There is no specifically defined diet since humans are all different, have diverse needs, and do different work.

By following standard guidelines, all the necessary vitamins for a healthy life will be automatically provided without the need for additional supplements or strict measurements and combinations of ingredients.

As the following recipes prove, macrobiotic eating does not have to be dull, tasteless or unimaginative. Unfamiliar though some of the ingredients may appear, most can be obtained in local health food stores and some supermarkets.

CREAM OF VEGETABLE SOUP 3 cups fresh mushroom, celery, leeks and cauliflower, sliced thinly 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil few drops tamari soy sauce 5-6 cups water 1 cup rolled oats 1 tsp. sea salt 3 tsp. white miso blended with a little water Sliced chives or watercress for garnish SAUTE m onions, celery and mushrooms several minutes in tamari and sesame oil.

Add water, rest of vegetables and oatmeal. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Season with sea salt, add miso and simmer another 10 minutes.

Garnish and serve.

STUFFED CABBAGE WITH LEFTOVER GRAIN, TEMPEH AND SAUERKRAUT 1 cup tempeh, in small cubes 1 cup leftover brown rice 5 cabbage leaves sesame oil 1 cup onion 1 cup mushrooms 1 cup sauerkraut pinch of sea salt 1 strip kombu, soaked in water 2 tsp. tamari soy sauce CAREFULLY separate cabbage leaves from a head of cabbage so that they are left whole. (Putting whole cabbage in boiling water for a few seconds will help).

Boil separated cabbage leaves in water until tender (about 1 minute) but not soft. Set aside to cool.

Brush pot lightly with sesame oil and heat. Pan fry tempeh cubes (or boil and add later). Add onions, mushrooms and sauerkraut and saute m 5 to 10 minutes.

Add leftover grain and mix in. Remove from flame and let cool.

Place a large spoonful of the mixture in the centre of each cabbage leaf. Fold sides of leaf towards centre and roll into croquette shape, stem end inside.

Fasten with a toothpick.

Place cabbage and kombu in pot and add enough water to half cover the stuffed cabbage. Add a couple of tsp. of tamari to the water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce flame, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serve with mustard gravy (see next recipe).

MUSTARD GRAVY 2 cups water 3 tsp. shoyu sauce (soy, aged 18 months) 4 tsp. organic mustard 2 tbsp. kuzu 2 scallions finely chopped BOIL water and shoyu. Add kuzu which has been blended with a little cold water. Stir continuously while simmering for 2 minutes. Add mustard and mix well. Add scallions and serve hot over stuffed cabbage rolls.

FISH TEMPURA Batter 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 tbsp. arrowroot 1-11 cups water 1 tsp. sea salt MIX dry ingredients and add water gradually. Do not mix too thoroughly or make too thin. If batter sits for a long time it will become too thick.

Cut fish fillets into 11 -inch pieces. Wash fish, pat dry with a towel. Put 2-3 inches of corn oil, canola oil or light sesame oil in a wok or saucepan.

Heat oil until a drop of batter sinks to the bottom and immediately rises to the top (If it doesn't sink your oil is too hot). Lightly dip fish in batter and drop in oil, one piece at a time, until you have 4-5 pieces in the oil.

Deep fry until golden brown, turning each piece to brown evenly. Drain on wire rack on paper towels. Note: Any vegetables can be prepared in the same way.

Serve with ginger sauce and freshly grated daikon radish mixed with a few drops of tamari sauce. (This helps digest the oil).

GINGER SAUCE 1 tsp. grated ginger 2 tbsp. tamari sauce 2 tbsp. water WARM ingredients and serve in small individual bowls.

RICE AND SWEET CORN 1 cup fresh corn 2 cups organic short grain brown rice 3 cups water pinch of sea salt REMOVE corn from cob. Wash rice and place in pressure cooker. Add corn, water, salt. Stir to mix thoroughly. Pressure cook about 45 minutes. Place in a serving dish and enjoy.

More healthy macrobiotic recipes SQUASH AND ONIONS WITH MOCHI 1 cup onions, sliced in thick, half-moon wedges 1 cup squash (butternut), sliced in 1 '' wedges Shoyu (soy sauce, alcohol-free & fermented 18 months) 1 pkge. mochi (sweet rice product), sliced thinly HEAT olive oil in a serving skillet. Saute m onions 3-4 minutes until caramelised. Add a few tbsp. of water, and a drop of shoyu to bring out the sweetness. Add squash on top. Cover and steam 5-10 minutes. Spread mochi on top of squash and steam until mochi melts to form a crusty topping. Serve immediately. Note: If you can't find mochi it's nice without it too.

ARAME, TOFU AND SNOW PEAS 1 cup arame m (11 oz. dry weight), soaked 10 minutes, rinsed, drained and sliced 1 cup snow peas, stems removed and washed 1 cup tofu strips, 2'' long by 1 inch wide, pan fried Dark sesame oil Water Tamari soy sauce PLACE a small amount of dark sesame oil in a skillet and heat. Add arame m, saute m 1-2 minutes. Place tofu on top of the arame m. Do not stir. Add enough water to just cover arame m. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to medium-low and simmer about 20 minutes. Season with a small amount of tamari, cover, and simmer another 5-10 minutes. Add the snow peas and cook 1-2 minutes until bright green but still crispy. Remove cover and cook off any remaining liquid. Mix and serve.

STEAMED GREENS Water 4 cups washed and thinly sliced kale or collard greens 1 cup scallions, thinly sliced PUT a small amount of water in a pot. Put kale/collard greens and scallions in a steamer and steam for a few minutes or until done. Kale should be bright green and slightly crisp.

QUICK PICKLE 2 bunches radishes, washed, stems removed 1 tsp. salt THINLY slice radishes. Add salt and mix together. Press with a saucer and weight. If liquid does not come out either the vegetables aren't fresh enough, there isn't enough salt, or there is not enough pressure. Let sit for 1-2 hours. Rinse only what you're going to eat. Quick pickles will keep for five days.

CARROTS, CARROT TOPS AND SEEDS 1 cup carrot, sliced in match sticks 1 cup carrot tops, very finely chopped Water 1 cup roasted seeds Tamari soy sauce PLACE enough water in a skillet to just barely cover the bottom and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and saute m 2-3 minutes. Add carrot tops and continue to saute m another 2 minutes until carrot tops are done. Add a little water if needed. Place the sesame seeds in a suribachi and grind or blend coarsely in a blender. Add a few drops of tamari and grind into seeds. Mix carrots and carrot tops together with sesame seeds. Place in a serving bowl.

WALDORF SALAD 1 cup organic raisins 1 cup walnuts, chopped 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped 1 cup match stick carrots 1 cup finely chopped celery 1 cup cucumber 1 cup apples SOAK raisins in 1 cup hot water until plumped. Roast walnuts in a dry skillet.

Press cabbage in umeboshi or brown rice vinegar for 1 hour. (Use a heavy plate or bowl to create pressure on top of the bowl of cabbage). Mix everything together with dressing (recipe follows).

Dressing 5 tbsp. tahini 1 cup raisin juice (from soaking raisins) 1 tbsp. ume vinegar 1 tbsp. brown rice vinegar Juice of one lemon 1 tbsp. brown rice syrup WHISK all ingredients except raisin juice. Add raisin juice slowly, just enough to form the right consistency.

SCALLION MISO CONDIMENT 1 cup scallions, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces 2 level tsp. barley miso diluted in a little water 2 tsp. sesame oil HEAT oil in a pan. Add scallions, saute m for 1 to 2 minutes. Add diluted miso and saute m for 2 minutes. Serve in a small bowl. Note: 2 tbsp. roasted crushed sesame seeds can be added with the miso if you like.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE 1 cup organic raisins Pinch of sea salt 4 cups water 2 cups dried apples, soaked for 30 minutes and sliced 1 cup dried pears, apricots or peaches, soaked for 30 minutes and sliced 2 tbsp. kuzu 1 tsp. grated lemon peel PLACE raisins in a pot with a pinch of sea salt. Add water, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add fruit and simmer until both ingredients are soft (about 25 minutes). Dilute kuzu with a little water. Reduce heat to low, add kuzu to cooked fruit. Stir constantly until thick, simmer for 2-3 minutes, then mix in lemon peel. Serve warm or cold with almond cream.

CREAMY LEMON CUSTARD 2 cups organic natural apple juice 2 cups unflavoured amasake 1 cup water 6 tbsp. agar agar 1 cup barley malt syrup 2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract 4 lemons freshly squeezed 2 tbsp. grated lemon peel PLACE apple juice, amasake, water and agar agar in a pot. Bring to a boil on a medium to low flame and simmer for ten minutes or until the agar agar is dissolved. Add barley malt and vanilla, mix gently. Turn off heat and mix in lemon juice. Pour into a dish and leave until set. Put in blender and blend to a smooth cream. Place in individual glasses, garnish with a little grated lemon peel and chill before serving.

ALMOND RASPBERRY CAKE Dry ingredients 11 cups rice flour 11 cups whole wheat pastry flour 11 cups unbleached white flour 21 tbsp. baking powder (non-aluminium) Wet Ingredients 12 oz. soy milk 2 cup corn or canola oil 2 cup pure maple syrup 11 cups apple juice (natural organic) 1 tsp. almond extract 1 jar raspberry all fruit jam Frosting: 1 recipe of almond cream (see below) Garnish: fresh raspberries Toasted almonds, chopped MIX dry and wet ingredients (except for raspberry conserves) separately in 2 large mixing bowls. Then, add wet ingredients to dry, omitting raspberry conserves, and stir until combined -- not too long. Pour ingredients into 2 lightly oiled 8-inch spring form pans. Bake at 350 0 F. checking with a toothpick after 20-25 minutes.

Macrobiotic recipes Let cakes cool and remove from pans. Spread top of bottom layer with conserves, place second layer on top. Frost with almond cream. Garnish with fresh raspberries and chopped toasted almonds. Note: If cake rises too high in the centre, trim top to make it level.

ALMOND CREAM 2 cups blanched almonds 2 cups natural organic apple juice 1 tsp. lemon rind 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract PRE-HEAT oven to 300 0F. Bake almonds on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Warm apple juice, lemon and vanilla in a pot on a low flame. Place almonds and juice mixture in a blender and blend to a smooth cream. (Do half mixture at a time). Can be used to frost a cake or served as a topping for fruit compote.

RICE CRISPY BARS 2 cups crispy brown rice cereal 1 cup barley, malt or rice syrup 1 cup raisins 1 cup roasted peanuts or sesame seeds PLACE barley malt or rice syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to low, simmer 5 minutes or so. Place all other ingredients in a mixing bowl and then pour hot barley malt in with rice cereal, raisins, and nuts so that it evenly coats the mixture with a thin layer of sweetener. Rinse a baking dish with water. Place crispy mixture in the damp dish. With hands slightly wet, pack mixture down firmly and evenly. Place in refrigerator until barley malt hardens. Remove and slice into hardened rice crispy bars.

WAYS TO LEAD A MACROBIOTIC LIFESTYLE Eat only when hungry Drink a moderate volume only when thirsty Avoid eating for three hours before sleeping as this causes stagnation in the intestines and throughout the body For the deepest and most restful sleep, retire before midnight and rise early in the morning Be as active as possible in daily life Try to walk barefoot on the beach, grass or soil whenever possible All daily living materials should be as natural as possible. Cotton for clothing, sheets, towels, blankets and pillowcases; incandescent lighting and natural wooden furnishings; cotton or wool carpets all contribute toward a more natural atmosphere Cook with gas rather than electricity or microwaves Avoid or minimise use of electric objects close to the body, including electric shavers, hair dryers, blankets, heating pads, toothbrushes Use earthenware, cast iron or stainless steel cookware rather than aluminium or Teflon coated pots Watch television at a great distance in order to minimise exposure to radiation Avoid using chemically produced cosmetics and body care products. Use natural toothpaste Develop an appreciation of nature. Every day, try to set aside several minutes to observe and marvel at the wonder and beauty of our natural surroundings.

Appreciate the sun, sky, wind, rain. Regain your sense of wonder at the miracle of life.

Live each day happily. Keep mentally and physically active. Maintain an optimistic and positive attitude Greet everyone you meet with gratitude. Begin with friends and family and extend it to all people