During one of my trips to see mom at her nursing home, I stayed with a friend of hers - Jacquelyn - who lives nearby, up in the mountains.

Sensitive to the emotional difficulties of these trips, she thoughtfully prepared a semi-raw breakfast that included warm porridge and a beautiful root salad before I left.

The porridge has its place for another post, but it was the root salad that took me by surprise. Never would I have imagined getting wild about a salad for breakfast, especially on a cold morning until Jacquelyn's final gesture of hospitality.

She brought out the salad and asked if I liked "Ma." That's Korean for what is better known as the Nagaimo root - a mountain root. In Japanese and Korean markets, one will find this Nagaimo or another variation known as Yamaimo in the produce section.

The salad was sliced up, drizzled with a touch of some Non-GMO soy sauce made in her co-op.

She also sprinkled a confetti of seasoned, dried seaweed on top. The result was incredibly sublime.

The root was crunchy but the best part of it was the slippery, slimy component. It is a highly mucilaginous food. There is a soothing aspect of uncooked, slimy plant foods to our mucus membranes - especially for those suffering from digestive issues.

As it was so high in slime, I wondered if it was high in enzymes. My research supported my hunch. This mountain root contains a high level of amylase - the enzyme necessary for metabolizing carbohydrates. It's an essential for breaking down a significant source of nourishment.

Pharmacists know how expensive these prescription enzymes can be, so it's exciting to see a food alternative.

So, thanks to mom's friend - someone who's become a dear friend to me - I have a therapeutic salad to surprise my own guests.