Drink the rainbow

Juicing is a brilliant way of getting lots of vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients into your body. You'll see from the recipes below that you can pack a lot of fruit and veg into a glass with each juice. Because the nutrients in fruit and veg juices are easily absorbed, they're kind on the digestive system. This makes juices ideal to have at the start of the day or to pep you up when you're feeling sluggish, tired or like you've over-indulged.

There's a big difference between buying a carton of OJ and the kinds of juices I'm talking about here. Not only are homemade juices fresh and without any dodgy additives, but when you make your own, you can choose ingredients that won't cause the same sugar spike that pure fruit juices do.  

The key to making a balanced juice is always combining fruit and veg when you juice - with the focus on including as much or more veg than fruit. Carrots, beets and sweet potatoes that I use in these recipes all work well to add sweetness, and cucumber, watercress and mint are refreshing.

Buying a juicer is an investment, but one that's definitely worthwhile. Juicing is such an easy way to introduce more fruit and veg into your diet, and experimenting with different flavours and combinations can be really creative! You could start with a book like the brilliant Super Juice by Michael van Straten for inspiration.

Just to be clear, I think juicing is a great addition to your diet, but not a replacement for solid food. Juicing removes fibre from fruit and veg, so you need to make sure you're still getting this along with all the other nutrients your body needs from a varied, wholefoods diet.

The three juice recipes here are some of my favourites. Each recipe serves 2.

Green 

Cucumber and mint soothe and cool, while watercress is anti-bacterial and rich in vitamins C and E. Lime adds freshness an extra vitamin C boost.

• 1 handful watercress
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 1 lime (peeled_
• 3 baby cucumbers / 3/4 big cucumber (peeled if not organic)

Wash all ingredients. Put the watercress and mint through the juicer, then the lime and cucumber(s) and lastly the apple and pear.

Pink

Beets support the liver and help to cleanse the blood. They also contain iron and folic acid, especially important in pregnancy. Ginger is anti-bacterial and stimulates circulation.

• 2 beetroots (peeled)
• 1 apple (washed and cored)
• 1 thumb of ginger (peeled)

Put all ingredients through the juicer.

Orange

This juice is a beta-carotene party in a glass. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant and boosts the immune system as well as supporting eye health and the skin.

• 1 small sweet potato (peeled)
• 2 satsumas (peeled)
• 3 carrots (peeled if not organic)
• Thumb of ginger (peeled)

 Put the satsumas through the juicer first, followed by the other ingredients.

Beet soup with punchy cashew cream

I've been under the weather this week. Now that I'm out the other side, I wanted to make a nourishing soup that would energise me and boost my immune system.

After seeing beetroots piled high at the market, I decided it would have to be a colourful beet soup. A cashew cream with horseradish would give some extra punch.

The base

Soups are a great way of packing lots of vegetables into a meal, and the stock you cook the veg in is an important component. Try making your own stock instead of using a ready made cube or powder - just throw everything into a big pan with water and leave it to do its thing. I chose to include red cabbage in mine for its anti-inflammatory properties. Combined with onion, garlic, mushroom and carrot it provides a hearty and soothing base for the soup.

The beets

Beets have an intense, pinky purple colour and a sweet earthy taste. A good source of blood-building iron, they also contain vitamin C, folic acid, zinc, calcium and magnesium. Beets support the liver and have a cleansing effect on the blood. As a high fibre food, they keep the intestines lubricated. The leaves of beetroots are also nutrient dense, containing vitamin A, iron, manganese and calcium.

The punchy cream

For the topping, cashews add creaminess along with anti-oxidants and magnesium.  I've added horseradish to bring heat and some punch. Part of the brassica family of vegetables, horseradish's bitter taste helps to stimulate digestion and sulphur compounds support detoxification. It also stimulates the immune system and is anti-bacterial. 

Beet soup & cashew cream

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the stock
1 onion
1 carrot
1/2 red cabbage
1 clove garlic
50g mushrooms
1 bay leaf
1L water

For the soup
500g beetroots ( 3 medium beets) - peeled and roughly chopped with leaves chopped and reserved
1tbsp butter/ghee
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
600ml veg stock (see above)
Pinch of salt

For the cashew cream
50g cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours in clean water)
 2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
Juice & zest of half a lemon
1cm piece of horseradish, peeled and grated

Optional garnish
Beetroot sprouts and pea shoots - washed well in cold water

To make the stock, roughly chop (except the garlic clove, which you can add whole) and add all ingredients to a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer with a lid on for 2 hours. Strain and set aside the liquid.

Heat the butter/ghee in a large saucepan on a low heat, add the mustard seeds and then the onion. Cook until translucent, then add the garlic followed by the beets. Add the veg stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beet leaves, cover and simmer for an extra 5 mins. Pour the soup into a food processor and blend until smooth. Check the texture - you may want to add a little boiling water if it's too thick.

Drain and rinse the cashews. Add to a blender with all the other ingredients for the cashew cream and blend on high speed until completely smooth. Spoon on to the soup and sprinkle some beet sprouts and pea shoots on top.

Technicolour super salad

This vegan salad is rich in nutrients, including protein, good fats, iron and antioxidants. The combination of earthy sweetness from the beets, juiciness from the radishes and the bitter crunch of endive make it delicious too.

It's also a looker, with vibrant hues of pink and green. Brightly coloured fruit and veg, as well as looking good, reveals information about nutrient content. For example, reds, pinks and purples like those in this salad, point to certain natural phytochemicals with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer preventive properties.

This salad was inspired by a recipe from the brilliant Green Kitchen Stories, but I made a few tweaks to the ingredients and colour scheme.

Pretty pinks

Beets are the showstopper in this salad, with their hot pink and white stripes. As well as being a source of iron, the high fibre content of beets supports healthy digestion. Radishes have cancer preventive, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, while chicory (AKA endive) is a bitter leaf that stimulates digestion, helping to break down food in the stomach.  All three of these rosey veggies also work to stimulate the liver and support detoxification.

Luscious greens

Avocado contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat, which helps us absorb anti-oxidants from other foods. The bright green broad beans add protein and are a source of fibre, essential for healthy digestion.

And amazing… beige

Although it's the least exciting colour in this salad, the quinoa does more than add bulk, crunch and a nutty flavour. Quinoa is different to other grains because its seeds are much more nutrient dense. A complete protein, it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies need to function.  It's also high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients.  

Technicolour super salad

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the salad
1 cup quinoa - soaked for at least 30 minutes and rinsed well.
250g broad beans (removed from pods)
1 candy beetroot
150g radishes
1 head of red chicory
2 spring onions
1 avocado

For the dressing
Juice of half a lemon
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.

Cook the quinoa in 1.5 cups boiling water with a pinch of salt. Bring to boil then simmer until all water absorbed, which should take around 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Wash the radishes and place on a baking tray in the oven with a teaspoon of coconut oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes.

Blanch the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain and pop the beans out of their skins.

Peel, then mandolin or very thinly slice the beetroot. Remove the outside leaves of the chicory and cut the bulb in half lengthways and again into quarters. Separate the leaves from the bulb and wash well. Finely chop the spring onion and slice the avocado into small wedges.

Assemble ingredients in a large bowl, add the combined dressing ingredients, mix well and serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.