DEHRADUN: Chidanand Saraswati, head of the largest ashram in Rishikesh, Parmarth Niketan, has been appointed as a member of the board of India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI) along with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar by the Modi government. The mandate of the government body which is under the ministry of external affairs, is to facilitate contributions by overseas Indians for social and developmental projects in the country for which the seers are expected to play a key role. After attending the 8th annual board meeting of the foundation chaired by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in Delhi on Saturday, Saraswati, who is involved in a number of initiatives to clean the Ganga and promoting the use of toilets in rural communities, said that his role will be to motivate people to experience the joy of giving back to the country. Spirituality lays stress upon giving, since giving is living, he told TOI.

He added that in the board meeting, he had pointed out that people living abroad who are successful have an innate desire to give back to their motherland, but often dont know how to go about it. Our objective is to reach out to people and connect them with various development programmes that are being undertaken in the country for women empowerment, skill development, education and healthcare as well as the Namami Gange and Swachh Bharat initiatives. He added that all contributions will be deposited in the IDF-OI Fund. Often, people want to do something for their own village. They can accordingly sponsor construction of a school, toilet etc in their own village where the money given will be strictly utilised only for that.

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Head of largest ashram in Rishikesh appointed member of India ... - Times of India

CUTTACK: The district administration has chalked out steps to make Swaraj Ashram, the epicentre of freedom struggle in the state, an attractive tourist spot. About Rs 50 lakh has been allocated by the tourism department for the ashram's beautification. The money will be spent on construction of an audio-visual room, a cafeteria and a park on the ashram premises.

Mahatma Gandhi stayed at the ashram for two days during his first visit to Cuttack in March 1921. He addressed a public meeting on the banks of Kathajodi river on March 24, 1921. During his visit to Cuttack in December 1927, a spinning competition and a khadi exhibition was organized at the ashram.

Besides, authorities also have plans to construct a welcome arch at the entrance of the historic monument. "We have plans to showcase films and documentaries on our freedom fighters in the audio-visual room to make our youngsters aware of their heroism and contribution to the state," said district tourism officer Reena Rath.

She said after completion of the construction work steps will be taken to prepare some documentary films on noted freedom fighters of the state. Landscaping of the ashram will be done and beautiful lights used to illuminate the structure to make it a perfect hangout zone in the evening. Ornamental plants and flowers will be planted on the ashram premises.

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Cuttack: Rs 50 lakh for Swaraj Ashram's beautification - Times of India - Times of India

A government trust has inducted Art of Living foundation head Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Parmarth Niketan Ashram chief Swami Chidanand Saraswati on its board.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed the new board members and sought their support and guidance in encouraging and enabling overseas Indians to make contributions. Swaraj is the chairperson of the India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI), a government-established body to facilitate contributions by overseas Indians for social projects in the country.

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The decision was taken at the eighth meeting of the trust in New Delhi on Friday. Senior officials from the ministries of home affairs, external affairs and finance were among the participants. The newly appointed members also include Indian-American Bharat Barai.

The board members discussed ways to ensure contributions by overseas Indians to implement the governments two flagship programmes Swachh Bharat Mission and Clean Ganga initiative, the foundation said, adding they also discussed strategy to enhance contributions.

The IDF-OI is currently implementing eight projects in Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Telangana, and has several projects available for funding across the identified sectors, said an official statement.

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar And Parmarth Niketan Ashram Chief On Board ... - Outlook India

Hollywood vegetarians and vegans are starting to perk up and take notice of Cruciferous, a quiet newcomer to the massive strip mall at the corner of Fountain and Vine. The spare dining room is doing something you dont see often around town: finer dining vegan food, from housemade almond ricotta to an elegant pea risotto that has all the makings of a dish youd find at places like Kali, Crossroads, or Baroo and thats a very good thing.

Cruciferous is named for the brassica family of vegetables, including cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Indeed those ingredients play major parts in the trim menu, which runs a scant nine dishes and hovers at $14 for most plates, with nothing over $18.

The signature dish is likely to be the General Tsos brussels sprouts, a crunchy, saucy take on a familiar flavor profile. The casual dish actually won in the best savory category at this years Vegan Street Fair, and word from the waitstaff is that it gets dropped at just about every table, every night.

The rest of the shareable menu is mostly made up as slightly larger versions of what youd expect to see as side dishes in other restaurants: a Caesar salad from The Garden Of Farm, a bread and butter plate using house baked bread and almond ricotta. You can even sub in gluten-free bread for a couple bucks more.

A tableside smoked cauliflower comes with heavy swipes of cashew cream cheese

But there are a few decidedly surprising dishes, like a whole head of smoked cauliflower, carved tableside over a couple heavy swipes of cashew cream cheese and dashed with a bit of pistachio oil. Theres a touch of heat, smoke, and nuttiness, and the tableside prep is a nice touch for a strip mall place that serves shrubs and sodas from stemless wine glasses. The white tablecloths and candles are already here, the wine license is hopefully coming.

Cruciferous only soft opened last week for reservations, and started taking walk-ins on Wednesday night. The restaurant is the work of Marie Chia and partner Shane, who previously ran pop-ups under the names S+M Vegan and Blind Tiger Dining in and around San Francisco. Now theyve partnered up with Doomie (of Doomies Home Cookin next door) to offer a lighter alternative to the vegan big macs and other comfort fare hes most known for.

The kitchen is also an entirely collaborative one, much like Scratch Bar up in Encino. Prep and line cooks run dishes and bus plates, and theres a 20% equality charge added to every bill, with no option to tip further.

For now, Cruciferous runs Wednesday through Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., though you may see those hours expand down the line. Much like previous strip mall hits such as Kato or Baroo, theres something surprising about the place something you, predictably, wouldnt expect just from glancing inside while walking past. With a lean on quality produce, relatively low prices, and tons of housemade vegan options, its easy to see Cruciferous growing into something even more special soon. And with Doomies next door and the new all-vegan Cocobella Creamery anchoring the end of the strip mall, Hollywoods got a secret new vegan restaurant row to explore.

Cruciferous 1253 Vine St. #8 Los Angeles, CA

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Find an Elevated Vegan Dining Experience at This Low-Key Hollywood Strip Mall - Eater LA

Were living in the future. Were rapidly approaching the historical moment where well be able to buy sustainable vegan meat grown in a lab. There are cars that can parallel park themselves(do kids who have these cars still have to complete the dreaded parallel park on theirdriving tests?). There is such a thing as 3D printed cauliflower crusts. And thanks to the rise in the popularity of takeout delivery services like Seamless, Postmates, and Grubhub, we can order our food delivered right to our door even if that restaurant doesnt have their own delivery service. We can literally order vegan pancakes on a Saturday morning without getting out of bed ortalking to another human being on the phone. Thank you, technology!

Our food habits are also evolving. Now more than ever, consumers are paying attention to whats in their food, where it comes from, and shopping with their values. Highly processed foods are falling out of favor and Americans, in general, are eating less meat and dairy. A recent report released by Grubhub that details the healthy eating habits of Americans in 2016 reflects these changes. According to the data, the company saw a 58 percent increase in the number of vegan food orders placed in just one year. While the vegan diet didnt top Grubhubs charts in terms of the most popular healthy food habits, it was preceded byjuice cleanses and the raw food diet both of which are typically vegan.

What does this data say? For starters, it reinforces that meat and dairy arefalling out of favor with consumers. One-third of Americans now identify as flexitarian, choosing to leave meat off their plate more frequently. Milk consumption has been steadily declining by 25 percent per capita since the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, the plant-based meat and plant-based milk markets continue togrow. The plant-based milk industryhas grown by 250 percent in just five years while the market for plant-based meat substitutesis estimated to grow to $5.2 billion by 2020. Not to mention, more restaurants are making it easier than ever to order plant-based.

Theres no denying that the future of food has arrived and its vegan. And with takeoutdelivery services like Grubhub, you dont even have to leave the house if you want to try to cut back on meat and dairy.

Theres no doubt that this is fantastic news but if you like to cook, check out the Food Monster App, which is available for bothAndroid and iPhone. With over 8,000 vegan recipes (and over 10 new recipes added daily), youre going to find something you love!

Image source: Grubhub

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This Stat From Grubhub Totally Disproves Eating Vegan is 'Hard' - One Green Planet

Judge John Hodgman on the Vegan Lunch Spot New York Times Dallas writes: My friend Andr and I are professors in Illinois. For the last three years, I have organized a teachers' discussion group that meets over lunch at a vegan cooperative. Andr does not like the food, but it is difficult to find a place ...

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Judge John Hodgman on the Vegan Lunch Spot - New York Times

It appears all the vegan doughnut makers turned away by Pips Original Doughnuts last year now have new job prospects. Doe Donuts hung up its open sign on May 7 at 8201 SE Powell Blvd., and within four hours, it had sold out of 1000 doughnuts. Portlands first vegan-dedicated doughnut shop clearly had to step up production, with flavors like powdered matcha and the signature Golden Child, featuring ganache and ornately topped with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, and gold pearls. But also because this is Portland, where anything involving veganism and fried dough will assuredly attract lines.

With prices ranging from $2.75 to $4, Doe Donuts sits closer to the gourmet side of the doughnut world. According to the website, the entirely animal-free shop uses Organic, Fair Trade, and Non GMO ingredients when possible, and it also works with many local food artisans, from Eugene's Glory Bee, to Townshend's Dr. Brew Kombucha and Stumptown Coffee.

Carly Sitner and Crystal Wegener own Doe Donut, and the partners met while working at an organic grocer, which is actually where Sitner made her first doughnuts as a way of attracting more customers. What started two years ago as two doughnut flavors served on Sundays only is today Doe Donuts.

Sitner and Wegener come with experience, too. Sitner has been baking for more than 13 years in locations across the U.S. from restaurants to wholesale. An Oregon native, Wegener graduated from culinary school with a degree in baking and pastry management.

Doe Doughnuts is now open early and frying every day except Tuesdays. The hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday, from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Note the shop is not a gluten- or nut-free facility.

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Portland's First Vegan Doughnut Shop Is Open and Frying - Eater Portland

Emily Drooby

May 12th 2017 11:34AM

There are several reasons why it's best to buy organic, but buying organic may not always be best!

You might be used to paying extra for avocado, but don't buy organic. According to Cheat Sheet, their thick skin protects them from pesticides.

The same goes for pineapple, cantaloupe, and kiwis. Lisa Lee Freeman, a savings expert at Flipp, says never buy organic seafood either -- because organic seafood is farmed, not caught, wild-caught fish is healthier.

Pests don't like the bitter taste of asparagus, so it's less likely to need pesticide protection. It's also why Cheat Sheet suggests not buying organic onions.

So, what should you buy? Freeman suggests buying grass-fed meat.

Related: Food shopping on a budget

26 PHOTOS

How to Buy Organic Foods on a Budget

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The Environmental Working Group has identified 12 fruits and vegetables you should be buying organic and 12 fruits and vegetables that are least likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues.

Peaches: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Stuart Minzey/ Getty Images

Apples: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Digital Vision/ Getty Images

Sweet Bell Peppers: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Steve Wisbauer/ Getty Images

Celery: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Ursula Alter/ Getty Images

Nectarines: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Rosemary Calvert/ Getty Images

Strawberries: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Lew Robertson/ Getty Images

Cherries: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Chris Stein/ Getty Images

Pears: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Sasha Bell/ Getty Images

Grapes: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Echo/ Getty Images

Spinach: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Rob MacDougall/ Getty Images

Lettuce: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Visuals Unlimited Inc./ Inga Spence/ Getty Images

Potatoes: Buy Organic

Image Credit: Adam Gault/ Getty Images

Papaya: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Riou/ Getty Images

Broccoli: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Mint Images/Tim Pannell/ Getty Images

Cabbage: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Mint Images/ Tim Pannell/ Getty Images

Bananas: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Andrew Dernie/ Getty Images

Kiwi: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Paul Frederiksen Jr./ Getty Images

Frozen Sweet Peas: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Kroeger Gross/ Getty Images

Asparagus: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Bill Deering/ Getty Images

Mango: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Rosemary Calvert/ Getty Images

Pineapple: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Rosemary Calvert/ Getty Images

Frozen Corn: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Richard Clark/ Getty Images

Avocado: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Rick Lew/ Getty Images

Onions: Don't Buy Organic

Image Credit: Phillip Hayson/ Getty Images

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Dive Brief:

Organic grain-based food producers are struggling to keep up with U.S. consumer demand, according to Food Business News.

Suppliers of organic wheat, yeast, dough strengtheners, oils and other ingredients have implemented strategies to boost acreage and specialty ingredient production, but organic demand is so strong that hardly any domestically grown organic wheat, corn or soybeans is exported.

Organic food sales are expected to see a CAGR of 7.6% to 2025, according to Rabobank figures although it warns the lack of an established supply chain could restrict further growth. John David Roeg, senior consumer foods analyst for Rabobank said:Food producers should increase their focus on organic, through new products and brands, or through the reformulation of existing products to help grow their top lines. This will also help them to position themselves as responsible businesses.

There is now more organic farming in the United States than ever before. The number of organic operations increased 12% in 2015 from the prior year, according to USDA figures, and is up nearly 300% since 2002. However, farms classified as organic still account for just 0.7% of the total operations in the U.S.

The main problem for farmers is that converting from conventional to organic farmland is time consuming and expensive. It takes at least three years, during which time farmers must use organic practices but are not paid organic prices.

There are plenty of incentives for U.S. farmers to make the switch to organic farming, including the USDAs Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)which offers first-time organic farmers technical assistance as well as a one-off payment that varies by region. Food manufacturers and retailers also have put programs in place as they struggle to meet their needs for organic ingredients and products. Stonyfield Farms, Organic Valley, Whole Foods and Natures Path Foods are among those who have offered grants and technical assistance to farmers in an effort to boost supply.

For many manufacturers it is often a challenge to source organic ingredients, whether they be specialty ingredients like organic herbs and spices, which may not be grown in the U.S., or mainstream commodity crops like wheat. Digital platforms have been set up to help, such as GreenTrade.net or Mercaris Auction Platform, which claims to have traded 280,000 bushels of organic grain so far this year more than what was traded during the whole of 2016.

The Organic Trade Association also provides a range of resources for suppliers and manufacturers alike, including pricing and market data, and a directory of certified organic suppliers.Shortages of some organic products have cause price spikes. In some cases, livestock producers, hungry for organic feeds, have imported it from overseas because they can't find enough domestically.

Some grocery stores and restaurants have worked closely with farmers and ranchers to give them an idea as to how much of the product they will need in the future. Wal-Mart, for example, works with farmers and other suppliers to outline its organic needs several years in advance..Elevation Burger, which sells organic, grass-fed, free-range beef, shares information like growth projections and store openings with its suppliers.

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Growing demand for organic ingredients leads to supply challenges - Food Dive

Alexander C.N., et al. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994.

Aron E.N. and Aron A. The patterns of reduction of drug and alcohol use among Transcendental Meditation participants. Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 2: 28-33, 1983.

Clements G., et al. The use of the Transcendental Meditation programme in the prevention of drug abuse and in the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Bulletin on Narcotics 40(1): 5156, 1988.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

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Orme-Johnson D. W. Transcendental Meditation as an epidemiological approach to drug and alcohol abuse: Theory, research, and financial impact evaluation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 119-165, 1994.

Royer A. The role of the Transcendental Meditation technique in promoting smoking cessation: A longitudinal study. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 219-236, 1994.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and marijuana. American Journal of Psychiatry 131: 60-63, 1974.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and the prevention of alcohol abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 942-945, 1975.

Wallace R.K. et al. Decreased drug abuse with Transcendental Meditation: A study of 1,862 subjects. In Drug Abuse: Proceedings of the International Conference, ed. Chris J.D. Zarafonetis (Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger): 369-376, 1972.

Walton K. G., and Levitsky, D.A. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89-117, 1994.

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Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technique - Cleveland, OH