In Japan, small family run shops still make miso, tofu, shoyu, tamari, amazake and other traditional healing foods the same way they were made centuries ago. Perched on ladders, tamari makers gently stir fermenting brew in two-hundred-year-old wood vessels that easily top ten feet. Farmers cultivate shiitake and green tea and harvest sea vegetables according to the ancient, natural ways. These producers use the purest ingredients available, and provide superior foods that promote and sustain health. In "Japanese Foods That Heal," John and Jan Belleme introduce eighteen essential foods from Japan that are still cultivated and prepared using time-honored methods and recipes. These traditionally made foods have been proven to cure and prevent degenerative disease, and to prevent premature aging--a fact the Japanese have known for centuries. By stocking up on these healing Japanese foods, your pantry will become a key element of your healthy lifestyle "Japanese Foods That Heal" includes everything you need to know about these healthy and delicious foods--from nutrition and medical facts to recipes and tips for creating wholesome and flavorful meals. You will come to appreciate how each food was produced in years past, how it can benefit your health and well-being, and how it is made today.

The Bellemes' easy-to-follow recipes show you how to incorporate Japanese foods into your daily diet with a range of East and West cooking styles--from Thai Udon with Snow Peas to Vegan Lasagne and from Soba Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce to Seitan Stroganoff with Tofu Sour Cream. This collection of recipes shows you how rewarding it is to prepare simple, nourishing meals that both promote good health and please the palate. A pronunciation guide and food glossary demystify Japanese foods that at first may seem exotic to Westerners. And a shopping resource offers practical tips for finding all the foods used in the book. Using "Japanese Foods That Heal" as a guide, you will soon learn that the old Japanese saying "Isoku Dogen," or "Food is Medicine," is more than a proverb; it is the key to a healthier, more fulfilling life.