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Mrs Fiddlesticks

home juicing

Just got back from the old Tesco shop ( I don't go often honest, but the cats were short of kitchen towel) and I admit to an impulse buy of a juicer!!

Have enjoyed my 1st glass of carrot, apple and pear - delicious!

If you have one of these things whats your favourite combination?
snowball

Tomatoes, a touch of ginger, peppers,lemon and a chili with plenty of ice.
Even better with a slug of vodka added drunken
jema

We have rather fallen by the wayside with juicing Sad

We did find with carrot a little ginger worked very well.
thos

We have a few recipe books but generally we chuck in whatever we have that looks a bit squiffy. Our juicer produces a drink with a thick layer of pith, which Terri insists I stir rather than decant.

Remember to liquidise bananas and use a citrus juicer for oranges, lemons and kiwi (it is much easier and faster to halve these and use a simple low-tech citrus juicer than to peel them and use the juicer, although Terri did not appreciate my telling her!).

I can recommend raspberry and apple, and blackcurrant. I am not keen on vegetable drinks unless highly-chilled to take away the taste. The main use to my mind is to use up a surplus when you can't be bothered to freeze any more and the fruit is too ripe for jam.
ButteryHOLsomeness

one of my favourites is kiwi and carrot! i know it sounds odd but i've been trying different carrot or apple based drinks since they are the cheapest stuff you can get to juice and this one turned out very nicely indeed.

kiwis have a strong flavour so you don't need many at all. i can do 2 large carrots to 1 kiwi and still really taste the kiwi.

granny smith apples are my favourite just on their own they are gorgeous and nothing like that horrid apple juice you get in the carton, i never liked apple juice before our juicer so it's saying something.

carrot cranberry and rasp is nice as well.

as for ease of use, we only ever buy clementines or manderines so they are very easy to peel anyway. the kiwi we cut in half and chuck it in. our juicer has a divided jug that keeps the frothy stuff seperate from the pure juice. normally i mix this in with the rest of the juice but if i have added kiwi then i just scoop it out and chuck it away and the drink is lovely.

just experiment. always try just a wee bit of something you're unsure of to start with. if you don't really like it you can always throw in some carrots or apples to take the weird flavour away so you don't waste the juice

oh, never juice onions Mad
judyofthewoods

I like to combine the sweet root veg like carrot and beet with fruit like orange (yes, I also use a seperate squeezer for that), a bit of lemon or lime and apple, and add a little ginger. Occasionally I also put in just a few dandelion leaves to add more vit/min but not so much that you taste them. Leaves don't work so well with a centrifugal juicer though, I have a manual auger type juicer, similar ro a wheatgrass juicer. Jerusalem artichokes are also good for raw juicing, they are quite juicy and sweet, and have the added benefit that the sugar is a type which even diabetics can consume, apparently the body is unable to absorb or digest it.
cab

Is there a way to juice well without a juicer?
jema

cab wrote:
Is there a way to juice well without a juicer?


I have a centrifugal juicer and a small press, both in my opinion are way ahead of any non dedicated tool.
cab

I'm sure the proper tool is best for the job. But I'm trying to operate a 'one in/one out' policy on gadgets, you see.
jema

cab wrote:
I'm sure the proper tool is best for the job. But I'm trying to operate a 'one in/one out' policy on gadgets, you see.


I know where you are coming from on that, but in this case both do very specific things for very good reason....
cab

I assume a centrigugal juicer is merely a metal filter and a masher, the filter being cylindrical, through which the juice is spun, leaving the sludgy dry stuff behind?

Wouldn't a blender, a jam bag and a heavy weight accomplish something similar? Might be a lot slower though...
bagpuss

judyofthewoods wrote:
the added benefit that the sugar is a type which even diabetics can consume, apparently the body is unable to absorb or digest it.


Much of fruit sugar is fructose

Fructose is metabolised by the body and does feed into the same pathways as glucose but it is absorbed into cells in a different manner than glucose so it doesn't stimulate insulin secretion and also it doesn't raise blood sugar in the same manner.

In theory fructose is much sweeter that glucose too so you shouldn't need as much but I never found it worked that way

As far as being suitible for diabetics while some type 2 diabetics have to be very careful about what they eat most type 1 diabetics at least don't really have any dietary restrictions. A healthy diabetic diet is generally the same healthy diet everyone should be eating

So more recent evidence suggests fructose should be avoided apart from when directly from fruit and veg as it can induce insulin resistance and problems with lipid metabolism
jema

cab wrote:
I assume a centrigugal juicer is merely a metal filter and a masher, the filter being cylindrical, through which the juice is spun, leaving the sludgy dry stuff behind?

Wouldn't a blender, a jam bag and a heavy weight accomplish something similar? Might be a lot slower though...


Most of them are a bit more sophisitcated in that they flip out the dry sutff periodically to avoid the filter being blocked.

Given that you have to worry about oxidisation of delicate juices, speed is actually quite an issue.
bagpuss

cab wrote:
I assume a centrigugal juicer is merely a metal filter and a masher, the filter being cylindrical, through which the juice is spun, leaving the sludgy dry stuff behind?

Wouldn't a blender, a jam bag and a heavy weight accomplish something similar? Might be a lot slower though...


that was what I was going to suggest or something very similar

it does remind me though I should give the juicer which came with the minder and shredder on the kitchen aid a go
judyofthewoods

I find that when it comes to juicing dedicated tools and a convenient setup are more likely to make you stick to juicing. When I have to move loads of stuff around before I can start juicing I tend to not bother, which is unfortuante, as the health benefit from juicing really is great, especially when you can get so much out of wild food. When I do juice I feel a noticable improvement in my health. If you are starting from scratch and want to get serious about it, I would definetly recomend an auger type which can handle leafy stuff too. If you want a gadget that will do several jobs and not cost too much go for a plastic and s/s mincer like the one mentioned in my post half way down this page (a mincer will also do leafy stuff)
http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=1589&highlight=mincer
and here another one with ideas on pressing the pulp and more, the long post in the middle
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=253&highlight=juicing
If you look at my site on the health and diet page you can see a simple homemade press which can extract the juice from pulp, and also the manual juicer I use.
judyofthewoods

[quote="bagpuss]

Much of fruit sugar is fructose

[/quote]

The sugar in Jerasalem artichokes is not fructose. Here an excerpt from N. Walker's 'Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices'

Quote:
When raw this vegetable contains the enzyme inulase and a large amount of inulin. Inulin is a substance resembling starch and is converted into levulose by the enzyme inulase. It is therefor a tuber which diabetics can eat with impunity. Its juice is very beneficial and palatable, whether taken alone or with carrot juice.


Centrifugal juicers have very fine teeth which rasp the produce, and a filter through which the juice is spun. This means that any fibrous material is likely to clog the teeth very quickly, and in my experience greens don't juice very well. All but the most efficient auger type like the Sampson(and similar) leave a fair bit of juice in the pulp, even if the pulp feels relatively dry, and would yeald more juice when put into a juice press.
I'm not sure whether the acids actually prevent oxidation, but they do prevent the browning of juices from apple and carrot. I usually put some lemon or lime in with mine not just for flavour and nutrients but also to prevent the browning, and possibly oxidation.
Not totally sure either on the point that fast juicing heats up the juice and damages it, but thats what I have read in several books and sales talk for slow juicers like the Sampson.
bagpuss

judyofthewoods wrote:


The sugar in Jerasalem artichokes is not fructose. Here an excerpt from N. Walker's 'Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices'

Quote:
When raw this vegetable contains the enzyme inulase and a large amount of inulin. Inulin is a substance resembling starch and is converted into levulose by the enzyme inulase. It is therefor a tuber which diabetics can eat with impunity. Its juice is very beneficial and palatable, whether taken alone or with carrot juice.




levulose is a synonym for fructose

and

inulin is to fructose what starch is to glucose, its a poly saccharide whose indivudual units are fructose so I suspect the same rules apply just a the same rules really apply to starch as do to glucose
cab

Yeah, levulose is fructose, but inulin is not equal to starch. Both are storage polymers, starch being one made of glucose residues and inulin being a fructose one, but we're MUCH better at breaking down starch than inulin, which is largely broken down by microbes in our guts (producing rather a lot of gas in the process).

I suspect that although you get a fair whack of fructose from such tubers, it takes much longer to get in.

For the record, sucrose (table sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar) is a dimer made up of one glucose and one fructose. So cane sugar gives you fructose and glucose.
Mrs Fiddlesticks

i was reading that until you get use to it you shouldn't mix veg and fruit juices ( apart from carrot) as they work in a different way in the body and there may be 'discomfort' shall we say delicately!! Shocked

I liked the look of the auger type juicers, but aren't they a price!! I thought of trying this simple juicer 1st (£23) to see how we get on. Bought some root ginger to try and add to the mix today! Very Happy
cab

bagpuss wrote:


that was what I was going to suggest or something very similar

it does remind me though I should give the juicer which came with the minder and shredder on the kitchen aid a go


There's a juicer on the kitchen aid? Wow. Is there anything that machine can't do? Does it go out and do the shopping for you aswell?
jema

Fiddlesticks Julie wrote:

I liked the look of the auger type juicers, but aren't they a price!! I thought of trying this simple juicer 1st (£23) to see how we get on. Bought some root ginger to try and add to the mix today! Very Happy


That was exactly my feeling. I am also not at all convinced by the claims of massive superiority of the auger ones.
bagpuss

cab wrote:

There's a juicer on the kitchen aid? Wow. Is there anything that machine can't do? Does it go out and do the shopping for you aswell?


unfortunately it lacks the motility and being american I am not sure what it would come back with Very Happy
sean

You'd get all the really good stuff like marshmallow fluff and premixed peanut butter and jelly. And grits, maybe.
cab

What ARE grits?
sean

cab wrote:
What ARE grits?

I've just looked them up. Apparently they are "Dried and hulled maize kernels, coarsely ground and prepared for consumption in various ways, including puddings and breads. Hominy grits are finer ground or double ground."
Mrs Fiddlesticks

sean wrote:
You'd get all the really good stuff like marshmallow fluff and premixed peanut butter and jelly. And grits, maybe.


spotted Marshmallow Fluff in Tesco's the other day.. can't be healthy
bagpuss

Fiddlesticks Julie wrote:

spotted Marshmallow Fluff in Tesco's the other day.. can't be healthy


I think it is probably a throughly artificial food stuff but not as artificial as twinkies

that being said given I like candy floss and marshmallows I probably would like it
ButteryHOLsomeness

bagpuss wrote:
cab wrote:

There's a juicer on the kitchen aid? Wow. Is there anything that machine can't do? Does it go out and do the shopping for you aswell?


unfortunately it lacks the motility and being american I am not sure what it would come back with Very Happy


oi! i resemble that remark!!! Laughing
ButteryHOLsomeness

sean wrote:
You'd get all the really good stuff like marshmallow fluff and premixed peanut butter and jelly. And grits, maybe.


grits are NOT good Mad Mad Mad

grits are the horrid little insides of corn that don't even have the decency to taste nice like sweet corn... they feel like they should be coming up not going down Mad Mad Mad

corn porridge, YUCK!

though i am partial to other southern food like ham and collard greens, pecan pie and blackeyed peas with sweet cornbread mmmmm
ButteryHOLsomeness

sean wrote:
cab wrote:
What ARE grits?

I've just looked them up. Apparently they are "Dried and hulled maize kernels, coarsely ground and prepared for consumption in various ways, including puddings and breads. Hominy grits are finer ground or double ground."


hominy is worse, tastes like lye Mad Mad Mad

and don't even get me started on succotash Evil or Very Mad

sheesh, what is it with people over here always dragging up the worst of american culture like jerry springer, george w bush and grits... honestly Rolling Eyes Laughing Laughing
tahir

Maybe you and Nanny should get together to tell us about some good American recipes?
jema

ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
sean wrote:
cab wrote:
What ARE grits?

I've just looked them up. Apparently they are "Dried and hulled maize kernels, coarsely ground and prepared for consumption in various ways, including puddings and breads. Hominy grits are finer ground or double ground."


hominy is worse, tastes like lye Mad Mad Mad

and don't even get me started on succotash Evil or Very Mad

sheesh, what is it with people over here always dragging up the worst of american culture like jerry springer, george w bush and grits... honestly Rolling Eyes Laughing Laughing


I think I have had grits in some bready form for breakfast in the USA. I confess to loving a Shoneys Buffer Breakfast Laughing
cab

ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:

sheesh, what is it with people over here always dragging up the worst of american culture like jerry springer, george w bush and grits... honestly Rolling Eyes Laughing Laughing


I'll not stand by and remain idle while Jerry Springer gets relegated to the same class as Dubwya and grits! Smile
Jonnyboy

cab wrote:
I assume a centrigugal juicer is merely a metal filter and a masher, the filter being cylindrical, through which the juice is spun, leaving the sludgy dry stuff behind?

Wouldn't a blender, a jam bag and a heavy weight accomplish something similar? Might be a lot slower though...


That's pretty much exactly it. You could probably get away with a liquidiser and fine meshed sieve.
ButteryHOLsomeness

jema wrote:
ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
sean wrote:
cab wrote:
What ARE grits?

I've just looked them up. Apparently they are "Dried and hulled maize kernels, coarsely ground and prepared for consumption in various ways, including puddings and breads. Hominy grits are finer ground or double ground."


hominy is worse, tastes like lye Mad Mad Mad

and don't even get me started on succotash Evil or Very Mad

sheesh, what is it with people over here always dragging up the worst of american culture like jerry springer, george w bush and grits... honestly Rolling Eyes Laughing Laughing



I think I have had grits in some bready form for breakfast in the USA. I confess to loving a Shoneys Buffer Breakfast Laughing


oh no, not shoney's!!! IHOP is much better! (international house of pancakes)

actually if you want a halfway decent version of southern cooking go to a crackerbarrel when you're in the states. my grandmother is from arkansas and my daddy is from tennessee so i was raised with good ole southern food mmmmmm

you can get grits at crackerbarrel, if you want them Mad you simply MUST have biscuits and sawmill gravy (scones with a white sausage gravy)


and sweet potato pie mmmmmmm oh now you've got me missing home Sad
jema

CrackerBarrel was pretty good Smile

We tried to sample every place we could barring Macdonalds and Burgerking.
dougal

cab wrote:
..There's a juicer on the kitchen aid? Wow. Is there anything that machine can't do? ..


There are several juicer attachments for the Kenwood Chef. (Apart from the liquidiser/blender.)
Anyone reckon any of them are worthwhile?
dougal

Jonnyboy wrote:
cab wrote:
I assume a centrigugal juicer is merely a metal filter and a masher, the filter being cylindrical, through which the juice is spun, leaving the sludgy dry stuff behind?
Wouldn't a blender, a jam bag and a heavy weight accomplish something similar? Might be a lot slower though...

That's pretty much exactly it. You could probably get away with a liquidiser and fine meshed sieve.

IMHO this is a case where throughput rate has to be above a significant threshold value to represent a practical proposition.
Quite apart from the faffing about and space taken up with jellybags...
wellington womble

We used to have grits at solihill ice rink, on trips with the brownies, they were like starchy, thick crisps. I can't remember whether they were any good, I was too full of sherbert pips!

You can't beat american bacon, though. Its streaky and fried crisp! I loved it with fried potatoes and scrambled egg (hey, I was on holiday!) and tony romas ribs were good too.
ButteryHOLsomeness

wellington womble wrote:

You can't beat american bacon, though. Its streaky and fried crisp! I loved it with fried potatoes and scrambled egg (hey, I was on holiday!) and tony romas ribs were good too.


funny you should say that, i always hated bacon in the states, i didn't like the fat going all crispy and most people cooked it into oblivion so you got this hard salty crispy stuff Mad

i always preferred canadian bacon which is thick slices, similar to the rashers you get here! now i eat bacon regularly! Laughing

maybe it's just a matter of having something a bit different from time to time.

dh has always appreciated it when i've introduced american foods that i think he'll like. we just eat food, don't care what country the recipes originated from. though it can be difficult for me to make some of the foods i grew up with as i can't always find the right equivalents for cooking with... oh how i wish i could find graham crackers and root beer at the shops Confused
cherylmc

ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
.. oh how i wish i could find graham crackers and root beer at the shops Confused

I've never found graham crackers but cheap digestive biscuits make a good substitute. Sainsbury's sell root beer. Very Happy
Bugs

ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
it can be difficult for me to make some of the foods i grew up with as i can't always find the right equivalents for cooking with... oh how i wish i could find graham crackers and root beer at the shops Confused


What kind of things have you managed to recreate here, Buttery? (Hope you don't mind your new nickname!). Americans seem to be really in to their baking? Actually this would make a very good new thread...recipes, or at least names of favourite dishes, from all the different members' origins on here!

Oooh, I've got another post for you...look out for a marshmallows post in this board soon!
ButteryHOLsomeness

cherylmc wrote:
ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
.. oh how i wish i could find graham crackers and root beer at the shops Confused

I've never found graham crackers but cheap digestive biscuits make a good substitute. Sainsbury's sell root beer. Very Happy


thanks for the tip about sainsbury's and root beer. i'd heard that before but they never seem to have any at the stores i've been too Sad (must be all the expats by a years supply when they find some Wink )

as for digestives... they don't make a suitable substitute for just eating! i can't stand digestives anyway, it's like eating sand! Mad

graham crackers are crisp and the cinnamon grahams were my favourite, very nice as a snack on in their own right, digestives will never replace that i'm afraid Crying or Very sad on a rare occasion i've seen graham flour (not to be confused with gram flour which is made from chickpeas, not quite the same thing Confused ) i really should see if i can get a recipe as i'm craving them now!
ButteryHOLsomeness

Bugs wrote:
ButteryHOLsomeness wrote:
it can be difficult for me to make some of the foods i grew up with as i can't always find the right equivalents for cooking with... oh how i wish i could find graham crackers and root beer at the shops Confused


What kind of things have you managed to recreate here, Buttery? (Hope you don't mind your new nickname!). Americans seem to be really in to their baking? Actually this would make a very good new thread...recipes, or at least names of favourite dishes, from all the different members' origins on here!

Oooh, I've got another post for you...look out for a marshmallows post in this board soon!


hmmm well, when we lived on skye i couldn't find tortillas so i made those myself. they were ok but we didn't have a griddle and our frying pans were a bit small so it took ages. now that i can find them cheaply i just buy them but fresh are so lovely lightly buttered mmmmm

i make my own salsa and pico de gallo, i now can make french fried onion rings (in my dehyrdrator) so i can make a proper green bean casserole (thanksgiving favourite) and weekend casserole mmmm. i also make sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie now. i'm sure i'll think of more soon... starting a post just for this would be an excellent idea!
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