A few months ago, I gave a talk on wellness at a dinner for 40 people.

The talk was to be given as part of an awards ceremony at a private club, and the coordinators asked me to help plan a healthy menu for the dinner to go along with my presentation on how to integrate wellness and healthy habits into your busy life.

In my enthusiasm about the opportunity to coordinate with a professional chef and share a healthy menu with a big crowd, I got a bit, um, ambitious and suggested that we start the meal with a taste of green juice

I thought it would be fun a way to set the tone for the evening and an opportunity to showcase the importance of keeping an open mind and trying new things when it comes to adopting wellness habits.

The kitchen staff was willing to oblige me, so it was set.

The day of the event, I arrived at the venue for the talk, and as I mingled with the guests at the cocktail hour before everyone sat down to dinner, I started having serious second thoughts about my “fun” green juice idea. I began envisioning people spitting the juice back into the cup, politely declining or revolting before the appetizers were served and fleeing en masse.

The dinner began, and as I stood in the front of the room at the podium, the waitstaff served everyone their small glass of green juice. I nervously laughed as I explained that the idea was to get them excited to talk about wellness and try new things, and that also it was NOT mandatory, just for fun, i.e. please don’t run screaming from the room, etc.

I was honestly embarrassed, but I shouldn’t have been —

They loved it. They nodded their approval, they volunteered their favorite juice ingredients. I mean, they weren’t turning down wine with their main course to ask for seconds of juice instead or anything, but safe to say, it was a hit.

And I realized that green juice has really gone mainstream.

Between Joe and the Juice, Juice Press, older companies like Organic Avenue and Blueprint, and documentaries like Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, the concept of drinking your veggies is nothing new or scary at this point.

If you own a juicer, then you already know that any juice you make at home is always fresher and tastier than anything you buy, simply because you can drink your creation right away.

And starting the day with a freshly-made green juice delivers a hydrating shot of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) right to your cells that leaves you energized and ready to start your day on a healthy note.

Tips for Making it Work During the Workweek:

Making your own juice and then cleaning up can be tough when you’re trying to get out the door during the week. Here are a few ways to make it work:

• Pre-cut and clean your ingredients over the weekend. Store in individual containers so that all you have to do to make your juice in the morning is pop the ingredients into the juicer.
• Invest in a juicer with dishwasher-safe parts to make clean-up as simple as rinse + throw into dishwasher.
• If your morning routine is already tight on time, try making your juice at night instead. Then store it in a tightly-lidded bottle in the fridge, and just grab on your way out the door in the morning.

Carrie’s Go-To Green Juice

Here’s my go-to green juice formula for you to try at home (or order at your local juice bar):

• 1/2-1 head of organic lettuce (green leaf, romaine, etc)
• 1 organic lemon or lime
• 1-2 inches ginger
• 1 organic apple or pear

• Optional:
  + 1/2 cup pineapple
  + 1/2 bunch organic celery
  + 1/2 organic cucumber

Clean and cut your ingredients into smaller pieces. Add them to the juicer, beginning with the ginger so that it gets washed through by the juicer items. Alternating your fruits and veggies will keep the juicer running smoothly. Pour everything into a glass or bottle, and drink immediately or store tightly closed in the fridge for up to 24 hours.