Tag: orange juice

Orange juice is a popular, year-round favorite. In the winter, oranges are in season, so you can find an abundance of oranges.

That’s also when most people load up on Vitamin C that they associate with orange juice, and why orange juice grocery shelves can be full or running empty. I share below how you can optimize an entire orange in homemade freshly squeezed juice. 

I also wanted to mention a healthy smoothie place I go to when I’m out. Last week I had a nice surprise. I heard I won a giveaway from South Block, a smoothie bowl place down the block that’s grown to about 10 or more stores, a perfect number for a 10-year anniversary milestone they’ve hit.

…So fast forward a few years later and I learn I’m celebratin’ with them for making strides, thriving sustainably as local retail businesses got hit hard especially last year when our new normal was new.

They get extra props because they’re surviving the toughest societal times we’ve had and that I’ve lived through. Coming from a food-hospitality work background, I can empathetically appreciate the efforts.

I was super excited because I’d never won anything before…and this happens to be my favorite local healthy-inspired food place! They do something special — they create dreamy-colorful, smoothie bowls with ingredients that taste fresh and not like chalky powders or marinated-preserved berries. The cold and made-to-order details were just higher quality.

And I found out the whimsical blue color comes from an ingredient called blue majik (that’s the magic in the blue bowl I was talking about). They also use ingredients like camu camu and maca root wheere you feel like you’ve been invited to a new array of rainforest superfoods shipped from an exotic locale in the world and infused in your made-to-order bowl or smoothie.

OK, I could go on and on excited!…

But, today I also wanted to share some house-made fruit and orange juice recipes I do at home. I’ve become supersensitized to how much sugar I consume (and maybe you’re aware too?).

I almost wish when you were a kid they told you, enjoy all this sugar now before you grow up…

Because the sweet tooth fairy can follow you around as you get older, like she did for me, lol.

But, I’ve learned from the wisdom fairy (Fairy Godmother?) to use fruit (fructose) for any sweetness, and maybe a dash of ‘lil honey or dusting of the white, brown, or powder sugar. When you buy unsweetened ingredients and make your own drinks and bakes, then you can measure and control your sugar intake and contribute to your better health. After all, we only get our only body to take care of in this life.

And that hopefully inspires you to eat healthy at least most of the time (as it does for me).

Next time you think about orange juice, before you a mad dash to the OJ grocery store aisle, consider making your own orange juice from whole oranges.

Fresh Orange Juice

Oranges are one of my favorite fruits.

They are good for anxiety and if you’re leaning into the Vata mind-body ways. If you can’t get the work life balance or life is stressful, keeping an orange near you to sniff and that will help you! And a fresh orange juice will help too.

And if you feel it in your nervous digestive tract, try an orange elixir like this recipe.

There are so many varieties, and I love the Cara Cara sweetheart orange variety (common around Christmas) that can be juicier and sweeter than a California navel orange that’s in season a little earlier.

The scent of an orange is known to have a calming effect and is good for aromatherapy. If you’re feeling anxiety, keep an orange near you (…it could help your anxious mood).

In the kitchen, I’m always excited about freshly squeezed orange juice.

There are commercially sold machines you may have seen that crank out fresh orange juice from whole oranges. You may have seen one of these at selective grocery stores if you live in a larger metro area. Fresh orange juice definitely ruined me for any added sugar orange juice that comes from a carton (like I grew up drinking).

High sugar is harsh on your stomach, and especially if you have a routine to drink caffeine that’s very acidic in the morning. Processed orange juice and coffees aren’t a stomach’s friend (and can give you that acidic heartburn feeling), but they can provide desired taste and energy satisfaction.

Hmm, so what’s the alt choice? Continue reading “Fresh Orange Juice and Low-Sugar Fruit Juice Recipes”