This First Watch kale tonic recipe features kale, apples, cucumbers, and lemon juice. Ready in just 5 minutes, this drink is tangy, refreshing, and packed with vitamins and antioxidants!
If you are a fan of First Watch restaurant, you know that this kale juice recipe is one of their most popular menu items.
It's tangy and refreshing and can be a great part of your daily diet, especially if you're a lover of green smoothies like this Detox Island Green Smoothie.
This healthy green juice recipe is made with just 4 ingredients and is ready in 5 minutes. It's easy to make and customizable, meaning you can add your favorite fruits or vegetables to make it your own!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Kale: I use curly kale, but you can also use dinosaur kale or lacinato kale.
- Fuji apple or a green apple: Since kale can be bitter, we're adding sweetness to the juice by using apples!
- Cucumber: You can use any cucumber you like including English cucumbers or mini cucumbers. Just make sure they're sweet and juicy.
- Lemon juice: For adding a little bit of tanginess to contrast the bitter taste of the kale. You can also use lime juice.
- Water: For blending everything.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make First Watch Kale Tonic Recipe
- To a high-speed blender, add water first, then add the kale, apple, cucumber, and lemon juice.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the mixture is completely smooth, with no chunks.
3. Over a large bowl, strain the juice through a fine mesh. Use a spoon or a spatula to press the pulp to release all of the juice.
4. Serve immediately with ice cubes and/or sparkling water, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Expert Tips
- se a fine mesh to strain the juice. The last thing you want is to have pulp or chunks of vegetables in your juice. Make sure to use a super fine mesh or a nut milk bag.
- Add more apples to make it sweeter. If you're new to drinking green juices, you may want to make it a bit sweeter to start. This first watch kale tonic recipe tastes a bit bitter, so feel free to add more apples or cucumbers.
- Don't be afraid to switch things up! I look at this recipe more as a base to which I sometimes add different things like ginger, celery stalk, carrots, and even parsley.
FAQ
This kale juice is earthy, tangy, and a bit sweet, with grassy undertones. Depending on how much kale you add, it can be a bit bitter, so definitely adjust it to your own taste!
This recipe has 15g of sugar per serving.
Yes, you can transfer it to a mason jar or an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months!
Yes and no. I think the texture is off-putting, but if smoothies are your jam, why not?
Substitutions
- Apples: I am using Fuji apples because they're sweet, but you can use any apples you like including Golden Delicious, Granny Smith Apples, and green apples.
- Kale: If you don't have kale on hand, or if you don't like the taste of it, you can use spinach or other leafy greens like Swiss chard.
- Water: You can use coconut water or orange juice.
- Cucumber: You can use celery or another green vegetable of your choice.
Helpful Equipment
I think that investing in a high-quality blender is key if you're looking to eat healthier. Not only you can use it for smoothies, but you can also blend green soups, homemade hummus, and banana pancakes, AND you can even use it to make your own vegan cream cheese with sunflower seeds!
For this First Watch kale tonic recipe, you'll need a high-speed blender like Vitamix, as well as a fine mesh strainer.
If you don't have a blender on hand, you can use a powerful juicer and dilute the juice with some water.
Health Benefits
Kale is high in antioxidants and also contains vitamins K, and C, and manganese.
Some research shows that eating green leafy vegetables every day helps to reduce inflammation and heart disease risk.
There is also evidence that certain compounds in fresh juice may act as prebiotics, feeding the beneficial bacteria in our gut.
To wrap it up, drinking green juice can be an efficient way to add key nutrients to your diet. It should be consumed in moderation and as a part of a balanced diet.
Storage
If you don't drink the juice right away, store it in a mason jar in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Similar Recipes
📖 Recipe
First Watch Kale Tonic Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz. curly kale, stems removed (measured without stems)
- 1 medium Fuji apple, chopped
- ½ medium cucumber, chopped
- Juice from ½ lemon or more to taste
- 1 ½ - 2 cups filtered water
Instructions
Blender
- To a high-speed blender, add water first, then add the kale, apple, cucumber, and lemon juice.
- Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the mixture is completely smooth, with no chunks.
- Over a large bowl, strain the juice through a fine mesh. Use a spoon or a spatula to press the pulp to release all of the juice.
- Serve immediately with ice cubes and/or sparkling water, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Juicer
- Using a high-quality juicer, juice all of the ingredients. Dilute the tonic with 1-2 cups of water, depending on how strong you want it to be. Serve!
Notes
- Use a fine mesh to strain the juice. The last thing you want is to have pulp or chunks of vegetables in your juice. Make sure to use a super fine mesh or a nut milk bag.
- Add more apples to make it sweeter. If you're new to drinking green juices, you may want to make it a bit sweeter to start. This first watch kale tonic recipe tastes a bit bitter, so feel free to add more apples or cucumbers.
- Don't be afraid to switch things up! I look at this recipe more as a base to which I sometimes add different things like ginger, celery stalk, carrots, and even parsley.
- Fridge: If you don't drink the juice right away, store it in a mason jar in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer it to a mason jar or an airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Judy says
I made this recipe for the second time and wanted to contribute my feedback. I had this drink multiple times at a restaurant, and this recipe is on point with taste; my daughter said it's even better. This will be on repeat for me. Thanks for sharing.
Petra says
That's amazing, Judy! Thank you so much for sharing!
Leah says
Amazing! Taste just like First Watch! Thanks for sharing