Recipe for Shot of Citrus Punch

Before you hit those long holiday shopping lines, take a shot!

A delicious, good-for-you way to use up that winter citrus

As a kid, I loathed pulp in my orange juice. Whether store-bought or fresh from my Florida grandmother’s juicer, my juice had first to be poured through a fine-mesh sieve so that those little chewy bits that interfered (I believed) with juice’s drinkability never touched my lips.

What did I know? Apparently nothing about the best parts of fresh-squeezed juice from jewel-toned and perfectly ripe citrus: good flavor and good health.  These days, I prefer my orange and grapefruit juices less refined: the more pulp the better.

In this simple recipe from Raw Energy in a Glass, the new book by Stephanie Tourles, a quartet of citrus mingles with a hint of natural sweetener and a pinch of salt. The result? A delicious winter beverage that treats you well, whether you take it strained or full of pulp. It’ll even put that soon-to-arrive holiday fruit basket bounty to good use. No fancy equipment or ingredients necessary! — Emily Spiegelman, Digital Features Editor

Shot of Citrus Punch

This is the perfect winter beverage to enjoy when citrus fruits are at their most succulent. It’s a tantalizingly fragrant, sweet-tart, pinkish-orange explosion of vitamin C! Great for breakfast or any time you need a shot of energy that’s both powerful and tasty.

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 medium grapefruit
1 medium orange, tangerine, or tangelo
1 medium lime
1 medium lemon
1 tablespoon raw honey, raw agave nectar, or maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut the grapefruit, orange, lime, and lemon into halves and juice with a manual or electric juicer; strain out the seeds.
2. Vigorously stir the honey and salt, if desired, into the juice until thoroughly blended.
3. Serve immediately, complete with all of the fiber, as I do, or strain through a mesh strainer to yield a more clarified beverage. Mix with a splash of carbonated water to make a naturally yummy sparkling soda.

A good source of: antioxidants, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, natural sugars, and fiber (if you don’t strain it out)

Recipe excerpted from Raw Energy in a Glass © 2014 by Stephanie Tourles. All rights reserved.