As a kid I was lucky enough to live next door to one of my grandmas.   I remember being outside in my yard on warm summer nights, and I could hear my grandma sneeze as she was outside sitting in a swing.  I’d yell to her, “Bless you!”  and then you’d hear her say, “Thank You!”  I was lucky.  My grandma’s house was the hub of all activity.  With cousins living on each side, grandma’s house was where we’d meet, and begin our adventures for the day.  When the school year started all those cousins would meet at my grandma’s house to catch the bus.  It seems we’d all get there 5-10 minutes or so before the bus, and the boys would jump out of the tree, holding onto the rope of a giant swing.  If it was cold we’d all huddle in my grandma’s front room while my grandpa would look out a big window looking for the bus headlights.  Once he saw them, we’d all run out the door right to the bus.  Life was good living next door to a grandma.

I remember sitting in my grandma’s kitchen while my mom would put pin curls in my grandma, and great grandma’s hair.  One thing that was always present there in her kitchen was big glasses full of fresh juiced carrot-celery juice.  Everyday my grandparents would start their morning with this juice.  My grandma always said the carrots alone were too sweet, and celery alone was too bitter so she’d combine the two for the perfect morning juice.  So I guess you could say “juicing” is a family tradition.

Throughout the years my mom would always juice carrots for us in the mornings.  I didn’t love it.  Sometimes I’d drink it, and other times I wouldn’t.  My mom always had a nice orange hue about her from all the carrot juice she drank.  The palms of her hands were where you’d really see the color!  I’ve juiced a little here and there since I married, but the last 3 years we have really enjoyed juicing at home.

Maybe it’s the fact that I have the JUICER OF ALL JUICERS!  I own a Hurom Slow Juicer and we love it!! But I have used cheaper juicers with great success as well.  I was just a sucker the day the kitchen store was demonstrating the Hurom:)  So every morning my kids have become addicted to their Morning Juice  They demand and require a juice to get them through the day.  One thing I’ve found, is that if you add a quarter of a fresh pineapple to the nastiest tasting juice, it turns it into something delicious. Kind of like Mary Poppins and that Spoonful Of Sugar.

I think I’ve perfected this Green Lemonade.  It is loaded with good stuff and James and I each drink a quart of this almost every day.  Isn’t it pretty too!!!  There’s something deliciously appetizing about the perfect green color.  When I follow this recipe exactly it always produces a beautiful juice.  It’s when I start throwing in carrots, or a beet that my Green Lemonade looks like mud.  Not quite appetizing, but the taste is still delish.  Sometimes this juice is sipped through a straw and other time it is guzzled as fast as I can.  It’s delicious by anyone’s standard.  Don’t let GREEN scare you.   In fact, rejoice in the fact that you are drinking something so incredibly good for you and that tastes so good too.  I’ve played around with different ingredients for my Green Lemonade and this is my favorite.  I’ve added cucumbers and they really add a distinct flavor.  I don’t love it in my juice.  I’ve also tried kale in place of the spinach and I don’t love the bitterness.  Kale is awesome in so many other things, but not my favorite in a juice.  You can add a nub of fresh ginger and that’s yummy.  I have actually been known to add a pinch of salt to this juice a time or two.  Those are the days I savor each swallow:)  Enjoy!

Green Lemonade Perfected

Serving size is 64oz. It makes 2 quart sized Mason Jars.  Adjust according to how many servings you want.

1 bunch celery

3 BIG handfuls spinach

4 small green apples (or 2 large)

1 lemon peeled

1 lime peeled

1/4 fresh pineapple or 1 grapefruit peeled (the pineapple make the green juice into a sweeter juice and the grapefruit makes it a little more of a savory juice.  It just depends on how I’m feeling.)

1 bunch of fresh parsley (optional)

Send all the produce through a juicer.  I usually add a little water to make it 2 quarts exactly.  I like my juices room temp., but you can add ice if you prefer.