I always try to take extra good care of myself when life isn't in smooth sailing mode. Sometimes when I feel depleted I like to prepare myself a concoction containing a hit of concentrated vitamins and nutrients. I'm lucky in that I have a juicer and a blender.

The whole process of making myself a potent elixir feels balancing: choosing the recipe, preparing the fruit, pouring the drink into a beautiful glass, admiring the colour and the pleasing taste. I’ve even stopped dreading about having to clean the juicer and blender afterwards. Now cleaning and reassembling to be ready for next time is part of the positive exchange between me and my juice-making.

A favourite combinations is apple, pink grapefruit, strawberry and ginger. You can play around with amounts and the varieties of apples. You can juice everything or choose instead to blend it all and enjoy it as a smoothie (making sure to first remove seeds and any undesired peel).

For this recipe I juiced the apples and ginger and then blended with the whole grapefruit and strawberries.

Apple, pink grapefruit, strawberry and ginger drink

Makes two small drinks or one large.

6 strawberries, frozen or fresh

2 apples, juiced

1 pink grapefruit, peeled, sectioned and seeds removed

1 inch piece of ginger, juiced or blended

ice (optional)

Wash apples, slice and juice. Juice the piece of ginger. Pour juice in the blender. Add one whole grapefruit, peeled and seeded, and the strawberries. Blend well. Add ice if none of your fruit is frozen.

Pour into pretty glasses and garnish with peppermint.