#Chickpeas Market

[acebytaemin]

would someone make lunch for me 🥺 i got all the ingredients we just need the manpower

[divinebastet]

@lookimjusthereforthevibes @cscorlis

I lack a mortar and pestle (SAD) but i do have an immersion blender, so perhaps my fresh hummus dreams are not so unobtainable

[imnotinlovemp3]

finally cooked for myself. please clap

[mrb-08]

Chickpea Flour Market: Impacting Factors in a Dynamic Food Industry

The chickpea flour market is influenced by various factors that shape its growth and development in the food industry. Understanding these impacting factors is essential for businesses looking to capitalize on the increasing demand for this versatile ingredient.

One of the primary factors driving the chickpea flour market is the growing health consciousness among consumers. As more people seek nutritious food options, chickpea flour, rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, has gained popularity. Its reputation as a healthy alternative to traditional flours appeals to a wide audience, including those pursuing weight management, fitness, and overall well-being.

The rising trend of gluten-free diets is another significant factor impacting the market. With a growing number of individuals diagnosed with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, the demand for gluten-free alternatives has surged. Chickpea flour naturally lacks gluten, making it an excellent substitute for wheat flour in various recipes. This has prompted food manufacturers to innovate and create a range of gluten-free products that utilize chickpea flour, thereby expanding its market presence.

Additionally, the increasing popularity of plant-based diets is reshaping consumer preferences. As more individuals adopt vegetarian or vegan lifestyles, the demand for plant-based protein sources has risen. Chickpea flour, known for its high protein content, fits perfectly into this trend, providing an essential ingredient for plant-based meals and snacks. This shift encourages food companies to develop innovative products that cater to this growing demographic.

Sustainability concerns also play a crucial role in the chickpea flour market. As consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of their food choices, the eco-friendly nature of chickpea cultivation appeals to those seeking sustainable options. Chickpeas require less water and are generally more sustainable to grow compared to other crops, making chickpea flour an attractive choice for environmentally conscious consumers.

In summary, the impacting factors of the chickpea flour market include rising health awareness, the gluten-free trend, the shift toward plant-based diets, and sustainability concerns. By understanding these influences, businesses can better position themselves to meet the demands of an evolving consumer landscape.

For a sample report click on:

[marxism-transgenderism]

I can't stop thinking about the connection between early American settlers in the midwest and the creation of the myth of Johnny Appleseed as a way to explain away the miles and miles of indigenous food gardens as the creation of early settlers and the early Zionist settlers in Palestine who wanted to build Jewish-only farming communities and the use of the word sabra (a term used during the mandate system for a Jewish person who was born in Palestine) in global marketing to sell middle eastern foods grown exclusively by settlers rather than by indigenous Palestinians. How both are used to 'indigenize' settlers in the wider culture to the regions they invaded and erase the actual indigenous people who grew apples or corn or olive trees or chickpeas

[foldingfittedsheets]

I cannot possibly explain the love my FIL has for Whole Foods. He takes trips to Whole Foods three times a week. He delights in browsing the aisles and reading every label so he can find food with no sugars or fats or flavor. When he dies heaven will appear unto him as a Whole Foods.

For this trip he requested one day my beloved make dinner and they agreed. We both spent all day in the kitchen. I ran to the farmers market for fresh berries and even picked some from my mothers farm. I mixed up batter while my beloved boiled chickpeas.

My beloved marinated meat and roasted eggplant. They made a trip to the store for supplies. We traded the oven between us as the eggplant came out my shortcake went in. They blitzed up hummus and baba ghanoush with special servings free of spices for step-MIL. Special vinaigrette was produced for the salad. Later, kebabs of chicken and veggies went into the oven and then I whipped up my own cream.

We descended upon their hotel with three bags of food containers, laden like packmules from the fruits of our labors. Trays of kebabs and shortcake were carefully transported, bowls of dips and salads, pita bread and dressing the only premade stuff brought along, all the utensils, plates, bowls.

We laid out a feast of love that had taken all day to produce. They both praised the food to our relief but what made FIL pause was seeing the Whole Foods label on the dressing we’d brought. In a touched voice he said, “You went to Whole Foods for me? That’s so nice. I love it there.”

[gemsofgreece]

How to follow a Mediterranean Greek diet

The Mediterranean diet naturally expands throughout the coastal countries of South Europe, North Africa and the Middle East but there are some small differences between their cuisines. So here I am writing specifically about the Greek version of the Mediterranean diet, known for its delicious, natural flavours and its significant health benefits.

Eat daily:

Olive oil: the pillar, the liquid green gold of the Mediterranean Greek diet. Olive oil should be used ideally exclusively for all purposes. It's dressing salads, it's used in cooking and in fact it's traditionally what is used in frying too. Replace all types of oils, butter and margarine with olive oil even when making pastries. The only problem here is that outside of the Mediterranean basin olive oil can be pricey, however that's the foundation the diet is based on. If you are interested in following the traditional Greek diet for taste or health purposes, it is good to really incorporate olive oil in your daily cooking. If it’s not possible to afford buying olive oil all the time (although you could balance it out by not buying other oils and butter), a non-Greek-typical but equivalent alternative could be avocado oil. However, I doubt avocado oil or any other oil can remotely compare to olive oil in health properties, taste or in any other positive quality 🫒

Vinegar: Just like olive oil, vinegar is a very important ingredient and is also used in natural remedies However, it can hurt a sensitive GI tract if consumed in large portions. A little bit of it added to meals frequently is very healthy. Apple cider vinegar is also very loved and used in salads often 🍇

Vegetables: no portion can be too much (wild greens, garlic, onions, cauliflowers, cucumbers, eggplants, beets, peppers, spinach, artichokes, zucchini, peas, lettuce, the list never ends). Tomatoes and broccoli are recent additions to the Greek diet however they were integrated perfectly to the Greek cuisine. In general, all vegetables can be enjoyed freely with some moderation in the potatoes, especially when fried 🥗

Fruits: grapes, berries, apples, melons, cherries, figs, prunes, sour cherries, peaches, pomegranates are the most historically loved fruits in the Greek diet. Since the middle ages citruses like the orange, the lemon and the mandarin are more and more loved. Greeks nowadays use lemon almost more than vinegar and both have become integral components of the Greek diet. Obviously, tropical fruits like, say, banana, mango, grapefruit are not present in the traditional Greek diet, however all fruits are good fruits and you can enjoy them freely 🍎

Legumes. Eat freely to the tolerance of your body. Legumes can be too heavy for some GI tracts. Legumes are a great source of protein and fibre. Choose brown lentils, white beans, fava beans, chickpeas, giant beans and black eyed peas the most 🫘

Nuts, seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts etc. Eat as much as your body can take, because everybody is different 🥜

Mushrooms: mushroom it up! A great healthy way to have them is grilled with herbs and plain or apple cider vinegar dressing 🍄‍🟫

Whole grains: this is the traditional way to eat grains. Brown bread, oats, whole wheat pasta 🌾

Fish and seafood: find and eat them fresh. Instead of buying them deep frozen from the big markets, find local fish stores if your place is coastal and has them. Eat both large but especially small and medium sized fish. Some fish like salmon and tuna should ideally not be consumed daily due to their high levels of mercury and fats 🐟🎣🍤

Herbs and spices. Feel free to use as much as you want however if you are interested also in the flavours of the Greek diet besides the health benefits, a tip is that Greek dishes do not contain extremely hot spices 🌿

Water: A lot of water daily and, mind you, plain clear mineral water. No flavoured water, definitely not sparkling water and ideally no other liquids in place of the water. I mean, sure you can have liquids but you should ALSO have plain water 💧

Eat a few times per week:

Poultry: Poultry and lean meats entered the Greek cuisine mostly after the Middle Ages however they are nowadays enjoyed as part of the Greek Mediterranean diet because they are tasty and healthier than other types of meat. Chicken has become especially popular in the Greek cuisine. Other birds are the pheasant, the quail, the turkey and more sparsely the duck 🍗

Eggs: eggs are healthy and should be consumed a few times per week but not daily because they can cause a rise in cholesterol levels 🥚

Dairy: Greeks LOVE dairy products, especially the various types of cheese, however they are often irritating to the GI tract and they are linked with rises in the level of inflammation in the body. This is why you should ideally limit them to a few times per week. One exception is the yoghurt, which is fermented and can be perhaps consumed more frequently due to its beneficial properties. Important note: if you want to follow the Greek diet, you should ideally opt for milk and other dairy products from goats and sheep! Cow milk is not traditionally used in the Greek cuisine often and sheep and goat milk are significantly healthier and more nutritious. The only drawback is the stronger smell, however if you can get past that, it is strongly advised to switch to those instead of cow milk. Another note: what is known as “Greek yoghurt” in western countries is not in fact a true Greek yoghurt. What you call Greek yoghurt is to us simply a strained yoghurt, a yoghurt from which the whey has been removed. Sometimes in western markets (and in Greek “modern” dessert yoghurt products) butterfat and powdermilk is added to them and they are mostly made of cow’s milk. Again, a traditional Greek yoghurt is made of sheep, goat milk or a mix of both and is unstrained. It also has a trademark thickened skin on its top (dunno if this is the actual term lol) which is in fact the part of the yoghurt that contains the most nutrients and personally it’s the tastiest part of the yoghurt but apparently it is not for everyone. As an example, a study showed that an unstrained sheep yoghurt has more protein, more omega-3 fatty acids and minerals yet fewer calories and fats than a strained cow yoghurt 🍦🧀

Wine: in small portions, like a small glass up to a few times per week and always in combination with your meal. You don’t drink it to get hammered, you drink it for the health benefits it has in very moderate quantities and for the reasonable mild euphoria it causes before it becomes harmful. The GI tract is linked to the brain and is detrimentally influenced by negative emotions. This is why it is important to try to be in a good mood, relaxed and peaceful when you sit down to eat. A sip of wine now and then can be good for that 🍷

Eat once per week or ideally less:

Red meat like pork or beef. In fact, beef should be the one most avoided not only because it is indeed the rarest of the common meats used in traditional Greek cuisine but also because you can’t separate the fat from the meat as easily as with pork. To follow the Greek style in a healthy way opt for goat, then lamb or pork and make beef your most occasional meat dish 🥩

Processed meats should be eaten rarely. If you are in a mood for it though, opt for Greek style sausages with herbs in or bacon at most. Cured meats like ham are better to be avoided but turkey is the healthiest of them. They are not a part of a traditional Greek cuisine though.

Refined grains can be enjoyed weekly but should not replace whole grains

Pastries. What’s new, pastries are not ideal for health. However, if you are yearning for something sweet, if you want to keep it healthy as much as possible in the “Greek way”, opt for desserts made of healthy ingredients like honey, nuts, olive oil and fruits. Chocolate came to Greece in the 19th century, however it has become an integral part of confectionery since then. Opt ideally for dark chocolate, combined with nuts or fruits such as oranges and prunes. Greeks especially love chocolate combined with nuts.

Soft and sugary drinks. Avoid them overall, especially the processed products in the markets. If you need a sweet drink really bad, you can keep it traditional by making your own sweet lemonade, sour cherry, pomegranate etc drink at home. You could also enjoy small quantities of lemon or mastic liquors which are good for digestion.

BONUS TIPS & PHILOSOPHY:

Try to find mastic if it’s available where you live. The mastic is a resin produced from the mastic tree, a species endemic to the Greek island of Chios and a small part of the opposite coast of Turkey. It has numerous beneficial properties, especially for digestion and gut health, and it combines them with a very pleasant fresh and sweet flavour. You can find it in gums that boost digestion, in drinks, in pastries and even in non-edible products like toothpastes. Learn about it and give it a try, no matter if you are interested in following Greek diet or not.

Greek cuisine does not go berserk on as many ingredients as possible (however Greeks typically add more ingredients than, say, Italians and perhaps fewer than the Middle Easterners). Don’t worry about adding as many foods and nutrients in one single dish. The most important thing in Greek cuisine philosophy is to pick the finest ingredients. Avoid deep frozen or precooked and processed ingredients. Pick whole fruits and vegetables from your local small grocery store. For example, don’t buy a watermelon slice in a zelatin bag from the supermarket. Take the whole freaking watermelon home. You heard me right. It’s heavy, yes, but you would be surprised how much tastier and healthier it is this way. Go to the butcher for meat. Go to the specific cheese shop for cheese. Go to the fisherman for fish and seafood. Go to the pastry shop and get a nice dessert instead of buying candies from the market.

Remember that in moderation you can eat most of the foods you desire, especially if they are not processed foods. There is nothing about the Greek diet that is restrictive in terms of its philosophy - historically the intake of various foods was regulated only based on availability and price. There are no foods you should limit due to any perception of them being “bad” and you should never feel guilty the moment you are actually having the food. Just work slowly and progressively by building gradual appreciation for healthy foods and prize less nutritious foods as occasional taste bud rewards.

As said above, a good mood is crucial when you sit down to eat. In the history of the Greek society this translated into eating with friends and / or family, maybe with the occasional sip of wine, ideally in a pleasant environment and always taking your time with your food. If some of these are less feasible than others, try alternatively to improve the setting in which you eat, to eat in an environment that calms you down. Schedule your meal so that you won’t eat in anxiety or hurry, if this is possible. Think of pleasant memories and feel grateful for your food. Cheers! Or, you know, εις υγείαν!

[kneelingshadowsalome]

Ozzie back here again to add to the idea of how much König needs to eat a day, here are a few suggestions that I can imagine he does to make his great need for food easier to handle (this is based on my own experience and the experiences of the other people at my gym and old veterans at my favourite pub so do not use this for in real life as this is just to help imagine how König eats and lives)

So, from what I know from the veteran I have made friends with, when he was in the military, they had a focus on foods that provided them with a great amount of energy, protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins C and D as it was the nutrients that they tended to run out of the most but it also the ones with some of the greater consequences with diseases that can make them weak and cause their immune system to be weak. Soldiers also eat a lot of protein as it is believed to help them grow their muscles more quickly. This makes me believe that König would focus on foods that provide him with a lot of nutrients but mainly protein to grow his muscles but not too much protein as he does not want to get sick and to build the balanced diet needed for his lifestyle

Some great food options for him would be many vegetables and fruits but for protein, I would suggest things such as eggs, poultry, beans, lentils, fish, nuts, chickpeas, yoghurts, and cheeses, I tend not to suggest red meats unless they are very lean due to the amount of fat in them and not being fond of the texture but I imagine König to enjoy them so if you were to make him food I would include things such as those along with some form of starch/carbohydrate by giving him some pasta, rice, bread, or potatoes which can help fill him up faster without him overeating and if they are reheated they will get resistant starch

I imagine König lives in the Alps so that he can be away from people and enjoy nature but I also imagine him earning a lot of money due to his job, putting his money into stocks/businesses, some dodgy dealings, and saving it up as he had no reason to spend most of it which means he could buy a lot of land. With this large amount of land, I imagine him using it to have his own giant garden with some animals, as it means he has to deal with fewer people to get what he needs. The garden would probably be made up of an orchard with trees of his favourite fruits but it would mainly be patches of vegetables and fruits while for his animals it would make sense for him to have chickens as he probably needs a lot (and I mean a lot) of eggs so having chickens make it a lot easier

If he can not grow it on his own land, he would probably hunt or forage it, which means that he can get his energy and murderous tendencies out that would normally be taken out on the field while still getting some food out of it (but it sadly makes him more hungry). But if it is a certain food like milk or cheeses or yoghurts he will most likely just go down to the local markets in the nearby towns and villages so he can get fresh items from people he trusts

Now we know some information about where he gets the food from we need to know where you would be cooking and keeping it. An appropriate and smart option would be to have a walk-in freezer in his basement that he can use to store the great amount of meats he has that has a wine/alcohol storage opposite it. While the kitchen would probably be massive and fully decked out with anything you need to be able to cook and two or three double-door fridges that are filled with any item that needs to stay chilled in it, although the cabinets are mostly up too high for anyone to reach without a stool unless you are König but they are filled to the brim with sweets as the giant has a sweet tooth to match his size or the weird collection of novelty cups he has collected from places he has went on missions too or beer glasses from different bars or pubs

If you were to cook food for him batch cooking (so you do not keep having to cook again and again) would be the best option with foods that are traditional to Austria or hearty foods like stews that can be cooked in large amounts with lots amounts of meats and vegetables (I can give a whole list of foods I recommend or I think he would like if you want them)

As you can tell I have too many ideas about this and I have way more because this has inspired me, and thank you for reading this long rant that probably does not make any sense

I love this so much 😭 The sweet tooth headcanon, his collection of beer glasses and such, him living in the Alps and hunting some of that precious protein... This screams Cabin/Off the grid König to me, I would make a cute garden for him to get those veggies stocked and stashed to some root cellar like this:

And then I'd probably spend the rest of my time here, cooking those hearty stews for him:

[st-just]

hi (waves) as a fellow eater of vegetarian glops, would you be interested in some of my favorite one pot recipes? I've got recipe for pasta with chickpeas I particularly like, a really nice red lentil/sweet potato glop, and a no chicken no noodle no soup.

Please! Always in the market for new recipes, and-okay 2/3 of those sound delicious, the no soup I'm mostly just curious about.

[acti-veg]

16 Plant-Based Protein Sources

Protein is often raised as a concern for people considering adopting a plant-based diet, and considering the fact that we've all been taught to associate protein primarily with red meat, this is not surprising.

It is estimated that most adults require 56 grams of protein per day, and you're probably hitting that number if you're not in a calorie deficit. If you're trying to lose weight and so are cutting calories then you may need to track your protein a little more closely, but 56 grams is pretty easy to hit without having to really think about it.

It gets a bit more difficult if you're very physically active, particularly if you're engaged in regular endurance training or are trying to build muscle. There is a great deal of disagreement about precisely how much protein is ideal if you're training intensely, but it is very achievable to hit even the upper end of protein requirement estimates using only plant-based foods. Listed below are particularly good options.

1) Lentils - Lentils are a cheap nutritional powerhouse, and provides about 17 grams of protein per cup. They're also very flexible, you can have them as your main protein source of a meal, use them to substitute mince in a pasta dish, make burgers out of them, or put them in a stir fry or with rice and veg with some seasonings. They are cheap and convenient if you buy them canned, since they're ready to eat, though I would recommend at least warming them up.

2) Chickpeas - Chickpeas are a popular vegan staple, and it's not hard to see why. At approximately 14.5 grams of protein per cup, they're nutrient dense and very flexible. Use them to make hummus or falafel, as the main protein source of a curry, on their own with rice or worked into a salad. You can also just air fry/grill them with some oil and spices for a convenient, crunchy snack.

3) Oats - A cup of dry oats is around 11 grams of protein by itself. Making it with a cup of oat milk brings that up to 14 grams, throw in a tablespoon of peanut butter and you're up to about 17.5 grams at breakfast, and all those ingredients are pretty cheap and very filling. You could add something like nuts or chia seeds as a topping to stretch that to well over 20 grams.

4) Nuts - Peanuts are 9.5 grams per 1/4 cup, almonds are 7g, pistachios 6g, cashews 5g, hazelnuts 5g, brazil nuts 4.75g, walnuts 4.5g and pine nuts are 4.5g. You can buy 1kg bags of mixed nuts for a little bit cheaper and keep them in a jar for a healthy snack. I find it better to buy a bag that doesn't have peanuts in then add the peanuts later, as mixes that include peanuts tend to be less for your money. Peanut butter is also a cost effective way to add protein to many snacks and meals.

5) Beans - Depending on the type, beans are anything from around 10-15 grams of protein per cup. Some are better than others, like kidney beans, but even your standard baked beans are high protein and good for you. Turn them into a chilli, have them on toast, on a jacket potato, turn them into a bean burger or make them the protein base of a salad or soup. Kidney , soy and edamame beans are particularly good options.

6) Seitan - When cooked, seitan closely resembles to look and feel of red meat. It is made of wheat gluten and has 25 grams of protein per 100 gram serving. It is not very widely available in supermarkets, but try your local Asian market, where it will usually be cheaper as well. It's a bit of a hassle, but you can also make your own at home, which is extremely cheap as it's just wheat gluten, yeast, plant milk, miso and spices.

7) Tofu/Tempeh - A staple in Asian cooking, don't be afraid to try this one. Think of it as doing all the same things chicken does in terms of recipes, it soaks up the flavour around it. It needs to be pressed before use, or you can avoid that by just draining the liquid and freezing it, then thawing over night when you want to use it. 100 grams of tofu (less than half a small block) contains 8 grams of protein. Some tofu, like Naked TooFoo, is pre-pressed for you.

8) Faux Meats - Faux meats are an easy way to add a protein base to your meal, and has the advantage of serving the same function on a plate as the foods you were used to before you went vegan. A Beyond burger, for example, has 19g of protien per patty, though you can get much cheaper options that have a similar nutritional profile. Pair that with a wholemeal bun and something like brown rice/quinoa and vegetables and you can create a very high protein meal.

9) Grains - All grains are good for protein, these include quinoa, spelt, brown/wild rice, teff, amaranth and sorghum. They can range anywhere between 5 and 8 grams per 100 grams, and you'll usually be serving them with some sort of protein source. They're also an excellent source of fibre and carbohydrates, which are also important for training and general health. Quinoa in particular provides all 22 essential amino acids.

10) Peas - Green peas are not mentioned much when it comes to high protein options, but a cup of cooked peas is a respectable 9 grams of protein, and it's worth mentioning here because they tend to be used more as a side than main, so can be paired with other high protein options. They're also very cheap, freeze well and are easy to prepare.

11) Seeds - Just a tablespoon of chia seeds is nearly 3 grams of protein, and the seeds are so small and tasteless that you don't actually notice them in anything you put them in, making them an easy way to add protein to just about any meal. They're pretty cheap to buy in large quantities, particularly good to replace eggs in baking, to add to bread flour, salads and oatmeal. Other high protein seeds include pumpkin, sunflower, linseed, hempseeds and buckwheat.

12) Bread - Bread may not immediately come to mind when you're thinking about protein, but wholegrain/rye/spelt breads can be very high in protein, anywhere from 3 all the way up to around 10 grams per slice, particularly for seeded loaves. If you really want to turn bread into a high protein food, invest in a bread maker or bake it yourself, that way you can add nuts, seeds and oats yourself to up the nutritional value. That's just the bread too, a hummus and falafel sandwich with a high protein bread can be very nutrionally dense.

13) Fruit and veg - Worth mentioning here, as they're something you'll need to consume to maintain a healthy diet anyway, and some options have moderate protein. The higher protein options include broccoli, spinach, asparagus, artichokes, potatoes, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, which all contain 4–5 grams of protein per cooked cup. Likewise, blueberries, guava, bananas and nectarines contain about 2-4 grams of protein per cup, as well as many other vitamins important for training.

14) Nutritional Yeast - No vegan list is complete without mentioning it, it's a vegan staple for its nutty, cheesy flavour, as well as being an easy source of vitamin B12. It's a complete protein that has 8 grams of protein per 16 grams serving, making it an easy way to add more protein to things like pizza, pasta dishes or a jacket potato. Use it to make cheesy sauces, or just sprinkle it on anything you'd have previousy added parmesan cheese to.

15) Protein Bars - They tend to be  on the expensive side, but there are a few plant-based options. I'd recommend Misfit bars if you can get them online, they're low sugar, 15g of protein per bar, and you can buy them in variety packs of 40 which works out cheaper. Trek also have protein flapjack bars, less protein (8-9g) but are much cheaper in packs of 3 and frequently available at a discount (as little at 85p for three in Heron here in the UK).

Most brands won’t be suitable as a daily option for many people given the price, but great for when you're need a protein boost on the go. You can also just make your own protein bars using nothing but oats, cinnamon, baking soda, a little maple/golden syrup and a scoop of plant-based protein powder.

16) Protein/Meal Powders- Even the cheaper powders are around 18g of protein per scoop, so a shake is an easy way to add more protein to your diet, or you can stir it into oatmeal to get most of your daily requirements over breakfast. Some meal replacement shakes, like Huel Black, are around 40 grams of protein per serving (2 scoops) even when made with just water, providing a cheap and easy way to have a high protein and nutritious meal without any prep or fuss. Add some peanut butter and plant milk to make them tastier and even higher in protein. (I don't accept sponsorship or commissions from any brand and I don't have any affiliate links. Any product recommendations are based solely on my own experience.)

[mariacallous]

My grandmother Rachel was a gifted cook. After moving as a young mother from Baghdad to Tel Aviv in 1943, she kept on cooking the same dishes she grew up with in Iraq. From her small kitchen, out came fried eggplant slices, ground chicken and parsley meatballs, rice with vermicelli that she cooked in freshly made chicken broth and chopped spicy vegetable salad with tons of black pepper. 

But the highlight was her assortment of stuffed foods that the Iraqi, and wider Middle Eastern, cuisine is famous for: sambousek pastries with chickpea filling; kubbeh (farina dumplings) stuffed with meat in okra, pumpkin or beet sauce depending on the season; stuffed chicken with rice (t’beet) for Shabbat; cookies stuffed with dates (baba b’tamar) and sweet sambousek with sugar and nuts. 

My absolute favorites were the stuffed vegetables, particularly stuffed onions and tomatoes, and especially when they got a little burnt at the bottom, releasing their sugars that caramelized their skin. My grandmother’s stuffing was made of rice and a little ground beef, and had a slight lemony taste, which, with the natural sweetness of the onions and tomatoes, made the dish sublime. I used to dig with a spoon deep into the pot to find the most caramelized stuffed onion in the batch.

Stuffed vegetables are a cornerstone of Iraqi cuisine, dating back to 13th-century Baghdad. “The Book of Dishes” (“Kitab al Tabikh”) by Al Baghdadi includes a recipe for madfuna, which means “buried,” and is also the root of the name of North African Shabbat overnight stew known as tfina or adafina. Al Baghdadi describes how to pound cooked meat, mix with chickpeas and then stuff eggplants with the mixture. He spices the dish with saffron, coriander and cinnamon, sprinkles with rose water and cooks on a “gentle fire.”

Stuffed food, whether it’s a stuffed dumpling or pastry, leaf or vegetable, requires a lot of practice, patience and time — things my grandmother never questioned when she’d lovingly roll kubbeh, stuff sambousek or separated onion layers to fill and roll. She started her day early in the morning by cooking her own chicken broth that she later used in the stuffed vegetable and the kubbeh sauce. To make the stuffed onions, she first cooked then separated the onions into layers so she could fill each layer separately. From time to time she sat at a chair near the large window, letting her feed rest, looking outside, feeding Tel Avivian cats with some scraps, before she went back to roll kubbeh and stuff onions.

And she’s not the only one. Grandmothers from around the Jewish world have been stuffing vegetables for generations. More specifically, at least since the Ottomans started spreading the technique of making dolma, a general name for stuffed vegetables and leaves, throughout the empire, making it a popular practice that’s open to creative interpretation.

“There’s seven different ways to cook an eggplant… The second one to make it is the wife of the Shammash she hollows it and fills it with herbs, and lots of rice they call this meal: a dish of dolma.”

– “Seven Ways To Cook An Eggplant” (“Los Guisados De La Berenjena”), a Ladino folk song.

Over the years, inspired by friends and colleagues in Israel, I’ve added to the vegetable-stuffing techniques and recipes my grandmother taught me. Driven by a desire to keep her beautiful culinary traditions alive, I prepare stuffed vegetables regularly. I find the slow and repetitive labor of stuffing relaxing, and delight that the final flavor is somehow greater than the sum of its parts. 

In fact, whenever I walk through a farmers market or supermarket vegetable aisle, I find myself drawn to veggies that I can stuff in various ways: Eggplants stuffed Sephardi-style, with a mixture of ground meat, rice and herbs, or rainbow chard for a colorful pot of mashi — the Arabic term for stuffed vegetables used by Jews from the Middle East. 

While these dishes invite creativity when it comes to flavors, there are some “rules” when it comes to the cooking method. So here are six of my best veggie-stuffing tips:

Choose firm vegetables of about the same size. If you’re mixing a variety of vegetables, try to keep them all of the same firmness. For example, potatoes and beets need more time to cook than zucchini and tomatoes. Onion layers are adjustable in that sense, and can be cooked for a longer or shorter time.

Melon ballers, serrated grapefruit spoons and apple corers are all helpful in emptying veggies, especially zucchini and root vegetables.

Soak the rice in cold water for at least one hour before mixing the stuffing, to make sure it is moist enough and will not dry during the cooking process.  

Ground beef, chicken or lamb add good flavor to the stuffing, but that’s all you need meat for: a bit of flavor. So there’s no need to add too much of it, ¼ lb ground beef mixed with 2 cups of rice is more than enough. Vegan meat substitutes work very well, too.

Have patience and cook your stuffed vegetables slowly over 1½-2 hours. After that, especially if the filling includes rice, let the dish stand covered for at least another 30 minutes before serving. The rice will absorb all the steam and will have the best texture this way. (This is true for any cooked rice dish.)

Never overstuff vegetables and leaves with rice! The rice expands as it cooks and will rip the vegetables if they’re filled too much.

[roselyn-writing]

🌼💚Layla Buyunni OC lore 🍀🌳

Name meaning: ‘Night’ in Arabic. ‘Buyuuni’ means ‘The Keeper’ in the old Virginian language

Date of birth: 3rd of September 1440 (in Virginian time and year)

Age: 23 (Youngest Oc so far).

Zodiac sign: Virgo.

Hair: Long straight blonde hair.

Eyes: Green.

Skin tone: Porcelain.

Favourite food: roasted veggies, veggies, broth veggies, omelettes, Chickpea sandwiches, peas quinoa salad.

Least favourite food: Beef, Chicken, Jelly.

Aesthetics: Gardener, librarian, flowers, nature, forests, green aesthetics, plants, cottagecore, greencore.

Favourite colours: Green shades, white, Turquoise, Brown, Gold.

Job: Florist, Librarian.

Likes: Nature, learning new things, animals, quietness, cleanliness, reading books, writing poetry, likes to take care of her plants/flowers, Pixies and fairies, green clothes, green jewels, etc.

Powers: Plant-based powers, psychic abilities. Plant manipulation, Chlorokinesis, slight sound manipulation, Immortality, and Complete control of plant life. Healing magic, Her eyes glow green when she uses her powers, self resurrection, immortality, Hair manipulation (only in Verdant Seraph form)

Items: Eternal Verdant core (Its shape is similar to the heart of Tefiti from Moana, but it is bigger and has a heart-like shape with plant-based runic, etc.) Later, it infused with her soul making her a god-like being.

Hate/dislike: sexism, plant abusers, animal abusers, bigots, racist people, liars, criminals, parents who abuse their children, rude people, people who hate other people for being different, etc, nature abusers, etc.

Pet(s): Layla has a plant-like creature that she made out of her powers and pure essence it is similar to “Bellossom” from Pokemon, She named it ‘Marigold’

Faceclaim: Meghan Ory.

voice claim: Stephanie Sheh (Usagi Tsukino English VA)

Personality: Layla is very shy when she sees new people, but when she gets to know them very well, she won’t be shy with them at all, she talks and interacts freely with them.

"I feel the verdant energy coursing through me, surging like vines in search of life and sustenance. I harness its power and focus my will. The plants around me respond by swaying in rhythm, weaving a thick, green tapestry of life, And I swear by the holiness of nature I will use it for good!" ______ Layla Buyunni’s quote

Her lore is inspired by Anne Jefferies and the fairies but I decided to make it darker and bloodier hehe 😝.

[The Lore] CW: Blood, Death.

Across the north where the wind from the south meets the northern sea of Ma’chilga town as if they were lovers from different parts of the world, There, was a happy little girl called Layla Buyunni, She works as a florist and a caregiver to an old lady called ‘Granny Mira’

Layla is known among the people as a happy and carefree girl, let alone a very beautiful and popular girl in the town too. Every day, she finishes her morning chores in Granny Mira's house then she goes to the market to buy groceries so she can cook and prepare a meal for herself and Granny Mira.

This was her daily routine for years until one day, she was cleaning the backyard with a broom, when she heard a rustling in the bushes, at first she didn’t care at all, she continued to clean the backyard until the rusting became more frequent and annoying, she decided to go and see what is hiding behind the bushes and she saw nothing at all, confused, she decided to head back to the yard and continue cleaning it.

This time, she heard a lot of voices and more rustling in many bushes near her, she was beginning to freak out. She clenched her hands onto the broom as if it were a weapon, she gasped with utter shock when she saw 6 dwarves dressed in green and white garbs coming towards her way. They stopped when they came face-to-face with Layla. They looked at her and smiled.

“Hello, Fair Maiden,” The leader of the dwarves greeted her.

Layla was so shocked that she didn’t reply, she kept looking at them and said nothing, at first, she thought she was dreaming or something. Until one of the dwarves climbed on her feet and she yelped in shock as she backed away from them.

“Worry not, fair maiden,” Their leader said, his tone genuine and soothing, Then six dwarves dressed in green and white outfits came to meet her. They all stood in a row in front of Layla and smiled up at her.

“A-a-a-are you r-real?” Layla finally spoke, she was stuttering and her tone was scared and shy. She was in disbelief, still not believing what she was seeing, she rubbed her eyes with her hands and looked at them and they were still there.

The dwarves laughed at her; They nodded their heads while doing so.

“Of course, we are, fair maiden,” said their leader, It is a dwarf who wore a white hat while the other green ones.

Terrified, she fiercely swung her broom at the dwarves, They dodged her attack and looked at her in complete confusion, Their leader, Mattan, raised her hand at her in indifference so that he could explain the situation to her.

“Layla, stop it!” Mattan declared with a firm tone.

In complete bewilderment, Layla dropped her broom, she lifted a surprised eyebrow “How did you know my name?”

“We know you, but you don’t know us,” came his vague reply.

Layla only blinked twice or thrice at this, she didn’t know what to do or say; Dwarves appearing in your garden isn’t something you see every day or something you can barely process. Layla swallowed hard, trying her hardest to understand the situation she was in.

“Okay? And what do you want?” Layla inquired.

Mattan stepped closer, he gently raised his hand and touched the hem of her dress. He didn’t say anything in the least, He only did some hand gestures. A thick white fog like a cloud in a clear sky enveloped them and in fear, Layla covered her eyes.

It didn’t take long for Layla to take her hands from her eyes and see what happened. She is in a different place now – a jungle — a forest, She is in a forest-like place, full of thick trees and green grass. As if she is in a perfect forest in some fairytale.

The dwarves started to walk and Layla trotted behind them. Mattan was talking about the history of this glorious forest while Layla was eagerly looking around the place. She smiled as he mentioned something about ‘willow trees’ she loves them so much.

In a flash, Mattan and his dwarves came to a halt, Mattan looked directly into Layla’s eyes as he pointed a finger at her.

“Layla, You are the daughter of the mother forest,” Mattan announced suddenly.

Layla, bewildered at his claim, she calmly shook her head. “No sir, I’m no such thing,” She replied.

Mattan, still determined to prove himself right. “You are!” He said determinedly.

Layla shook her head. “No, Sir.”

“You are!”

“No, Sir.”

Mattan breathed to calm himself. Layla is as stubborn as a mule to accept the truth.

Mattan sat on a big rock. “Haven’t you asked yourself, where are your parents?” Mattan asked.

Layla’s eyes fixed on him. “I have, many times to count,” She said in a quiet tone.

“Both of your parents are gone, sadly,” Mattan told her, his tone is soft and mild. He paused then after long moments. “But, You must know your heritage, You are a verdant, a being of the forest and we need to protect you until you grow up into a powerful Sylvan!”

The dwarves nodded as they looked at Layla.

Layla was still in disbelief and she refused to believe any of this. “No, I’m no such thing.”

Suddenly, five dark creatures rushed towards Layla but Mattan easily blocked their path from Layla.

Layla gasped in utter shock and horror. From the look of them, they are dark dwarves, evil beings of chaos and evil. They are dressed in black and red clothes and they carry axes with them.

Mattan looked at Layla, He used his abilities to transported her back to her home. Layla was thankful to him for saving her life.

After days of this event, Layla discovered that she has some abilities, she can grow plants, flowers and everything that is plant-based. She told Granny Mira and the latter was shocked and scared.

“Please, Do not let the king know of this!” Granny Mira begged.

“Why?” Layla asked innocently.

Granny Mira breathed. “He hates magic, Because ‘magic’ is the reason for his wife's death,” She answered then she paused as if to remember what she was going to say. “Also, He will punish anyone that is doing magic or complicit in it!”

Layla was shocked, she didn’t know about this at all. No one in town said such a thing about magic.

“Okay, I got it,” Layla muttered as her head hunged down.

She was so happy about her gift, she wanted to help everyone and make their life easier, but now? She has to keep her gift a secret or everyone she knows will suffer.

Layla decided to look at the bright side. Granny Mira is right, she needed to keep this secret. Because if not: everyone she cares about is threatened with death. She decided to use her gift in secret and she won’t tell anyone about it except for Granny Mira, she already knows.

Days go by, and the dwarves finally come again to see Layla and to talk with her. They brought with them food and bread.

They sat in Layla’s room and surprised her. Layla smiled at them, it was the first time she smiled at them and she greeted them.

“Hello, Friends,” she greeted them happily.

The dwarves smiled and greeted her too, both were happy about their friendship. They decided to celebrate at little and the food they brought.

Layla took a bite of the bread, it was delicious and sweet, It was as if angels were singing in her mouth, she never tasted something as delicious as this. She thanked them for the food, she ate slowly and with manners, savouring every taste of it.

“This, this is delicious!” Layla spoke after she swallowed the bread.

“Glad you like it, It is called fairy bread,” Mattan exclaimed happily.

Then, The dwarves left, they brought with them so much food that Layla decided to put it on the hall table.

Later that day, Granny Mira invited her other friends, who were all older women just like her, she offered them the food that the dwarves brought to Layla. They took a bite of it and they were happy, they were praising Granny Mira for the delicious food she offered to them.

“This is delicious!”

“I have never ever tasted something like this!”

“This is out of this world!”

Granny Mira's smile flickered with a hint of bewilderment as she listened to their enthusiastic claims about the bread. Doubt crept into her mind, but curiosity got the better of her, with a determined nod, she reached for a piece and brought it to her lips. The moment she took a bite, her eyes widened in astonishment. The flavours exploded on her tongue, sending waves of delight through her senses. In a frenzy of hunger, she devoured the rest of the bread, savouring every delectable morsel as if she were a ravenous beast.

All her friends nodded. “See?” They chuckled at her display of hunger.

Granny Mira chuckled in agreement. She was embarrassed by her own inability to control herself. She is a well-mannered lady and she must show it.

When Granny Mira's friends left. She told Layla about the delicious bread and the food that was on the table, she laughed at how her friends, devoured it all, as if they were starving for days.

Layla smiled at this, she was happy but she was a little concerned since Granny Mira mentioned they ate the food that the dwarves gave her, and she was terrified that her caregiver friends would ask more of that food.

“Wellness, Granny,” Layla chuckled, trying her hardest to push her nervousness and concern away.

“You made it right? You always make delicious food,” Granny

Layla sighed. “No, I didn’t make it,” she confessed.

Granny blinked her eyes in pure confusion. “Y-you didn’t make it? Then who?”

Layla sat on the sofa. She looked at Granny and smiled “The fairies, or the dwarves, whatever they were,” she shrugged her shoulders. She was nonchalant and she didn’t know why.

“Layla, Tell me the truth,” Granny said as she sat beside her on the sofa.

“I told you the truth, It was the dwarves who made it for me.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“It is the truth!”

Granny crossed her arms. “Layla! There are no such things as ‘fairies’ or ‘dwarves’”

“Fine! You want me to prove it to you?” Layla stated as she got to her feet and went to a different spot in the room and she started to move her hands as if to summon a paranormal creature.

It didn’t take long as a green glow sparkled in the room and six figures emerged from it. They were short and dwarves-like, unlike dwarves who were known for their green skin and ugly features, these dwarves had fair skin tones and good-looking facial features.

Granny placed her hands on her lips in pure astonishment. “Oh my! You are right! They are real.”

“See?” Layla grinned at her.

Granny Mira nodded and smiled. “Of course, But you must not tell the people about them Let alone the King,” Granny declared.

Layla nodded at her. “Of course, Granny.”

Times go by, and The dwarves continue to visit Layla and bring food for her, Granny’s guests enjoy the food and tell Granny how talented her daughter is for making the food, They were unaware of the dwarves or the fairies or even of Layla’s new gifts.

Unfortunately, One day, one of the King’s advisors heard some voices in the house of Layla and her Granny, They weren’t human and they didn’t belong to Layla or Granny, He heard of local stories of witches and glowing creatures, etc; he decided to take a permit to investigate the house.

He took a permit and he is heading to investigate Layla’s house. He saw things, He didn’t wish to make accusations without evidence.

Layla and Granny welcomed the King’s advisor. At first, He didn’t find anything regarding the ‘witches’ or ‘the glowing creatures’ that he heard or saw.

Unbeknownst to Layla or Granny, The King’s guards were awaiting the advisor's word so they could enter and capture Layla and Granny. but he didn’t give his signal at all.

The King’s advisor still didn’t see anything out of the ordinary in the house. He is still looking for clues and he sees glowing green spots on the floor. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Layla and her Granny.

“Oh, that? That is some rare herbs I found deep in the forest!” Layla lied. She smiled as she looked him in the eye.

The King's advisor nodded. He didn’t know that it was a lie, her tone was genuine and sincere. and her body language didn’t show nervousness or lack of expression.

But the unexpected happened and one of the dwarves blew his cover as he fell from one of the top drawers of the kitchen.

The King’s advisor looked at Layla and Granny, He immediately lifted his finger and gave a signal towards the King’s guards. They came by kicking the door open and arrested Granny and Layla.

“Please! Please let us go!” Layla begged. “It is not what you think!”

His reply was a slap to her left cheek as he looked at her with disgust. “Silence! You witch!”

The guards took Layla and Granny to the King’s Yard for judgment.

At this moment, Hadi and Arouj were walking around the town, They heard people talking about a girl named Layla and her Granny, and that they were accused of witchcraft and magic.

Hadi’s interest was piqued by this. He knew there was more than meet the eye, He decided to do a rescue mission for Layla and her Granny, So, He pulled Arouj’s hand and they were running towards the King’s yard.

By the time Hadi and Arouj reached the place, the judge had said his final verdict and he saw Layla and her Granny were tied and ready to be executed.

His hand already glowed with green magic, With a snap of his fingers, the ropes on Layla and her Granny loosened, Layla quickly saw her chance and used her chlorokinesis, she shot out her palms, Thick hard vines curled themselves around the guards’ ankles and they were thrown away as if they were stones thrown by a catapult.

People gasped with horror and shock. They were scared of Layla’s powers, They ran at the sight of it. The King ordered his guards to kill Layla and The Granny.

So far, The King’s guards couldn’t get closer to Layla at all, until the King himself took Granny by surprise and killed her by decapitating her head with his sword. Layla gasped in shock and anger. The King’s sword is coated with blood, her Granny’s blood, She used her Chlorokinesis once again, she killed all the guards as her ravenous and scary monster plants killed the complicit in her Granny’s death.

Hadi magically pushed the guards away while Arouj used his lashers to kill them quickly, He didn’t want to but they forced his hands.

Layla growled with anger as she shot her palm against the king and his remaining guards. She commanded the ravenous vines to attack the evil King and his guards.

The King fought for his life till the end, But Layla decided to finish him quickly, One of Layla’s plant vines pierced him his heart, He yelled and gurgled as he placed his hand on his heart as if he was trying to lessen the pain but he couldn’t and died.

Hadi decided to intervene now. He slowly and carefully walked towards Layla. “We need to go,” He said urgently.

She smiled at him and nodded. “Let us go.”

Layla, Hadi and Arouj left the town, Hadi’s hands wreathed in a green glow as he conjured a portal to his home. Layla, Arouj and Hadi entered the portal before they were followed by the King’s guards.

Layla thanked Hadi for saving her and offering her a new place to stay, one where she could freely express herself and be herself.

She knew that she had fallen in love with Hadi Because he was the only guy who didn’t look at her as the guys would. He saw her as a friend and a great one. Layla fell in love with him and she likes him.

Aliyaa, Hadi and Arouj welcomed Layla and thus she stayed with them, as her new family. Layla also decided to look for answers about who she is and what happend to her parents.