For those who are unfamiliar, bok choi or pak choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. It is about the size of a fist, and has tight, dark green leaves forming a cluster similar to celery. They contain a good amount of vitamin A and C, as well as glucosinolates, substances believed to protect against cancer in small doses.
Bok choi is delicious lightly steamed or stir-fried, with some lemon juice & salt alongside a filet of fish or rice. However, I had a large amount from a recent trip to my favorite Asian grocery, and wanted to use its delightful vitamin content and phytochemicals to make a green juice in lieu of spinach.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups bok choi
- 2 medium apples
- 1 cup sprouts
- 1/4 green cabbage
- 2 large carrots
- 2-3 inch piece fresh ginger
Rinse and chop all vegetables, and run them through your juicer. Alternate the soft greens and harder carrots/apples. If you need it sweetened up even further, you can mix in some store bought apple juice, or add another cup of fruits to the mix.
This juice is full of awesome vitamins and nutrients, enzymes, phytochemicals and chrlorophyll. It is lightly sweet, and has a nice tang from the ginger.
But why is it ‘foamy’ on top?
Good question, I wondered that myself. When you juice, the juicer produces some amount of foam by inserting air bubbles into the juice. The type of juicer makes a difference; slower “masticating” juicers will cause less foaming than high-speed “centrifugal” juicers. Also higher-fiber produce makes it bubblier than low-fiber produce.
You can scoop or skim off the foam before consuming without losing nutrients. It is mostly air bubbles and oxidized fiber. You can also strain your juice prior to enjoying. I usually just stir it well a few times to mix as thoroughly as possible, and if the foam is still thick I’ll skim off a tablespoon or so before drinking it down.