STRAWBERRY JUICE

Ingredients:

• 3.3 lb strawberries

Instructions:

1. Prepare the strawberries by washing them well. Some people prefer to remove the green stems, though these are edible and contain extra nutrients, so I usually leave them on.

Using a Blender/Immersion Blender

1. Transfer the strawberries to a high-speed blender or use an immersion blender in a large bowl of the strawberries. Blend until smooth.
2. You could then drink the strawberry juice as-is (pulpy), diluted slightly, or you can strain the mixture for a smooth seed/pulp-free strawberry juice.
3. To strain the juice, pour it through a nut milk bag or through layers on cheesecloth in a sieve. If using a nut milk bag, squeeze well to remove as much juice as possible.

Using a Juicer

1. Simply feed the strawberries into your juicer chute – no need to strain!
2. Save any leftover pulp too. You can dry it out and plant the seeds (if they’re not too broken up), make fruit leather, add it to other smoothies and juices, etc. If you don’t want to use it immediately, I recommend freezing the strawberry pulp into an ice cube tray to use later.

How to Store

1. Store: fresh fruit juice is always best immediately for the most nutritional benefits. However, you can enjoy this fresh strawberry juice for 2-3 days when stored, covered in the refrigerator.
2. Freeze: you can also freeze some of the juice to use as ice-cubes, turn into slushies, or simply defrost later and enjoy. I recommend freezing it for up to 2 months for the best flavor

Notes

1. For “instant” chilled strawberry juice: you can either use some frozen strawberries in the blended combination or some ice cubes (best if you plan to enjoy it all immediately).
2. Ensure you wash the berries well: since I use the entire strawberries in my juice (stalk and all), I like to carefully wash the berries. You could even soak them in a vinegar-water mixture before blending them – in case there are any critters on the berries.
3. Can I use frozen berries? You sure can. Allow the berries to thaw (or most of them anyway if you want a “slushie”). Then juice according to the strawberry juice recipe.
4. Enjoy pulpy or smooth: the pulp adds extra fiber and nutrients. However, I know some people don’t like the additional texture. When blending, it’s as simple as straining the juice for smooth results.
5. Adjust the sweetness: each batch of strawberry juice will taste different based on the specific berries used. For that reason, I recommend tasting the juice after blending and adding any sweetener or lime juice as needed to reach your desired flavor.
6. Make strawberry popsicles: pour the pureed strawberries (with optional sweetener) into popsicle molds and freeze for a simple, healthy summer treat.