Julie Rake Integrative Medicine

02/23/2026

CILANTRO-LIME PASTA SALAD INGREDIENTS:
* 8 ounces bow-tie pasta, cooked
* 11/2 cups corn, cut off the cob
* 11/2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
* 2 small avocados, diced CILANTRO-LIME DRESSING
* 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
* 1/ 4 cup lime juice
* 1/ 4 cup cilantro
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1/ 2 tsp. salt
* 1/ 4 tsp. cayenne powder
DIRECTIONS:
* Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
* Add all of your salad ingredients to a bowl & toss it with your desired amount of cilantro-lime dressing. Recipe by, "Feedfeed."

02/23/2026

No one’s got time for bad news on a Monday. 🥳
The garage door opens and a class of teenage students present a newly-refurbished car with a big red bow to a single mother. This happens 4-5 times a year at Louisa County High School in Mineral, Virginia. The school’s automotive technology students repair the donated used cars and then give them away to single moms in need.

Around 20 students are working on cars each semester. Teacher Shane Robertson instructs them in all aspects of the work. They gain experience and make a difference in the world.

The program began in partnership with the nonprofit “Giving Words” a local charity that supports single parents by providing complimentary vehicles and car repairs.

One touching story involved a Prius that the students gave to Jessica Rader, a single mom who overcame addiction. She’s now working full-time work, thanks to a reliable car. She said, “Kids who never met me cared enough to put work into a vehicle so me and my kids were safe. I met all of them. It was breathtaking.” ~ Story and photo from “Good News Network.” 🚙 💙

02/23/2026

“We live on a wondrous earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, 🌌 white clouds, green leaves, 🌿 the black, curious eyes of a child- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” 💫 ~ Thich Nhat Hanh. Good morning! Have a Miraculous Monday. 💚 Photo by Carolyn Coffee Photography.

02/22/2026

VEGGIE POT PIE SOUP
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 tbsp. Olive oil.
* 1 onion, diced
* 1 small head broccoli
* 2½ cups frozen vegetable mix (peas, sweetcorn, carrots & green beans). Or use fresh.
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups vegetable stock
* ½ tsp. dried oregano
* Black pepper
* 2 tbsp. butter
* 2 tbsp. plain flour
* 1 cup milk
* 2 bay leaves
* ½ tsp. English mustard
DIRECTIONS:
* Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and broccoli, and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes until the onion is slightly softened. Add the frozen vegetables & garlic, and cook for 10 minutes more, stirring regularly, until all the vegetables are fairly well cooked.
* Add the vegetable stock, oregano, bay leaves, mustard, and a pinch of pepper.
* In a separate pan, make a small batch of white sauce by melting the butter & adding flour. Mix well, and cook a minute or so over low heat. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring until it's smooth each time before adding more.
* When the white sauce is ready, add it to the soup, and mix to combine. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your liking, and the soup has reached your desired consistency. Remove the bay leaves, then you can blend (or partially blend) with a hand blender if you want to. Serve hot. Recipe by, "Easy Cheesy Vegetarian."

02/22/2026

“When her brother was born, Sa-chi Gabriel begged her parents to leave her alone with the baby. They refused, fearing that, as with many four-year-olds, she was jealous and wanted to mistreat him.

But Sa-chi showed no signs of jealousy. And since she was always extremely affectionate towards her little brother, her parents decided to carry out an experiment. They left Sa-chi alone with their newborn baby, but kept the bedroom door ajar so that they could watch what she did. Delighted to have her wish granted, little Sa-chi tiptoed over to the cradle, leaned over the baby and said: “Little brother, tell me what God is like. I’m beginning to forget.” ~ Story by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Life is hard for everyone. None of us can escape the inevitable arrival of collateral damage. For some life deals a deck of difficulties at a young age, for others it’s later. Deep down everyone yearns for comfort and unconditional love. Sometimes we get a glimpse when it graces us in unexpected moments; gazing at the baby, remembering a loved one, or recalling the kindness of a stranger. If you are “beginning to forget” remember: like the sun eclipsed on a cloudy day, we might not be able to see its radiance, but it is still there shining brightly behind the darkened clouds. 🤍🕊️

02/21/2026

Saturday smile…..😊

02/20/2026

AVOCADO GOAT CHEESE TOAST 🥑 🍅🍞
INGREDIENTS:
* 4 slices high quality bread
* 2 ripe avocado
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
* ½ cup dried cranberries
* ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
* ¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
* Toast the Bread to desired crispiness.
* Slice avocados in thin wedges. Season avocados with salt and pepper to taste. Spread avocado slices even on each slice of toasted bread.
* Now top avocado layer with halved cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese.
* Drizzle with olive oil, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

02/20/2026

"May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life." ~ Happy Friday.☀️

02/19/2026

Thursday Smile…. 😊

02/19/2026

“A young man, frantic to get out of the Lock-up Ward, said, “I speak with animals. I am the Eagle spirit. Set me free.” Another, wrongly diagnosed, had seen a giant crystal buried beneath a city’s central fountain. Yet another had been branded as schizophrenic for claiming to have had an alien abduction experience as a child. An Aboriginal man said, “I was told I was ‘bipolar’ because I shook and wept aloud for the tragic fate of my people and the Land.” A sensitive guy said, “I was told I was mentally ill because my behaviour doesn’t conform to social norms. I live alone at the beach and am writing a PhD thesis on the Soul Loss of Western Society.”

The psychiatric ‘Brain Chemistry’ reasoning ran as follows: “Our biologic dogma doesn’t allow for the validity of spiritual emergencies, trauma, or extrasensory sight, therefore you must be mentally ill.” ‘Brain Chemists’ regarded them all with fear, handed more prescriptions across their desks and said, “Hmmm. Take these chemicals 💊 and it will all go away, so that you can return to empty and otherwise normal lives, like ours.” ~ Maureen Roberts, PhD Psychiatry’s Loss of Soul.

When challenges weigh heavy and your mind feels fragile, or you are watching a loved one navigate their storm… remember ~ you are human, woven from the same resilient threads as every soul who’s ever lived. Your struggles don’t diminish your worth; they highlight your humanity. We are all finding our way back towards lighter and brighter days.☀️One human family. 💛

02/18/2026

Like the delicate bluebird, we too are fragile beings adrift on the winds of life. We are often battered by storms ⛈️ that put doubts into us. Yet, in that vulnerability lies our strength: to soar through the grayest skies, and to sing melodies of unbreakable faith when trials test us. The little blue bird reminds us that even the tiniest soul can sing at dawn with its mighty song and defiant light. 💫 Have a Wonderful Wednesday. 💙

02/17/2026