First Watch Kale Tonic Juice - How To Make at Home

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This homemade First Watch kale tonic is packed with fuji apples, lemon juice, cucumber & leafy greens. It's a refreshing & hydrating green elixir loaded with Vitamin C, vitamin K, fibre & more.

First Watch Kale Tonic Juice being poured into a glass.

Jump to:

💌 Why I Love This Recipe
🛒 Ingredients
🔪 Equipment
👣 Step-by-step
👨‍🍳 Chef’s Tips
❓ FAQ
🥬 Variations
💚 Health Benefits
📦 Storage Tips
👋 Conclusion
🍴Recipe

This delicious kale juice is an excellent addition to your weekly recipe rotation.

💌 Why I Love This Recipe

Nutrient-packed: Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Quick and easy: Ready in 5-10 minutes & perfect for busy lifestyles.
No juicer needed: All you need is a blender!
2 of your 5-a-day: A great way to sneak some extra greens into your diet
Extra smooth texture: If you dislike the textures of smoothies, this one is
Pick-me-up: A great caffeine-free way to boost your energy

It's a nutritious drink that tastes just like the beloved First Watch Kale Tonic but for a fraction of the price!

🛒 Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients to make this healthy green juice recipe.

Kale, cucumber, lemon juice, water and apple on a marble cutting board.

Fresh curly kale - This will provide the base for our juice. Look for bright green kale, removing any yellow or brown spots.
Fuji apple - Used in the original First Watch's Kale tonic, fuji apples are packed to the brim with fibre and rich in vitamin C. If Fuji apples aren't available, a great substitute would be Ambrosia, Pink Lady, or Gala apples.
Cucumber - I recommend medium-sized English cucumbers due to their slightly sweet taste. However, any cucumber will work.
Lemon - You will need freshly squeezed lemon juice. Simply cut the lemon in half with a sharp knife and squeeze the juice. I recommend choosing fresh lemon juice over lemon juice concentrate (from a bottle).

You will also need water and ice cubes (optional but highly recommended).

🔪 Equipment

You won't need a kitchen packed with fancy gadgets for this recipe. Just gather:

A sharp knife
Cutting board
A high-speed blender
A fine-mesh sieve
A large bowl
Two to three large glasses
A mason jar or another airtight container (optional - for storing)

👣 Step-by-step

Let's get to the exciting part – making this vibrant kale tonic.

Before starting, prep your ingredients. Thoroughly wash your kale leaves and remove any tough stems.

Tear the leaves into smaller pieces for more effortless blending. Wash and roughly chop your apple & cucumber, and measure the water and lemon juice.

Green juice ingredients in a blender before blending.

Step 1 - Add all your ingredients to a blender, starting with water.

Step 2 - Blend at high speed for approx. 2 minutes or until completely smooth.

Green juice being poured through a sieve.

Step 3 - Pour the mixture into a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer. This will create the juice consistency.

Fist Watch Green Tonic and ice cubes in a glass.

Step 4 - Fill a glass with ice cubes and pour your juice on top. Enjoy!

👨‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

Here are a few extra pointers to make your kale tonic even more impressive:

Prep the kale - Gently massage kale by rubbing it between your hands before adding it to the blender. This will reduce any bitterness.
Chop it up - Don't forget to chop kale into smaller bits and remove tough & woody bits like stems.
Frozen chill - If you like it super chilled, freeze some kale and cucumber before blending.
Find the balance - We're using fresh fruit & vegetables, so the drink might vary in taste slightly depending on how ripe your produce is. Don't be afraid to customize it with more lemon juice, kale, or apples if desired.
Protect your teeth - Drink through a straw to protect your tooth enamel.

❓ FAQ

Can I use frozen kale?

I recommend using fresh, but frozen can work too. Simply let it thaw at room temperature before blending.

Is this drink kid-friendly?

Yes, it's a great way to get kids to eat more fruit & veggies.

Is this suitable for a keto diet?

Yes, it's gluten-free, vegan and keto-friendly.

How many calories are in this First Watch kale tonic?

There are roughly 48 calories per serving. See the estimated nutritional information under the recipe card below.

🥬 Variations

Want to put your own stamp on this tonic? Here are a few tried & tested ideas!

Ginger: Just a thumb of ginger is a great, zingy addition.

Baby spinach: can be used in combination with fresh kale leaves.

Collard greens are another leafy green vegetable that can replace some kale (I wouldn't recommend using just collard greens).

Lime juice can be used instead of fresh lemon.

This First Watch kale tonic doesn't originally contain any added sugars. However, if you wish, add some liquid sweeteners like maple or agave syrup, which work best.

💚 Health Benefits

Homemade vegetable juices like this kale tonic can form a part of a healthy diet.

If you're struggling to eat your required daily value of fruit & veg, drinking juices is the perfect way to get those extra servings.

The health benefits of kale include:

It may help support a healthy immune system.
It contains four times the vitamin C content of spinach.
Rich in 'vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate, fibre, carotenoids and manganese' (Source: MayoClinic)

Disclaimer - I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist. Always seek professional & personalized health advice in case you have any specific questions or concerns.

An overhead view of First Watch green tonic copycat recipe in a glass.

📦 Storage Tips

For best results, I recommend drinking this juice straight away.

If you have any leftovers, you can:

Transfer them to an airtight container.
Store them in the fridge and drink within 24 hours.
Shake well and pour the mixture through a sieve before serving again.

👋 Conclusion

There you have it - a copycat First Watch Kale Tonic that's a breeze to make and brimming with nutrients to keep you strong.

Do you have questions about making this kale tonic recipe? Let me know in the comments below, and I'll help!

Tried out this tonic juice recipe? You can help me by leaving a star rating and comment below. Your feedback supports my blog and helps me bring you more free recipes!

🍴Recipe