John Ging, Director of Operations at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. UN Photo/Fabrice Arlot

ADDIS ABABBA: A United Nations humanitarian official today praised the Ethiopian Government for its innovative and effective efforts to build resilience and food self-sufficiency amid increasingly challenging climatic conditions.

“Ethiopia has made quite incredible advances in mitigating the impact of drought,” said the Operations Director at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), John Ging, in a news release following a two-day visit to Ethiopia.

“Multi-year investments in safety nets and significant advances in health and nutrition have saved countless lives and protected millions from the famine experienced elsewhere in the Horn of Africa,” he said, adding that “the successful policies pursued by the Ethiopian Government provide an invaluable experience to share, not just elsewhere in the Horn [of Africa], but also across the drought-ridden Sahel.”

The Horn of Africa experienced a food crisis last year that left an estimated 13 million people dependent on humanitarian assistance. Currently there are 15 million people facing food insecurity in Africa’s Sahel region, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.

Ging met with Government officials, humanitarian partners and representatives of the donor community to discuss the impact of the delayed onset of the belg short rains, which normally occur from mid-February to May. He voiced his appreciation of the readiness of donors and aid agencies to provide the resources required to respond quickly to the additional challenge, in partnership with the Government.

On a visit to a therapeutic feeding centre in the town of Boricha in Ethiopia’s Southern Nations Nationalities and People Region, Ging noted that he heard mothers’ concerns about their inability to feed their children and the delayed planting of crops.

“It is heartbreaking to see children so acutely malnourished,” said Ging. “Their immediate suffering, and the long-term damage done to their learning abilities, leaves us all in agreement that more must be done to protect and prevent children from ending up in these centres.”

The humanitarian official commended government officials and aid agencies for expanding targeted and general food distributions, and encouraged them to continue to act quickly and decisively, noting that “prevention is always better than cure.”

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Gobble Green is 100 percent vegan.

LOS ANGELES: It can be difficult for vegetarians and vegans to find meals that are both nutritious and appetizing. However, there is now a service that is transforming the health-food industry by catering to people’s specific diet and workout needs.

Gobble Green (www.gobblegreen.com) is a 100% vegan online marketplace and food delivery service where consumers can purchase individual meals, virtual fitness programs, or complete gourmet diet plans. Gobble Green makes veganism hassle free, encourages green living, and proudly advocates the ethical treatment of animals.

Going vegan can be complicated; it’s hard to find animal-free foods with busy schedules and limited options at grocery stores. Not only does Gobble Green offer quality meals — they also deliver nationwide right to shoppers’ doorsteps! Founders Jennifer Clary and Kevin Haberer developed Gobble Green to provide plant-based meals with mainstream appeal. Products available on Gobble Green’s website include meal plans, dishes ranging from macaroni and “cheese” to succulent “chicken” chili, and packages fulfilling consumers’ every wish; dinner kits, weekend kits, and even a “fussy foodie” kit for finicky eaters.

Gobble Green also offers programs developed specifically for weight loss and weight maintenance: “The Challenge” and “Fit for Life Plan.” These best-sellers, designed by vegan fitness expert Melissa Brey help clients realize safe, long-lasting weight loss. Gobble Green created a unique virtual fitness portal, “The Gym,” developed to help customers track personal progress and reach their weight loss goals.

A client on The Challenge gushed, “I’ve reached my goal of losing 15-20 pounds and feel great!” Gobble Green has a strong social network including an active Facebook community page at www.facebook.com/gobblegreen to help clients take back control of their health.

With Gobble Green, Clary and Haberer have created a revolution. These two also practice what they preach. Clary, an acclaimed director, (www.jenkev.com), had Gobble Green provide catering for her latest film, The Silent Thief.

“Frances Fisher and Kurt Fuller were both pro-veg before the shoot, which was great!” says Clary. “Everyone was amenable to a month of vegan eating — it was a great experience.” Experience Gobble Green for yourself at www.gobblegreen.com and look for the brand in retail stores shortly.

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Is vegan the best way?

Meat-eaters will never stop asking and vegans always get sick of hearing it:

“How do you get your protein?”

The image of a skinny (not to mention gangly and dread-headed) hippie has typically been the poster child of veganism. After all, there’s no way we can be muscular, fit and even bulky as vegans, right?

Wrong.

Vegan athletes like Brendan Brazier, Rich Roll, and Jimi Sitko are changing the negative stereotypes, proving that plant-based protein can not only build strong muscles, but can keep a vegan healthy enough to run, swim, bike, dance or pump iron – no flesh-eating necessary.

So how do you get your protein? Here are 10 vegan sources to try on for size:

1. Veggies: Yep, good old greens will pack a protein punch. One cup of cooked spinach has about 7 grams of protein. The same serving of French beans has about 13 grams. Two cups of cooked kale? 5 grams. One cup of boiled peas? Nine grams. You get the idea.

2. Hemp. No, you don’t have to get high to get your protein. But toss 30 grams of hemp powder in your smoothie and get about 11 grams of protein – just like that.

3. Non-Dairy Milk. Got (soy) milk? A mere 1 cup of soy or almond milk can pack about 7-9 grams of protein. Eat with some fortified cereal and you’ve got a totally vegan-friendly breakfast.

4. Nut Butter. Eat up your peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter. A couple of tablespoons of any one of these will get you 8 grams of protein.

5. Quinoa. I kinda think quinoa is God’s gift to vegans (and gluten-free peeps!), as it’s versatile, delicious and delivers about 9 grams of protein per cup.

6. Tofu. Four ounces of tofu will get you about 9 grams of protein. And at about 2 bucks a pop, it’s a cheap vegan’s BFF.

7. Lentils. With lentils, you can make rice dishes, veggie burgers, casseroles and more. One cup cooked delivers a whopping 18 grams of protein!

8. Beans. They really are the magical fruit. With one cup of pinto, kidney or black beans, you’ll get about 13-15 grams of protein, a full belly and heart-healthy fiber.

9. Tempeh. One cup of tempeh packs about 30 grams of protein! That’s more than 5 eggs or a regular hamburger patty.

10. Sprouted-grain bread. Pack a sandwich with vegan sprouted-grain bread and you’ll get about 10 grams of protein in the bread alone.

** The writer is the author of “Cheap and Simple Vegan Recipes,” a no-nonsense book for vegans who want easy and affordable meals. She blogs at cheapandsimpleveganrecipes.com.

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Kokum fruit

Goa (INDIA): Once a home to a legendary band sinewy and tough-as-nails guerrilla fighters, the ‘Mawles’, who challenged the might of the mighty Moghul empire in India in the 17th -18th centuries, India’s tropical hot-house, the Konkan region in south western India is all set to export “fighters” of another kind.

Kokum, a dark red wild berry like fruit, grown specifically in the Konkan region is now being touted as one of the most vigorous fat-fighters by experts and botanists.

Sour as hell as one of the most standard ingredients in fish curries served along India’s south western coast, Kokum also known as Garcinia Indica, is poised to make it big on the global health scene, where obesity is a major blip.

One consistent celebrator of the kokum fruit, Miguel Braganza, organizer of the Konkan fruit festival (KFF), in Goa told Bikyamasr.com that the humble Kokum is fast gaining reputation as a credible fat fighter.

“The humble Kokum or Bhirand Sol has already made its presence felt after it was found to contain the anti-obesity HCA (Hydroxy Citric Acid) in its rind,” Braganza said, adding that the three day festival which opens at the beautiful Campal promenade Friday (May 11) will have on exhibit and sale several varieties of the sour fruit, among other platter of fruits from the region.

“There is even a book being released on Kokum this Saturday (May 12), in Panaji,” Miguel said.

“The aim of the Konkan Fruit Festival is to promote the preservation of the rich diversity of fruits in the Konkan, both native and naturalized, through their cultivation, processing and marketing as the ‘driver’ for research and improvement,” Miguel said, adding that the civic authority in Goa’s capital, Panaji, the Botanical Society of Goa as well as the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation were the driving forces of the unique initiative.

Apart from being used as a staple food ingredient, the dried rind of Kokum fruit is used as a medicinal and culinary agent. The different parts of the kokum tree such as the bark, rind, pulp, juice, root and seeds have numerous health benefits and are utilized in many Ayurvedic preparations. Kokum has also been long used in Ayurveda to prevent infection, treat sores, cure ear infections, heal stomach ulcers, improve digestion, lessen arthritis pain and alleviate diarrhea & constipation.

Braganza said that the fruit festival was already beginning to bear ‘fruit’, at least on the Kokum front.

“The Konkan Fruit Fest has inspired a man like Shrihari Subrai Naik Kurade of Cuncolim (a village in south Goa 50 kms from here) to plant 2,500 Kokum trees with irrigation facility making it the largest such plantation in the world,” Miguel said.

And if planting trees wasn’t enough, a medical practitioner went one step ahead and did what a lot of liquor savvy Goans would pat him on the back for. Dr John Carmo Rodrigues, invented a technique where Kokum juice could be converted into wine.

“Dr. John Carmo Rodrigues was inspired by events at the KFF to perfect the procedure to make Kokum wine,” Miguel said, adding that exposure by the KFF to two indigenous varieties of mangoes, the Malcurada and the Hilario, are now being researched on by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore.Miguel, a botanist and the president of the Botanical Society of Goa said that fruits grown in the Konkan region had suffered from lack of proper marketing over the years, but claimed that the tide had turned for the better.

“The Jack fruit is going places as fried chips. Seedless Karvandam (Indian Cherry) selections and jumbo Jamun (with diabetes reducing properties) are gaining importance. They may well be to the Konkan what Seabuckthorn is to the Himalayan areas,” he said.

The Konkan Fruit festival, started first in 2002, is one such initiative to brand and market horticultural produce from the Konkan region.

What needs to be done to promote horticulture in the rich, tropical Konkan region? Miguel claims that fruit farmers need infrastructural support to produce and store fruits, which are a seasonal and a perishable product.

“Ripening houses, Carbon dioxide controlled cold storage units or even sorting and grading centres can go a long way in assisting farmers to get good prices for their fruits. Goa has a great market because of tourism,” he said.

Ritual slaughter bans have many Muslims, Jews fighting back together.

It’s not about religion, or at least it shouldn’t be. As British Muslims and Jews deride recent calls for an end to halal slaughter – the slitting of the throat of an animal before being slaughtered – let us look at why ending this practice would be good for the animals, and the globe.

It is easy to attack animal rights activists over their continued use of charged language, but looking closer at the issue of halal slaughter, we can see our world as the progression of compassion that has a root in both Islam and Judaism.

Religious groups are quick to cry foul, saying the new law is an infringement on their religious rights, but animal rights advocates have come out in support of the bill, which they say will reduce unnecessary cruelty in today’s modern world. Those activists are right.

But Muslims and Jews, who make up a substantial minority in the UK, have strongly denied that their methods of ritual slaughter cause the animals any harm or unnecessary pain. They have joined forces in condemning the new legislation, which they claim is politically motivated. A rare coming together of Muslims and Jews.

In Holland, we have seen legislation to end halal slaughter create widespread anger among Islamic groups, and while we should abhor anti-Islamic and anti-Jewish sentiments, the calls for an end to this “kosher” method of killing really isn’t about religion, despite some critics.

Massoud Shadjareh, the chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said that “the Islamophobic atmosphere in the Dutch parliament has provided the sort of environment where ludicrous legislation like this, which has been proposed by a party holding only 2 of the 150 parliamentary seats, has a chance of being passed. People are being persuaded to lend their support to this legislation not out of a genuine commitment to animal welfare, but rather out of their hatred of the Muslim community.”

Michel Courat, farm animal policy officer at Eurogroup for Animals, supported the effort to end halal slaughter in Europe.

“This is a major step forward for animal welfare and we urge all of the 26 other European Union member states to follow the example of the Dutch government,” he said in a statement commenting on the Dutch effort.

“It will be possible for religious groups to get an exemption, but only when they provide indisputable proof that their alternative method will not cause more harm to animal welfare than pre-slaughter stunning.”

Scientists have long debated “halal” and “kosher” slaughter and recent evidence suggests that the “draining of blood from an animal from its neck causes unnecessary suffering and prolongs the death process,” as a European Union study reported in 2008.

The Islamic body for non-stun slaughter in the United Kingdom has lashed out at the Dutch government’s new bill, also claiming the decision was based on political considerations and emotions.

The Association of Non-Stun Abattoirs (ANSA) has expressed dismay at the ban, pointing to scientific evidence suggesting that shechita and halal have been proved to be among the most humane methods of slaughter.

It called into question the belief that stunning animals prior to slaughter decreases suffering and urged all concerned to consider the evidence before jumping to “premature conclusions.”

ANSA spokesperson Mohammed Saleem said: “This is a retrograde step that contravenes Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides all citizens a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.“It is against all concepts of democracy, tolerance and freedom of rights.“It absolutely sends the wrong message about Europe to the rest of the world, and especially the Muslim world. In a time of worldwide upheaval and troubled relations between the West and Muslims, this is a dangerous move that could provoke a backlash.”

At the end of the day, this is about the cruelty inflicted upon animals by people irregardless of their faith. Groups that attempt to hijack what is a bill that will largely end a practice that has no place in modern societies anywhere in the world are attempting to bring religion into a matter that is not about religion. The people who proposed the bill and supported it are right. Think of your neck. Think of any animal you pass on the street and ask yourself: is that an appropriate way to die? Let’s hope the answer is no. Animals have rights and it is time to support them.

Religions should not promote unnecessary cruelty. Religion is about compassion and tolerance. This is why supporting an end to halal slaughter is Islamic and Jewish.

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It is mainly cooked using animal protein, but our tried and tested delicious vegan one is exquisite and more tasty. Maqlouba combines vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices, in addition to carbohydrates such as rice, making it a whole meal in one dish and a very satisfying one at that. It’s good enough to convert animal eaters!

This dish is an upside down one, meaning you layer the ingredients bottom up in the dish, and when it is time to serve, you flip it, so the vegetables are on top and rice on bottom.

Ingredients:

One kilo large eggplant
half kilo zucchini
one kilo to medium to rip tomatoes
half kilo onion
7 big cloves of Garlic
half cup almonds
one cup pine nuts
one cup raisins (any kind available)
2 cups Parsley
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder (according to taste)
vegetable oil
Four cups of vegetable broth or water if the broth is not available.
two and half cups of Basmati rice
salt and pepper

Preparation:

Start by toasting the nuts in a little bit of oil. Set aside. Soak the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes, then peel the skin off.

Dice the onions and mince the garlic. Fry the onions for one minute in oil, until translucence. Add garlic and cook, but don’t let it brown.

Chop the tomatoes and add to the skillet. Stir for 2 minutes and set aside.

Cut the eggplant into medium size squares, then soak in salted water until time to fry. Cut the zucchini into half circles. Fry each vegetable on its own and set aside.

Bring a deep cooking pot and add two large spoons of oil. Add the spices, followed by the the tomato sauce, half the vegetables, a layer of nuts, half the raisins, the rest of the vegetables, the rest of nuts and raisins and the parsley.

Then add the rice, pour in the stock and cover tightly. You can add a clean cloth between the lid and the pot to keep the steam inside.

Cook over low heat for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked. Take off the stove and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to hold its shape.

Now the fun part. With the help of someone else, flip it into a large serving dish, and enjoy.

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Halal slaughter under threat in the UK amid controversy.

British Muslims are battling over animal rights and calls for an end to halal slaughter in the country. It comes on the heels of a push to end the Jewish and Muslim traditional means of slitting an animals throat in order to allow the blood to flow completely out of the animals body.

Professor Bill Reilly, former president of the British Veterinary Association, called for curbing the practice of slaughtering animals without stunning.

“Non-stun slaughter … appears to be increasing. From an animal welfare perspective this cannot be acceptable,” Reilly said.

“However, we are fortunate to live in a tolerant society and respect the religious beliefs of different faiths and must reconcile animal welfare with religious freedom.

“In my view, the current situation is not acceptable and, if we cannot eliminate non-stunning we need to keep it to the minimum,” he added.

“This means restricting the use of Halal and Kosher meat to those communities that require it for their religious beliefs and, where possible, convincing them of the acceptability of the stunned alternatives.”

Reilly’s opinion was published recently in the journal Veterinary Record, On Islam website reported on Saturday.

But Muslims in the country are split over the calls, with the majority claiming it is an attack against Islam. London-based Islamic leader Sheikh Usman Pranjet told Bikyamasr.com in an email that he believes the push to end Islamic halal slaughter is an attempt to force Muslims out.

“It is a blatant excuse to attack Muslims in the name of animal rights, because we know that this is the most humane way of slaughter,” he argued. “And this is what Islam tells Muslims to do.”

However, others, including Muslim animal welfare activist Sanjeev Mohamed, argued that in today’s modern world, there is no need to maintain “archaic methods” that do unwanted harm and cause suffering.

“We live in a time when technology and advancements has made animal welfare an important issue, and we Muslims need to reexamine the way we treat animals,” Mohamed said.

He argued that during the Prophet’s time, “meat was not consumed in multiple meals daily, not even everyday, so this is getting away from Islam anyway, so we need to get back to the basics of animals and Islam and the way of killing is simply wrong.”

British ministers have sought to change a law to ensure that meat slaughtered using Islamic (halal) methods cannot be sold without proper labeling.

The Daily Mail reported in April that “unwitting members of the public” in Britain are being served halal meat “secretly” in schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues, claiming that many in Britain, including animal rights campaigners, deem the traditional Islamic way of preparing meat as “cruel.”

Halal meat now accounts for 25 percent of the entire UK meat market, according to Reilly. But his figures have been challenged by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which put the number of slaughtered halal animals at much smaller percentage.

“The results indicate that the number of animals not stunned prior to slaughter is relatively low, accounting for 3 percent of cattle, 10 percent of sheep and goats, and 4 percent of poultry,” an FSA spokesman told BBC.

Meanwhile, the UK government is now drawing up plans to prevent the supply of halal meat to people who are not aware about the method their meat has been slaughtered in, the Daily Mail reported.

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Raw beef haunches.

NEW DELHI: Nearly 100 professors and scholars have protested have protested against the administration’s action of booking cases in connection with a “beef festival” organized by Dalit and Muslim students on the campus of the Osmania University over a fortnight ago.

Three professors – Dr P L Vishewaswara Rao, Dr Kancha Ilaiah and Dr Ansari – besides others were slapped cases for endorsing the festival. Several professors issued a joint statement expressing shock and condemning the action.

According to them, the beef festival which was held mid-April was a symbolic gesture at asserting the traditions and food habits of Dalit (the downtrodden peoples of India) and backward students.

They said, students cannot be forced on campus into eating something or abstaining from eating something they want to eat.

In a statement jointly signed by them, they have appealed to all democratic and secular forces to support them.

The festival was initially opposed by a Hindu right wing student organization, Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarti Parishad, but the organizers comprising several student organizations opposed to “food fascism” on campus, went ahead with it.

Over 200 students and professors ate various dishes made of beef at the festival, which was followed for a few days by violent clashes between the two groups.

Five students were injured and the violence which spread beyond the campuses and onto the streets of Hyderabad city also saw several public transport buses burnt.

The main motive of the festival, according to the organizers was to highlight their demand for inclusion of beef in the menu of hostels at the University.

Farmers’ have cried foul over what they have called utter negligence of the government for allowing their hard earned labor to the tune and more than 20 million kilos of wheat to rot in the rains.

The farmers have even filed a complaint against the Harayana State Wheat Corporation, (HSWC) about the negligence.

“The grains are in surplus unlike previous years. But we are doing our best to provide adequate storage to the wheat exposed to sun and rain. Hopefully, the matter would be solved by today,” said deputy commissioner PC Meena.

However, the HSWC said it had no option.

“It was told in advance to mandi (market) operators not to dump the surplus wheat grains as the department does not have enough capacity to purchase or store the wheat grains,” said HSWC official Sandeep Sharma, adding that he is ‘forced’ to purchase the surplus grains.

They have requested that an FIR be lodged against HSWC for negligence by not purchasing the wheat, resulting in farmers being forced to either take their grains back or sell them at abysmally low rates.

The grain was lying in the open for the last seven days.

“The rain led to rotting of wheat. It’s a loss that has been incurred at government’s premise,” rued Vikram Singh, a farmer.

The North Indian states of Punjab and Harayana are known as the granaries of India, as most of the grain the country produces comes from the fields of these two states. They have high density of irrigation and are updated in the latest grain producing technologies.

India was ranked 66th on the 2008 Global Hunger Index according to a report released by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). According to the official data, India has highest number of undernourished citizens.

Hundreds of thousands of tons of food grain is stocked in open storage areas like these exposed to rain and sun, resulting in damage to the grain in a country where millions go to bed hungry.

Tea is a way of life in India.

NEW DELHI: Chai, take a bow!

Tea, the brew India wakes up to in more ways than one can imagine will be declared the national drink of India by next year.

Deputy chairman of India’s planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that not only was India the largest producer and consumer of black tea in the world, the tea production sector was also the largest employer in the organizer sector, where over 50 percent of the workforce comprised of women.

“The drink would be accorded national drink status by April 17 next year to coincide with the 212th anniversary celebration of the first Indian tea planter Maniram Devan,” Ahluwalia said.

Maniram, formerly a British soldier, was a part of a mutiny against the Raj and was to later the first person from India’s tea ‘kettle-state’ of Assam to start a tea garden.

Millions of Indians across the country wakeup everyday to tea, whether it is a milky, rich, mild, black, creamy variety .The country exported 187 million tons of tea this year. Ironically, one of India’s major export clients is Pakistan at 24 million tons. Both governments plan to scale up the exports to nearly double by 2015.

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India is improving its Healthcare services

MUMBAI: In a bid to ensure good health of the staff at government-run hospitals, especially for Tuberculosis units, the Municipal Corporation at India’s commercial capital Mumbai has put its employees on a paid-for strict, high protein diet.

Staff at the Sewree Tuberculosis Hospital run by Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will now get to feast on an egg, banana, pulses and milk, all in a bid to ensure that they do not contract the deadly disease themselves.

“TB is an infectious disease which affects people when their immunity is low. Although the staff gets a diet allowance, not many actually eat a high-protein diet,” said Manisha Mhaiskar, additional civic commissioner at the BMC, adding that a high-protein diet is meant to boost their immunity and prevent contraction of TB.

It should be mentioned that the change in policy is not without reason. That is because over the past five years, around 30 staffers at the hospital succumbed to TB and nearly double that 60 have contracted it, but fortunately survived.

The worse is that 11 of those who survived were detected with the deadly multi-drug resistant TB, which requires prolonged high dosage medication. They are currently undergoing Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS), in addition to the treatment.

The diet has been imposed on all from top to bottom, from ward boys to doctors a list of around 1,000 staff members.

However, the hospital authorities are not acting spontaneously. The decision comes after the staff persisted in their demand for better facilities, back in January.

The workers have none the less welcomed the decision.

“This is a good initiative,” said Pradip Narkar, secretary of the Municipal Mazdoor Union.

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Cows are sacred to the Hindu religion

NEW DELHI: Five students were injured, one serious with knife wounds, over a controversial beef festival organized by students of the Osmania University, located in the central Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The organizers of the beef festival, mainly left wing students unions, were demanding beef as a part of their canteen menu, which has been opposed by Hindu right wing oriented students unions, who claimed that the cow is sacred to Hindu religion and culture.

The violence in Osmania University later spread to the city, where a bus belonging to a state run government corporation was torched by the agitating students.

It should be noted that these clashes erupted on Sunday night, after more than 200 students and teachers attended the festival and ate beef delicacies, to underline their demand for including beef, a cheaper meat in India as compared to chicken, mutton, etc, in the university hostel canteen menu as an affordable source of nutrition.

“Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists (right wing students’ party) were protesting at the festival venue but later clashed with the organizers and both parties started attacking each other with sticks and pelting stones,” a police official said, adding that tear gas shells had to be fired to disperse the crowd and bring order.

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Dilip Mavlankar

NEW DELHI: Junk food, along with tobacco and alcohol should be heavily taxed and the taxed revenue should be used to develop public health, a top Indian management expert claimed.

Dilip Mavlankar, a director at the Indian Institute of Public Health in Gujarat also said that such a fund should be insulated from the “vagaries of parliament”.

“Taxes should also be levied on any food item that has more than 10% sugar or fat and has high salt content and accrued to the fund for public health,” Malvankar said.

“Focus on health issues changes with the changing political priorities year after year. So such a fund should be insulated from political vagaries through the acts of the parliament,” he added.

Malvankar’s comments should be seen in context with a report submitted to India’s National Planning Commission, in which a high level experts group set up by the health ministry has suggested that India’s national spend on public health should be increased from 1.1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 3 percent.

Mavlankar also underlined the need to lure young doctors graduating from India’s medical colleges to India’s rural health centers to improve the health facilities.

“If all MBBS graduates are attracted to PHCs through proper incentives and better living conditions, we can put three medical officers (MOs) per PHC in next two years,” he said.

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Indian Food

NEW DELHI: More than 50 students took ill after eating a government supplied meal, which was later found to contain remains of a dead lizard in Howrah in West-Bengal in eastern India.

The students who ate the meal supplied at the Integrated Child Development Centre (ICDC) were rushed to a rural primary health centre, where they are undergoing treatment.

A lizard accidentally and unknowingly got cooked in the porridge that was later served to the children as a mid-day meal, which has been made mandatory by the government in order to ensure proper nourishment to children as well as attract the economically weaker sections of society towards education. However, suspicions were raised only after 70 children simultaneously started vomiting and feeling faint.

The government has rushed a special medical team to the area to look after the health of the children and conduct and inquiry on the situation. Doctors said that at least 4 of the 50 students are serious, while the rest have already begun to recover.

“I have information that a dead lizard is found in the porridge and and an inquiry has been ordered.Strict action will be taken against those responsible for the negligence,” Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Mithu Acharya said under whose auspices the ICDS project runs.

Cases of lizards being found in mid-day meals is a pan India problem for meals served under government schemes. The government usually outsources the cooking of the meals to non-governmental organizations, which are lax when it comes to hygiene.

Cases have also been reported in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa along the West Coast of India resulting in the hospitalization of several students and several more government initiated inquiries.

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PETA India is on a campaign to get health warnings on non-vegetarian food products.

NEW DELHI: The India unit of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has asked the Government of India make it mandatory that meat, poultry and other non-vegetarian products have warning signs on the lines of those displayed on cigarette packs warning against the health dangers of non-vegetarian foods.

PETA India staff nutritionist Bhuvaneshwari Guptahas signed a letter sent to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, calling for stark messages and graphics including samples of such graphics.

“Meat, egg and dairy diets are linked to needless yearly deaths. A mountain of studies links the consumption of animal products to India’s leading killers, including heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, stroke and obesity,” Gupta claimed.

The warning slogans carried alongside the graphics: “Eating meat can cause heart disease, strokes, diabetes and cancer (with the picture of a man clutching his chest in pain),“Meat consumption may cause premature death,” (picture showing a hospitalized patient), Drinking cow’s milk may cause juvenile diabetes (a girl with diabetic), and Egg consumption can cause heart disease (picture of an exposed heart).

“The World Health Day would be the perfect time for the ministry of health and family welfare to encourage citizens to go vegan to live longer and healthier lives,” Gupta said.

However, the central government, which runs the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC) to promote the consumption of eggs for healthier India, is unlikely to look sympathetically towards the demands of the PETA. The NECC has even termed the egg as one of the most balanced foods that is cheaply available for consumption for India’s poor.

BM

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
5 carrots, cut in chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 large head cabbage, cut into 1″ pieces
2 potatoes, chopped into 1″ cubes
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon cumin
1/2-1 teaspoon turmeric

Preparation:

I used a pressure cooker, but it can be made on the stove with a dutch oven, too. Saute onion and carrot in the oil for 10 minutes. Add the other ingredients and cover. Stir occasionally. When all veggies are soft, it is done.

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Zucchini cakes to fool the meat eaters.

So you have those pesky meat-eating friends and you just can’t get around their always demanding meat dishes. Well, try this one and see if they are complaining. This is for the vegan who wants the “crab” cake hold the crab experience. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups zucchini (about 1 medium), grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg replacer (Ener-G)
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise or yogurt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:

Place grated zucchini in a colander with salt, and let stand 30 minutes. I found a salad shooter to be very helpful with grating.

Gently press with paper towels to absorb as much moisture as you can. It should be fairly dry and should measure about 2 cups now.

Place remaining ingredients (except oil) with zucchini in a bowl, and mix well. Form into 8 patties, and chill for about 15 minutes or so.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add patties to hot skillet and cook on both sides until browned. Drain excess grease on paper towels

BM

Vegan microwave brownies.

Who doesn’t like easy-to-make brownies full of oozing chocolate greatness? If you don’t, then this recipe is not for you. It’s a tasty brownie recipe for the cruelty-free among us. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour (I use white whole wheat)
1/4 cup sugar (brown is yummy)
pinch finely ground salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 tablespoons cocoa, to taste
2 tablespoons liquid (water or nondairy milk)
1 tablespoon vegan margarine, melted
1 tablespoon toasted nuts, chopped, optional
1 tablespoon vegan chocolate chips/chunks, optional

Preparation:

Combine the dry ingredients in a cereal bowl with a spoon, making sure to break up any brown sugar lumps (if using brown sugar) and cocoa chunks.

Stir in the liquid ingredients, leaving a few chunks in the batter, but scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so it is mostly smooth. Stir in any nuts/chocolate bits that you might like in your brownies.

Scrape the sides of the bowl with the back of your spoon and flatten out the top of your brownie.  Pop it in the microwave, and set it for two to three minutes.  Do not walk away!

Not only is watching the brownie cook nifty and fun, you know it’s done when it looks dry in the middle and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.  If you walk away, you risk burning your chocolaty delight!

BM

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon margarine, 2 tablespoon flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup soy milk
1-1/2 cups toasted bread crumbs
Ener-G Egg Replacer for 2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped olives

Preparation:

Blend margarine, flour and salt over low heat.  Stir in milk and cook until thickened; simmer about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; add remaining ingredients; mix well; chill.  Form into patties, roll in flour or cracker crumbs, and saute or bake until brown.

BM

An amazing vegan Reuben sandwich.

We vegans can stuff our face with delights just as well as the next person. This vegan California Reuben sandwich is to die for. It’s just so good. Make two, you might just need it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups pre-packaged shredded coleslaw
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vegan sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon celery salt
pepper, to taste
8 slices sourdough bread
1 recipe Russian dressing, divided
(use http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=36496.0)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8-10 slices vegan muenster cheese, divided
8-10 slices vegan turkey deli slices, divided
(use http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=41999.0)
olive oil, as needed

Preparation:

To make coleslaw, combine the cabbage mix, mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, white vinegar, dried mustard, celery salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Toast one side of the bread for each sandwich in skillet and then flip. Add 2-3 slices cheese and cover with lid to melt.

Fry vegan turkey slightly in olive oil. To build, spread the Russian dressing on 1 slice toasted bread and top with coleslaw.

Add fried turkey slices and the other piece of toasted bread with cheese. Cut in 1/2. Repeat for all sandwiches.

BM