SUPER VITAMIN C JUICE (R, V+, P, GF, CHF, GRF, NF)
Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a little while since I posted a recipe, but I hope you like this fresh and easy Super Vitamin C Juice, inspired by my holiday. As you know I like to post bi-weekly, but the last few weeks I've been away from home meaning it's been rather complicated to access the internet or a kitchen for that matter. I'm glad to report though, that I may have found a way around this problem. For now. More about that soon...
Firstly, I wanted to tell you a teeny tiny bit about my week on the island of Curaçao or Curadise as I like to call it. If you've been following me on instagram, you know I enjoyed lots of gorgeous and fresh juices whilst I was there. Honestly, I can tell you that they were all as tasty and refreshing as they looked!
You'll be glad to hear though that those delicious juices formed only a tiny part of our wonderful time on Curaçao. I mean the warm and friendly people, the fun music, the vibrant atmosphere and those magnificent beaches were actually what made our stay unforgettable. It's such a special island; I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit :).
Now on to what you really want to know about: THE FOOD. Well, to be perfectly honest, it was a little bit hit and miss :(. On the downside, the island is really set up for tourists meaning that most restaurants serve burgers, hot dogs, French fries, fried chicken etc. Though there is a thriving local food culture, my impression was that the plant-based dishes that formed part of my mother's childhood, have made way for the traditional dishes that were previously only eaten on special occasions and are mostly meat and fish based. I guess it's where the demand is; so sadly this means vegetarianism and veganism are not (yet :)) mainstream.
But it is not all bad news. Delicious, local and fresh fruit like coconuts, watermelon, papaya and mango are abundantly available and all taste 100 times more glorious than any tropical fruit I can find in London. I mean I loved the fact that there are countless fruit stands along the highway and even more stands selling fresh coconut water or fresh juices on the island. In fact the citrus fruits on Curaçao are particularly flavoursome and there wasn't a day we did not have an awa di lamunchi (lemonade). So to celebrate my stay on Curaçao I though I'd recreate and share a recipe I discovered and fell head over heels in love with whilst on there. It is made with grapefruit and oranges as well as turmeric - a super potent anti-inflammatory spice, popular in Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
I don't know whether the turmeric in the juice I had was actually produced on the island, but Curaçao has a significant and influential Indian community, so I feel the spice is representative of food and drink culture there. I hope you enjoy this fusion recipe as much as me and thanks so much for popping by!
SUPER VITAMIN C JUICE (R, V+, P, GF, ChF, GrF, NF)
What makes this juice super?
1. Oranges – contain vitamin C which is a strong anti-oxidant. It also contains phytonutrients called flavonoids which have anti-allergic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.
2. Grapefruits – these fruits contact a phytonutrient called naringin, which gives grapefruit its bitter flavour. Naringin has anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic and cholesterol lowering powers.
3. Turmeric - Curcumin is the active ingredient of turmeric, and it has very strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is thought that curcumin may relieve arthritis pains more effectively than some pharmaceuticals, but with fewer/no side effects. Cool huh?!
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes
Makes: 2 large servings or 5 regular servings (as shown)
Ingredients:
3 (organic) grapefruits
6 (organic) oranges
1 tsp ground turmeric
Instructions:
Juice the citrus fruits (I used an electric citrus juicer. What a hand juicer it make take a little bit longer to make this quantity of juice). Put through a sieve to get rip off any 'bits' (optional step). Add the teaspoon of turmeric, stir and serve. Consume as soon as you make the juice to avoid losing any vitamins. That's all folks!
Tip 1: To balance the bitterness of the grapefruit, aim to use sweet and ripe oranges.
Looking for more juice recipes? Why not try the green fennel juice, my abc juice or my elderflower and pear green juice.
