'Get rid of your cold', Beet Juice Cocktail

I need a rebound. A vacation. A little pick me up. Everyone I know, and their children, are sick with the flu, cold, scarlet fever, or strep throat. Seriously. It's gross. Instead of succumbing to the inevitable fate of becoming sick myself, I've launched a battle against the germs. I am winning! But not in the beginning....

At first I thought that consuming enough caffeine and sugar would  help get me through. Constant pick me ups. It seemed to be working for a little while. Then I crashed. One can only consume so much dark roast before it seems to reverse its affects. It's puzzling to me how that works, but that is exactly what happened. Not even the best made latte could snap me out of that 'I have a head cold and my head is really fuzzy feeling'. It's the worst.

Then I made juice. No, like I really juiced some fruits and veggies to make a delicious juice cocktail that helped ward off evil doers and the cold. I did some research on beet juice, and it is what Superman survived on, I'm pretty sure. It has been shown to help the body respond better to exercise, by balancing oxygen use and increasing stamina. Beet root juice is one of the richest sources of antioxidants and naturally occurring nitrates. These naturally occurring nitrates improve blood flow throughout the body, which in turn helps lower blood pressure.  Woo-hoo!! The juice was great! I used a blend of fruits and veggies that I had on hand. Carrots, beets, apples, lemon, ginger, and kale is the ingredient list. I am very partial to beets, and besides their amazing health benefits, they lend a sweet and earthy flavor. While ginger makes everything better, the lemon rounds out the flavors and adds a dash of refreshing citrus. The juice isn't overly sweet, so if you prefer a sweeter tasting juice, add another apple or two to the blend.

I use the word 'cocktail' leading you to believe that this beverage could contain alcohol. I think it would be really great if you used this juice as a base for cocktails. Cocktails are not what they used to be. Beet juice has its place in say a whisky and ginger with extra lemon muddled in. Or maybe blended with grapefruit in a salty dog with a rim of smoked sea salt. Or what about a wonderful Bloody Mary with tomato and beet juice and extra horseradish? Fresh juices are not only super great for you, but they are fascinating, and they lend another venue for culinary deliciousness.


'Get rid of your head cold', Beet Juice Cocktail
makes 4 servings

4 medium sized beets, scrubbed and cut into manageable chunks
2 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 apples, chopped
2 inch nub of fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 bunch of kale, chopped
1 lemon, quartered

Organic fruits and veggies seem to carry the most flavor. If you have a stash of root veggies from your garden, use those. Fresh from the garden is best, but this is a juice made up of storage veggies, and it's winter in Minnesota. Do your best to source the best produce you can find. It can be tricky this time of year!

Scrub the carrots and beets. There is nutrition to be found in the peels, so I leave the skin on. Just be sure to scrub them up  a bit. The other prep is just to make sure to chop the fruits and veggies into manageable chunks for your juicer.

Run the above ingredients through your juicer. You'll be amazed at the amount of juice extracted from the beets! Your end product will be a crimson juice full of everything nice, with hints of ginger and lemon. Give it a taste. If you want to adjust the flavors do so by adding more apples, ginger, or lemons to the mix. A glass to start your day makes the colds go away! Belly up!!