Learning to juice with the Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer

I always thought juicing was something for health freaks and obsessive dieters, neither of which apply to me. I adore fresh orange juice, but I never really go beyond that, unless I am feeling hipster, which is when I treat myself to a watermelon-strawberry-pomegranate fancy-shmancy juice, served in a jam jar (even I can’t avoid the London effect… it’s been three years, after all).

However, I have recently come around to juicing, and this change wasn’t because of health or detox reasons, it was more because THEY TASTE SO GOOD. When they’re fresh, that is. Added to which I’ve just come into possession of the Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer, which is a nifty little piece of machinery with extraordinary force!

I was honestly stunned when I used this juicer for the first time, as the beautiful red design matched its high-class juicing capabilities. It fits perfectly onto a countertop, and the strong anti-slip feet are incredibly useful. All the parts click into place with perfect precision, making it easy even for a DIY-challenged person such as myself. The blades inside are insanely sharp, but its surfaces are smooth, which means the fruit fibres don’t get stuck. The little cap on the spout prevents spillage when pouring into a jug or glass, so cleaning up is a breeze.  I do wish I had a dishwasher, as all the parts are dishwasher safe, but as long as I wash everything immediately, it’s all good!

Juicing pros:

Delicious juice. Nothing beats the absolute freshness, and the assurance that nothing has been added that you didn’t decide to put in. It’s also an avenue for creativity, as the combinations are infinite, and the perfect way to use up slightly overripe fruits.

Juicing cons:

Unfortunately, I have found the rumous that juicing loses quite a bit of the fruit to be true. With particularly fibrous fruits, like mango or pineapple, a lot of the flesh is left over, and it can really feel like a waste. I solved this by making the rest into a smoothie (which was delicious), but it’s not an ideal situation, as I don’t always want a juice and a smoothie at the same time (not to mention additional washing up)!

With fruits that have a higher juice yield though, like apples or citrus fruits, the leftover flesh is less, and quite dry. Nonetheless, it feels sad to throw away what’s left.

I haven’t yet gotten into the vegetable juices, but that’s the next step (stay tuned!). Until then, here are the recipes for the juices I made this weekend. The ginger is a stroke of genius – I have to thank Daddy Swindian for that suggestion.

Pineapple and mango juice

• 200g pineapple chunks
• 2 mangos, peeled with core removed
• 1/2 inch ginger, peeled
• Mint leaves, to garnish

Juice into a jug or glasses. Stir the juice. Add the mint. That’s it.

Apple and orange juice

• 2 apples (I used Pink Lady), cored and cut into slices
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 inch ginger, peeled

Again… just juice it. Garnish with mint leaves.

I was given the Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer for promotional purposes, but all opinions are my own. Read more about it here.