SuN-FloWeRs!

Now that the sun is out it is the perfect time to grow sunflowers because in order for them to grow well they need to be in full sun, but lets not focus on how to grow. Sunflowers are quite magical, did you know that at sunrise most sunflowers are turned towards the east. Over the course of the day they track the sun from east to west and return to an eastward direction again in the night. 

Sunflowers are known to be native to the Americas, but there is some debate about where the sunflower was first domesticated. The earliest known examples were found at the Hayes site in Tennessee and date back to around 2300 B.C. There were also other remains found at the Olmec site of San Andrés dating some time before 2100 B.C. 

The seed of the sunflower is the best known use of the plant. The seeds are roasted and salted and eaten whole, or pressed for oil that is very healthy for you. Even the flower of the sunflower is edible, you can use the petals to make a bright addition to any salad. Sunflowers can also be processed into an alternative for peanut butter, it is often called Sunbutter.

Photo by Stannes Florist

Sun Flower Seeds

Photo by Only Positive

HAVE A HAPPY SUNNY-FLOWER KIND OF DAY!

Fattoush

Fattoush is derived from the Arabic fatt which mean "crush". When making this salad you toast pita bread then break it up and add to the salad this is one of the main ingredients that makes fattoush different from any other salad. The other main ingredient is the spice sumac

Sumac isn't a herb but a type of berry that is grown on a Mediterranean bush and mostly grown in southern Italy and the Middle East. If you've ever eaten za'atar, you've probably eaten sumac because it is usually one of the ingredients of za'atar.

Sumac was used as a medicine specifically in the medieval times where it treated almost half a dozen illnesses. Research has also found that sumac has anti microbial properties which suggest that sumac might be used to treat and prevent hyperglycemia, diabetes and obesity due to hypoglycemic properties. Recent research also suggests that sumac has antioxidant properties. In one experiment, sumac was added to animal's drinking water and it was found that there was less oxidized DNA bases in their colons, livers, lungs and lymphocytes.

Our homemade fattoush

So now that we know more about fattoush and sumac here is the recipe on fattoush.

•Ingredients:
4 Cucumber
2 Tomato
2 Green pepper
2 Radish
Handful of fresh Mint
Handful of Parsley
1/2 Lemon
1 tablespoon Sumac
Olive oil
2 Pita bread

•Directions
- first toast the pita bread and make sure not to burn it !
- roughly chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and green peppers.
- thinly slice the radish
- roughly chop mint and parsley
- add sumac
- add lemon and olive oil and if needed salt
- I would suggest to add the bread at the last minute so it won't get soggy or even each person add it into their own plate just incase you don't finish the salad.

And enjoy!!!

Feast of Weeks

Feast of Weeks, also known as Shavuot, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the day
God gave the Torah to the entire nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. The word Shavuot means “weeks" and it marks the completion of the seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot. On this holiday it is customary to eat dairy, some say it is a reminder of the promise regarding the land of Israel, a land flowing with "milk and honey" and others say it is because our ancestors had just received the Torah and did not have both meat and dairy dishes available (due to dietary laws).

Photo by Jewish Exponent

Each Jewish culture celebrates Shavuot in their own way. Persian Jews make "Polow mastin", a dish made of rice and milk, and "kultcha shiri", a dairy cake. Greek Jews make a special porridge made with dairy and cinnamon called "sutlac". Libyan Jews make necklaces strung with cookies or pretzels in symbolic shapes for their children, and Iraqi Jews make "sambusak", a savory pastry filled with cheese. 

Greek Dish: Sultac

Iraqi Dish: Sambusak

My family (Amanda) are Moroccan Jews and tonight we had a feast at my grandmother's sister's house. She made cheese bourekas (a puff pastry that is similar to sambusak), quiche with cheese and spinach, quiche with corn and mushrooms, salads, pasta with cheese and mushrooms, bulgarit (bulgarian cheese, similar to feta), and a homemade cheesecake with tea for dessert. It was a fun filled evening, everyone was enjoying their meal and singing and laughing. I wish I had a picture to show you but just imagine a full sized table with 8 adults and one adorable 2-year-old girl, and about 5 main dishes and 6 different salads. It was an amazing evening with family, just the way the holidays are supposed to be. 

Cheese Bourekas

Bulgarian Cheese

Israeli Cheesecake

HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE!!

Happy Mother's Day to ALL mothers out there!!

This is a special holiday that honors motherhood, maternal bonds, and the positive influence mothers have in society. 

A brief history of Mother's Day in the USA:
In 1868, Ann Jarvis created a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day". The purpose was "to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." She wanted to expand this day into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the celebration became popular. Her daughter, Anna Jarvis, continued her mother's efforts and campaigned to establish Mother's Day first as a U.S. national holiday and then later as an international holiday. The holiday was declared officially by the state of West Virginia in 1910, and the rest of states followed quickly. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.

Anna Jarvis

Thank you Ann and Anna Jarvis for your efforts in making this a recognized holiday and a day for honoring mothers all around the world.

I want to take this time to honor my mom; she is the most special woman in my life and I love her endlessly. She is my best friend, my mentor, my inspiration, my rock, and I miss her so much. As much as I love living in Israel and being independent, there are days where I just want my mum, to hug and kiss her and cuddle with her. She is one of the most loving and caring people I know and I can't wait to see her and give her the biggest hug in the world. Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me, you truly are an amazing mother and I feel so lucky and privileged to have you in my life. I love you :)

My beautiful mum

   My mum and I <3<3<3

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Nectarine

Did you know?
• Nectarines take its name from ‘nectar’ - the food of the gods
• Nectarines come from the same family as the rose and are also related to the almond
• Nectarines are a cross between a plum and a peach
• It is not uncommon for a peach or a nectarines to grow on each other’s tree.

Why Nectarines Are Good To Eat?
• Nutritionally nectarines are similar to peaches. Like yellow-fleshed peaches, yellow-fleshed nectarines have more beta carotene.
• Both white and yellow-fleshed varieties are good sources of vitamin C and dietary fibre and have some vitamin E.
• They are good source of potassium, so we help provide balance to the sodium that comes into our diet from salted foods.
• Its sweetness comes from our natural sugar content, mostly sucrose. The body can use this sugar for energy.


Choosing Nectarines:
Select those of us which are fragrant, firm, plump and richly colored with smooth, glossy skin.

Recipe & Image via foodopera

HONEY BAKED NECTARINES WITH VANILLA AND BROWN SUGAR 

You will need

Serves 6
3 Nectarines (ripe and cut in half, one nectarine for two)
sheet of baking paper
3 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence or scrape out a vanilla pod
3 Tbsp honey
6 Tbsp yoghurt (drizzled with honey)

How to make

Set oven temp to 180C. remove stones and place cut nectarines on baking paper in an oven proof dish/ pan facing up. Drizzle honey, vanilla, and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 180C for 15mins, scoop up the juices and coat nectarines and bake for a further 15mins or until golden and sticky. Serve with yoghurt, drizzled with honey.

Okra Okra Okra!

Okra (also known as gumbo or bhindi), is a tall-growing, warm-season, annual vegetable. Okra comes from a large vegetable plant that is thought to be of African origin, and is grown in tropical and warm temperature climates, it is in the same plant family as hibiscus and cotton. The immature pods are used for soups, canning and stews or as a fried or boiled vegetable. You can also find okra frozen, pickled, and in some regions you might find frozen breaded okra for deep frying. 

Okra Pods by Wikimedia

When buying fresh okra, look for young pods free of bruises, tender but not soft, and no more than 4 inches long. Okra tends to "goo" or slime when the seed pods are cooked because it is a mucilaginous plant and contains a usable form of soluble fiber. Some people like the sliminess of okra but if you prefer to minimize the sliminess try stir-frying or cooking with acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, tomatoes, or vinegar.Okra is also very healthy for you, it is high in fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid (water soluble vitamins). It is also known for being high in antioxidants and is a good source of calcium and potassium. All in all okra is tasty and good for you!

Okra can be cooked in many ways, but my favorite way is when Natalie cooks it using her family's Arabic recipe, it is delicious!

Ingredients: 
-okra (bamieh in Arabic)
-garlic
-tomatoes
-tomato paste
-black pepper
-salt
-allspice
-chicken stock
- beef or lamb (optional)
-rice
**sorry there are no measurements, use however much you would like depending on how much you want to make**

Instructions:
1. Wash okra and trim off stems, and dry.
2. Deep fry in vegetable oil until lightly browned, once this is done put it off to the side. 
3. Dice garlic and in a separate pan sauté with black pepper, salt, allspice, chicken stock, and olive oil (add meat if you would like), remember to stir occasionally.
4. Then add water and stir, bring to a boil and then cover (if you added meat cook on low heat until meat is tender)
5. Add browned okra, skinned and chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste (you only need a little bit)
6. Mix well, cover and simmer until okra is tender.
7. This meal is excellent when served on top of hot rice. 

8. Eat!

Photo by anediblemosaic Blog

Bamieh by Hawaaworld

World Red Cross Day and World Red Crescent Day

World Red Cross Day remembers and recognizes the efforts of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide. According to the Red Cross website, this day recognizes:

"Worldwide efforts to advocate for the relief of human suffering, whether from disease, famine, disaster, or war. On May 8, the American Red Cross puts special focus on our programs that keep children healthy and safe around the globe."

The Red Cross provides humanitarian efforts and disaster relief around the world, wherever it is needed. There are millions of Red Cross volunteer around the world.

You can celebrate World Red Cross Day and World Red Crescent Day in a variety of ways:

• Learn more about the Red Cross
• Support Red Cross programs and efforts
• Send a donation to the Red Cross
• Donate blood today
• Become a Red Cross volunteer
• Thank Red Cross volunteers for their service. 
  World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day dates back to1922. At that time, the Czechoslovakia Red Cross National Society proclaimed a three-day truce at Easter to promote peace. The goal is to recognize one day every year to advocate for the relief of human suffering from disease, and the humanity of seeing a world free from suffering due to war.
  

May 8th was chosen, after the birthday of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross.