How to Make Prune Juice

• Put 5-6 prunes in a bowl with ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of hot water for 30 minutes.
• Blend the soaked prunes in ³⁄₄ cup (180 mL) of additional water for 30-60 seconds.
• Strain and chill the juice before you drink it.
• You can add spices, apple juice, ice, or a dash of vanilla to the blender if you want to improve the flavor of your prune juice.

Basic Prune Juice

Place 5 to 6 prunes into a bowl with ⁄4 cup (59 ml) of the hot water. Use boiling hot water or run hot water from the tap. Keep in mind that the water won't cover the prunes completely. You can also flavor the prunes by using a different soaking liquid. For example, soak the prunes in hot apple juice or hot tea.

Soak the prunes for 30 minutes or until they're soft. Leave the bowl of prunes to soak at room temperature until they soften and absorb most of the water. They should swell a little too. If the prunes were very dry, they may need to soak longer.

Blend the soaked prunes with the remaining ⁄4 cup (180 ml) of water. Transfer the softened prunes along with any water left in the bowl into a blender and pour in the remaining hot water. Then, put the lid on and blend the prunes until they're completely smooth. This may take between 30 seconds and 1 minute, depending on how strong your blender is.

Pour the prune juice through a fine-mesh strainer. Set the strainer over a large serving glass and slowly pour the prune juice through it. To get all of the juice, push against the strainer with the back of a spoon. If you don't want to spill the juice as you strain it, you can strain it into a large measuring jug or bowl before pouring it into a serving glass.

Chill the prune juice before you drink it. Add ice to the serving glass and drink ⁄2 to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) of prune juice a day to stimulate bowel movements. You may prefer to drink the juice in the morning before you leave your house if you think you'll need to pass stool.Tip: You can give prune juice to a constipated baby who's over 6 months old. Start by giving the baby ⁄4 to ⁄2 cup (59 to 118 ml) a day to help them pass a stool. If you'd like your prune juice sweeter, stir in honey according to your taste. If you'll be giving the juice to a baby under 12 months, avoid using honey because of the risk of botulism. You can store extra prune juice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Spiced Prune Juice Smoothie

Soak 3 prunes in ⁄2 cup (120 ml) of hot water for 15 minutes. Put the pitted prunes into a small bowl and pour hot water from the tap into it. Then, leave the prunes to sit at room temperature so they soften and swell. If you prefer, soak the prunes in hot tea or fruit juice.

Drain the prunes and put them into a blender. Place a colander or fine-mesh strainer into the sink and pour the prunes into it so the water drains away. Transfer the softened prunes into a blender. The prunes will cool as they soak, so they won't be hot at this point.

Add the juice, yogurt, vanilla, spices, and ice to the blender. Pour ⁄4 cup (180 ml) of prune juice or apple juice into the blender and scoop in 1/4 cup (60 g) of vanilla yogurt. Add 1/8 teaspoon (0.3 g) of cinnamon, ⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of pure vanilla extract, 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, and 1/2 cup (70 g) of crushed ice.Tip: Try this smoothie with your favorite flavor of yogurt. Try blackberry or peach yogurt, for instance, or use Greek yogurt for a thicker smoothie. If you're trying to relieve constipation, you could also use pear juice instead of prune or apple juice. For an even sweeter smoothie, blend in a ripe banana.

Blend the smoothie for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place the lid on the blender and turn it on so the ingredients combine. Keep blending until the prunes are pureed and the ice becomes completely smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the blender a few times.

Pour the smoothie into a serving glass. Garnish the smoothie with a sprig of mint or a few fresh berries. Then, drink the smoothie before the ice begins to melt. You can drink 1 prune juice smoothie a day to encourage regular bowel movements. If you like your smoothie extra cold, fill the serving glass with ice before you pour the smoothie into it.