The Journal of the National Cancer Institute vol 95 Issue #12 says, "Miso soup consumption linked with up to 50% reduced risk of Breast Cancer". Miso is a delicious fermented food that has been eaten in China and Japan for many centuries.

Today it is a favorite of health minded people in the West because of its many anti-aging benefits. Miso and other fermented foods and drinks help build up the inner ecosystem and assure the digestive tract is amply supplied with beneficial bacteria. These bacteria help digest, synthesize, and assimilate nutrients so necessary for good health and anti-aging. They also strengthen the immune system, keeping it at the ready to fight infection and cancer including reduced risks of breast, lung, prostate, and colon cancer, and protection from radiation. Researchers have found that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as do most residents of Japan, can drastically lower the risks of breast cancer.

Made from fermented soybeans, miso is a thick paste-like substance. Miso is brownish in color and tastes extremely salty and tangy on its own.

Miso has a very alkalizing effect on the body and strengthens the immune system to combat infection. Its high antioxidant activity gives it anti-aging properties. You can buy miso at your local health food store or whole foods.

Miso soup is absolutely delicious and easy to make.  Next time you have the sniffles skip the chicken soup and make this awesome  miso soup instead! 

Many Americans have never heard of Wakame or Kombu.  Wakame and Kombu are sea vegetables! They are delicious.  They look strange when all dried in the package you buy them in, but put them into water and in minutes they turn a beautiful green color!  I LOVE the texture of wakame and the way it tastes!  They are very inexpensive as well!

Kombu has abundant iodine, carotenes, B, C, D and E vitamins, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, silica, iron and zinc, and the powerful skin healing nutrient germanium.

Wakame is a high-protein, high calcium seaweed, with carotenes, iron and vitamin C. Widely used in the Orient for hair growth and luster, and for skin tone.

Miso soup recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1 piece Kombu to make the Dashi (Japanese stock)
• 2 scallions sliced
• 1/4 cup miso paste
• 1/2 package of medium/firm tofu (pressed between towels to remove water and cut into little cubes)
• 1/4 cup wakame

Directions:

1. First, measure 6 cups water into a medium saucepan.  Add 1 piece of Kombu and let it soak for 20-30 minutes.  Slowly bring the water with Kombu to a boil and remove the Kombu. You now have Japanese soup stock.
2. Add chopped scallions, tofu and wakame to the pot and let simmer for a few minutes.
3. Take the saucepan off the burner and remove about a cup of the stock into a bowl.  now stir in the miso paste until dissolved.
4. Slowly add the miso back into the soup and try not to bring it to a boil. You should never boil miso because heating it above a certain temperature destroys the beneficial enzymes.

Note:  You can add shiitake mushrooms or your favorite mushrooms, cabbage, soba noodles ect.

Here are two wonderful and easy to make nontoxic cleaners that I have made myself and work great!  I will never use Windex again! 

Did you know that conventional cleaners have nerve-damaging chemicals such as ammonia and butyl cellosolve? 

You can use these safely around your kids or pets and nobody has to inhale all those awful chemicals that cause damage to our bodies.  These are easy to make and you just need a few ingredients you already have in your kitchen!  I got these recipes from Ani Phyo's book, Raw Food Essentials.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 Tablespoon eco liquid cleaner (or any liquid soap or detergent)
• 2 cups water

Place all ingredients in a spray bottle, and use to clean glass

All – Purpose Cleaner

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 gallon water
• Essential oils, like lemon  (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a bucket, mix and use to clean showers, bathtubs and surfaces.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey to better health! I am amazed and feel blessed that so many beautiful people from all over the world are coming together on this beautiful journey as we create a healthier mind, body and spirit.   We truly are all on this journey together. 

This journey is not about perfection, but making better choices one day at a time.  Anyone can start this journey.  It does not matter how unhealthy you may be, it starts with taking one simple step in the direction of better health.  I would like to share my story with you – my journey out of darkness.  I feel like it is time for me to share my story.

Twelve years ago I was sitting in a detox center my life crashing down around me.  I had pushed just about every person who loved me out of my life and slammed the door.  Physically I was very sick – I had been hospitalized 6 months earlier when I was peeing blood and in the worst pain imaginable, but still I drank.  The whites of my eyes were a constant yellow and I was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day.  I was living in complete fear, I was so afraid and I felt so alone.   

As I sat there in that detox center, shaking because of withdrawals from alcohol, a miracle happened.  I made a new choice.  I knew I had to do something different or I would die.  I chose to live and I chose to get sober one day at a time.  Little did I know, my journey to better health began that day.  I stepped out of the darkness and into the light.

And so my journey began, I stopped drinking with the help of a 12 step program, I quit smoking about 6 months after that.  I even gave up caffeine!  One small step at a time I got my health back.  I have a new body today.  I feel strong and full of energy.  

Today I no longer live in fear.  I no longer hang my head in shame.  I walk with my head held high and I am proud of who I am today.  Today I love Katherine:) 

One of the biggest gifts you can give yourself and those around you is to take care of yourself.  I want to run around with my kids, I want to run around with my grandkids someday!   God gave you this one beautiful body so fill it up with the good stuff!  You are so worth it!

This road to better health is a journey and I feel blessed to have you all along for the ride!  Wishing you a  wildly happy and healthy life!  One healthy choice at a time!

Yours Radiantly,

Katherine Stromick

This is for serious chocolate lovers like myself!  Chocolate heaven!  Make this for someone special or just make it for yourself!  You're Special!

Ingredients:

Fondue

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ( or substitute 1/8 teaspoon orange extract if you like orange flavored chocolate like I do)
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Fruit Dippers

• Slice up some fresh pineapple, bananas, strawberries, apple slices, raspberries, orange segments, tangerines, whatever you like!
• You can place fruit on skewers for a fancier feast. Happy Chocolate dipping!

Directions:

1. Whisk together fondue ingredients in a bowl by hand or in a blender (I  just whisk by hand)

I am super excited to share this rich and exceptionally smooth healthy hot chocolate recipe with you!  I think it just might be the best hot chocolate I have ever had.  This is my grown up hot chocolate.  It's not sickly sweet like some out there and does not have all the added sugar. It's extremely good for you because it's made with raw ground cacao (raw chocolate)  which is a powerhouse of antioxidants.  You can find ground raw cacao at your local health food store or buy it online.

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/2 cups soy or almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Cacoa
• 2 Teaspoons raw honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. begin by warming the milk in a small to medium sized saucepan over medium to medium high heat.   When it starts steaming but before it boils whisk in the raw cacoa, honey, vanilla and sea salt.  whisk until smooth, poor into a large mug and enjoy!

 Why Unprocessed (raw cacoa) Chocolate  is Good for You

Antioxidants: Raw Cacao is loaded with antioxidants and I mean LOADED! It has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. Health benefits of these antioxidants include:

Promote cardiovascular health -  Improve circulation, helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.Help dilate bloods vessels, reduce blood clotting.

Protect from environmental and metabolic toxins – Helps repair and resist damage caused by free radicals, and may reduce risk of certain cancers.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good. Nice!

Serotonin - Cacao raises the level of serotonin in the brain; thus acts as an anti-depressant, helps reduce PMS symptoms, and promotes a sense of well-being.

Endorphins - Cacao stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation similar to the “runner’s high” a jogger feels after running several miles.

Phenylethylamine - Found in chocolate, phenylethylamine is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. Acts as mild mood elevator and anti-depressant, and helps increase focus and alertness.

Anandamide – Anandamide is known as the “bliss chemical” because it is released by the brain when we are feeling great.  It  Promotes relaxation, and helps us feel good longer.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

Magnesium – Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency, present in 80% of Americans, is linked with PMT, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and joint problems.

Sulfur – Cacao is high in the beauty mineral sulfur. Sulfur builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver, and supports healthy pancreas functioning. 

Essential fats: There is a misperception that chocolate is fattening. In truth, the fats in cocoa butter are healthy fats. Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, also found in olive oil, that may raise good cholesterol. Also, substances found in cacao are known to help reduce appetite.

To fully benefit from chocolate’s wide array of nutrients,  you should eat chocolate that is as close to its natural state as possible. Whole cacao beans, ground cocoa and nibs are best. You lose many if not all of the health benefits when you eat commercially produced chocolate.
 

My mom always made me warm honey and lemon when I was little whenever I had a cough, or sore throat.  Thanks Mom!   It's so soothing and warms you up from the inside.  I squeeze about a whole lemon into a mug, add some hot water, and then about 2- 3 tablespoons of raw honey (or whatever you have around you kitchen).  stir it up and sip under some warm covers.  I make this for my 6 year old, Austin, and it works like a dream!  Remember that you should NEVER give honey to infants under the age of 1.

Honey
Honey is a natural antibiotic that helps get rid of bacteria causing the irritation. It also helps absorb water and  sooth a dry cough by attracting more water into the tissues. Honey is power packed with vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, amino acids, glucose, etc. These vitamins and minerals, which help in tissue regeneration and stimulation of blood capillary growth. Honey is also a powerful anti-oxidant that helps in removal of free radicals within the body.
 

Lemon
Lemon is very high in vitamin C.  Vitamin C  is very important and helps the immune system fight off an infection. Vitamin C is also an anti-oxidant that helps get rid of free radicals.
 

Cough Remedy: Honey and Lemon Juice "cough syrup"
If you are having trouble sleeping due to continuous coughing, especially at night, then try this remedy. You need to warm 1 cup of honey and add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to it. Blend the mixture thoroughly and add about 1/4 cup of warm water to it. Keep stirring till the mixture is smooth. Before you go to bed, you should take about 1 to 2 tablespoons of this concoction. This will help suppress your cough and help you get a restful sleep at night. Refrigerate the leftover concoction to be used later. radicals. Lemon also has antibacterial properties that helps get rid of cough.

 
Cough Remedy: Garlic, Honey and Lemon Juice
Suffering from a bad case of flu? Then, here is a remedy for treating this common winter ailment. Take a lemon and cut it into half. Now, squeeze out its juice in a bowl and to it add finely grated 2 to 3 cloves of garlic. Garlic is very useful in breaking down phlegm and clearing it off from the chest and throat. To the lemon juice and garlic mixture add honey. You need to add as much honey as there is lemon juice. Mix well and you can refrigerate the concoction in a glass jar. Drink one tablespoon of the syrup as and when needed

 
Cough Remedy: Ginger, Honey and Lemon Juice
A debilitating cough can be treated by drinking a honey and lemon tea. You need to boil 1 tablespoon of grated ginger root, half a lemon, one clove of minced garlic add to 2 cups of water. Once the mixture boils, remove it off the gas and allow it to steep for about 20 to 25 minutes. Then, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey and drink the tea. You will find instant relief from coughing after drinking this tea.

This dish is so fresh and bursting with flavor.  The quinoa is sprouted and mixed with cucumber, green onion, red bell pepper, fresh parsley and mint, and served with a light lemon dressing.  It is very important to use fresh herbs in this recipe.  

Quinoa (pronounced (Keenwah)) is very high in protein.  Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair.  You can buy quinoa at your local health store, or Whole Foods, in the bulk section.

This is a "living Foods" recipe.  The best food you can put into your body for vibrant health and healing are living foods.   Don't let the "sprouted" word scare you from making this, I will explain below how to sprout quinoa and it's not hard at all.  In fact I did it for the first time last night:-)   The benefit of sprouting is that this begins the germination process in the dormant nut or seed. 

"Sprouts are very nutritious because they contain all elements a plant needs for life and growth. The endosperm of the seed is the storehouse of carbohydrates, protein, and oil. When the seed germinates, these become predigested amino acids and natural sugars upon which the plant embryo feeds as it grows to maturity. When used as food, the life force is released and supplies the energy which is capable of generating healthy cells in the body and supplying us with new vigor and life".

Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh

• 1 cup recipe Sprouted Quinao (instructions below)
•  1 cup diced cucumber
• 4 green onions sliced
• 1 cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper (about one large red pepper)
• 1 cup chopped Fresh parsley
•  1/2 cup chopped Fresh mint

Dressing

• Teaspoons fresh lemon juice ( I just realized I used 4 tablespoons but it tasted good so if you like lemon do that)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Place all the tabbouleh ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix well.  To make the dressing,  whisk together all the dressing ingredients.  Set aside.  pour the dressing into the tabouleh and mix.  keeps 1-2 days in the fridge.

How To Sprout Quinoa:

• you will need 1 cup of quinoa

First wash the quinoa by immersing in a large bowl of water and rinsing several times until the water is clear. 

Next, soak in a large bowl covering the quinoa with water, for about 4 hours.

Drain the soaked quinoa in a sieve and rinse well.  Set the sieve on top of a bowl to catch the draining water, and cover it with a plate.

Set aside for 4-6 hours, just long enough for "tails" to grow to 1/8-1/4 inch.  You did it!   you sprouted quinoa!  Sprouts are SUPER FOODS!!! 

Eating a raw vegan diet these past 10 days has been an overall amazing experience for me.  I would even go as far as to say life changing in some ways.  Making the food can be a little time consuming, but if you plan ahead you can make most of the food for the week ahead of time.  The one thing I recommend if you are going to go 100% raw is to plan out your food for the week.   

This journey to better health that I'm on has taken me down different paths.  I am filled with gratitude for a little raw food cafe that opened up near my home and a women I met at my local park a few years ago ( a raw foodist) for introducing me to this amazing way of eating.  It just makes sense to me.  When you cook your food it's dead.  When you eat it in the state it was provided by nature it's full of LIFE.  So when you eat foods that are full of life, you are full of life.

If you are not ready to eat a 100% diet that's ok!  Just increase the amounts of fresh raw foods you are eating!  Maybe try adding green smoothies to your diet. 

I just want to touch on the most LOVING part of eating a raw vegan diet.  It feels so peaceful to know I didn't hurt any living thing when eating this way.  I think most of us are so detached to where our food comes from.  We go to the grocery store and the meat is packaged up all nice and neat for us.  I am not telling you not to ever eat meat again.  I am just asking that you STOP and THINK about where that meat came from.  I love this quote from Paul McCartney, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian".  We teach our children to love and respect each other, what about teaching them to love and respect all God's creatures?  This is something I am doing a lot of soul searching on.  I know if my sweet 6 year old son Austin who loves animals knew that he was eating a cow, or a pig he would be very upset.  Most of us turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering of the animals that we consume.  Its easier to hold our hands over our ears and look away.  Don't look away.  Animals have feelings.  Don't your  pets have feelings?  Do you eat them?  Did you know that pigs are much more intelligent than dogs?  When you eat animals that have been slaughtered in horrific ways you are also eating the fear and the upset that the animal experienced before being killed.  It's just not good energy for  your body.  There is so much beautiful peaceful food out there in God's garden for us to eat that provides all our nutritional needs.  Contrary to what the dairy and meat industries want us to believe.  You don't need to eat meat for nutritional purposes.

For breakfast I started my day out with a delicious green smoothie made in my high speed blender

•  Kale
• Romaine
• spinach
• 1 pear
• 1/2 orange
• 1 banana
• grapes
• 2 cups of water

For lunch I had Mexican balls with a Jalapeno-lime cream sauce.  Delicious and busting with flavors.  I will post this recipe soon!

I had a scone with chocolate butter, jam and whipped topping. 

I had a salad for dinner with ginger dressing and a sandwich made with sunflower bread, garlic mayo, avocado, and tomatoes.

Everything was raw/vegan

I am like the energizer bunny.  I am now one of those annoying people who are happy, bubbly and full of energy first thing in the morning that you feel like slapping.  I think I finally  realized the difference a raw food diet makes this morning when I dropped my son off at school. 

We got to school extra early because it's the first day of his book fair and he really wanted this book about the Titanic (such an uplifting read) and so we arrived extra early at his media center.  I noticed most teachers and staff looked barely awake as they arrived at school and I just had a lot of gratitude that I felt so fresh, and completely alert, and so full of joy. 

It also reminded me of the days when I used to teach Kindergarten in Gainesville, Fl. and how I would drive thru my local coffee place and get a danish, and then have a caffeine and sugar crash about 2  hours later and barely make it through my day.  I wish I had known about this Raw Food Diet when I was a teacher!  You need a ton of energy for that job!  God Bless all you teachers out there!!

For breakfast I made a green smoothie in my high speed blender.

• couple handfuls romaine lettuce
• a handful of Kale
• 1 tangerine
• 1 banana
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 cups water

I had a big salad for lunch with ginger dressing

For a late afternoon snack I had scones with jam and cream.  My English mother  would never believe that I had a Raw Vegan "cream tea" (without the tea).   If you have ever visited Cornwall England you know all about these.  A "cream tea" is traditionally served with 2 scones, butter, jam, and then clotted cream, and a pot of tea. 

I had zucchini noodles with a peanut sauce for dinner with a salad and another scone, jam and cream for dessert.

I'm feeling full of Energy on Day #8!  I made something today for the very first time.  I made my own nut "milk".  You take a cup of Almonds (soak them over night) and put them in your high speed blender with a pinch of sea salt, 5 cups of water, 1/4 cup agave and if you want to make chocolate nut "milk" you add 3 Tablespoons of raw cacao powder.  It's delicious!! 

For Breakfast I had a Parfait.  It was very filling.  The chocolate pudding is made from an avocado, raw cacao, agave.  The "cream" is made from cashews and other raw ingredients.  

I had an apple with almond butter for a snack 

Lunch was leftover pizza from last night.

And for dinner, I had some Brazil Nuts – Banana Pancakes.