Juicer!

Everyone remember a few months ago when the news came out with a report on arsenic in apple juice? Well, a couple weeks ago I turned on the news before my little monkeys got here one morning just in time to see two things. The first thing was a blizzard in Colorado... It just so happens that my brother had left for Colorado the day before. So of course (being the wonderful sister that I am) I texted him to see if he was alright. I forgot about the time difference. Turns out that when it is 7am in NJ it is REALLY early out there. Oops!


The second thing I saw on the news was a report on pesticides that have been banned in the US. Apparently some orange juice that has been imported is contaminated with this pesticide. It was being held in large holding tanks in Florida at the time of the report.  They said that they ARE going to allow this OJ into our grocery stores and they're not going to make them clean the holding tanks.


I am never watching the news again. EVER. A few days later we came home from Walmart with our very own Jack La Lanne's Power Juicer.

Isn't it pretty?? I absolutely love it. I checked it out beforehand and the only thing that was more highly recommended was a $450 Vita-Mix. I wasn't quite ready to make that kind of investment! I was a little concerned that I needed a little plastic tool to take it apart, but the blade fits so tightly into the filter screen that I would tear myself up if I used my fingers to take it apart. I think that's why it makes so much more juice per fruit then other juicers. It catches more of the juice... I guess. I've never had a juicer before, so I'm just making an educated guess.

We make one batch of juice every morning to last us the day and it is delicious!! Our favorites are:
Apple-Pear
Pineapple-Blueberry
Orange-Carrot
I think the various orange juices will be better once I start buying oranges that aren't so SOUR :(

I get about 14-16oz of juice from some fruit (example: three big apples or half of a small pineapple & an orange) and then delute it 1/2 and 1/2 (Trust me. It's WAY too strong otherwise). I'm storing it in the fridge in a plastic pitcher right now, but I've been told it stores better in glass so I'm going to see about getting something appropriate. All the kids really like helping make the juice and drinking it too.

What are your favorite juice recipes?

More Lost Than Found by Jared Herd

In More Lost Than Found, Jared Herd comes alongside anyone who has ever struggled with faith to reengage them in the truth they long to hear. If you have ever felt you didn't fit at church or had questions about God, maybe it's time to give your faith another chance.
God wants to find you where you are.

Upon receiving a free digital copy of this book from booksneeze in exchange for an honest review I was anxious to get started. I have several friends who thoroughly enjoyed it so I was expecting to be immediately engrossed.

Unfortunately I struggled with it for several weeks before finishing it.  In a couple of places I thought he was crossing into a place that was too liberal for me then, after I reread it, I realized he was doing no such thing... hence the struggle.

I liked the way the author welcomes us into his experiences with religion with refreshing honesty and hope. He encourages us to reevaluate our faith with humor and points out the problems in our society with acceptance, not condemnation.

I really appreciate where the author was going with his book. As I understand it, it's all about getting back to the basics- God, Jesus and the Bible. In my opinion, that makes all the work of reading it well worth it. I hope you enjoy it as well!