Often times when I make juice I feel like I’m wasting half the fruits and veggies as I throw away the pulp. Let’s be real here, shopping healthy isn’t always cheap, as they say you get what you pay for, so it never feels quite right watching it all get tossed in the trash. Many times I save the pulp and tell myself I’m going to make something with it, but time and motivation often escapes me and I never do. After all, it takes time to wash, cut and juice my veggies, so concocting some out of this world recipe with the leftover pulp always seems like a great idea, yet daunting.
Until recently…
I’ve always gone back and forth with being good about meal prep. I see all my friends posting their fancy shmancy prepped snacks and meals for the week in their cute containers and I think to myself, “Who the hell has time for this?!” We eat pretty damn healthy in my house, but other than juice, I have to fully admit here that we’re not making big batches of snacks and food to last us the week. I’m just being real here people, I’d much rather spend my Sunday enjoying my family than standing around in my kitchen for hours upon hours cooking and packing up food for the week. Sorry friends, I love you all dearly, but it’s just not for me. I assure you; however, that this doesn’t alter how healthy we eat, as we are quite diligent on eating clean, and I think our lifestyle is pretty clear to most. Although, on days I’m super busy and running around like a crazy lady, I definitely rely on snacks and leftovers to get me through the day.
Lately I finally feel like I’m getting into a solid groove with my schedule of motherhood, fitness instructor, blogger, contributing writer, brand ambassador and marketing director for Move More Fitness. There’s definitely a learning curve so to speak when trying to find a balance, and slowly but surely I’m getting there. With that said, the last few weeks I’ve taken more time to prep snacks, juice and meals on Mondays – hailing it my “Meal Prep Monday.” It’s far better than spending a Sunday in the kitchen, in my opinion, and it’s still the beginning of the week. I’ve gotten into the groove of teaching my Monday morning class, hitting the grocery store and coming home to prep.
OK, blah blah blah- let me get to the damn point here. I’ve been back on my juice kick because seriously people, I’m obsessed. Nothing makes me feel better and more energized than fresh veggie juice, and I hate when I fall off the bandwagon because I don’t dedicate the time. The truth is, we are ALL busy, but it’s up to each person to choose what they rank a priority in life, and for me, it’s family, health and fitness. Bottom line. So – after making my ever so favorite and delicious beet juice on Monday, I saved the pulp and made muffins with it. And let me just tell you all that they’re rockin’! My 18 month old can’t get enough, and when I tell you they’re loaded with veggies and healthy goodness, I mean they are Loaded with a capital L! Below you will find my recipe for my ginger beet muffins, and in the notes is what I used in my juice.
- 2 cups of pulp from beet juice
- 2 cups water
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 5 oz plain organic greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3 cups organic whole wheat flour
- 1 cup dry rolled oats
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- In a blender, take 2 cups of water and 2 cups of pulp and blend until well mixed and smooth
- Combine all ingredients except coconut oil into a large mixing bowl and stir until well mixed
- Slowly add melted coconut oil and stir well
- Add matter to sprayed or lined muffin tins
- Sprinkle with extra rolled oats (optional)
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Eat and enjoy!
- 3 cups of spinach
- 1 very large beet (equivalent to 2-3 medium beets)
- 3 carrots
- 2 green apples
- 1 lemon
- 1 thumb size portion of ginger root
These muffins are jam packed with so much healthy goodness, and they’re the perfect delicious combination of savory and sweet. While I know it’s not always easy to find the time and dedication to do all this; it’s very important to me to stay truly committed to my family and myself to live healthy lives. So I’ve found the key for me is to prioritize my goals and absolutely make the time for everything at the top of my list.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy week!