It’s not the New Year I dread. It’s afterward, when I’m struggling with new habits every single day.

Last month, I was too busy eating cookies to discuss anything remotely about new beginnings. So I won’t sit here with crumbs all over my shirt telling you that tomorrow you’ll wake up and be a completely different person.

Instead, I’ll let you in on a secret I’ve found that helps me feel brand-new: Rather than thinking about how I can take away what’s not good, I think of how I can do more of what is good for me. Yes, avoiding sugar and processed food are wonderful ideas — and so much more difficult when there’s nothing to fill in the gaps of my howling stomach.

My favorite way to consume vegetables, other than sweetly roasted for dinner, is to juice them. I bought a cold-press juicer more than a year ago, and I can’t get enough of it. I crave juice. For me, even juices that taste downright awful feel alive.

I’ll usually have a glass in the morning, and sometimes I treat it as my first meal, followed by a late breakfast.

People argue over the nutritional value of juicing. Here’s my two cents: People talk about the lack of fiber in juice. Yes, fiber from vegetables is important, which is why I chew plenty of vegetables all day long. But sometimes I like a smooth shot of fruits and vegetables. (A vegetable juice is bonus points. It levels out the rest of my willpower.)

I like the following recipe because it’s got just the right amount of sweetness, especially if you’re new to juicing. (You can work up to liquid kale eventually.) Calamansi limes add the perfect brightness to warm flavors of carrot and orange. Not only that, it’s also gorgeous. The fresh turmeric, which I picked up at a farmers market, is an intense orange pigment, making a glassful look like a magic potion.

Since we’re about to begin anew, whatever I can do to add a bit of happiness to my day is welcome.

VITAL ORANGE
2 oranges
3 carrots
2 calamansi limes
1-inch piece turmeric

Peel oranges and slice into sections. Rinse carrots and cut into sticks. Peel limes. 

Juice orange, carrots and limes. Juice turmeric. Stir to combine.

If you like, run juice through a strainer. If you want to chill quickly before serving, put a sieve over a bowl and place ice in the sieve. Pour juice over ice. 

If juiced through a slow press, you can store in the fridge for up to 72 hours. Otherwise, drink as soon as possible. Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 150 calories, 0.5 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 3 g protein

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at www.thelittlefoodie.com.

BY REQUEST: Betty Shimabukuro takes the last week of the month off. Her column returns Jan. 7.