The Italian American Cultural Society of New Jersey invites members of the public to its June dinner meeting on June 8 at 7 p.m. at Frankie Feds, 831 Route 33, Freehold Township. The restaurant is BYOB. The cost is $35 per person for members and $45 for non-members. Cash is preferred, no credit cards. To reserve seating, call Anthony Grassi at 917-743-3311 or Richard Favara at 732-861-9465.

DeBows United Methodist Church, corner of Route 571 and Route 537, Jackson, will host its annual flea market and bake sale on June 3 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend. There will be a food concession with breakfast and lunch items. Interested vendors may call Sue at 732-928-0352 to reserve table space ($10). Details: debowsumc.org

A meeting of the Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will be held on June 13 at the Spring Lake Manor, Spring Lake, at 11 a.m. Monmouth County Surrogate Rosemarie Peters will discuss wills and the Surrogates Office. The associations annual philanthropic award will be presented. Members are asked to bring a non-perishable donation for the food bank and school supplies for Bridges at the Shore. For luncheon reservations, contact Sue at 732 995-7754. New members are always welcome.

The Monmouth County Retired Educators Association will sponsor a member and family picnic at Oak Tree Lodge, Wall Township, on June 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be food, entertainment, games and activities. The cost is $5 for members; non-member guests, $35. Children under 5 are free. Guests age 5 to 11 are $15 per person. Details: Sue, 732 995-7754.

On June 5 at 6 p.m., the Jackson Library will host Martin Mosho as he discusses Unsung Heroines The Role of Women in the American Civil War. Mosho will discuss womens roles as volunteers, nurses, spies and combatants. The program is for adults and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400 and press option 4.

The Jackson Rotary Club will sponsor a bus trip to the Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City, on June 11. Cost of the trip is $34 which includes bus transportation, sandwich, chips and beverage on the bus, $25 back in slot play from the casino and gratuity for the driver. Bus leaves at noon and returns at 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit local organizations. For reservations, call Tom Barchie, 732-207-4029 or 732-849-6309.

The Jim Hall Memorial Homeless Vets Motorcycle Run and BBQ/Picnic will be held at noon June 24 at Jackson Elks Lodge No. 2744, 1059 East Veterans Highway, Jackson. Tickets are $25. Registration for the ride starts at 9 a.m. and the ride kicks off at 10 a.m. Food, beverages, entertainment by the Mangos and vendors. Proceeds of the day benefit homeless veterans. Details: joelamo90@gmail.com

The Monmouth County Park System is seeking vendors for its Eco-Elephant Family Flea Market to be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 17 at the Dorbrook Recreation Area, Route 537, Colts Neck. Individuals, businesses, nonprofits and crafters are welcome. Vendors must provide their own table and merchandise. Cost: $30 per space. Reserve a space at http://www.MonmouthCountyParks.com. Details: Al Weaver, 732-542-1642, ext. 31.

A program on the Art of Meditation for Beginners will be held at the Jackson Library from 10-11:30 a.m. June 6. The program is for adults. Participants will learn about different techniques of meditation that may work best for them. Program led by Shazia Zaman. Wear comfortable clothes. No experience required. The program is free and walk-ins are welcome. Details: 732-928-4400.

The film Under One Sky: Arab Women in North America Talk About the Hijab will be shown at the Jackson Library at 7 p.m. June 12. The film is for adults. Arab women living in North America explain the ideologies behind the hijab (veil). Followed by Q&A with Mariam Jalabi, director, Syrian National Coalition, United Nations. The program is free and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400.

The Jackson Library will host the seventh annual Verity Academy Piano Recital from 2-4 p.m. June 17. Classical music will be performed by students of the Verity Academy. All ages welcome. Registration required. To register, call 732-928-4400 and press option 4.

The Jackson Library will host a Red Cross blood drive from 2-7 p.m. July 31. Anyone who is at least 17 years old, weighs a minimum of 110 pounds and is in generally good health can donate blood. All blood types are needed. Donors should bring a photo ID. Visit http://www.redcross.org to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome.

Look for turtles, egrets, herons, ospreys and other wildlife during a boat tour of the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. Each 45-minute tour leaves from the Visitor Center, Windeler Road, Howell. Tours are offered at the top of the hour from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, May 6 through Sept. 4. Wednesday tours are offered at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. from July 5 through Aug. 30. Evening tours are offered on the first Friday of each month May through September; call 732-751-9453 as times vary for the evening tours. All tours are weather and water level dependent. The fee is $6 per adult and $4 per child age 12 and under.

A coloring for adults program will be held at the Jackson Library from 10-11:30 a.m. June 20. Rediscover the joys of coloring. Coloring sheets and art supplies provided along with light refreshment and relaxing music. Adults 18 and over. Seating limited. Registration required. Registration is open now. Details: 732-928-4400.

Adults 18 and over can create their own rainbow clay necklace at 2 p.m. June 22 at the Jackson Library. Supplies provided. Seating is limited. Registration required. Registration opens June 9. Details: 732-928-4400.

The Jackson Library will host an Adventure in Art workshop from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 10. The workshop includes hands-on instruction by artist Nancy Bonta Voitko. Adults 18 and over. Seating limited. Registration required. Registration opens May 8. Details: 732-928-4400.

The Upper Freehold-Allentown Municipal Alliance will host Bike Night 2017 on June 7. All makes and models of bikes are welcome. American and metric bikes will be present. A car show will be held on June 28. All makes and models of cars are welcome. Both events will be held from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Roost at the Cream Ridge Golf Course, 181 Route 539, Upper Freehold Township. Door prizes, judging, awards, music, food and beverages. Vendor opportunities are available. There is no entry fee, but donations for the alliance are accepted. Details:609-758-7738, ext. 230.

The Jackson Librarys knitting group, Knit-Chat-Chain, is seeking donations of yarn and wool. The members of the group create sweaters, hats, scarves and blankets to donate to charity. Yarn donations may be brought to the Circulation Desk during library hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 732-928-4400.

New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.

St. Aloysius Church, 935 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson, offers support groups to help people better understand their feelings and to meet others who are dealing with the same life issues. A bereavement support group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. and a divorced and separated support group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Both meetings are held in the parish office. A freewill donation of $5 is requested. Details: Email St AloysiusGonzagaGroup@gmail.com.

Items for the Datebook may be sent to gmntnews@newspapermediagroup.com. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.

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Tri-Town News Datebook, May 24 - centraljersey.com

Top Livingston County Area News Get the Latest on 93.5 FM

A crowdfunding project has been launched to help turn one Howell alley into a relaxing and beautiful destination.

The Downtown Development Authority, in collaboration with the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Howell, and local leaders are asking the community for $12,000 that, if met, will be matched by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation for improvements to Peanut Row Alley. The Peanut Row alleyway is located downtown behind the Dairy Queen and Uptown Coffeehouse.

DDA Director Cathleen Edgerly said they are hoping to turn the alley into more of a place that people will walk to, rather than just walk through. Some of the plans include placing comfortable, unique furniture in the alley as a place for people to relax, sip on coffee, or enjoy music like that which is played during their Rock the Block event. Other plans for the alley include a human sized chessboard, and interactive chalkboard, vibrant flowerbeds, and new overhead lighting. Art will also be hung on the alley walls.

Edgerly said they have worked with experts and have spent the past year collecting these ideas and suggestions from residents and business owners. They have until June 30th to meet the goal if they want the funds matched by the MEDCs Public Spaces Community Places program. There are ten tiers of donating to choose from with incentives at each level. More information can be found through the link. (MK)

Back to WHMI Home Page

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Crowdfunding Project To Help Downtown Howell Alley Improvements - WHMI

NEW YORK,May 22, 2017/PRNewswire/ --

Highlights

The global organic food & beverage market is expected to reachUSD 320.5 billionby 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.

Growing popularity of non-GMO products among consumers, owing to the health benefits associated with their consumption, is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.

Fruits and vegetables dominated the global organic food market accounted for over 37% of revenue share in 2015. Furthermore, increasing consumption of meat and poultry products resulted in the fastest growth of the segment and is expected to grow substantially at a CAGR of 13% over the forecast period.

Non-dairy beverages such as rice, soymilk, and oat beverages accounted for over 33% of the total share of organic beverages market in 2015. However, beer and wine is projected to grow substantially at a CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period owing to increasing global economic conditions and high consumption of a broad range of flavored beverages.

Further key findings from the report suggest: The global organic food market was valued atUSD 77.4 billionin 2015 and is expected to witness highest growth inAsia Pacificfrom 2016 to 2025

Fruits & vegetables emerged as the largest organic food product segment in 2015 and is estimated to generate revenue overUSD 110 billionby 2025

Frozen & processed food demand was overUSD 11 billionin 2015 and is anticipated to witness significant growth over the next few years

Beverage market is estimated to exceedUSD 55 billionby 2025, and anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 13.1% over the next nine years

Coffee & tea is expected to emerge as the fastest growing sector with a CAGR of more than 15% from 2016 to 2025

The U.S. is the largest market inNorth Americaand was valued over 40 billion in 2015, owing to the growing consumer resistance for genetically modified and chemically grown crops in the region

The industry inAsia Pacificis projected to witness fastest growth over the forecast period and account for over 12% of global revenue by 2025.Asia Pacificis projected to witness highest growth on account of growing agriculture sector in the region coupled with robust domestic demand has led to significant demand for the product.

Read the full report:http://www.reportlinker.com/p04899231/Organic-Foods-And-Beverages-Market-Analysis-By-Product-Fruits-Vegetables-Meat-Fish-Poultry-Dairy-Products-Frozen-Processed-Food-Organic-Beverages-Non-Dairy-Coffee-Tea-Beer-Wine-And-Segment-Forecasts.html

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Organic Foods And Beverages Market Is Expected To Reach 320.5 Billion USD By 2025 - VendingMarketWatch

Begin Slideshow 5

Photo: Bob Luckey Jr. / Hearst Connecticut Media

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman practices yoga at her business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Ashley Mossberg of Kaia Yoga speaks about yoga training at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Ashley Mossberg of Kaia Yoga speaks about yoga training at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman speaks about meditation at her yoga business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga owner Gina Norman speaks about meditation at her yoga business in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Yoga training program information can be seen on the wall at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Yoga training program information can be seen on the wall at Kaia Yoga in Old Greenwich, Conn., Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Kaia Yoga expands meditation course offerings

Local studio Kaia Yoga will soon host new meditation teaching classes in response to a booming demand nationally for meditation and mindfulness training. The industry passed the $1 billion revenue mark in 2015, according to industry research group IBISWorld, with much of that coming from the corporate sector.

More than 20 percent of companies had adopted mindfulness training programs as of a 2016 study by the National Business Group on Health and Fidelity Investments. An additional 21 percent planned to introduce programs this year, the study found.

Kaia Yoga, which has two locations in Greenwich as well as in Darien and Westport, has witnessed increasing demand from businesses and local schools asking them to lead wellness days and people wanting to learn how to teach the practices, said Kaia co-owner Gina Norman.

Since Norman and her husband, fellow yoga instructor Stan Woodman, opened their first yoga studio in Greenwich in 2006, their brand has grown to four locations employing roughly 70 instructors. Lately, theyre focused on increasing their educational elements as they need more teachers and people look to learn the details of meditation.

Meditations popularity has grown dramatically in the last few years, Norman said. People are finally seeped in yoga enough that theyre looking for the next step, she said. And, theres science behind it now. There are lots of studies showing how it changes the brain.

In response to the trend, Kaia Yoga plans to introduce a new meditation teaching program that builds on other classes it has long hosted and will begin the first weekend in July. Kaias new yoga 100 hour meditation program begins by introducing students to the basics and developing their own practice, which includes studying mindfulness as a component. Its geared toward yoga students and teachers as well as other professionals who can use it in their work such as social workers, teachers and therapists, Norman said.

The full program takes place over four intense weekends spread out over several months that include full 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. days over a Friday and Saturday and costs $1,700. The program also includes required reading, some papers and weekly study groups. With most peoples schedules, it typically takes six to seven months to complete, Norman said.

To earn the resulting mediation teaching certification, students are then required to complete a written and oral exam. The 100-hours program also includes a second track, where students can choose to focus on Buddhist studies instead of meditation instructing.

The interest has been growing a lot in meditation, so weve been working on developing our education pieces to expand and strengthen peoples knowledge. ...We want to build a community, Norman said.

There are many types of meditation, she added, and the one being taught through the upcoming courses she calls the brushing teeth meditation, because it keeps you in a healthy place. We teach pure mindfulness meditation, which teaches you how to be awake so you know how to be present, she said.

There are a number of misconceptions about meditation, she said, and one of them is that all types are about keeping you zen all the time.

Were not necessarily trying to shut thoughts down (through meditation), but distinguish between thoughts and being present.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com

Excerpt from:

Kaia Yoga expands meditation course offerings - Greenwich Time

A one-hour meditation class incorporating sound and scent is coming to North Fork Yoga Shala in Greenport this weekend.

The event, dubbed Sounds for a Calm Mind: Magnetic Sound Bath Meditation with Aromatherapy,will take place at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 27.

If you read the above headline, you might be wondering what a magnetic sound bath meditation is. So first, an explanation.

Invented by sound artist and creative technologist MJ Caselden, magnetic sound bath creates mantra-like vibrations that guide listeners into deep states of rest for relaxation, contemplation and clarity, reads a description of the event.

It creates vibrations, said Maria Christodoulou, founder of the wellness retreat planning service Bliss Without Bother, the events organizer.Youre laying down, listening and meditating without having to do anything. You go into a dreamlike state.

Christina Daigneault, founder of Orchard Aromatherapy and co-author of a forthcoming book, Plant-Powered Beauty (2018), will provide aromatic scents from organic essential oils during the meditation to complement the vibrations of magnetic sound.

You do not need to be a practicing meditator to participate.

Anybody can do this, Christodoulou said. You really just lay there and relax. You let the sounds and scents immerse you and you let things go.

Meditators are then encouraged to talk about their experience following the session. Participants can also enjoy herbal tea from the Greenport boutiqueTea & Tchotchkes.

The studio also occupies a former Masonic temple, an inviting space that sets the stage for relaxation.

Its a beautiful building. The energy in the room really spoke to me, Christodoulou said.

Pre-registration is recommended and can be done here. The fee is $40. For more information e-mail Christodoulou atmaria@blisswithoutbother.com.

North Fork Yoga Shala is located at 430 Main Street in Greenport.

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North Fork Dream Home: 1950s beach cottage with Shelter Island views

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Magnetic sound bath meditation and aromatherapy in Greenport this weekend - Northforker (blog)

In our first installment of the Meditation How-Tos marriage advice series, the Kundalini guide behind Benshen , Desiree Pais, gives you the step-by-step methods you need to practice to stay focused and calm before, during, and after you tie the knot.

Im about to tell you the secret to planning the best wedding of your life. No, I dont have the worlds top wedding planner in my phone book, and I cant lend you my best friend who would make THE greatest maid of honor (well, maybe we can negotiate that...she IS a Sagittarius and loves a good party). The secret to planning the best wedding of your life is adding meditation to your daily routine.

Planning one of the most important days of your life can, unfortunately, come with a heavy dose of stress . From finding the dream venue to dealing with family, trying to make everything perfect can leave you more frazzled than Anne Hathaways hair in the beginning of The Devil Wears Prada . Everyone knows the benefits of meditation when it comes to overall health and wellnesswhy not apply it when life gets a little (or a lot) crazier while planning your big day? And trust me, I know you already have a lot going on and learning how to meditate can seem like learning Mandarin, so Im going to teach you a simple meditation that is almost effortless. If practiced daily, it will leave you feeling calm , yet energized and will diminish the stress when it pops up.

See more: Say Namaste to These Luxe Yoga Retreats, Perfect for Bachelorette Parties

When were stressed out , our body secretes hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that, over time, leave us feeling agitated, irritated, and, eventually, exhausted. This stress is caused by our sympathetic nervous systemthe trigger for our fight-or-flight instinctkicking in to deal with whatever pressure is in front of us, like when mom and dad want a big wedding in Houston but you really want that dreamy small wedding off the coast of Italy. Over the course of the many months it takes to plan a wedding, all these incidents can leave our sympathetic nervous system firing at full capacity all the time, wreaking havoc on our bodies. One of the best ways to counteract this is a three-minute meditation called left-nostril breathingit activates our parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our brain that signals our body to rest and relax. It's simple, extremely effective, and if practiced daily, will leave you feeling calm and radiant leading all the way up to your big day (and beyond!).

Thats it!

Desiree Pais is a meditation and Kundalini yoga guide, and a natural beauty alchemist. She is currently pursuing a master's degree at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and studied Daoist Healing with Grandmaster Sung Baek. She teaches Kundalini yoga and meditation classes and workshops around New York City. She aims to make these ancient practices available to anyone who is interested in using this profound practice to create the life they want to experience.

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Marriage Advice 101: Meditation How-Tos From a Kundalini Guide - Brides.com

Stephen Adams, KCEN 6:27 PM. CDT May 23, 2017

TEMPLE - The Hindu Temple of Central Texas will host the grand opening of its meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam) Saturday afternoon and evening in Temple.

The event -- which is open to the public -- begins with a cultural program of music and dance from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, followed by the official opening of the Dhyana Mandapamfrom 5-6 p.m. The latter portion will also include the unveiling of 'OM' -- the sacred icon of Hinduism. The unveiling will be done by Temple Mayor Danny Dunn.

After the unveiling, Swami Shivatmanandaof Chinmaya Mission Austin will lead a discourse on 'OM.' The conversation will be followed by a Garba (dance) and then dinner from 6-7 p.m.

The Hindu Temple of Central Texas is located at 4309 Midway Dr. in Temple.

Learn for about the Hindu Temple by clicking here.

2017 KCEN-TV

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Hindu Temple of Central Texas opens meditation hall Saturday - kcentv.com

MEERUT: The Allahabad high court on Tuesday sought the responses of UP government and Meerut Nagar Nigam on a writ petition seeking removal of several garbage mounds from near an ashram housing over 100 leprosy patients. The court asked the civic body and the petitioner to file counter affidavits by July 25.

Shri Vivekanand Kusth Ashram, located on Delhi Road outside the city limits, was built in 1947. In all, 105 leprosy patients live in the ashram.

Over the years, Nagar Nigam used the vicinity of the ashram as dumping ground for city waste. Now, the ashram is surrounded by multiple mounds of garbage that pose health hazard to the patients in the ashram.

Besides, the link road leading to the ashram is also full of potholes.

According to Bairagi, secretary of the ashram, multiple applications and petitions were sent to Nagar Nigam in the past six years, but no action was taken by the civic authority.

They have been asked to file a short counter affidavit by July 25. The judges said there can be no compromise on the health of the leper home patients."

See more here:

HC seeks UP govt 's response on garbage near leprosy patients' ashram in Meerut - Times of India

Overwatchs Anniversary Event might be a little underwhelming, but it still has a ton of cool emotes, sprays, icons and Legendary skins. The concept artists and developers worked to release 11 new Legendary skins, each one more exciting than the last. Zarya and Hanzo mains, who have been neglected in previous events, got the skins of their dreams. Bastion players who like NASCAR now have a cosmetic that shows off their interests. Thats just on the surface, when you dig deeper you find even cooler secrets and Easter eggs hidden in these skins.

Here are just a few of the Easter eggs Ive found while checking out the skins and emotes released in the Overwatch Anniversary Event.

Jazzy Lucio

Drop the beat and play some epic sax! Photo: Blizzard

In the developer Update for this event, Game Director Jeff Kaplan said he wanted to give Lucio mains new songs to play around with. If you pick Jazzy Lucio in a game, both of his EDM bopping beats have been replaced by jazz covers. The songs are pretty enjoyable to listen to on their own, and if youre an old geezer like me who just didnt vibe with his DJ persona, this is a must-buy skin.

Whoever worked on this skin went the extra mile, theres even a musical scale replacing the meter on the back of Lucios gun.

Beekeeper Mei

I pulled Beekeeper Mei in my first Loot Box, then proceeded to get nothing for the rest of the batch Photo: Blizzard

Meis suit looks bulky like a beekeepers, so maybe it just made sense to make a skin with her in the actual suit. Im not sure its that simple, though; Im convinced that this Legendary cosmetic is actually a reference to a very old Overwatch design. In one of the original concept arts released for Overwatch, theres a tiny guy in a yellow hazmat suit. The coloring and style is reminiscent of Beekeeper Mei, though it could just be a coincidence. Still, Im going to keep my tinfoil hat on and believe that this isnt just an accident -- even if shes wearing all white.

Sentai Genji

Sentai Genji, the Green Ranger Photo: Blizzard

Did you know that the Power Rangers show you loved as a kid was actually just recut footage of a Japanese television show called Super Sentai? Heres a virtual homage to the show filled with spandex, rubber monsters and has been running on television longer than Ive been alive.

Dances Galore

To celebrate the birthday of Overwatch, concept artists went into the minds of the games heroes and asked what would they dance like if you saw them at a party? Turns out, its a lot of memes and references to really old videos.

Zarya is flexing her muscles to the 1988 National Aerobic Championship number. Theres a lot of spandex in that gif, so be warned.

Meis Anniversary Event dance is a reference to the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya that my girlfriend couldnt wait to tell me about.

Everyone else just seems to be busting a move, or whatever youd call Reapers foot tap. Junkrats rocking the MC Hammer Hammertime dance, Roadhog is dancing the cabbage patch, Mercy is reminding me of all the Bar Mitzvahs I went to with that hustle and so many more.

What have you uncovered in the Overwatch Anniversary Event that I might have missed? Tell us in the comments.

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'Overwatch' Anniversary Event Skins: Easter Eggs Include Dances, Classic Anime, Aerobics and More - International Business Times

Happy Persian New Year!

Each year I host a big gathering of friends and family for NoRooz. I love all the days of anticipation - scheming my menu and hunting down all the ingredients that I'll need. This year I made a special trip over to San Jose to go to a Persian Market -- oh my gosh, it felt so festive and merry to be in a shop full of people preparing for NoRooz! Everyone was shopping with baskets full of goodies and sprouts, and herbs and millions of other good things. I must remember to do this every year, just to build up the merry spirit of the holiday in my heart!

This year's celebration was even bigger than usual because it was also my dad's 80th birthday the following day, and we combined the two celebrations into one -- and for such a special day a few extra people came. It was pretty great. Two of my besties came over and spent the whole afternoon helping me in the kitchen which was both super fun and also a total life-saver for helping me meet my ambitious culinary agenda!

cheese and herb platter

The platters had fresh dill, chives, cilantro, mint, and parsley... along with walnuts, dates, and dolmas. The dates are my most favorite Black Gold Dates from Sam Cobb Farm down in Palm Springs, and they are so fantastic. Since we didn't go down to the desert this year, I ordered my dates online. They have a rich, deep flavor and aren't super mooshy or super dry. Just perfect! The dolmas were straight outta cans from Trader Joes! ha ha. Sorry to disappoint!

Nan-e Barbari

We cut the breads up into little strips and put them out with the cheese platters. In this picture, you can a little bit see that they got a very nice crumb and texture: a good balance of density and airy-ness.

happy nibbling and chatting and festivizing!

huge platter of Kuku Sabzi

Kuku Sabzi is a traditional NoRooz food - an omelette packed full with minced fresh herbs, walnuts and barberries. Over the years I've tried many attempts at veganizing this recipe, and this is really my favorite -- it's based on the mini muffin-tin omelettes from Isa Does It, and then mixed up with lots of fresh herbs. I finally took the time to type up my recipe:

Kuku Sabzi Minis

(based on Muffin Pan Mini Omelets from Isa Does It, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

*you can easily double this recipe

ingredients:

2 1/2 Tbsp dried barberries

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley

1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro

1/2 cup packed fresh dill

1/2 cup packed scallions (green parts only)

1 cup packed spinach

1/4 cup fresh fenugreek, or 2 Tbsp dried fenugreek (optional)

generous 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, plus extras for decorating

2 cloves garlic, peeled

14 ounces silken tofu

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1 Tbsp arrowroot flour

instructions

Cover the barberries with warm water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile combine the parsley, cilantro, dill, scallions, spinach, and optional fenugreek in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. You don't want it to turn into a paste, but you really, really want to chop those guys into oblivion. If you don't have a food processor, get a good knife and start chopping chopping chopping. Once the herbs are chopped, set them aside in a large bowl, and next use the food processor or knife to chop your walnuts. Add the walnuts to the herbs. Don't worry about cleaning out the food processor between steps.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Next, chop up the garlic in the food processor (or a blender). Add the silken tofu, water, nutritional yeast, olive oil, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add in the chickpea flour and arrowroot and process more, until fully integrated. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the minced herbs and walnuts. Drain the barberries, discard the soaking water, and add the barberries to the batter. Stir well until fully incorporated. (note: at this point, you can refrigerate the batter to use it later or the next day)

Lightly oil a muffin tin and fill the muffin cups about halfway full with the batter. If you'd like, you can put a few chopped walnuts (or a whole walnut half) on each mini kuku sabzi. Bake the mini kuku sabzis for about 20-25 minutes, until they are lightly golden. Allow them to cool in the muffin pan for at least five minutes before you try to get them out.

Shirazi Salad

Shirazi Salad is a simple and delicious salad - and such a nice balance to the other flavors of the NoRooz feast. Light, fresh, crunchy, and simple -- it's a refreshing component with so many more robust dishes on the table. This year's salad was Persian cucumbers (the organic ones from Trader Joes are great!), cherry tomatoes, chopped red onion, and olives... along with several small handfuls of fresh herbs: a combo of cilantro, parsley, dill, and mint. For a dressing, I ad-libbed a quick dressing with pomegranate paste, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Easy and delicious!

i love this picture!

The main 7 items:

Sabzi - sprouts symbolizing growth and rebirth

Samanu - a sprouted wheat pudding, symbolizing wealth

Senjed - oleander seeds, symbolizing love

Seer - garlic, symbolizing medicine

Seeb - apple, symbolizing health

Sumac - ground sumac, symbolizing the color of the sunrise

Serkeh - vinegar, symbolizing "old age and patience."

some of the other things include:

Sonbol - a hyacinth, symbolizing spring time

Sekkeh - coins, symbolizing weather and prosperity

Shirini- sweeties, for sweetness in the new year

A mirror - symbolizing reflection

A copies of poetry books Hafiz & Rumi, two great Persian poets

Candles

Eggs, symbolizing new birth (I use glass eggs)

A goldfish, symbolizing life (I use a cute plastic goldfish!)

Sabzi Polow

Sabzi Polow is another traditional NoRooz dish - parboiled basmati rice is mixed with yogurt, a mountain of fresh herbs, and then cooked/steamed in a pot. The Persian preparation of rice is so special and fantastic - the individual grains of rice are never clumpy or sticky, and there is a beautiful, crunchy golden crust on the exterior. This crunchy part is so good that it has it's own word "tahdig" -and it is definitely the best part. Every year I suffer some anxiety about how well my tahdig will turn out and this year I got a beautiful golden crust -- perfect, beautiful and delicious! I was so happy!

Sabzi Polow

based on the Persian Rice recipe from Vegan Eats World, by Terry Hope Romero

*you can easily double this recipe, which is what I usually do

ingredients

3/4 cup minced fresh dill

3/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

3/4 cup minced fresh scallions or leeks (green parts only)

3/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 2/3 cups white basmati rice

8 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsweetened vegan yogurt

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbsp olive oil or melted vegan butter

instructions:

Wash and mince your fresh herbs thoroughly - either by hand or with a food processor. Remember, you really really want to mince those herbies finely.

Put the rice into a mesh strainer and rinse it well under cold water, to wash off excess starches. In a large pot, bring the 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add in the salt, then add the rice. Boil for 3-5 minutes. Take out a grain or two of rice and bite into it -- you want the outside to be soft and lightly cooked and the inside to still be hard. Drain the rice and rinse it again with cold water, and then put it in a large bowl.

To the rice, add the 1/4 tsp salt, vegan yogurt, and 2 Tbsp of the oil/butter, and mix well. Take out 1/2 cup of this mixture and set it aside. Now add the minced herbs to the big bowl and mix them to fully incorporate.

Preheat a heavy, 2-quart pot no larger than 10 inches wide, with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil/butter and swirl it all around to coat the bottom and the first couple inches of the sides of your pot. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to spread the 1/2 cup of reserved rice across the bottom of the pan evenly. Now add in the remaining rice (with the herbs mixed in). Use the back of a measuring cup to gently but firmly press down the rice.

Use a chopstick to poke several holes into the rice - an inch or two apart and a couple pokes in the center too. This helps the steam escape so the bottom can get good and crunchy!

Next, take a clean, smooth-textured kitchen towel and put it over the top of the pan - then put the tight-fitting lid firmly onto the pot (so the dishtowel is between the rice and the bottom side of the lid.) Carefully fold the corners of your towel up on top of the lid, so that they don't hang down and catch fire on your burner - use a rubber band or a chip clip to secure them on top of the lid! The towel is important because it catches the steam and helps you get perfect Persian rice!

Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 35-45 minutes. It's a good idea to rotate your pot a few times, for a more evenly golden crust. Check the rice by lifting the lid -- the rice should smell toasty (not burnt). Sometimes you can get a butter knife and carefully peek down the edges of the rice to see if you see a golden color developing. Cook another 10-15 minutes if needed (and you can also turn up the heat a little if it's not getting golden), to get a good golden crust. Keep an eye on the rice, and also don't forget about it -- you don't want it to burn!

Remove from the heat, and take off the lid and towel. Take your serving platter, and invert it over the pot. Carefully hold the edges of the serving platter and the handles of your pot, and flip it over! It takes courage! A perfect tahdig will make a little "floop" sound and land perfectly on your serving platter. Dig in!

Amoli Rice Salad with Barberries & Orange Peel

from Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey, by Najmieh Batmanglij

By the way, Silk Road Cooking is such a beautiful and evocative book, I highly recommend it. Especially if you enjoy reading about food and cooking foods from around the world!

Ash-e Reshteh

with onion-turmeric-mint garnish

And I especially love the contribution of the garnish: onions cooked until golden, then with added ground turmeric and dried mint. It is amazing! I made a big batch of the garnish this year too because I like to have lots of it!!

Ghormeh Sabzi

Maybe you have noticed that several of these dishes have the word "sabzi" in their name -- "sabzi" means "vegetables," or in this case "herbs." The traditional dishes of NoRooz are filled with fresh, tender herbs to symbolize the growth and new life of spring time. It's usually a combo of parsley, cilantro, dill, scallions/chives, leeks, and baby spinach. If you can track down fresh fenugreek (or even dried fenugreek), it's also great to include some of that! Fenugreek is a strong flavor, so I usually use a little less of it compared to the other herbs.

Adasi Persian Lentils

Nonetheless, I thought it would be nice to make something that I knew he'd love and, lo and behold, he loved these lentils again this year! I know they're not much to look at, but they are perfectly seasoned with cinnamon and angelica (a ground spice that I found on my trip to the Persian market, called "golpar" in Farsi.) They are deceptively delicious for such plain looking lentils!

My dinner plate of glory

Such beautiful abundance! I just love the flavors and aromas of Persian food - they are complex, strong, and still often unexpected to my American palette. As you can see, I enjoyed a mountain of delicious food... and we haven't even talked about dessert yet! Mwahahaha! After two long days in the kitchen, it felt great to sit down and dig in. Of course it tasted great too!

Special Drinks:Dried Lime Tea, Mint Limeade, & Pomegranate Mint Spritzer

I also made Mint Limeade -- we cooked up a special lime syrup by making a simple syrup, adding fresh lime juice, and simmering it for a bit longer. We added that with some fresh lime juice, springs of fresh mint and sparkly water. I think next time, I will also boil some fresh mint with the syrup - so that flavor can come through a little more. Pretty much everyone loves limeade, so it's not surprising that this one was a hit!

We also made a simple Pomegranate Spritzer -- fresh pomegranate juice from the farmer's market, a touch of simple syrup, sprigs of fresh mint, and sparkly water. After the even was over, there was a little limeade and a little pomegranate spritzer left over, and I just combined them into one pitcher. Note to self - it was good!

NoRooz Sweets!

Saffron Almond Diamonds

Nan-e Nokhodchi (chickpea flour cookies)

Sohan As-Ali

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Vegan Eats & Treats!