Two probes on my fingers measured my microsweat, temperature, and heart rate. An electrode on the top of my head recorded brain electrical activity. A band around my stomach and a sensor on my shoulder measured my breathing and muscle tension.

This may sound like an elaborate medical test, but I was actually undergoing a psycho-physiological assessment to find out just how mindful I am at one of Vancouvers newest meditation studios, Moment Meditation.

What were trying to do is reframe the conversation around meditation, said Anita Cheung, co-founder of the studio that made its Gastown debut in October 2016.

Ive started jokingly saying that it isnt your weird aunts meditation from the seventies - its very modern, and were approaching it from a level of cognitive training. We train our bodies, and now we train our minds.

While historically seen as a practice for granola-munching hippies, the health benefits of meditation have been increasingly documented in the literature over the last decade. These include improvement in concentration and attention, decreased anxiety, help for those suffering from addiction, lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system.

Moment Meditation focuses on combining this scientific research with the peace and calm meditation is typically known for. Besides offering a wide array of classes, the studio gives clients the option of undertaking a psycho-physiological assessment to discover their mindfulness quotient (MQ) score, a number that reflects stress response and ability to stay calm under pressure.

Cheung, who is a yoga therapist, laughs as she recalls how she used to resist anything airy fairy, until struggles with her own mental health changed her mind.

My experience with meditation came about after some mental health struggles in my early twenties with depression, anxiety, and as dark as it is, suicide, she said.

When I was introduced to meditation it was with a clinical psychologist so I trusted and believed her, and it was very, very life changing.

As someone trying to expand my own meditation practice but struggling to do more than 10 minutes a day the MQ test appealed to me. Was I meditating right? Was there a way to measure that?

The premise of the test was simple: I was hooked up to various electrodes, then told to relax and breathe deeply while undergoing intermittent periods of stress. For example, basic math problems flashed across the screen and I was instructed to answer out loud.

Faster, do this as fast as you can, my tester urged, her intensity a stark contrast to the zen atmosphere of the Moment Meditation studio. Youre going to have to go faster than this.

In between each stress interval I was instructed to breathe deeply and relax, a task made easier by the orange scented candles burned peacefully in the background.

A few days later my results were emailed to me, with an explanation of what my score meant (I will not be disclosing my results, but I am proud to say I didnt fail - apparently thats not possible).

An algorithm compared my psycho-physiological data when I was stressed to when I was focusing on being calm, and the results were intriguing. For example, I learned I recover at rates above average when stressed (years of being a newsroom environment, perhaps?) but could improve my ability to ignore distractions. Good to know.

Were jokingly calling this test the Fit Bit for meditation, because it gives you an idea of what happens to your body when youre stressed, said Cheung after my MQ test.

A lot of us live very stressed day to day, and we can access that state of calm with deep breathing, with mindful activities - and with mindfulness in general.

My MQ test inspired me to continue my burgeoning meditation practice, and potentially even take a few classes in the calming Moment Meditation studios. According to Cheung, even 10 minutes of meditation a day can have huge benefits in daily life.

One of our prime goals is to make meditation modern, simple, and accessible, she said.

I think when some people first start meditating they make it really difficult , like okay I have to meditate for 20 minutes and it has to be at 5 a.m. but if you can even carve 10 minutes a day you will feel a huge difference. Any little bit helps.

Link:

Not your 'weird aunt's meditation': Science-based test measures mindfulness - CTV News

There's so much changeon the earths surface each day, just like within ourselves.

If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both salt water mixed with air.Nayyirah Waheed

This is my favorite meditative beach quote. When you think about the moods and phases of the ocean, and how theyre affected, too, by the phases of the moon, theres so much change that goes on with the earths surface each day, just like it does within ourselves. But ultimately the ocean can and does calm itself. It can transform from an angry, raging storm of water that can kill with one mighty strike, to the most tranquil, still almost motionless surface, barely moving.

We too, can radically alter our emotions and inner voices, through our breathing and by using meditation as a source of strength and healing. But it takes practice. The more I have studied reiki, the more natural its become to apply its principles to my love for beachcombing. Each time I return to the beach, I take a few moments to do a beach meditation. Its easier to do this on the beach alone, and nicer at sunrise or sunset, but even on a crowded beach you could stand facing the water and perform this simple ritual in just a few moments before you set out on a beachcomb.

Simple Beach Meditation: Stand near the edge of the water, facing the waters edge. Stand with your feet slightly apart in a comfortable, relaxed stance, letting your weight sink into the sand. Let your arms fall gently beside your body, palms down, rested.

Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for just a moment and then exhale deeply through your nose or mouth. Relax your jaw. Relax your shoulders. Continue breathing deeply. Feel the wind, listen to the sounds of the waterfrontthe waves, any sea birds. Close your eyes. Take a minute to focus on any negative thoughts you may have lingering in your mind. Before you begin beachcombing, youre going to make an effort to release them into the earth. Take a deep breath in, inhaling the fresh, salty air, and on the exhale, release negative thoughts and energy, down through your body, into your feet and through the sand into the earth. Do it again, inhaling the healing energy of the sea and the wind, exhaling negativity down through your body into the sand and the grounded earth.

Breathe. Open your eyes. Take in the vision of the horizon, the colors of the sky and the water and the land around you, and embrace the time youve been given to be here in this moment, at this waterfront. Silently thank the ocean for any gifts she might offer you that day. Feel the warmth of the sun as it bathes you in light. Let the light wash through you, and feel the soft golden glow fill you with relaxation and warm, peaceful, healing thoughts. With each breath you take, let the salty air and the warm light, this glow and new sense of peace fill your lungs as you have exhaled any worry or negativity down into the sand. Always: breathe peace in, breathe worry out.

Look out at the waves and silently wonder what message they bring for you that day. They may bring you a gift on the sand, a physical message. Perhaps its a stone, a rock or a piece of glass shaped like a heart thats a sign from someone in your life, here or gone, who you needed to hear from. Be ready to receive that message. Perhaps its a letter on a piece of glass, an initial of someone who is in your thoughtsor a shell, a sea creature or other beach experience. Look for those signs, for sometimes theyre right there in front of us, as the universe sends them out, but we can only receive them if we are open to them.

Bring your hands together, feel present with your feet beneath you in the sand, grounded on the earth, and end the meditation by taking one final deep breath and thanking the ocean again for her gifts of the daynot only the gifts you may pick up, but for the time you will spend renewing your spirit, for the peace of mind you will find as you walk the shoreline in the moments to come. Take the messages and gifts home with you from the beach this day, but most importantly take home the peace youve found.

Read the original here:

Beach Meditation - Splice Today

★★

When: 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, through March 26.

Where: Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City.

Tickets: $25-$70.

Length: 1 hr., 40 mins., no intermission.

Suitability: Mature teens and adults for language and subject matter.

Information: 213-628-2772, http://www.centertheatregroup.org.

Our pasts cannot be changed. We can try to relive them, but in reality all we store in our memories is our reactions to them.

These ideas thread through Good Grief, a psychological, mythological, archetypal and still utterly affectionate and charming work by Ngozi Anyanwu in its world premiere at Culver Citys Kirk Douglas Theatre through March 26.

Set in a Pennsylvania suburb, the play centers on Nkechi, a young first-generation Nigerian-American. Though primed to live her immigrant parents idea of the American dream, she has dropped out of medical school. She says it didnt suit her, but in reality she is grieving for the love of her life killed in a car crash and for her lost youth and happy moments that are now mere memories.

The playwright plays Nkechi. Instead of venting too-personal traumas, however, the writer-actor gives us a thoroughly universal picture of growing pains and a wonderfully specific picture of an exceedingly bright, perceptive, funny girl who thinks no one understands her.

The enchanting Nkechi is surrounded by totally relatable characters, played by a flawless casts. On opening night, they won giggles, groans, cheers and sighs as the various characters wafted through Nkechis recalled life.

First in importance to Nkechi are the boys she liked. Her dream boy is Jimmy Deering (Mark Jude Sullivan), for whom she spent her adolescence pining. But her best friend, possible romantic interest and likely soon-to-be lover is Matthew (Wade Allain-Marcus). He, to his endearing credit, has loved Nkechi since the moment he met her, in their grade-school homeroom.

Gods and godlike archetypes watch over and help recount her story. Nkechis mother (Omoze Idehenre) is the intellect, a psychiatric-nursing student with clipboard in hand, objectively observing how Nkechi processes grief. Meanwhile, other mothers (Carla Renata) overreact in exaggerated emotions, including a World Wrestling Entertainmentstyle bout in Ahmed Bests fight choreography.

Nkechis brother (Marcus Henderson) is the jester, likewise trying to usher the grieving process along. Hilariously, his coping mechanisms are marijuana, booze and 1990s rap. Papa (Dayo Ade) is the pragmatist, sternly but lovingly urging Nkechi to just move on.

This is a memory play, not a straightforward chronology. Its fragments of recollections, or perhaps dreams, are carefully sorted out by director Patricia McGregor. She also adds much humor, none of it mean, most of it universal.

The 1990s references pile up as Nkechi recalls her youth. Sound designer Adam Phalen ensures that the soundtrack of Nkechis life seems to come from the tiny radios onstage, though audiences unfamiliar with the songs might have trouble hearing the lyrics.

But the fact that gossip and reputations fill our minds, sometimes barring us from getting to know the person, is unfortunately timeless.

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The scenes take place in and around Matthews bedroom and Nkechis. Theyre designed, by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, with white LED lights that outline the homes as if a child drew them, constructed on moving platforms so that the scenery swiftly swings into place. The area between the houses becomes a wrestling ring, a road on which Papa urges his shell-shocked daughter to learn to drive, and the living room where Papa shouts at the Eagles from his armchair.

Nkechi dropped out of her Philadelphia med school. Perhaps her imagination was too vivid to allow her to focus on such objective studies. Or, perhaps all of us seek solace in imagination and memory when our souls are taxed by death and disappointments.

Whatever the case, Nkechi would make a great medical doctor, the type who takes the whole person into consideration in her diagnoses and who clearly explains causes and effects to the patient. On the other hand, that also describes a great playwright.

Dany Margolies is a Los Angeles-based writer.

Rating: 4 stars.

When: 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, through March 26.

Where: Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City.

Tickets: $25-$70.

Length: 1 hr., 40 mins., no intermission.

Suitability: Mature teens and adults for language and subject matter.

Information: 213-628-2772, http://www.centertheatregroup.org.

See more here:

'Good Grief' is a funny, poignant meditation on memory at Kirk ... - LA Daily News

AHMEDABAD: A woman has filed a complaint with Gujarat University (GU) police for theft of her bag containing a laptop worth Rs 45,000 along with her passport. As per GU police, Sheetal Shah, currently residing of Sivanta Apartment near Gandhi Ashram on Ashram Road, had parked her car near Suchita Apartment at Vijay Crossroads at 9 pm on March 10. "As per her complaint, when she came back after one hour and fifteen minutes, she found that someone had broken the left-side window and had stolen the bag," said a police investigator, adding that search is on to ascertain whether the act is recorded in any nearby CCTV camera. City police officials said that with growing number of similar crimes, they are identifying specific gangs - some operating from the city and some coming from outside the city and state - with similar modus operandi. "The laptops and other valuables soon make way to grey market for one third of the market price. We are also keeping a watch on such dealers to curb the crime," said an official.

Read more from the original source:

ashram road theft: Woman loses money, passport in Navrangpura ... - Times of India

There are plenty of professional athletes that have proclaimed veganism as the source of their power, endurance, and fuel. From Olympic powerlifter Kendrick Farris to ultra runner Scott Jurek, pro athletes are proving that if you think a vegan diet is a weak diet, then you should think again. And Tia Blanco, the 19-year-old surfing phenom, is proof. Blancos pro career is on fire. Shes ranked in the top 50 female surfers in the world by the World Surf League, took the first place Gold medal at the 2015 International Surfing Association (ISA) Open Women's World Surfing Championship in Popoyo, Nicaragua, and came back in 2016 to successfully defend her title by winning the 2016 Championship in Playa Jac, Costa Rica.

And all this achievement comes on the coattails of Blancos choice to go vegan in 2013. Growing up, my diet was pretty easy and simple I was raised on a vegetarian diet, she says. My mom has been vegetarian strictly for ethical reasons since she was 12, and she never forced a vegetarian diet on us, but that was the food she was cooking at home. So as a result, we all just ate vegetarian together because my dad ate what my mom ate and I ate what my parents ate.

As a result, Blanco has never had a bite of beef, sampled a slice of pepperoni pizza, or gone in on a carnitas taco and thats how she likes it. But now, her choice to eat a vegan diet is her own not simply a product of her environment like her vegetarian upbringing was. When I was 11 or 12 I started to get the questions Why are you vegetarian? Meat is good for you! she says. And all I could say was, 'Shoot, I have no idea.' Then when I was 15, I watched the documentary GlassWalls and read The China Study, and then it became quite clear to me why I wanted to be vegetarian and why I wanted to adopt a vegan lifestyle. After doing my research, I chose to go vegan and have been dedicated to a vegan diet for four years now.

One year before going vegan she did allow herself to eat fish since seafood is such a prominent part of surf and sea culture, but Blancos time as a pescatarian was short-lived. I wanted to fit in but I didnt even really like it [the taste of fish], she says. I felt kind of embarrassed and that made me realize that I dont see the food the same way as everyone else does and thats okay. I get grossed out about whats in the food thats not vegan. Thats just whats right for me.

But with vegan lifestyle and options becoming more mainstream, Blanco has been able to maintain her lifestyle despite traveling around the world for surf competitions and often finding herself in situations where fresh lobster is easier to find than a bag of carrots. Ten years ago I dont think anyone knew what veganism was and now you can find and eat anything thats not vegan in a vegan form. There are burgers, mac n cheese, cakes, tacos options everywhere it seems.

That comes in handy when Blanco has a craving, but being vegan doesnt mean she has a get out of jail free card when it comes to dialing in her diet during competitions and training season. I have the biggest sweet tooth and so does my boyfriend, so we gain a little bit of weight after we spend a couple of weeks off of training and being in the kitchen together, she says, laughing. Cupcakes are my favorite dessert and I love making them. If I want to have a cheat day Im going to have a cheat day but I have to be mindful that vegan junk food is still junk food.

In the throes of competition season, Blanco focuses on consuming whole foods to get in top form and maintain the energy necessary to work the waves for hours on end. I feel healthier on a clean, whole foods diet that is very simple especially during competition. And since a plant-based diet is less calorically dense than other diets, I need to make sure Im eating enough food so I up my portions a lot. I think of veggies as nutrition and water, not a food where I can get energy so I dont even count veggies when Im counting calories and nutrition. For energy, I go to potatoes, whole grains, and starchy veggies. Im obsessed with carrots and sweet potatoes.

Following a workout Blanco will make sure to eat within 30 minutes to begin the refueling and repair process for her body. I eat a lot of fruit and fruit smoothies and occasionally Ill do a plant-protein shake with Vegan Smart Protein, she says. Actually, I just came out with my own flavor with them. And if she doesnt have a sweet tooth that day and wants something savory, she reaches for lentils, which are high in protein and fiber.

And although shes very open about her ethical beliefs when it comes to veganism and how a vegan diet has fueled her through her impressive athletic accomplishments to date, Blanco strives to keep her relationship with food and others positive especially with so many other pro surfers adhering to meat-heavy Paleo diets. I definitely get my haters, she says. Even when I was vegetarian not everyone agreed with it, obviously. But I dont push my beliefs on others. I express the benefits if people are asking, and in my case people were asking. I never tell people how to eat. Respect whats on my plate, Ill respect whats on yours.

Heres one of Blancos favorite recipes from Tias Vegan Kitchen for you to try in your own kitchen to try before your next workout.

Tofu scramble Ingredients: 1 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon water sea salt to taste 1 cup of collars greens 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 onion finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 package firm tofu, very well drained and dried 1 tablespoon chopped parsley ---------------- In a small bowl, mix together nutritonal yeast, turmeric, cumin, paprika, water, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Once your pan is at medium heat, add onions and garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes. Crumble tofu into the pan, breaking it up with your fingers. Or you can use a fork. Pour seasoning over tofu and mix well, try to distribute the color as much tofu as possible. Cook for 5 minutes or until tofu is hot throughout. Add in greens and cooked for about 2 minutes Once cooked, serve with favorite sides and toppings! I used tortillas, avo, parsley, salsa, and oranges #tiasvegankitchen

A post shared by Tiarah Blanco (@tiasvegankitchen) on Jan 7, 2017 at 9:38am PST

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Link:

Why Surfer Tia Blanco Is Vegan - Men's Journal

March 12th is National Baked Scallop Day a day that celebrates a food enjoyed by many all across the world. If you didnt know, scallops are a type of bivale mollusk, meaning that like clam, they have two shells that is controlled by a large adductor muscle. This muscle is considered a delicacy by many.

But, did you know that it is easy to recreate that fishy seafood flavor? Check outYou Dont Need Fish to Make Delicious Seafood Dishesand5 Delish Ways to Enjoy Seafood Flavor without Eating Any Fish! to learn more. Just like recreating our favorite meat-based dishes, making plant-based versions of seafood dishes is about using the right flavor and texture. When it comes to making scallop dishes, the thick stem of the King Oyster or Trumpet Royale mushroom is the most popular option.

So, in honor of scallops, we have five plant-based scallop recipes for you to try.

Trumpet Royale is a wonderful mushroom to experiment with in the kitchen. They have a mild flavor, tremendous versatility, and even a unique beauty to them. And, as this Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royaleproves, paired with a creamy lemon sauce, they make a wonderful scallop alternative!

These Tofu Scallops are so delicious and they make a beautiful presentation. The secret to their seafood flavor is a savory marinade made from tamari, Old Bay seasoning, and other spices. Then, theyre pan-seared so theyre crispy around the edges, but tender on the inside, just like real scallops. Serve them over pasta or in a scampi or just make a bunch to serve as an appetizer or hors doeuvres.

In this stunning recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Scallop Mushrooms, succulent Oyster mushrooms are cooked until they reach the texture similar to scallops and then are wrapped in a smoky veggie bacon. While they look fancy and intricate, they are actually super easy-to-make! Serve with fettuccini pasta for a deliciously unique dish.

While these Seared Mushroom Scallopsmay look like conventional sea scallops, theyre actually made from King Oyster mushrooms! Liquid aminos or tamari help to bring that savory umami taste that complements the minty pea pure. This is an appetizer fit for warmer weather and fancy parties.

If you want to impress and surprise your friends and family, go out and find some fresh King Oyster mushrooms and make this Oyster Mushroom Scallops With Pesto Pasta for them soon! They wont believe their eyes or their taste buds when you tell them that the scallops are actually mushrooms. King Oyster mushroom slices are marinated in nori seaweed flakes or dulse flakes (another sea vegetable), along with some vegetable stock, and a splash of lemon and cooking wine. The mushroom slices absorb these different flavors and the moisture, resulting in a fantastically tasty vegan scallop with a consistency to die for! Then, serve them up with the cheesy pesto pasta, smoky tofu bacon, and a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Go on, treat yourself to a fancy dinner with one of these recipes. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Lead image source:Lemon Mushroom Scallop Royale

See the article here:

5 Scallop Recipes Made Vegan Using Mushrooms! - One Green Planet

(Picture: Deni Kirkova)

I want to share one of the biggest moments of my life with you.

I spoke about Vegan Fitness at Vegfest London 2016: How to craft your dream body and achieve optimum health on a vegan diet something I am an expert in.

This happened eight months ago but this is the first time Im writing about it.

It was an honour.

People were spilling out of the room to hear what I had to say. It meant so much.

It means more to me than most things in this life to promote vegan health and fitness.

It is because people seem to think we need to torture and kill animals for our brains, muscles, and other parts of our physiology to work their best.

We seem to think were supposed to mess around with other creatures, use and abuse them, ignore their free will and inflict untold pain and suffering upon them because we may benefit from ingesting parts of their bodies or excretions.

Of course, no-one is going to stand up and admit they believe in animal abuse.

People work hard, mentally, to create emotional dissonance around this. It is unthinkable.

And so we distance ourselves from the pure and blatant facts.

Drink milk? You contribute to child murder, the breaking of a new mothers heart and abuse of the miracle of bearing children. Rearing cattle for dairy is the most un-feminist practice I can imagine.

There are simply no two ways about it.

And that was me less than two years ago. I was that person the same as the 90%+ of the worlds population that consumes dairy.

It is simply a case of allowing ourselves to accept the world as it is presented to us by society and our families who, by the way, were exposed to the same stuff we are now.

So how do they know better than us? Why should we learn how things are and should be through them?

We allow ourselves to question so many things once we become teens, but due to heavy, heavy advertisingcampaigns around animal agriculture industries, we never question this practice.

Then I saw the light.

My newly-vegan pal Chris Hines told me the truth about how you get dairy.

I just want to apologise in advance to sensitive people who read the stuff on that link. Its all true but really horrible, so, Im sorry.

I spent a fortnight crying on the tube and googling stuff, then I went fully vegan.

Rare steak was my favourite food before, and now I eat tofu, seitan and pulses for protein. You can do it too.

I since dropped 10% body fat, 10 kilos and won 1st place Beach Body at the Miss Galaxy Universe European Championships 2016.

Heres the way I see my form of activism: I am an example of what a vegan looks like, how healthy a vegan can be and how healthy veganism can make you, and how normal you can remain.

Plus of course, how easy and pleasant it is to be vegan.

Justlook at me up there, with the abs, with the brain with the functioning physiology.Vegan two years.Not dead, and actually much fitter.

So, ingesting bits of animal: Inessential for good health.

So, now we have to think about what were doing in the context of preference rather than need.

And so the onion begins to peel.

Peel it further, take off your blinders, please. Be free of this cognitive conditioning around animal agriculture, a billion-dollar industry tightly involved with government.

On the mentality side of things, if there is ONE THING I can recommend its please, please:

Read: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs And Wear Cows by Dr Melanie Joy.

Its brutally truthful, educational and impenetrably informed. It will make you cry.

Also: Watch the following speeches, factual documentaries and educational movies.

They should answer every question and doubt you may have.

I havent mentioned it in this particular blog, but Ive been on prep (a diet and exercise plan) for the past ten weeks.

This is because Im competing in the UK Ultimate Physiques fitness show taking place at BodyPower on May 12th.

Find out how Ive been getting on in my previous and future blogs.

Week 10 progress: Down to 57.7kg .3kg down.

Total progress so far: Down to 57.7kg from 61kg and body fat is now down to 18% from 23%.

Metro Blogs is a place for opinions. These opinions belong to the author and are not necessarily shared by Metro.

Read this article:

My journey to Miss Bikini Body: My vegan fitness speech at Vegfest London 2016 - Metro

By Becky Striepe

Honey is not vegan, but luckily there are delicious alternatives to replace it in any recipe. Try these vegan alternatives to honey!

The honey question is surprisingly contentious in the vegan world, but honey is an animal product and definitely not vegan. Bees do not create honey for humans to eatthey create it as their own, sole food source.

As Piper Hoffman explained to Care2, bees have a central nervous system. They experience pain, just like larger animals do. "I'm going to speculate here that starving causes pain," Hoffman said, "and thanks to beekeepers, some entire hives starve to death during the winter."

There are some vegans who argue that local honey is ethical, because the methods used to take the honey are less harsh than in commercial honey operations. The local honey debate is a hot topic and I'm not here to argue about it. You do you. The resources below are for anyone looking for vegan alternatives to honey.

Vegan Alternatives to Honey

1. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a little bit controversial from a health perspective, but there is no question that when it comes to taste and how it behaves in recipes, it mimics honey like a dream. I think of agave nectar as a sometimes food, because it's not terribly healthy.

2. Bee Free Honee

This apple-based vegan honey alternative is truly amazing. Creator Katie Sanchez discovered this recipe in 1999 when an apple jelly experiment went awry. The result of her testing wasn't jelly, but it was a shockingly spot-on vegan alternative to honey.

3. Maple Syrup

Maple syrup gives recipes a different flavor than honey does, but it works well in baking, sauces and most other recipes that call for honey. I even use maple syrup in place of honey in beauty recipes, like this sugar scrub.

4. Brown Rice Syrup

Brown rice syrup is available at most grocery stores. It's slightly less sweet than honey, but that can be a good thing, especially if you're trying to cut down on your sugar intake. Use it just like honey, adding a bit more to recipes, if you find the results not sweet enough for your tastes.

5. Barley Malt Syrup

Barley malt syrup has a distinct, malty taste and, like brown rice syrup, it's a bit less sweet than honey. It's a fun one to play with, though, if you can find it at the store! I especially like barley malt syrup in place of honey for things like granola, cookies or cereal bars.

6. Sorghum Syrup

Sorghum is an interesting crop. Some energy companies are looking at this heat- and drought-tolerant crop as an alternative for the corn used to make biofuels and it's also versatile in the kitchen. Sorghum syrup is available at most grocery stores and is about as sweet as honey, so you can sub it in at a one-to-one ratio.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Care2.

Link:

6 Vegan Alternatives to Honey - EcoWatch

Im a foodie. I love good food, says Sylvie Cote-Nace, author of The Pure Pleasure of Eating Vegan, a cookbook she has put together with recipes she has developed or tweaked and converted to be vegan-friendly.

I entertain a lot. I like nothing better than to share a recipe with friends.

When she became vegan in 2009 she was only able to find two vegan cookbooks.

I checked at Barnes and Noble. I reviewed every vegan book. The early cookbooks had bland recipes, the texture of the food was not appealing and there was not enough creativity.

Besides being for vegetarians or for people who suffer from celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, it (her cookbook) is also good for people who are lactose intolerant, she says I put my personal spin and twist (into the recipes). I cook with a little sherry and a little wine. I am tired of people thinking vegan eating is eating granola.

Every recipe has an introduction telling from where the inspiration came and how the recipe will taste. There is a Cooks Note with several of the recipes indicated by the picture of a Basset Hound in memory of her dog, Charlotte. These notes give helpful hints and/or make-ahead preparation suggestions. She has included a few blank lines after each of the 220 recipe submissions for the users notes. Every recipe was tested by a panel of non-vegetarians with only the best finding their way into the book.

This is the only cookbook I will ever make, says the Gowanda woman. This was more work than getting my Masters. From April until October I spent eight to ten hours a day. I did not see summer.

The Montreal, Canada native tells of the process she used to make this very big project a reality starting with research and even developing her own recipes.

I have been collecting recipes in French and English since I was 16 from several culinary experiences. I have a gift to know if a recipe is good or not.

Much thought was put into the initial selection process from her extensive recipe collection. After shopping for the ingredients came cooking, clean-up, mise en place and snapping pictures of the finished dishes. This could entail as many as 12 to 15 hours.

The five ladies that were testers were here from 11:30 until 2 every two weeks for two years. I did not want any vegetarians for my testers, she says. The final part was reviewing every recipe to be sure every ingredient was there and to make English corrections. I was vegan for awhile, so I learned all of the tricks of the trade.

Processing a cookbook is one of the most expensive things ever, she says of the publication she is selling at cost. My testers all said just for the section of the vinaigrette, soup and gravy, you pay for the book.

The entrees are flavor-packed, thus making it easy to overlook the absence of meat for those that think they cannot exist without it.

There is no section for bread, cookies and cakes. Instead there are 21 recipes made with fresh fruit. She has included a section called Vegan Pantry and Tools, which explains every tool she uses in the book, what it is and where it can be purchased. This section also tells where ingredients can be acquired.

The success of your food will depend on the quality of the ingredients you use. A simple thing like the freshness of your spices and to know the technique will make the best meal youve ever tasted.

There is a condiment section that includes recipes for cheeses, condiments and sauces. The recipe for bechamel sauce includes tips on how to tell if the sauce is done.

Always make sure that your dried spices are fresh, the life of a bottle of spices is roughly 1 to 2 years. If you have old spices, know that this will affect greatly the taste of what you are cooking, and it wont be good, says the cook. I always make sure that in my house I have a nice supply of fresh onions, garlic and shallots. It is a must, as I use them a lot in every recipe I make. That must be my French roots showing up here.

Eating vegan does not mean you will never eat the recipe you like. You will learn how to veganize them and still keep enjoying them. Its even better than the original recipe. People come with prejudice against it, even if theyve never tasted it.

Everything I take to a party or gathering is the first to disappear.

When you eat a plant-based diet, all the food you eat is well-balanced. The protein is found in quinoa, lentils, beans, etc. When you eat there is so much fiber and nutrients you are full and never hungry. You dont have to weigh or measure the food, she teaches. People think when you go vegan it is restrictive, but what they dont know is everything you remove has a replacement. If you remove dairy, the milk is replaced with plant-based milk. You can veganize your favorite recipes. So you dont have to eat food youve never heard of.

When you eat healthy you nourish the brain and the body. When you eat a plant-based diet you have extra energy to be able to participate in life. If you have children you can play with them, she insists. When you adopt a plant-based diet, be organized and plan ahead. Add quality ingredients and do one day of cooking for the entire week.

When you go vegan, it doesnt mean it is the end of celebrating with your friends and eating out. When you have a pizza, you ask for double tomato sauce and hold the cheese. I can go into any restaurant and create a meal. I never feel deprived. You can ask for whole wheat linguine at Olive Garden. I always carry my own dressing.

Prior to getting a masters degree in criminology, she studied law for one year. She has been employed as a probation and parole officer in Canada and the United States. Her husband of 27 years, Reverend J. Michael Nace, is pastor of Java Village Baptist Church. They have a son who resides in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. The couple also has a cat named Maggie.

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Want to cook vegan? Gowanda woman's book can help - Evening Observer

FAIRBANKS Sara Grocott has been drawn to creams and potions since she was a teenager spending her allowance on drug-store anti-aging cream.

Later, when she worked in a greenhouse, Grocott would go around reminding her co-workers to wear sunblock.

She eventually went to beauty school to study skin care.

In 2015, she opened Spruce and Feather Skincare and Lash, offering help with skin problems and pampering with facials. She provides beauty tips and services such as waxing and semi-permanent false eyelashes.

The skin care studio is tucked in a neighborhood off Geist Road in the same building as a licensed massage therapist.

Grocott sees both men and women by appointment only and is booked out by a few weeks.

I am told by clients that I am their little secret, said the 36-year-old who grew up in Fairbanks and attended West Valley High School and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Her fees range from $55 for a facial to $180 for a full set of false eyelashes. Waxing starts at $20 for a brow wax.

Grocott also offers a line of high-end skin care products by Rhonda Allison.

She attended the Aveda Institute in Portland after studying art in college and deciding to pursue a trade so she could have a steady paycheck.

It made sense for me to make sure that I had a job out of art school, she said.

Studying dermatology in medical school was never appealing.

I didnt want to tell people that they have cancer or prescribe pharmaceuticals, she said.

Spruce and Feather is tastefully decorated with vinyl flooring, mid-century modern furniture and numerous plants.

Grocott has cultivated a spa atmosphere with aromatherapy and relaxing music.

You come in and it is just about you, she said. We lock the door. The service is about this being your space and your time.

One of the most rewarding moments for Grocott was when a 90-year-old woman enjoyed her facial so much that she wept.

I love art and I love flowers and I love beautiful things, and I love making people feel good, Grocott said.

Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7587. Follow her on Twitter: @FDNMborough.

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Beauty expert wants to help people look good and feel good - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner