Sometimes when we’re looking for ways to make anything and everything DIY, it can feel like every project requires a piece of expensive specialty equipment. Today, happily, is not one of those times! Instead, we’re learning how to take an appliance most of us already have on hand – a basic blender – and use it to make juice. That’s right— we’re making juice without a juicer, and our friends at Food52 are teaching us how. If you’ve ever dreamed of making and drinking your own creative combinations, but held back because you thought you’d have to buy a juicer, then you just need to keep reading. This method is fool-proof and fun!
FRUIT JUICE WITHOUT A JUICER
INGREDIENTS
- Your favorite fruits and/or vegetables
- Water, as needed
Equipment
- Blender
- Spatula
- Fine mesh strainer
- Bowl, on top of which the mesh strainer fits nicely
DIRECTIONS
- Prep your fruits and/or vegetables properly: peel and pith citrus; peel pineapple; scrub beets, carrots, ginger, etc., and cut off the tops and bottoms. Chop each fruit and veggie into pieces.
- Place each fruit and veggie into the blender, one at a time and in layers. Place juicier items like citrus, pears, tomatoes and cucumbers at the bottom, and reserve sturdier items and greens for the top.
- Blend. If your particular mixture has difficulties, turn off the blender and give the mix a stir with the spatula before blending more. Add water and/or more pieces of the juicier fruits as needed.
- Fit the mesh strainer on top of the bowl and pour the blended mixture through the strainer. Press with the spatula to extract more juice. Allow to sit for a few minutes so that every bit of juice possible makes its way into the bowl.
- Pour the juice into a glass and enjoy!
NOTE
- Be sure to wash your strainer immediately after juicing to avoid pulp becoming permanently attached to it. Scrape out the pulp, then run water through the strainer in the opposite direction from the poured juice. Attack any remaining fruit or vegetable bits with a stiff-bristled brush.
That’s it! Simple, easy, and juicily delicious. Have you ever made juice in your blender before? If you’d like a more specific juice, check out Food52’s recipe for a Spring Cleanse Juice made with celery, apple, carrots and cucumbers, or their Beetroot one designed for margaritas. Be sure, too, to check out their original post for more juicing tips and tricks. Happy juicing!