Miso is a savory, fermented flavoring paste made from soybeans and/or grains and sea salt. It is known as a healing food and is a good source of protein and B vitamins. Miso also helps to cleanse radiation and nicotene from the body. Unpasteurized miso contains friendly bacterial enzymes which can rebuild intestinal flora that get destroyed on a diet high in meat, sugar, chemicals and antibiotics.

   Cut a 3" strip of wakame into small pieces (use scissors, or soak, then slice with a knife). Bring water to a boil, add wakame and carrot, and simmer 15 minutes. Add kale and cook 5 minutes, then add green onion and simmer briefly. Turn off the heat and dissolve miso into the soup by stirring it through a strainer. Do not boil soup after adding miso, it destroys the natural healing enzymes.

* From Kristina Turner's "The Self Healing Cookbook"

   This version of lentil soup is more flavorful and thinner than the typical stewy kind. Pick over lentils and wash.

Mix all ingredients except the vinegar in a soup pot and cook until the lentils are very soft, about one hour. Stir in vinegar at the end and serve. Makes about 8 cups, to serve 6.

   Steam parsnips and carrots together until barely done. Toast sesame seeds in a medium-sized skillet over medium flame. When they begin to turn color slightly, add oil or butter, maple syrup, salt, and orange juice. Stir i n carrots and parsnips. Turn heat up to medium high and cook, stirring with increasing frequency, until liquid is reduced to a glaze. Makes 4 servings (about 2 cups).

   Mash the beans until smooth. Add all the other ingredients, and just enough water to moisten so the mixture is stiff and not too sticky. Shape into slightly flattened patties. Bake on an oiled cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is a little crispy. Serve as an open face burger or in a pita garnished with tomatoes, lettuce and/or any other veggie you fancy. Superb served either way with sesame gravy.

   Roast the seeds by stirring in a skillet over medium heat until they smell nutty and crumble easily between thumb and forefinger. Grind in a blender or suribachi bowl. Dissolve thickener in cool water then combine all ingr edients and heat. Stir until it thickens.

   Mix beans, carrot, cilantro, sesame seeds, garlic and green onions. Mix vinegar with tahini mixture and pour over salad. Serve on a bed of crisp lettuce.

   Just mix and serve!

   Cook rice in water with salt. Meantime, chop and saute the onion in the butter, adding the curry powder when the onion is soft and cooking them together for a minute to remove the raw taste of the spices. Combine rice, oni on, raisins and peas. Heat, stirring (or bake) covered until hot through. Garnish with toasted cashews on special occasions. Serves 6.

   In a saucepan, combine cous cous, amasake, water, juice, and salt. Heat and stir for 10 minutes, or until cous cous swells and becomes soft. Add vanilla. Pour into a cake pan, smooth the surface, and add topping. Topping : Arrange strawberries on top of cake creatively. Dissolve kuzu in juice, add lemon peel, heat and stir until it thickens. Add vanilla. Pour over strawberries and cake. Let cool for an hour in the fridge before serving.

   Cous cous is a partially refined wheat product that fluffs up quickly when added to liquid. This appealing easy, no-bake cake rivals strawberry shortcake! Enjoy!

   Briefly boil the beans, carrot and onion together (2-3 minutes), until just crisp. Lift out with a strainer, drain, and cool. Plunge cabbage in boiling water 1 minute to barely cook it. Drain and cool. (Save cooking brot h for soups). Toss all together with Lemon Vinagrette Dressing. A colourful meal - Great packed in a lunch and popular at picnics.

   Prepare quinoa for cooking by roasting it in a skillet and stirring until nutty smelling. Add to 4 1/2 cups boiling water with 2 pinches of sea salt. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Let quinoa cool and then mix in remaining ingredients, adding ume vinegar last and seasoning to taste. Delicious as a salad or side dish. Makes 6-8 servings.

   Use a large skillet or stewpan. Chop the onion and saute with the whole garlic clove in oil. When onions are transparent, crush garlic with fork. Add potato and a little water. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasiona lly, for about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini (and the celery, if you want it soft rather than crunchy) and cook another 10 minutes, until tender. Stir in the celery (if you haven't already), tomatoes and basil. Heat uncovered stirring as necessary, unt il tomatoes are soft. Check seasoning. Makes about 4 cups. Serves 4 to 6.

   Lightly saute carrot, onion and garlic in oil. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Then mix with other ingredients. Form into patties when millet is still warm. If too crumbly, add a little water until they hold to gether well. Bake on oiled cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until crisp on surface. Wonderful served with a dollup of Nayonaise or any other light mayonaise dressing. For interesting variations, add a pinch of your favourite spices (cumin, coriader, dill, white pepper). Or add 1/2 cup roasted and chopped sunflower seeds or nuts (walnuts, almonds). Try mixed grain millet patties by mixing other grains with millet (rice, cous cous, bulghur, etc.)