How To: Homemade Green Juice Take 2!

In March I showed you how to make green juice with just a blender,
but since then I've acquired a pretty awesome juicer,
so today I'm going to show you how I make green juice with that!

While this method is a quicker process for making juice,
you don't really have the option of keeping the fiber in.
And you probably don't want to eat the pulp - but could compost it.

Now let's get to the juice making...

The Goods:

Kale

Spinach

Romaine

Apples

Lemons

Limes

Kiwi

Ginger

Get all your ingredients prepped before to make the process quicker.

My awesome Breville Juice Fountain set up and ready to go!

If you want to get the most out of your greens,

you have to layer your fruit and greens alternatively.

Once filled to the top, press down with the food pusher...

And watch your juice fill up the pitcher!

Keep filling up and juice the fruit...

Until your pitcher is full

(or all your fruit is juiced).

Mmmmmmmmmmmm foamy, delicious green juice!

Pour into a glass, add a cute paper straw and enjoy!!!

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Lemonade Popsicles!

With Spring officially here and the temperature warming up,

I'm guessing many of us will be eating popsicles quite often.

Personally, I like to make them myself to control the ingredients.

And one of my favorite kinds is to use simple lemonade!

You can use whatever lemonade you'd like,

be it homemade or store bought - both kinds will work.

I tend to make my own using this recipe

then simply use molds to make my popsicles!

The Goods:

Lemons

Sugar

Water

Popsicle Molds

Popsicle Sticks

Lemon Juicer

Cut your lemons in half and start juicing...

Squeeze the juice out of ALL your lemons. 

I did a total of a dozen.

Measure out the amount of lemon juice you need.

And toss all the discarded lemons.

Of if you have a compost throw them in there!

Measure out your sugar and make your simple syrup.

Get your lemon juice, simple syrup and water ready to combine.

Then mix it all up in a big pitcher.

Fill your popsicle molds almost all the way full.

If you're using the tops that came with them, add them now.

If you're using popsicle sticks, freeze for about an hour 

and then insert the sticks so they stay upright.

Freeze overnight to make sure they're completely solid.

Package them up and give to family and friends.

And of course enjoy one yourself!

How To: Homemade Green Juice

I'm a BIG fan of green juices,

but I'm not a fan of paying 7+ dollars for one.

Yes, I do so from time to time because it's easy,

but it's just as easy to make one at home if you plan ahead!

And since it's so easy, I figured I'd show you how to do it yourself today!

I've used both a blender and a juicer to make green juice,

but today I'm showing you how to use your blender.

You can use whatever fruits and vegetables you'd like,

but below is one of my FAVORITE green juices to date!

The Goods:

Kale

Romaine

Parsley

Green Apple

Pear

Kiwi

Ginger

Orange

Lemon

Lime

Squeeze your citrus juices, then add all the other ingredients to the blender.

I use the liquefy setting on my blender, because I want it as smooth as possible.

You can add a little water or some ice to thin it out if needed.

Once blended, you can either drink as is and get a TON of fiber...

Or you can use a fine mesh strainer to separate the liquid from the pulp.

I just use a rubber spatula to help push the juices through.

And you're left with a delicious and refreshing glass of green juice!

And of course a TON of fiber that you can toss or use in a compost!

That's it folks!

Super easy.

Super yummy.

Super good for ya!

April Garden Update

When I posted my March Garden Update last month,

I mentioned that I was starting something new,  

where I post a Garden Update the last day of every month!

So since today is the last day of the month,

I have the April Garden Update for you!!!

Let me start off by saying how much I dislike caterpillars.

Yes -I know they turn into moths and beautiful butterflies,

but they also make gardening much more frustrating!

Need past proof?

Check here, here, here, here AND here.

To say I'm not a fan would be an understatement.

So you can bet I was super upset when I saw one eating my Thyme!

See that lil sucker towards the top left of the picture?

GRRRRRRR!

And shortly after I noticed another one eating my Oregano!

No, no, no.

Just no!!!

My poor, sad Oregano was done for.

Hope those leaves were tasty - 

since that was your last meal Mister Caterpillar!

Luckily they haven't found the jalapeno plant yet,

because it's still thriving and growing!

And look new pepper buds!

I thought there were only two at first...

But from another angle I noticed there were FIVE!!!

And then just a few days later,

a few of the buds had become flowers!

In last month's garden update, 

I thought for sure I'd have picked my first lemon.

Well sadly I was wrong!

They're so close - but still a little too green!

I was still hoping I'd get to pick the first one real soon!

Except to my surprise, there wasn't much picking!

Nope - just a few days after snapping the two previous photos,

I was outside watering and hardly touched the lemon when it fell off!

Not a giant lemon by any means,

but it's still my first homegrown lemon 

and one could say that I'm proud!!!

I was shocked again this past weekend.

 I found a second one that had fallen off as well.

C'mon lemonssssssssss!

Not only have I been able to pick some lemons, 

but the mums I bought in the Fall are blooming again too!

They've had buds for awhile, but only recently bloomed again!

While the mums are doing great, that's not the case for all my flowers.

I ripped out the dying flowers and their coconut liners

and hope to redo that area of my garden soon!!!

And last, but certainly not least - my gardenia bloomed!!!!

I've had this plant for over a year and it never flowered.

Not once. It'd get buds, but never any flowers!

I was in shock and couldn't get over how amazing it smells!

There are currently four other buds on the plant

and I hope they all become flowers too.

As a reminder -

I will be blogging about garden updates 

every last day of each month.

It may not be a complete update each month,

but it will be about something in the garden.

So keep coming back to see what I have growing!

Sours and Flowers

Remember a few months ago when I posted this?

I'd hoped to post about my garden again before now,

but sadly time has just kinda slipped away from me.

And if I'm being honest, there wasn't anything exciting to share.

But now...now there is!

What's that you ask?

Well let me tell you.

My lemons are starting to change color!

I'm SO excited!!!!

I noticed a little yellow spot not too long ago.

And wouldn't you know, the spot kept growing!

I still haven't picked my first lemon, but hopefully soon.

My last garden post was only about my lemon tree,

so I decided I couldn't leave my flowers out again.
While it's been beautiful in Southern California,
it is still winter so I only have a select few!

As I said last time,
I hope to post about my garden more often.
And with the temps getting warming I hope to add more too.
So please keep checking back often for more garden updates. 

Lemons, Lemons, Lemonsssss

Taking a quick break from my usual food or holiday posts,
so I can talk about how AWESOME my lemon tree is doing!
This isn't a full on garden post, but I had to post about the lemons!!!

I mean, I seriously cannot believe it.
I had a lime tree before, but it didn't do nearly this well.

Look at how BIG it is!

Again, I can't believe it!

Not only does it have FIVE good sized lemons growing,

but it has LOTS and LOTS more blooms and baby lemons!

I can't wait until I can pick the first one!!!

Hopefully soon, so keep checking back.