep an eye on what needs using up quickly. Also it’s half an hour of cycling I wasn’t bothering to do before – every little helps!
Stay strong, Jack Monroe – you are an inspiration to many and a lovely woman and human being to boot.
If you don’t use kale for nearly a month either, then I’m feeling less guilty already. (I was thinking of Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘green rice’, I suppose, but the pressure cooker’s not pressurising any more.) I’ve not got around to baking recently or I’d have tried kale crisps but this sounds much easier, so I may have to make my first-ever green juice today. Especially as I have more ginger than I’ve a need for, since there aren’t any parsnips in the market any longer for that amazing soup that I recently discovered….
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I wonder if freezing the solid bits in ice-cube trays would help add interest to dull filtered London tap water on hot days, like freezing borage flowers only more nutritious?
Reblogged this on Hamburgers Make Me Sick and commented:
I love the idea of this, though I don’t currently have a blender with me at school to try it out. The comments are also full of other delicious suggestions; make sure you check them out!
Great idea Jack, thanks for sharing.
Just a thought – a small sprig of mint and a little chunk of cucumber in a mixed fruit & veg (or just fruit) smoothie gives it a certain je ne sais quoi. It’s a bit like eating a Pimms!
i do this to make nut cheeses too, just soak the nuts overnight in plenty of hot water before you blend them
HUGS. On Apr 19, 2015 2:12 PM, “JACK MONROE: COOK, CAMPAIGNER, GUARDIAN
I just use a blender and don’t sieve. Call it a smoothie, and you get the benefits of all the fibre too
Depending in what went into the juice made, the leftover bits in the sieve or toweling can be popped into a meatloaf or hearty bread dough or soupstock… or given to chickens.
I prefer juices and smoothies as well! My fave smoothie consist of milk, bananas and strawberries, mmm yammy! 🙂