Sunshine Elixir & Juice Pulp Carrot Ginger Muffins

When I first moved to LA, one of the parts that made me fall in love with the area was the endless sunshine. People are more relaxed when you can hang on the beach year round. Trees and flowers stretch up to drink in the light month after month. It’s a sense of freedom and joy that energizes you.

When I decided to move back east, I knew it was something I would miss, and after a long and cold winter indoors I am welcoming the joys of the midst of summer with open arms (with slightly smelly pits as my deodorant can’t keep us with this heat). With that said - east coast heat is totally different and it has taken me a bit to adjust back. Humidity can make 95 degrees feel like you’ve jumped into a 120 degree pot of boiling water. All days are hot with few in that ideal 75-85 degree range. It’s lovely to have summer but I’m finding I need to be more conscious of how I practice self care here in summer.

As I’ve gotten reacquainted with the east coast heat, I’ve also found a serious need to increase my hydration with hot and humid days requiring a little more H20 to stay cool. Chugging water isn’t my favorite thing so I created this sunshine elixir for the days when I want to nourish my body and up my hydration while taking in the summer rays.

This juice is a change-up from my typical greens but I love how it makes me feel grounded and its orange color truly looks like liquid sunshine. It’s spicy, sweet and rooting all at once and particularly supportive during my menstrual phase when roots provide the nutrients i need. Orange provides Vitamin C to boost immunity, supports the body’s collagen protection (essential in the sun, in addition to sunscreen!), and makes it easier for your body to absorb iron which can often be depleted during your cycle. Ginger lowers blood sugar, can treat bloat and stomach issues, and is highly anti-inflammatory. And carrot is the unspoken hero of this elixir, providing potassium, beta carotene, vitamin K and antioxidants.

I make this juice in my Breville Compact Juicer which was one of the best gifts we received off of our wedding registry. I use it multiple times a week. The only issue is that I’m left with a bunch of pulp I didn’t know what to do with. So, after playing around with a few recipes I came up with juice pulp carrot. ginger muffins that almost taste like carrot cake. They’re moist with just the right amount of sweetness and the ginger gives it a hint of spice to balance out the flavors.

Hope you enjoy this recipe and this summer sun!