Eat Plant-based (Vegan) Food , and Save the Earth!

It's Earth Day, and millions of compassionate people across the world want to save our Earth from deforestation, poverty, and pollution. It is really good to know that everyone from students to farmers and business owners to factory workers want to protect and save our beautiful Earth. I have been reading so many articles related to Earth Day, and most of the environmentalists are urging people to follow vegan diet(plant-based diet)...

Here are some tips how you can save our Earth on Earth Day and every day...

1. Eat Plant-based (Vegan diet) every day. If it is impossible to to Vegan, atleast go without meat and dairy products twice or thrice in a week. If you are a vegan, please talk about the benefits of vegan diet to your friends and relatives.

2.  Plant trees , and grow herbs such as mint , cilantro. If possible grow tomatoes, chillies, and carrots. http://www.sunset.com/garden/fruits-veggies/

3. Think 20 times before buying fashion accessories, and  decorative items. In short, buy only when you really need items! http://sfenvironmentkids.org/resources/natural5.htm

http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Earth-Science-Concepts-For-High-School/section/12.19/

4. Conserve water. Conserve electricity .Take out all the plugs from plug points even after switching them off. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/04/22/earth-day-water-conservation-tips/25957005/
http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-water.html


5. Carpool or take Public Transportation for work.
http://greenglobaltravel.com/2015/04/16/45-going-green-tips-for-travelers-earth-day/

6. Volunteer to clean parks and beaches. Volunteer in hospitals, libraries and schools.
https://www.volunteer.gov/ in United States

http://www.cry.org/what-to-do/gallery.html  India
http://www.ivolunteer.in/view_all_opportunities.html  India

Dr. Sailesh Rao - Vegan Environmentalist

Dr. Sailesh Rao is an amazing person involved in noble cause. He is passionately trying to protect our beautiful Earth.  Today, Global warming is taking a toll on our Earth and scientists feel that life on Earth will be very difficult in coming years...

Nearly a decade ago, Dr. Sailesh Rao heard a talk about Global Warming by Al Gore. It was a period of Epiphany for Dr. Sailesh Rao, when he heard the degrading condition of our Earth.  Dr Rao quit his engineering job, and started Climate Healers in Arizona.

Climate Healers is involved in healing the bruised Earth. Clean air and reforestation is the primary goal of Climate Healers. Today, due to hard work of Climate Healers, you can see millions of trees thriving in Rajasthan , India.

Dr. Sailesh Rao believes that it is possible to combat global warming if everyone thrives on plant-based diet (vegan diet).   Dr.Rao also feels that shopping once year is a great idea to save our Planet!

Here are some interesting links..

1. http://responsibleeatingandliving.com/favorites/sailesh-krishna-rao-climate-healers/

2. http://www.climatehealers.org/

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G4RbwSHUOA

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PgMETKrQD4

5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09K1kMM1tKE

6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3B_UX4Kz6M

Food Revolution Network

What we eat every day has enormous impact on our health, environment, economy, community and farmers. It is really important to eat wholesome nutritious food ...

These days, numerous food items is brimming with flavors, chemicals,  pesticides, and most of the fruits and vegetables are "GMO".  John Robbins and Ocean Robbins want to make our food  nutritious and wholesome. They are involved in helping farmers, communities and trying their best to help everyone from children to farmers in United States and across the world to eat wholesome nutritious fare...

Food Revotion Network is a great organization engaged in noble work. If you want know about farmers, supermarkets, organic farming,  healthy food items, environment, clean food, amazing health tips, and global warming, then you should visit http://foodrevolution.org/about/ and
https://www.facebook.com/foodrevolutionnetwork/

2016 - United Nations International Year of Pulses

Lentils, beans and peas belong to the group, Pulses .  Pulses are edible seeds of plants in the legume family. Every day millions of people in India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri lanka, get their "Proteins" from variety of lentils and beans.

Pulses are rich in protein and fibre. They are also rich in iron, pottasium, magnesium, and zinc. United Nations is trying to create awareness of the "Powerful Pulses", by designating 2016, as the United Nations International Year of Pulses. https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/iyp2016

Growing pulses require less water compared to raising cows, chickens and pigs for meat.  Yes, World Hunger can be eradicated if everyone thrives on plant-based diet. In short, United Nations is urging people to eat lentils and beans every day. Many Americans and Canadians are taking, Pulse Pledge, to consume pulses every week!

Indian cuisine is brimming with numerous tasty and nutritious lentils and beans dishes.  Every day I cook Indian dishes, and most of the dishes - Sambar ( thick Toor dal and vegetables stew), Kootu (channa dal or moong dal with vegetables), and Channa masala is made up of lentils, and beans.

During winter, I often make lentil soup for my family. I also like Black bean soup. Black bean salad is also my favorite dish. My friends make lentil burgers...

Here are some interesting websites for lentils and beans recipes...

1. http://www.veganricha.com/category/burger

2. http://www.theppk.com/2011/08/chana-masala/

3. http://www.fao.org/pulses-2016/en/

4. http://plantbaseddietitian.com/mediterraneanlentils/

5. http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/indian-curry-lentils/

6. http://www.undispatch.com/the-un-wants-you-to-know-that-lentils-can-save-your-life/

7. http://holycowvegan.net/2015/12/dal-tadka.html

Plant-based Proteins are Powerful

I was recently reading an article about Proteins in Costco magazine. I came across the sentence, "Start your day with Plants" in that enlightening article. Many decades ago, Americans assumed that protein is available only if they eat meat. Nowadays, everyone from doctors to smart moms are saying that plant-based proteins are good for health. Even United Nations is urging people to ditch meat and consume lentils, beans and legumes for healthy community and healthy Earth...

Peas, brown rice and hemp are excellent source of proteins. I love to start my day by drinking Banana smoothie - blending banana, chopped walnuts, vegan protein powder, and chia seeds. I often make Adai (thick rice and lentil pancakes) using brown rice, channa dal and tuvar dal.

I read an interesting article , Protein Power for Vegetarians in an Indian newspaper. Here is the link
http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/DMQF96cPafNx0dIN8JoO7H/Protein-power-for-vegetarians.html

Here is the nutritious recipe for Vegan protein balls, http://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/vegan-protein-balls-recipe

Here is another interesting article about Proteins, http://www.manchesterjournal.com/health/ci_29685192/tips-getting-protein-vegan-vegetarian-diet

With some planning, it is really easy to get plant-based protein in your diet...
https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php

Richa Hingle , Indian - American Vegan Food Blogger

Richa Hingle blogs about delicious and nutritious vegan dishes in the blog - Vegan Richa. The blog Vegan Richa inspires people to try plant-based fare (vegan fare). Richa is the author of the amazing vegan cookbook, Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen. You can find delicious recipes for vegan gulab jamun , and vegan ras malai.

In an interview Richa says, "I chose to be vegan when I realized how I was giving profound love and compassion to one animal (my adopted dog) and causing death, and eating another animal or animal product,” .

Richa says ,“Meat and dairy industries are not only responsible for torture and death of 59 billion animals per year, but they also affect the environment, the planet, and one’s own health. Animal agriculture is the leading producer of greenhouse gasses causing climate change, much more than fossil fuels.” You can read the full interview here, http://www.india.com/food-2/food-blogger-richa-hingle-on-creating-vegan-recipes-for-the-indian-american-audience-1034882/

Richa is also involved in improving the global community. She supports Karuna Society, Wildlife SOS ,  and Asha For Education .

You will be tempted to try Vegan Diet, when you visit Vegan Richa,
http://www.veganricha.com/

April (Earth Month) , Plant-based Fare to Protect Our Earth!

April is all about thinking about ways to protect our beautiful Earth. Everyone from scholars to environmentalist and students to celebrities are coming up with wonderful ideas to save our Earth from Global Warming, deforestation, air pollution, and water pollution.

Eating Plant-based food(vegan food) every day is a great way to protect our Earth...

Other ways to protect our Earth is to buy less stuff, and recycle...

Here are some great articles about ways to help our Earth...

1. https://u.osu.edu/mancuso33hseportfolio/2016/03/08/scholars-earth-month-food-water-themed-changes-you-can-do-to-help/

2. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/04/03/5-ways-to-green-your-plate-for-earth-month

3. https://www.downtoearth.org/go-veggie/environment/top-10-reasons