Making Sprouts, 21 Day Kickstart India and a yummy Chutney Video by Dr. Nandita - Vegan MoFo 2013 Day 4

Wow, it's already Day 4 of the Vegan Month of Food, the global vegan blogging marathon where hundreds of blogs write about vegan food, every single day (or at least weekday) of the month.

I just sat down to start typing out today's post when I read a comment by Mel on yesterday's post, where she very sweetly gave me kudos because she thought I'm going completely raw during MoFo. Haha

Though Kannada is my language, the exclamation that sprung to my mind was a Hindi one, "mujhe paagal kutte ne kaata kya?!" I won't translate it word for word because it just sounds funnier in Hindi, but what it basically means is that, I would have to be bitten-by-a-rabid-dog-bonkers to put myself through the sheer torture of going raw during Vegan MoFo. :oP

My theme for this month is Raw Vegan Foods but I'm not following a completely raw regime during this time. My intention is to just include *more* raw foods into our daily meals. At the end of the month, I'm hoping to have compiled a nice collection of raw recipes that will at some point inspire myself, and others, to try out at least one week of a completely raw diet at some point. :)

 

 

Today I have a couple of different things to share with you.

* First, there's a little video about making bean sprouts. I've shown you how to sprout Whole Green Moong aka Mung Beans because they sprout the quickest. But you could use the same process to sprout other beans too. Some of them might take longer, you just mix them once every 6-8 hours during the sprouting process. If you've never made sprouts at home from scratch before, I'd like to say that they are totally worth it. The time and effort are well rewarded. :)

 

* Then Zeeshan Ali of PCRM talks about 21 Day Kickstart India. If you haven't signed up for this program yet, I highly recommend that you do. You will get all kinds of delicious recipes and support to help you try out a healthy, vegan diet. The recipes are designed keeping in mind the people who live in India, so all ingredients will be easily accessible here. But you could try out these recipes (with a few replacements perhaps) regardless of what part of the world you live in. 21 Day Kickstart India started on 1st September, but it's never too late to sign up and give it a go. :)



U.S. Doctors, Bollywood Stars Guide 21-Day Health Challenge on Sept. 1

An Indian version of the popular 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program that has helped more than 250,000 global participants lose weight and improve their health will start Sept. 1 with the support of Bollywood stars, including Jackie Shroff, Jacqueline Fernandez, Amala Akkineni, Celina Jaitley, and Mallika Sherawat.

The free online program, available at www.21DayKickstartIndia.org, is created by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. It will offer Indians in India and around the world a research-based roadmap to jumpstart weight-loss and reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.

The Kickstart program is based on National Institutes of Health-funded clinical research by PCRM president Neal Barnard, M.D., that shows a low-fat, plant-based, dairy-free diet can help people lose weight, reverse diabetes, and implement long-term changes in eating habits and health.

“India faces a health crisis like never before,” Dr. Barnard says. “Traditional plant-based diets are being swamped by meat and processed foods, dairy product consumption is rising, and these unhealthy foods are driving obesity and diabetes rates through the roof. Our research shows the best way to lose weight and reverse disease is to jump into a completely dairy-free, plant-based diet for three weeks.”

The 21-Day Kickstart Program will be available online starting Sept. 1, and participants can sign up for free access to three weeks of recipes, nutrition information, and cooking tips, including cooking demos. Hollywood stars, including actress Alicia Silverstone, will also offer their favorite vegan recipes and tips to stay on track with the program.

* Finally, here's a recipe that Dr. Nandita Shah of SHARAN India has created for PCRM. I've mentioned here before that I am highly inspired by Dr. Nandita and all that she does to help people heal themselves by switching to a healthy, vegan diet. My parents went vegan after attending one of her Reversing Diabetes seminars and that means a lot to me. So when Zeeshan offered me a recipe from their 21 Day Kickstart website, I just had to choose one by her. It's a simple but yummy chutney. And yes, it's raw. :)



Green Cilantro-Mint Chutney

Makes about 1 cup (4 to 8 servings)

A green mint and cilantro chutney is a great complement to any meal and can be used as a sandwich spread. Mint adds freshness to the chutney while lemon or lime juice enhances the flavors of the mint and coriander and prevents discoloration of the greens. The chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

3 cups (50 grams) chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup (20 grams) chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup (60 milliliters) lemon or lime juice
1-4 green chilies, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons (15 grams) grated coconut (optional)
1/4 teaspoon (0.75 gram) ground cumin (optional)
sea salt, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and grind to a smooth paste using very little water. Refrigerate and use as needed.