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Recipe: Go with the grain by serving this barley-based salad

This delicious barley-based salad is adapted from “Ancient Grains for Modern Families” by Maria Speck (Ten Speed, $29.99). Speck used marinated dried figs in the salad. I substitute lightly candied fresh kumquats, an idea based on a quinoa salad that I fell in love with at Marche Moderne restaurant (Newport Coast) a few years ago.

I love the sweet-tart spark that those kumquats add to the mix. Kumquats are like inside-out oranges. The peel is sweet while the interior is tart. They are rich in vitamin C and are generally available from November through July.

It takes some time to cook the barley, so I usually cook double or triple the amount used in this recipe. I cool it and freeze it, then use it in quick-to-prepare soups or green salads.

Barley Salad with Kumquats and Tarragon

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

Barley:

2 cups water

3/4 cup pearl barley

1 (2-by-1-inch) strip lemon zest (colored portion of peel)

Pinch of salt

Kumquats:

1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 kumquats

Salad:

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided use

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (about 4), white and light green parts (save dark stalks for garnish)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unpeeled cored tart apples, such as Granny Smith

Cook’s notes: Salad can be prepared (without the apples or garnish) 6 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and garnish before serving. If serving as a vegetarian entrée, garnish with toasted walnuts or almonds.

PROCEDURE

1. Cook barley: Place water, barley, lemon zest strip and salt in a 2-quart saucepan; bring to boil on high heat. Decrease heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender but slightly chewy, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. Spread out on rimmed baking sheet to cool. Discard zest.

2. Cut kumquats in half lengthwise; pluck out and discard any large seeds with tip of a paring knife. Place 1/2 cup water and sugar in saucepan; bring to boil on high heat. Decrease heat and simmer 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Add kumquats and simmer 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool (I reserve the syrup that is drained from the kumquats and store it in the refrigerator to use in cocktails.)

3. In a salad bowl, combine lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper; whisk to combine. Whisk in oil in thin stream. Add tarragon and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; stir to combine. Add celery, green onions and apples, cooled barley and cooled kumquats. Gently toss. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Garnish with 1 thinly sliced dark green onion stalk and remaining parsley.

Have a cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com

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Saania's diary - reflections, learnings, sparkles

In my view, if you really want a friend, you should be you and not change yourself just to be friends with others. Because that will not be the real you, whereas if you be yourself, the right people that are meant for you will actually come to you and be your friend. You also need to believe in yourself and if nobody comes in the beginning, keep being yourself until the right person will automatically come to you and be your true friend. But you have to choose if you want to be a popular person with a lot of friends or just have few true friends who know the real you. If you have lots of friends, you may be very popular, but the many friends you have might not be true!⭐️

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Moroccan Cuisine: Five Soups You Should Integrate Into Your Diet

Morocco might be most famous for its delicious couscous and tajine, but many also celebrate the country for its tasty and healthy Moroccan soups.

The North African kingdom’s food is as diverse as its culture. You can find exquisite soups that will keep you warm during winter or healthy ones that will speed up your recovery and strengthen your immune system.

Based on a healthy Mediterranean diet, Morocco’s cuisine is centered around vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, and whole grains, with a moderate amount of dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Moroccan food occasionally features meat.

Morocco’s cuisine is also special with its culinary masteries that fuse between European and Amazigh gastronomy, which give it an exotic taste with rich flavors that attracts people from across the world.

Moroccans may serve soups for breakfast, dinner, and on occasions such as weddings, Eids, and other celebrations. These are five delicious Moroccan soups that you should integrate into your diet to keep you warm in winter and to provide you with all the nutrients you need.

Harira

Moroccan Harira. Photo: Ali Andalousi

Harira is Morocco’s most famous soup. It features on Moroccan iftar tables every evening during Ramadan. Moroccans also enjoy it often not during Ramadan for its many health benefits and its delicious taste.

Made of tomatoes, chickpeas, celery, parsley, onion, vermicelli, turmeric, and you can even add chicken, meat, or eggs, the soup is rich in healthy ingredients that are packed with protein, vitamins, minerals.

Chickpea is rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber with a moderate number of calories, allowing you to enjoy a healthy, tasty meal without worrying about your weight. In fact, the fiber and protein in the legume will slow your digestion and promote fullness, which can help you manage your weight.

Another important ingredient in Moroccan Harira soup is turmeric. It is simply one of the healthiest spices out there. Turmeric contains medical properties called curcumins that work as a powerful anti-inflammatory tool and antioxidant.

The ingredient also helps in lowering heart disease risks and even has benefits against depression. Besides its many benefits, this Moroccan soup is delicious and warm and there is no doubt you will ask for a second fill after you try it.

Belboula (barley soup)

Moroccan Belboula soup. Photo: Wasfa Net وصفة نيت/ Youtube

Belboula, also called Hssoua, is a barley soup that Moroccans mostly serve for breakfast, but you can also eat it whenever as a light and healthy snack.

The Moroccan soup is lightly cooked with barley grounds or semolina, water, olive oil, and cumin, while a pinch of butter and a fair amount of milk are added at the end.

Most Moroccans will associate this tasty soup with health and recovery. If you are feeling ill or running on a cold, your stomach will refuse most heavy food, which is why Belboula is the perfect meal to have in those times.

The light meal will give you the nutrients your body needs to fight off the cold, warm you up, and satisfy your taste buds.

Barley is a grain that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant elements that reduce hunger and promote fullness, improve digestion, and might help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

Loubia (bean soup)

Loubia soup. Photo: Pixabay

Almost all Moroccans love this delicious soup. You can serve it as a side or a main dish.

The white beans soak overnight before you cook them with olive oil, fresh tomatoes, ginger, paprika, garlic, and cumin. If you like spicy food you can add a harissa or chili pepper.

These healthy ingredients give the soup an exquisite flavor that you can enjoy with a loaf of soft Moroccan bread, olive oil, and a sprinkle of cumin.

The Moroccan soup’s benefits lie in the beans and its spices. White beans are rich in protein, fiber, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, antioxidants, and vitamin B6.

These elements help in energy production, improve digestive health, help transport oxygen throughout your body, and might protect against chronic illnesses including heart disease.

Bean soup is also the perfect meal for athletic people or heavyweight figures because it can promote muscle building and hormone production.

Soba (vegetable soup)

Soba soup: Photo: Pixabay

Moroccan Soba is a vegetable soup that is perfect for all seasons, but especially in winter.  Because winter is the flu season, when anyone may fall victim to a harsh cold, it is important to follow a healthy diet that strengthens your immune system and keeps you healthy through cold days and nights.

Soba is packed with healthy nutrients because it consists of many powerful vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, pumpkin, bell peppers, and others.

It also has legumes, which are low in calories yet rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber to help you stay healthy, boost your energy level, and keep you warm.

The cook boils all the vegetables together then grinds them up and serves the soup with olive oil, salt, paprika, ginger, sauteed onion, and cumin.

In addition to all the healthy vegetable ingredients, the Moroccan soup’s benefits also come from the various spices the cook uses in it, especially ginger.

Ginger contains powerful medicinal properties due to its natural oil, gingerol. The oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It can treat nausea, lower blood sugar, and help with weight loss.

Bissara (dry green pea soup)

Moroccan Bissara soup. Photo: Pixabay

Bissara is not only one of Moroccans’ favorite soup but also foreigners’ top choice. Moroccans often serve it for breakfast, especially in the northern region and the mountain where it can get extremely cold, but you can also serve it with other meals as a side dish.

Almost all Moroccans love to indulge in this tasty and healthy soup that keeps them warm during the chilly mornings. You can also find the meal in most traditional Moroccan restaurants.

You make this Moroccan soup with dry green peas (or dry fava beans), cooking them in water with olive oil, salt, cumin, paprika, red pepper until you achieve a thick sauce. Moroccans serve it hot with olive oil, cumin, and bread for dipping.

The benefits of bissara are plenty. The popular soup is rich in protein, fiber, iron, folate, and vitamins (A, K, and C). These nutrients balance blood sugar levels, boost digestion, and can protect against chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Read also: 6 Delicious Moroccan Foods to Keep You Warm This Winter

Moroccan food has earned many fans from across the world throughout the years. Moroccans and international culinary lovers alike consider it healthy with its richness in nutrients, and delicious for its diverse and delightful flavors.

Integrating these five soups in your diet can help you stay healthy in the long term without having to give up the pleasure of a tasty meal.

The post Moroccan Cuisine: Five Soups You Should Integrate Into Your Diet appeared first on Morocco World News.

23rd Day of January – Fatcowco – 1957 – Birth of the Frisbee

1957 – Birth of the Frisbee

Walter Fredrick “Fred” Morrison (January 23, 1920 in Richfield, Utah – February 9, 2010) was an American inventor and entrepreneur, who invented the Frisbee.

Morrison stated that the original idea for a flying disc toy came to him in 1937, while throwing a popcorn can lid with his girlfriend, Lucile Eleanor “Lu” Nay (1920–1987), whom he later married on April 3, 1939 in Los Angeles, California.

1957 – Birth of the Frisbee

The popcorn can lid soon dented which led to the discovery that cake pans flew better and were more common.

Source: 23rd Day of January – Fatcowco

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The vaccines are being used for faculty, staff and current students who are health care workers in clinical settings who work directly with COVID-19 positive patients or infectious materials, those who work in long-term care facilities, emergency medical teams, home health care providers, hospice workers, outpatient staff who work with symptomatic patients, community pharmacy staff, public health workers, people involved in COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs, school nurses and those who work in mortuaries.

Faculty, staff and current students who pre-registered are being contacted by UTEP and scheduled for their vaccination. There will be no walk-in vaccinations at UTEP.

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Brésil : le chef indigène Raoni porte plainte contre Bolsonaro pour crimes contre l’humanité — THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON…

Brazil: indigenous chief Raoni files a complaint against Bolsonaro for crimes against humanity – THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON …

Barbara Crane Navarro

Le cacique indigène kayapo Raoni Metuktire a déposé plainte contre le président devant la Cour pénale internationale le 22 janvier. Il l’accuse de meurtres, d’extermination et de mise en esclavage des autochtones de l’Amazonie Fonte: Brésil : le chef indigène Raoni porte plainte contre Bolsonaro pour crimes contre l’humanité

Brésil : le chef indigène Raoni porte plainte contre Bolsonaro pour crimes contre l’humanité — THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON…

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Pfizer suspends Costa Rica vaccine shipments for 3 weeks –

However, Costa Rican health authorities will continue vaccinating at-risk populations with the supply of doses that has already been delivered by the U.S. pharmaceutical.

“All those who received their first dose are assured the second inoculation without any setback,” the Presidency said in a statement.

Weekly deliveries will resume in mid-February, according to a communication from Pfizer to the Costa Rican government, and are expected to include quantities ensuring Costa Rica receives “100% of the doses agreed to for the first quarter of the year.”

Pfizer says it is temporarily reducing vaccine production in order to make changes that will increase global supply for the rest of 2021.

Source: Pfizer suspends Costa Rica vaccine shipments for 3 weeks –