When you think of “guilty pleasures,” your brain probably doesn’t jump to “healthy juice” at first. But for $8 (or sometimes even $12!) a pop at trendy establishments, snagging a juice can turn into quite the guilt-inducing expensive habit. Still, when I think about the tart, tangy flavor of a good green juice…well, you just might see me reaching for my wallet! If you’re like me—broke, healthy and, more often than not, a little bit lazy—this easy green juice recipe is for you. The best part? No fancy juicer required!

All you’ll need is a blender of some kind, cold water and your favorite fruits and veggies. I personally love a juice that’s refreshing, bright green and even a little spicy, so my go-to blend includes celery, lemon, cucumber, pineapple, ginger (Hot Tip: Trader Joe’s sells frozen ginger cubes!) and a sprinkle of cayenne. 

When I’m making my own juice, I like to make a big batch and save it in the fridge for a few days. For me, that requires roughly six to eight stalks of celery, one large cucumber, two to three lemons, a few pieces of pineapple and a few cubes of ginger.

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Courtesy of Elisabeth Anne Boniface.

If you’re using a smaller or portable blender, you’ll want to chop your ingredients finer than you would for its bigger, high-speed cousin to avoid getting chunks stuck in the blade. I also like to cut my lemons up entirely and remove the seeds altogether, which helps to extract the lemon oil so the final product has an extra-lemony flavor.

From there, simply put your ingredients in the blender, add enough water to cover and blend! You’ll end up with a very green, pulpy looking liquid. This may not seem ideal at first glance, but no worries! You’re not finished.

Courtesy of Elisabeth Anne Boniface.

Grab a fine mesh strainer or pick up some cheesecloth and drape either over a clean measuring cup. If you’re making a large batch of juice, I actually recommend straining into a medium-to-large pot to catch every drop and save yourself some mess.

You might need to do this in batches, stirring the pulp in the strainer or squeezing the cheesecloth to make sure you’re getting as much liquid out as possible. Once I finish straining the juice, I transfer it to a quart container with a lid (Think: the ones you get when you order wonton soup) and it keeps for about three to four days. 

Courtesy of Elisabeth Anne Boniface.

This easy green juice recipe is great for using up produce in your fridge—and because it’s so customizable, you can really include whatever you like! I’ve added parsley for a more herbal taste, or some watermelon that I knew I wasn’t going to eat on it’s own.

I love to drink mine in the morning with breakfast, or in the middle of the day when I need a little pick-me-up. Oh, and it even makes a great base for cocktails, especially with tequila or gin. Now, whenever I see a pricy juice on the menu while out and about, I can confidently pass. I’ll just make it at home!