When I was younger, my dad owned the Jack Lalanne Juicer. He loved to make my sister and I juices from every kind of vegetable and fruit he could get his hands on. We definitely had some interesting blends, some enjoyable, and some not so much. Needless to say, we grew up around juices of all kinds. It’s no surprise that I would be into juices as I got older, either completely loving them or absolutely despising them. Thankfully, I love juices.
The idea of wellness shots has gotten so much traction over the years. A wellness shot is a concentrated blend of juices and ingredients that give you a burst of energy and nutrients. I too have tried my share of brands and blends from juice bars and the grocery stores. But, I did not enjoy the price tag of a teeny bottle of juice when I knew I could make it on my own.
After a few hits and misses, I came upon a recipe that is easy and delicious. This is my simple go-to recipe for a Turmeric, Ginger, Lemon, Black Pepper Wellness shot. It will boost your immunity, energy, metabolism, and even your mood. It is citrusy, spicey, and just overall tasty.
Why did I choose these ingredients for my wellness shot?
That’s a question I got a lot when I shared my recipe with family and friends. Originally, I chose these ingredients because I always had them on handy and they were readily available. My mom always told me about the importance of cooking with these fresh ingredients. The real magic happened when I started researching the benefits. The combination of ginger, lemon, turmeric, and pepper turn this into an immunity powerhouse.
Here are a few reasons why I simply love using these ingredients.
Ginger
I always have fresh ginger in my home. Many Asian and Indian recipes use fresh ginger. I also use fresh ginger in making different varieties of tea. Post for another time. Ginger is known to improve heart health and brain functionality. One of the most important properties is its aid in improving digestion. I was eating raw ginger to deal with nausea during my pregnancy. I also steep ginger in tea when I think I have a cold coming on. Immunity boost here I come.
Lemon
I love lemons more than I love ginger. I drink lemon water every morning. Something about the bright refreshing taste and the way it perks me up. Lemon is known for its vitamin c content which boosts the immunity system. But it also detoxes our digestive system and cleanses the liver.
Turmeric
I admit I use turmeric whenever I can in soups and in stir fries. I not only love the color but I also love the flavor. Turmeric has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine for joint pain and fatigue. Turmeric is widely known for its amazing inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Black Pepper
I need a spicy kick in most everything I eat. The addition of either black pepper or cayenne pepper adds an ingredient called capsicum. Capsicum aids in digestion and it also helps in the absorption of turmeric.
Coconut Water
I also add a little coconut water to cut the acidity a little bit. The benefits of coconut water are immense. It acts like an electrolyte and also aids in digestion. It also helps in maintaining blood pressure.
Next step, lets gather up all of the ingredients and tools.
Step One: Gather Your Tools
What You Need:
- ¼ cup of fresh ginger root
- ¼ cup of fresh turmeric root
- 3 lemons (for less acidity, replace 1 lemon with an orange)
- ⅛ tsp of black pepper (can replace with cayenne powder)
- ¼ cup of coconut water
- Blender
- Fine mesh strainer
Small bottles (to store your juice shots). I saved a few of the commercial juice shot bottles. But I have also used a mason jar to store the juice. In some instances I have even poured the juice shot into an ice cube tray to have cubes on hand.
Step Two: Prep Your Ingredients
Fresh Turmeric and Ginger roots must be peeled. The easiest way to peel a ginger or turmeric root is to use the back of a spoon. Hold the ginger root in one hand and use the back of the spoon to gently scrape off the skin. Use the same technique to take the skin off of the turmeric.
Before juicing lemons, I always roll them on the chopping board or counter to break up the citrus membranes. I have found that I always get more juice out of the lemon that way.
Step Three: Blend
I add the turmeric, ginger, lemon juice and blend until I get the mixture liquified. Not all of the pulp will actually liquify. Sometimes I add more lemon juice or coconut water if I feel like the mixture is too think. Once I have blended for a minute or two, its time to move onto the next step.
Step Four: Strain
I use a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or a container to squeeze out all of the juice. Another alternative to a fine mesh strainer is cheese cloth. You can wring out the pulp to get all of the juice out.
Step 5: Drink, Store and Enjoy!
There you have it, tou made your own wellness. These are good for about 7 to 10 days. If you make too much, just pour into an ice cube trays to drink at a later time.
If you do make this recipe, be sure to tag @nandasnotebook on Instagram! I would love to see it. Stay healthy!