Carrot Citrus Sunrise Mocktail – bright citrus flavors combined with fresh carrot juice. A bright healthy mocktail full of vitamin A, C, potassium and more.  A perfect mocktail to brighten any morning.

 I should have titled this Carrot Citrus Sunrise Mocktail “My New Year’s Resolution in a Glass.”  I have to admit my resolutions seem to be ever-ongoing, at least the ones like “lose 20 lbs” or “cut sugars, soda, and carbs from my diet.”  This past year I’ve gone from a size 14 to a 10/12 and 190lbs to 165.  I’m pretty happy about it.  This mocktail is guilt-free and so refreshing.  You’ll want to have one every day just as a pick-me-up!The citrus flavors combined with sweet carrot juice makes me smile and feel so happy.  Chock-full of vitamin A & C and other nutrients, this juice is also great for the body.  It tastes fantastic and even my kiddos and husband like it too (even though part of it is from a vegetable… shhhhh).  With my glass half full I say, Cheers!Many years ago my husband and I bought a nice masticating juicer with the idea that we’d become avid juicers and better our health.  Years have passed and we’ve had our juicing ups and downs.  I can say from experience that if you want your body to feel healthier, juicing regularly is putting the right foot forward.  When I juice whole fruits and vegetables, my mind seems crisper and my body and digestive track feels more healthy.  A few things I’ve found to be juicing cons: the cost (juicing can become very expensive especially if you go with organic) and it can be time-consuming (if there’s a lot of prep involved).  With that said, I still feel the benefits of juicing regularly are definitely worth it.  It might even save you a trip or two to the doctor’s office (which could literally pay for itself, right?).

HOW TO JUICE VEGGIES AND FRUIT FOR THIS MOCKTAIL:

Now, are you ready to try this whole juicing adventure? With this recipe, you will not regret it.  It’s fantastic, especially for breakfast or with brunch!  It tastes great but still packs a powerful punch of nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Calcium, Iron and more.  After drinking a glass of this mocktail, I feel one step closer to “healthy,” if healthy were a place. 😉 

WHAT’S IN THIS CARROT CITRUS DRINK:

Nothing weird with these ingredients… you can find them all in your regular grocery store or you might already have them. Here’s the lineup.So, it’s pretty simple.  You juice the ingredients then mix it all together.  The citrus fruit really brightens the whole drink and the carrot adds a sweet touch.  To start peeL, core and slice the apple so it would fit in the juicer.  PRO TIP: Buy organic apples to avoid having to peel them.  You can leave the skin on the apple if you buy organic otherwise I’d recommend peeling it to avoid any added chemicals from sneaking into your juice. Non-organic apples are sprayed with chemicals to help with bugs and pests. You don’t want that in your mocktail!Next, peel the oranges.  Cut the top and bottom off with a chef or pairing knife then peel the skin off from top to bottom. If you are hand squeezing/juicing, you’ll just cut them in half and go from there.Because I use a juicing machine to make my juice, I cut the grapefruit in the same manner as the oranges. I have to have then small enough to fit into the feed tube.Last, peel and cut the carrots in long strips.  Again, to fit them into the juicing machine.  Make sure to toss the apples in the bowl to help coat with the citrus juice.  This will prevent the apples from browning quickly.

DO I HAVE TO USE A JUICER TO MAKE THIS DRINK?

No, you don’t.  You can hand squeeze the citrus fruits and blend and press the juice out of the carrots and apples.  This method is doable but much more work.This is what my machine looks like in action. To use it I feed the citrus and apples in first then the carrots.  This will help push any soft fruit stuck in the masticator through.Use a strainer during the juicing process or pour the juice through a strainer when it’s finished.

MAKE IT PRETTY!

Pour a tall glass or a few if you’re sharing. Garnish with a wedge of orange and a carrot stick. Yummmm!This Carrot Citrus Sunrise Mocktail is sure to give your immune system a vitamin C boost and make you feel great!  If you are doing this as part of a juicing fast/cleanse, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.  We’ve done a couple of 3-day juice fasts and have felt major benefits.  With the holidays (binge eating) over, I’m feeling like it might be a good time to do another 3-day cleanse. 🙂  Bottoms up!

Have you ever done a juicing fast/cleanse? Do you have a favorite juicing recipe?

OP: 1.7.17                                 Updated: 3.22.19