Eating The Sky

Pineapples were on sale at Vitamin Cottage so I picked one up. I have 5oz of frozen Cascadian Farms organic peaches, lime juice, a quarter of a lemon and a small chunk of ginger, all of which sound like they would be great together. Let's give it a try. Juice time.

Here's how I like to do my juice: in a blender and through a strainer. Why you ask? Because it's healthier that way and you get the most out of your fruit. The tiny pulp that thickens the juice is fiber.

Did you know that most of the nutrients in many fruits and vegetables are located just below the surface of the skin? For that reason when I trim down my fruit I like to leave some or all of the skin on, for instance all of the skin of an apple, but for an orange I would peel the whole skin off since the white pith is bitter. There's nothing wrong with zesting citrus before you peel and juice it. That's when you grate off the very outside layer of the skin of most citrus fruits (not the white part). It's great for adding to a stir fry or sugar cookies.

OK, so I chopped most of the outside of the pineapple off and cubed it, blended it, the ginger and the peaches together, strained it, and now to finish it off with a touch of extra sweetness. A cup of hot water from the tap, a half cup to a cup of natural cane sugar and stir until melted. Add a tablespoon or two of honey and stir. Then add to the strained fruit mixture. You may need to add a little more water or just throw a bunch of ice in and come back in 5 minutes.

Final yield was about a gallon of juice and it cost under $5. Toss in some rum and well you've got a party.