Healing recipes... Day four

"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools." ~ Spanish Proverb

Fruits...

Jicama*

Jicama is a round, fleshy taproot vegetable of bean family plant. It is pronounced as hecama. Its underground starchy root is one of the popular edible root vegetable grown in many parts of Central American, South Asian, Caribbean, and some Andean South American regions. The refreshing, crispy, ice-white fruit-like pulp is eaten raw or cooked in a variety of sweet and savory dishes worldwide.

Some of the common names of this tuber are yam bean, Mexican water chestnut, Mexican turnip, sengkwang, yacon,

It bears round, fleshy, turnip-like starchy edible root underneath the ground surface. Unlike other starch roots like potato, sweet potato wherein the peel may be eaten, jicama features thick dust-brown color inedible skin. Inside, its white starchy flesh has crisp texture and fruit like succulent, sweet-starchy taste.

Jicama is very low calorie root vegetables. Its high quality phyto-nutrition profile comprises of dietary fiber, and anti-oxidants, in addition to small proportions of minerals, and vitamins.

Jicama is one of the finest source dietary fiber and excellent source of oligofructose inulin, a soluble dietary fiber. Inulin is a zero calorie, sweet inert carbohydrate and does not metabolize in the human body, which make the root an ideal sweet snack for diabetics and dieters.

As in turnips, jicamas are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin-C is a powerful water-soluble anti-oxidant that helps body get rid of harmful free radicals.

It also contains small levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and thiamin.

Jicama provides healthy amounts of some important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.

Jicama*- berry salad

Ingredients

Romaine and/or white kale leaves, ripped
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup peeled jicama, cut into thin bite-size strips
3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoon orange juice
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mrs Dash salt-free seasoning blend

Directions

Dressing: Combine vinegar, orange juice, shallots, mint, olive oil, and seasoning blend in bowl or dressing mixing bottle.

Add romaine and white kale leaves, strawberries and jicama to a bowl and toss gently. Drizzle dressing over the salad and serve.