Twenty years ago, Karen Long had a recurring dream that she was running through a bountiful garden, surrounded by fruits and vegetables. That dream inspired her to make her first fruit juice, Heaven Passion, a citrus and green tea blend. That variety eventually led to Garden of Eden Kingdom Living (7504 W. Appleton Ave.), Long’s business that offers small-batch, non-pasteurized juices with no added sugar. She has since added six more flavors of juice, along with all-natural dressings, cooking oils, seasoning and dips.
The name Garden of Eden came from Long’s dream; Kingdom Living from her belief that people should live to be healthy and productive. “If we eat better, we can accomplish more,” said Long, who is also a pastor at The Path Finder’s Church, located in the same building as her kitchen and shop.
The seven juice varieties are all Long’s own recipes. Each fresh juice contains green tea, known for antioxidant properties. The juices are not pasteurized, so the natural nutrients and flavors stay intact.
In addition to the Heaven Passion, customers can choose from Eden’s Berries, with assorted berries, plums and pineapple; Plentiful Protein, featuring bananas, peaches, almonds, peanut butter and honey; Tree of Life, with green grapes, kiwi, sugar snap beans and cucumber; Fruit & Veggie, consisting of oranges, peaches, carrots and tomatoes; Emerald, with spinach, kale, strawberry, peach and mango; and Paradise, including apples, pears, cranberry, honey and oranges. Long sources some ingredients locally and also uses a produce distributor. She packages her juice in glass bottles instead of plastic.
Thanks to the fresh juicing trend and overall increased health consciousness, Long said her drinks sell quickly at farmers markets, with the Berries and Emerald flavors most popular. She notes that some people seeking out juices want to boost healthy lifestyles, while others are seeking natural ways to lose weight or control diabetes.
Long also offers foods and condiments such as jams and dressings. Her All Purpose Seasoning is a blend that includes cayenne pepper, turmeric, celery seed and other spices to provide a versatile, MSG-free seasoned salt with a hint of heat.
Most of Long’s items can be used in different ways. Eden’s Taco Bean Dip doubles as a soup base and a dip. The syrups are scratch-made with dried cranberries, slow-cooked, with a minimal amount of added raw cane sugar, making them ideal for pancakes, oatmeal or even with meats. The herbed cooking oils—canola infused with sea salt, parsley and crushed red peppers—can be used for marinades, grilling or pasta.
Long will soon add natural vitamins to her product lineup, and she also plans to venture into the frozen foods arena with her recipe for meatless cabbage lasagna, packaged in single-serving or family-sized entrées and kept frozen until use.
Garden of Eden Kingdom Living can be found at the St. Ann Center’s Indoor Market, Growing Power market, Fondy Farmers Market and the Kenosha HarborMarket. Customers can also purchase items directly at the store/kitchen or online.
For more information, visit gardenofedenkingdomliving.com.
