Back in 2010, when I invested in spendy masticating juicer, I really wondered if it was a worthy investment. Would it pay for itself? Would I even use it or would it be relegated to the garage (aka the land where things go to be forgotten about FOREVER)? Well, I’m happy to report that it’s paid for itself countless times over.

Since the average bottle of organic, cold-pressed juice in LA will run you about $10 a pop, and my juicer was about $300, I’d say after using it about 50 times it’s paid for itself–not counting the convenience of juicing in your home AND the priceless, freedom to experiment with flavor combos! How did I get to 50, you ask. Simple! I’m using averages here, so I’d estimate 1 bunch of kale, 1 apple, 1 lemon, 1/2 bunch of romaine and a nub of ginger (all organic) would cost about $4. My favorite cold-pressed juice shop, Made With Love Wellness, charges $10 for a bottle. So every time I make my own juice, I’m saving about $6. From there, I divide the cost of the juicer by the estimated savings per juice ($300/$6) to get 50. Yeahhh, math!

Now that we’ve gotten the homework out of the way (phew!), let’s get to this recipe for Detox Green Juice, which is the perfect dose of fresh green health after an indulgent holiday.

Holiday Detox Green Juice

Ingredients

1 fennel, bulb and stalks

1 lemon, rind and all

3 green apples

1 bunch kale

1 bunch romaine

3 stalks celery

2 large cucumbers

1 c cilantro

1 c parsley

1/2 c mint

3 inch knob of ginger

Directions

Juice and strain all the ingredients. Instead of juicing all of one ingredient at once, I find that my juicer works best when I alternate between leafy greens and firmer ingredients, like the fennel, celery and lemons. Drink immediately or refrigerate up to three days. Just give it a shake before drinking as the solids will settle to the bottom of the juice.

Makes three  8 ounces servings