Kamote Tops (sweet potato vines) and tasty, healthy ways of preparing them (Rejuvenating & Detoxifying).

Sketch of Kamote Tops, by Nancy Glazier.

"Bonne Sante'" is French for "good health!"

"Bonne Appetit" (good appetite!) is well known thanks to Julia Child.

It has been my experience that good fresh green Juices can contribute to both!

Where have all the bitters gone? Long time passing.... 

We have become so ensnared with sweets that most of us have forgotten about the subtle allure of the bitter edge..... 

Did you know your  body (especially your liver) actually craves bitter foods?

Sweet Potato Vines. also known as Kamote.

Why not get back in balance by cultivating an appreciation for bitter greens – they're waiting in the wings, ready to be your best friend.

Sweet potato greens are also known as KAMOTE TOPS, and are famous for building up iron levels in the blood in a natural & gentle way.

Adding a handful of sweet potato leaves to your favorite green mix- when you make your green drinks - - gives you a deep emerald green juice.... yet the taste is mild compared to a lot of other greens.

See one of our favorite green drink mixes HERE.

We were so excited to learn of Kamote, which has been a more recent discovery for our family. We love using this green in our meals. Kamote or sweet potatoes are very easy to grow in your garden. They are heat tolerant even in the hottest summers. The beautiful vines grow very quickly, so you will have a generous harvest of this delicious, versatile, and affordable green. Kamote is commonly eaten in other parts of the world, yet is virtually unheard of in the USA. It seems like our produce selection in general has become more limited than in earlier times. So, here's a shout-out to heirloom vegetables and fruits!

You can use Kamote tops as you would spinach, kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard...

They taste terrific steamed, blanched, simmered in soups & stews, used like spinach in spinach dip, in salads, lasagna... Kamote is mild flavored and delicious. If you plant sweet potatoes in your garden, you can harvest the tender tops until first frost. We like to blanch them and freeze them in meal sized portions for use all winter. One of our favorite meals is homemade Pork Chili Verde ladled over tender pinto beans and steamed kamote tops. We then top it with jack cheese and let it melt before serving.

We are sure that you will enjoy cooking with Kamote Tops too!

Perfect KAMOTE tops - Ready at a moments notice for my green drink.

"Heart of Green" drink, with added Kamote Tops.

Perfect! This is a great way to consume your bitters.

Bonne Appetit,

Nancy & Leila.

YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/pjGI_i_dFRk

Grain-Free, Low-Carb, CRUNCHY Chips (A Raw Food)

Light as Air Chips

This is one of my mother's raw food recipes. She loves light and crunchy chips - and these fit the bill.

These are full of beneficial fiber, and are low carb, grain free, gluten free, sugar free, paleo, vegan, and have great flavor too!

Freeze your carrot pulp from making carrot juice, until you are ready to make these chips. They are easy to make and you can eat them with out guilt, because they are so good for you!


Light As Air Chips Recipe:

4 c. Carrot pulp (run through a champion juicer one time), from making carrot juice
3/4 c. finely ground blond flax meal (or brown flax)
2 T. Cal/Mag powder, optional
1/2 t. Vitamin C powder (to keep bright colored and fresh)
1 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1 t. onion powder
1 t. cumin powder (or other seasoning, to taste)
1/4 t. tumeric powder


Method:

Mix the carrot pulp with the ground flax meal together in a food processor.
Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to mix well.
Taste for seasoning.
Spread thinly onto teflex sheets (non-stick sheets) that are placed onto food dehydrator racks.
Place in a food dehydrator and dry at 110 degrees until dry and crispy.
Let cool completely before breaking up and storing in air-tight containers.


Notes:

Cal/Mag powder is a mixture of food grade calcium and magnesium. You can find it at your local health food stores.

Vitamin C powder is also known as Ascorbic Acid and can also be found at health food stores.

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy

A Favorite Slimming & Detoxifying Green Drink (A Concentrate)

My Family's Favorite Green Drink

A Green Drink Concentrate

This drink is so fresh, green, and clean. You know you are doing good for your body when you drink this!

This has been a basic in our homes for decades. It is an instant pick-me-up. My daughter regularly makes this green drink for herself, how cool is that? She loves it for the energy it gives her and she also loves how it clears her skin. We never get sick of it, in fact our bodies crave it.

The green drink formula provided below, makes a green drink concentrate. It takes up less space in the refrigerator that way. This is very easy to make. The Vitamin C is added to preserve freshness and extend the shelf life. It is meant to be diluted with water before drinking.

Parsley really tastes good in this drink and it is an amazing blood purifier, plus it freshens your breath and whole digestive system. The chlorophyll all the greens contain is very healing and purifying to the body. The slimming fiber being included in this green drink help you feel full longer and benefit your digestive processes as well. Then there are all the bio-available living vitamins and minerals...

This is the fastest way to down a large salad that I know of! Plus it's sugar and fat free.

Drinking this green drink on a regular basis (the more often the better) was a big factor in my losing 20 pounds with ease. It is convenient to have in your refrigerator, ready when you are. I pour some in a protein drink shaker jar, dilute with water to taste, and go. I like to trade off between this green drink and a protein drink a couple times a day. I will also snack on healthy foods if  I get hungry during the day. I then eat dinner with the family. I will go into more detail about my slimming protocol later...

If you are new to green drinks, or you usually drink fruit smoothies or fruit juices with, say, 5 spinach leaves added - start more slowly to give your taste buds and body time to get used to it. I suggest taking an 8-ounce glass and filling it up 1/4th of the way full with green drink. Then top off with cold purified water. You can dilute it even more if you want to. You will find that as time passes, your body will crave it more and more, and you will need to dilute it less and less.



BASIC GREEN DRINK Formula:

1 Large bunch organic parsley
8 Stalks organic celery (with tops)
1/2 Pound organic baby spinach leaves
1/4 t. Ascorbic acid powder (Vitamin C powder)
Purified water to make a total of 1 gallon


Equipment:

High powered blender (Vitamix or BlendTec)
1-gallon juice storage container with an air-tight lid


Method:

Wash the organic produce and drain.
Rough chop the parsley and celery.
Pour about 2 to 3 cups purified water in your large blender container.
Place the parsley, celery, and some of the spinach in the blender with the water.
Secure lid tightly and puree on high until completely liquefied.
Pour into your 1-gallon container.
Pour in 2 to 3 cups more water into your blender container.
Add the rest of the spinach and completely liquefy.
Pour into the 1-gallon container.
Add a little more purified water to the blender, secure lid and turn on high speed to rinse.
Pour the rinse water into the 1-gallon container.
Add the vitamin C powder.
Top off the 1-gallon container with water, secure lid and shake to blend. Store in the refrigerator.
This will last a few days in the refrigerator, but do drink up quickly for freshness.


To drink: Shake before use. Dilute this with additional purified water to taste before consuming.


Note: You can use 1/4th kale and 3/4th spinach if you choose to. Too much kale has a strong taste, so don't over do the kale. You can always add more parley if you happen to add too much kale.


See pictures of the green drink making process below:

Preparing the greens

Rough chop the greens

Process the first batch of greens with purified water

Completely liquefy the greens

Pour the first batch into a gallon container

Starting the second batch of greens with more purified water - puree well

The second batch of greens is finished

Pour into the gallon container

Add purified water to the blender and turn on high or pulse, to rinse the container

Pour the resulting rinse water into the gallon container

Adding the Vitamin C powder

Topping off with more purified water

Shake and it's ready to drink.

Here's to your health!

Enjoy, Leila

Fresh Carrot Apple Juice

Fresh Carrot-Apple Juice  


I still have some apples a dear friend gave me form her tree. They have been in cold storage but they need to be used up. I have made a lot of sugar-free apple sauce, but today I wanted some juice.
My family likes the taste of carrot apple juice better than carrot juice alone, so here we go...

I have a +Champion Juicer that my mom purchased way back in 1984. It's a good yellow beast, and I would highly recommend you getting one of your own. I prefer a masticating-style juicer (like the Champion) instead of a centrifugal-style juicer. You get more juice out of your produce, however the juicers are typically more expensive.

You can vary the ratio of carrots to apples, to taste. I like adding ascorbic acid because it gives me a longer storage life, it increases the vitamin C content, and it enhances the flavor of the apples.


CARROT APPLE JUICE Recipe:

3 parts washed organic carrots
2 parts washed apples (preferably organic)
1/2 t. ascorbic acid powder


Method:

Quarter the apples so that they will fit into your juicer. Removing the stems only.

Juice away, alternating apples with carrots. I make a half-gallon at a time.

Add ascorbic acid powder (Vitamin C), to slow oxidation of the juice.

Secure lid, shake and drink some, chill the rest.

Compost the pulp.

Easy-peasy.



Notes:

I often add fresh ginger root, running the pulp through at least 2 to 3 times with some of the apple pulp.

I also will add a little raw beet at times.

Prep your produce

My juicing set-up

Start your engines...

Juicing

Juicing...

More juicing

Look at all that nice pulp for composting...

Topping off my 1/2-gallon jar of juice

Done.

My family drank the whole batch in 1 day. I'm so glad they are getting all these nutrients.
Time to make some more!


Enjoy!

Leila

Healthy Sugar-Free Cranberry Juice Cocktail Recipe

Sugar-Free Cranberry Juice Cocktail Recipe

Today I decided to create a healthy version of cranberry juice cocktail. My version uses no high fructose corn syrup, sugary fruit juices, or sugar. Cranberries are very high in anti-oxidants, it's all the sugar that is normally found in cranberry juice cocktail that is a heath concern. This would be an excellent drink for U.T.I., a common female ailment.

I chose to use xylitol for it's anti-cavity and anti-bacterial properties. I add stevia glycerite to cut back on the amount of xylitol needed, and to create a more balanced sweetening profile. The BioSalt adds minerals and the ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) adds a bit more dimension to the drinks flavor.

This is a great recipe to use up some extra cranberries you may have left over from the holidays.

SUGAR-FREE CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL RECIPE:

Yield: 1/2 gallon

Difficulty Level: Easy-Peasy

12 ounces cranberries
8 1/2 c. water, divided
1/2 c. xylitol
1 t. stevia glycerite
1/4 t. ascorbic acid crystals or powder
1/8 t. BioSalt (recipe is on this blog)

Method:

In a blender or food processor, roughly puree the washed and sorted cranberries in 2 cups of the water. Pour into a large non-reactive pot.

Add 2 cups water to the emptied blender (put the lid on!) and turn it on long enough so that the sides are rinsed clean of the berries. Pour blender contents into the pot.

Add 2 cups more water to the pot and bring the mixture up to a boil on medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes. then take off heat and let cool a while.


Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 1/2-gallon glass jar (with tight fitting lid). use a silicone spatula to stir the pulp as you strain, to release more juice.


Mix the spent pulp with the last 1/2 cup water and strain into your juice container.


Add the xylitol, stevia glycerite, ascorbic acid, and BioSalt. Put the lid on tightly and shake to dissolve the xylitol. Taste for sweetness and chill.


Serve over crushed ice. Yum.


Note: I mix the spent cranberry pulp into natural, unsweetened applesauce and sweeten it to taste with a few drops of stevia glycerite, or other healthy sweetener of choice.

Tip: Now brand stevia glycerite works well and can be found at health food stores. Ascorbic acid and Xylitol can also be found at health food stores.

Cranberry juice cocktail in the making

Straining and stirring the cranberry pulp

Cranberry pulp with the 1/2 c. added water

Finished Cranberry Juice Cocktail

Note: The quininic acid found in cranberries is what causes the distinctive bitter taste, and is also thought to have nutraceutical properties. When consumed, quininic acid is converted to Hippuric acid, which removes toxins from the urinary tract and kidneys. Here's to your Health!

Author, Leila