In the ancient Indian medical science, Ayurveda, bitter melons are well-known for their ability to cleanse the blood, aid digestion, help cure diabetes and encourage a failing appetite. Fried chips of bitter melon are well-loved in India, and are generally eaten in small appetiser quantities at the outset of a full lunch or dinner. To reduce their bitterness, the melons are rubbed in salt before cooking. You'll find bitter melons in Asian and Indian food stores. Always look for small melons that are dark green in colour and heavy for their size.

From changing a dozen dresses a day, to taking His pick from more than 100 cuisines on the menu, Lord Banke Bihari of Mathura has always enjoyed a privileged existence. Now, the baby Krishna has stolen a march over Ram Lalla - the resident deity of Ayodhya - by becoming the first divinity to don a bullet-proof cover.

Khichari (pronounced ‘kitch-eri’) is such an important dish for vegetarians that I have included a different recipe for it in each of my cookbooks. The flavoursome, juicy stew of mung beans, rice and vegetables is both nutritious and sustaining. It can be served any time a one-pot meal is required. You can practically live on khichari, and in fact some people do. I eat it accompanied by a little yogurt, some whole-wheat toast, lemon or lime wedges and topped with a drizzle of melted ghee. Bliss!

Announcing The First Ever Vaisnava Marriage and Family Fest!
At the Festival of Inspiration 2009
May 8, 9, 10th , New Vrindavan
Hosted by the Grihastha Vision Team
We cordially invite all Vaisnavas, families & friends to attend the first Vaisnava Marriage & Family Fest.

Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass that grows in ponds, lakes and waterways of the USA and Canada. It is not actually a grain, but it is treated as such. It’s long, thin ash-brown to blackish grains cook to a chewy texture, with a slightly smoky flavour. Wild rice teams up very well with basmati rice, and in this recipe is joined by continental parsley, slivered toasted pecans, currants and orange zest.

6th Street and 23th Avenue, it’s clearly the most patriotic intersection in town. A star-spangled red, white, and blue painted building on one corner, and diagonally opposite an intrusively large signboard that continually boasts inspirational sayings. The latest edition of the signboard reads, “America 3, Pirates 0.”

The Bhakti Shastri course encourages students not only to memorize the contents of Srila Prabhupada’s books but also to digest the philosophy and practically apply it. Professionally designed by the Vaishnava Training and Education team, the course draws together the principles of Krishna consciousness and progressive education.

According to Vedanta an ignorance of the original conception is the cause of sufferings. But when the actual Origin of both matter and life is understood, then peace and harmony are simultaneously achieved

ISKCON’s Food For Life program in the Philippines is assisting with relief efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, which has left more than 300 people dead and nearly 400,000 affected.

The tropical storm, which hit the Northern Luzon region of the Philippines on Saturday September 26, caused some of the worst floods the country has ever seen.

For ISKCON devotees around the world this October 22nd, the 32nd Disappearance Day of their founder Srila Prabhupada was a celebratory occasion.

Knowledge of the three modes (guṇa-traya) proves to be fruitful on a variety of levels. The principles that offer insight into the working of individuals also illuminate the characteristics of entire cultures or civilizations.

The divine protector Nrsimhadeva, with his ferocious half-man half-lion form, is one of the most recognizable avatars of Lord Krishna. Vaishnavas pray to Him when they're in danger, remembering how he saved the boy devotee Prahlad from his tyrannical father, the demon Hiranyakashipu. But how much do we really know about Nrsimha?

The Dasi-Ziyad Family Institute (www.dzfi.org) announces a promotion for the Vaisnava Marriage Services Registry. Register Now (from April 25, 2009 – June 30, 2009) and take a 25% discount ($10 off) of the registration fee of $40.

Vaisnava Marriage Services Registry is provided for:

o The devotee (male or female) who wants to marry a compatible devotee spouse;

o Parents who want to provide their daughters with quality choices of compatible devotee fiancés.

Chickpeas are rich in good quality protein – 100 grams of cooked chickpeas contain nearly 20 grams of protein. These savoury, butter–soft chickpeas coated with spiced tomato glaze are substantial and delicious. Serve them with fresh bread or rice. Serves 4-6.

THEY'RE faithful, friendly and furry - but under their harmless, fluffy exteriors, dogs and cats, the world's most popular house pets, use up more energy resources in a year than driving a car, a new book says.

In their book Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, New Zealand-based architects Robert and Brenda Vale say keeping a medium-sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000km a year in a 4.6 litre Land Cruiser.

Tarrytown, N.Y. - If the hardship of growing vegetables and fruits in the Northeast has made anything clear, it’s that the list of what can go wrong in the field is a very long one.

We wait all year for warmer weather and longer days. Once we get them, it seems new problems for farmers rise to the surface every week: overnight temperatures plunging close to freezing, early disease, aphid attacks. Another day, another problem.

The buzz is building for Los Angeles’ Kuli Mela festival, which will run from Wednesday July 29th until August 2nd this year.

Kuli Mela is a series of festivals designed to reunite, inspire, educate and entertain alumni from ISKCON’s Gurukula schools, popularly known as “Kulis.” Since its inception in 2006, it has evolved into a sensation and revolutionized the way ISKCON youth socialize and plan their futures.

Paternalism is based on the premise that it better to keep people, especially those people judged from a position of superiority to be vulnerable, in ignorance rather than given knowledge and the consequent rights and responsibilities. Not only is paternalism debilitating, but its effects can linger for decades. I’m living proof.

WASHINGTON: National Vegetarian Month is kicked off on October 1st by World Vegetarian Day. In response, The Humane Society of the United States—the nation's largest animal welfare organization—is encouraging consumers to try delicious meat alternatives that are not derived from the routine abuses billions of farm animals endure.