Juice Recipe

Wash and prepare

Rinse apples under cold water, remove stems, and cut into quarters. If using a blender, core apples; peeling is optional. If using a juicer, cut to fit the feed chute.

Juice (centrifugal or masticating juicer)

Feed apple pieces through the juicer until you have about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of juice. Taste and proceed to step 'Adjust' if necessary.

Or blender method

Place apple quarters and 1/2 cup cold water in a high-speed blender. Blend on high 45–60 seconds until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or nut milk bag into a pitcher, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. You should yield about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of strained juice.

Adjust

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you want to keep color bright. Sweeten with 1 teaspoon honey or simple syrup if apples are tart. Add a few ice cubes or chill before serving.

Serve immediately over ice for best flavor and freshness. Stir before pouring if settled.

Rinse and combine

Rinse cranberries and combine with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan.

Simmer

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently 10–12 minutes, or until cranberries have burst and softened.

Sweeten and flavor

Add 3 tablespoons sugar or honey (adjust to taste) and the optional 1/2 teaspoon orange zest. Stir until sweetener dissolves and simmer 1–2 more minutes.

Strain

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl or pitcher, pressing solids with the back of a spoon to extract juice. Discard solids or save for use in smoothies or baking.

Chill or serve over ice. Taste and adjust sweetness before serving.

Room-temperature oranges

If time allows, bring oranges to room temperature for easier juicing. Roll each orange on the counter under your palm to loosen juices.

Cut and juice

Halve the oranges crosswise. Use a manual citrus press, reamer, or electric juicer to extract juice from each half into a bowl or pitcher until you have about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice.

Strain (optional)

If you prefer pulp-free juice, strain through a fine-mesh sieve. For pulpy juice, skip this step.

Adjust and serve

Stir in up to 2 tablespoons cold water if juice is too thick or intense. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon sugar or honey only if needed. Serve over ice immediately for best flavor.