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Rachel Allen: January juices and shakes for a boost of immunity and energy

If you want to imbue your body with vitamins, minerals and nutrients galore, then juice is the way to go. Here are six winners to try

From left: Fatigue-fighting beetroot, carrot and ginger juice; super-green kale, coriander and parsley juice; sunshine orange and turmeric juice. Photo: Tony Gavin

Rachel's delicious guaca juice recipe includes fresh coriander. Photo: Tony Gavin

'These juices do not replace meals; rather, they are for subsidising veggie-poor parts of the day' Photo: Tony Gavin

'I love the insanely bright green colour you get from adding a few kale leaves into a juice' Photo: Tony Gavin

"Beetroot is one of the super foods we should include in our diet when we can." Photo: Tony Gavin

From left: Fatigue-fighting beetroot, carrot and ginger juice; super-green kale, coriander and parsley juice; sunshine orange and turmeric juice. Photo: Tony Gavin

Rachel's delicious guaca juice recipe includes fresh coriander. Photo: Tony Gavin

'These juices do not replace meals; rather, they are for subsidising veggie-poor parts of the day' Photo: Tony Gavin

'I love the insanely bright green colour you get from adding a few kale leaves into a juice' Photo: Tony Gavin

"Beetroot is one of the super foods we should include in our diet when we can." Photo: Tony Gavin

From left: Fatigue-fighting beetroot, carrot and ginger juice; super-green kale, coriander and parsley juice; sunshine orange and turmeric juice. Photo: Tony Gavin

Rachel Allen Twitter

January 01 2022 04:00 PM

Eating vegetables in their whole form is so good for us. Chewing food gets our digestive juices flowing and gives our metabolism a kick up the backside. But if you, like me, have days where you’re on the run and need an intake of veggies pronto, your body will still thank you for a freshly made juice, and let’s face it, now is the time to start some good habits for the year ahead.

These juices do not replace meals; rather, they are for subsidising veggie-poor parts of the day. Ensure you make your juice look good and taste great, otherwise this is a habit that’ll get dropped before the month is out.

Carrots turn green juices brown, so juice with your eyes and save carrots for mixing with paler fruits and veggies like apples and celery.

Beetroot is one of the super foods we should include in our diet when we can. Along with their vibrant colour, they bring so many nutrients, such as iron, potassium and folic acid, not to mention vitamins A, B, C and antioxidants to boot. Cucumber and celery are thought to help to flush out toxins and boost our immune systems too.

I love the insanely bright green colour you get from adding a few kale leaves into a juice. The kale juices here are the perfect pick-me-up. They contain lots of zinc, thought to be beneficial for men needing a pep in their step.

I love the sweet honey flavour melons bring to juice. They’re naturally low in calories, an excellent source of vitamin A, a great antioxidant and good for the eyes and skin. Choose a ripe melon — you should get a sweet melon scent from the skin. I like to use cantaloupe, Galia or honeydew.

I adore multivitamin- and mineral-containing avocados. They lend juices a deliciously smooth, creamy texture.

In a couple of the recipes here, I’ve used apple juice to thin out and add extra flavour. Ideally use unfiltered, cloudy apple juice that hasn’t had sugar or preservatives added, or juice your own apples in a centrifugal juicer.

Do your shopping wisely. Don’t buy more vegetables than you’re realistically going to use. Keep your supplies in one drawer or area of the fridge so they’re easily at hand and you won’t have to think twice before juicing yourself.

"Beetroot is one of the super foods we should include in our diet when we can." Photo: Tony Gavin

Fatigue-fighting beetroot, carrot and ginger juice

Serves 3-4
You will need:
150g beetroot, scrubbed clean or peeled (see my Top Tip, below)
150g carrot, scrubbed clean or peeled
450ml pure apple juice
2 generous teaspoons finely grated ginger

1 Chop the beetroot and the carrot and place in a blender or Nutribullet.
2 Add the apple juice and the finely grated ginger.
3 Blend well until smooth. Then pour into glasses to serve.

Top Tip

Beetroot chunks can be kept in the freezer then blended straight from frozen for convenience.

'I love the insanely bright green colour you get from adding a few kale leaves into a juice' Photo: Tony Gavin

Super-green kale, coriander and parsley juice

Serves 3-4
You will need:
40g curly kale (weigh after the stalks are removed)
10g coriander leaves and stalks
10g parsley leaves and small stalks
½ lemon or 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
600ml pure apple juice (for best results, juice your own apples or use unfiltered, unsweetened, preservative-free cloudy apple juice)

1 Put the curly kale leaves in a blender or Nutribullet with the coriander leaves and stalks and the parsley leaves and small stalks.
2 Squeeze the juice from the lemon half or the lime, whichever you’re using, and add it to the blender.
3 Add the honey and the pure apple juice to the blender. Blend everything together really well until smooth. Then pour into glasses to serve.

'These juices do not replace meals; rather, they are for subsidising veggie-poor parts of the day' Photo: Tony Gavin

Sunshine orange and turmeric juice

Serves 3-4
You will need:
6 oranges
1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 Squeeze the juice from the oranges and place in a jug.
2 Add the ground turmeric and the freshly ground black pepper and stir well to mix.
3 Pour into glasses

Kale and hearty

Serves 3
You will need:
3 tablespoons rolled oats
100ml water or oat drink
40g kale leaves (weigh after removing stalks)
1 large banana, peeled
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
10-12 ice cubes

1 Put the rolled oats in a blender or Nutribullet and cover them with the water or the oat drink, whichever you’re using. Soak for 10 minutes.
2 Add the kale leaves, the banana, the sesame seeds, the pumpkin seeds and the ice cubes.
3 Blend well together until smooth. Add a splash more water or oat drink, whichever you’re using, to thin out if necessary. Pour into glasses to serve.

Melon Blast

Serves 3
You will need:
1 ripe melon
1 handful of spinach
Juice of 1-2 limes
10-12 ice cubes

1 Cut the melon into wedges. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Cut the melon flesh from the peel, discarding the peel, and cut the flesh into chunks.
2 Put the melon in a blender or Nutribullet with the spinach and the juice of 1 lime. Add the ice cubes — you won’t need to add ice if you’re using a centrifugal juicer.
3 Blend well until smooth, taste, and add more lime juice if needed.

Rachel's delicious guaca juice recipe includes fresh coriander. Photo: Tony Gavin

Guaca Juice

Serves 3-4
You will need:
1 ripe avocado
½ large cucumber
¼ pineapple, peeled
A very small handful of coriander, all stalks included
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
10 ice cubes

1 Peel the avocado and remove the stone. Put the avocado flesh in a blender or Nutribullet, then add the cucumber.
2 Cut the pineapple into chunks and add to the blender with the coriander and the lemon or lime juice, whichever you’re using.
3 Add about 10 ice cubes if you wish. Then blend until the mixture is smooth.
4 Taste and add more lemon or lime juice if necessary. Thin out the juice with a little water if you wish.

Rachel Recommends

Don’t keep bananas in your fruit bowl or veggie bowl as they have a strong ripening effect on other fruit and vegetables.