From a traditional Nepali thali to Gujarati Basundi with Jalebi, a lavish vegetarian spread consisting of various cuisines was laid out for the SAARC leaders as they met in the cooler climes of Dhulikhel resort for a retreat session. The leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arrived at the resort in the morning and held talks in informal settings where most leaders were seen in a relaxed mood.

All the leaders wore long yellow scarves and posed for photographs while engaging in some chit chat. Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina could not join her counterparts at the retreat as she was unwell. Foreign Ministers of SAARC countries, including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz, were also present at the retreat.

A selection of desserts from all eight member countries was served.Gujarati Basundi with Jalebis from India and Baklava from Afghanistan was on the menu. The dessert from Bangladesh was Rasbari while Shahi Tukra from Pakistan was also served. Pirni from Maldives, Nepal's Sikarni, Bhutanese Dessert Daisee and Waterlappan from Sri Lanka decked the dessert table.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a vegetarian and has been having simple food with less spices and less oil. The retreat session came a day after all leaders addressed the 18th session of the SAARC.

Image Courtesy: Associated Press

Other Links:

Ayurveda Should be Recognized as a Way of Life: PM Modi

PM Modi's Birthday Dinner: What's on the Menu?

About 130 Countries Support India's UN Resolution on Yoga

Narendra Modi Sticks to a Light Menu at the SAARC Summit

See the original post here:
An All Vegetarian Fare at SAARC Retreat Lunch

A pregnant Carrie Underwoodwill once again avoid turkey this Thanksgiving.

The 31-year-old country star, who grew up on a farm and has maintained vegetarian and vegan diets since she was a teenager, toldYahoo! Beautyin an interview posted on Tuesday that she will continue to remain meat-free during her pregnancy. The Grammy winner andAmerican Idolalumand husband Mike Fisher, a 34-year-old NHL player, are expecting their first child, a baby boy.

"I have been vegetarian for about 10 years now," she said. "With pregnancy, I am definitely going more on the vegetarian side, but as soon as I am not pregnant anymore I will go back to being vegan."

Maintaining a vegetarian diet while pregnant is healthy for both mothers and their children as long as the women get the appropriate vitamins and nutrients. Doctors may prescribe supplements.

PHOTOS: Celebrity baby bumps

Pregnant women also require more protein in the second and third trimesters, according to thePhysicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Therefore, lacto-vegetarians, who consume dairy, and lacto-ovo vegetarians, who also eat eggs, may find it easier to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet than vegans.

Expectant mothers who refrain from eating meat, fish and eggs are encouraged to consume other foods rich in iron, such as leafy vegetables and grains to minimize the risk of anemia, which can lead to birth defects. Vegan and vegetarian pregnant women are also at a higher risk of becoming deficient in vitamin B-12, which is found in animal-based proteins and milk but also in certain soy products.

In 2011, Natalie Portman switched from a vegan diet to a vegetarian one while she was pregnant with son Aleph...and had cravings for cookies and cake from "regular bakeries."

This past September, Underwood was spotted giving into a non-vegan craving of her ownshe was seen picked up a pint ofBen & Jerry's vanilla ice cream, which is made with cream, skim milk and egg yolks.

"I don't think I am craving anything too crazy," the singer told Yahoo! Beauty. "I try to keep it as healthy as possible and try to take care of myself. And, you know, putting good things in!"

See the rest here:
Carrie Underwood Plans to Be a Vegetarian While Pregnant, Then Switch Diets

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- Options for meat substitutes have come a long way since Seth Tibbott's first few Thanksgivings as vegetarian in the 1970s.

Vegetable side dishes and salads were nice but they didn't seem as festive as a turkey, the traditional Thanksgiving centerpiece. The Oregon man tried all kinds of experiments, from a stuffed pumpkin to a gluten roast that took all day to make but was "unsliceable and indigestible."

After becoming a professional "soycrafter" in 1980, Tibbott noticed that sales seemed to slow around Thanksgiving and Christmas "as people lost their vegetarian ways and guiltily ate traditional fare like turkey," he said. Aside from tofu, which was primarily only sold in Asian markets, the only commercially available meat alternatives were made by Seventh Day Adventist companies, and many of these products were canned.

"I subsisted on a diet of homemade items like pressure-cooked soybeans and tortillas, soy grit burgers, bread and granola," he told CNN.

Over the years, fake meat -- or what some call plant-based meat -- grew to include burgers, hot dogs and ground beef. But poultry was still a relatively untapped niche, especially when it came to holiday centerpieces. With the help of Portland sandwich maker Hans Wrobel, Tibbott came up with the first Tofurky Roasts in 1995 and sold them in the Pacific Northwest.

Vancouver, British Columbia

New York

Glasgow, Scotland

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Continued here:
Why eat fake meat?

Kathmandu: It is a simple vegetarian spread with less spices and oil for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif is having halal meat dishes during their stay in Nepal for the SAARC Summit.

Hotel Crowne Plaza KathmanduSoaltee, where the SAARC leaders including Sharif and Modi are staying for the two-day Summit, has taken special care of the tastes and preferences of the visiting leaders.

Modi is having simple vegetarian food with less spices and less oil, while for Sharif, halal meat dishes are prepared, a hotel staff involved in preparing the cuisines said.

For lunch, Modi takes jeera rice with dal and two types of vegetables besides tawa roti and vegetable soup. He also takes plain curd and Masala Chaas with his food.

Instructions have been given to make the dishes less oily and less spicy with less use of paneer, he said.

For dinner, the Prime Minister prefers Khichadi with Gujrati curry, dal and roti, while for dessert, he takes mixed fruit.

His breakfast comprises mixed fruits, utappam or idly and digestive biscuits, along with tea.

For Pakistani Premier Sharif, halal meats are prepared.

He also prefers fish with special Pakistani preparation and takes organic chicken or mutton for lunch and dinner. For dessert, he prefers saffron kheer.

Modi has been provided an Executive Suite in the hotels main building, while Sharif is staying in the Real Suite in a separate bungalow built in the premises of the hotel along with all other SAARC dignitaries.

The rest is here:
Vegetarian spread for Modi, Halal dishes for Sharif

Ms. Universe Philippines Mary Jean Lastimosa. INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, PhilippinesMiss Universe Philippines 2014 Mary Jean MJ Lastimosa can add sexiest vegetarian in the country to her beauty titles after the local chapter of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) announced her feat on Wednesday.

Peta said the 27-year-old beauty queen narrowly beat singer Geneva Cruz and models Sandra Seifert and Amanda Griffin Jacob for the crown.

Also among the contenders were vocalist Lougee Basabas, and actors Chin Chin Gutierrez and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan.

MJ knows that going vegetarian is the best thing that you can do for animals, the Earth, and your health. Plus, shes living proof that being vegetarian helps keep you slim and sexy, Peta Asia vice president Jason Baker said in a statement.

Winners of Petas sexiest vegetarian contest were chosen based on several factors, including vote counts.

RELATED STORIES

Never give up on dreams, beauty queen Mary Jean Lastimosa tells province-mates

Farming village says: We have a beauty queen

Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines.

See original here:
Bb. Pilipinas MJ Lastimosa named Petas sexiest vegetarian