I can’t really claim to be starting a trend with this one.  A similar philosophy and recipe can be found in the 2004 best seller “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” which, I might add, had nothing to do with me becoming not-fat, but it’s an interesting read.  In the book, she prescribed a “Magical Leek Soup” recipe which one is to subsist on for about a 48-hour period for cleansing and weight-loss purposes.

I remember trying this weekend cleanse technique when the book first came out. Emotionally and spiritually, I was in no condition to undergo 58 minutes, let alone an entire weekend sans comfort food.  I think I ended up using the remaining leek broth as a boiling agent for an army sized pot of mashed potatoes.  Aaahh, the days of eating ferociously. How I don’t miss them.

Fast forward to this nippy, late September afternoon.  I’m feeling sluggish, a little blue perhaps, as I mentally take note at 3 p.m. that I haven’t ingested all that many vegetables. As the wind howled a little louder, it became clear that it wasn’t a day where a cool, tall glass of kale juice was going to cut it for me. Instead, I hightailed it to the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator for some organic kale. Into the stock pot I tossed it, along with five onions and an equal number of celery sticks. Filling the pot half-full with purified water, I brought it to a boil and shut the flame off.  That’s the secret to ‘Hot Juicing.’  Let the ingredients steep, not simmer to gently coax the essential elements and flavors out of the vegetables. Steeping time should be a minimum of two hours, four or five it you have the time.

Since this is meant to be a cleansing drink, just as a glass of ginger-beet juice is, I added no oil, spices, or condiments.  Its flavor?  Clean and mild.  Nothing arousing to the taste buds, but my body sure enjoyed it, and I drank it throughout the afternoon.  There’s plenty leftover for the week, and if I find myself tiring of my own version of magical broth, I’ll simply freeze it.

This also makes fantastic base for rice.  And like juicing, ingredients can be tailored to your tastes, or whatever’s hanging out in your veggie crisper.   Happy Sipping!