veggies

54. Cyprus: Halloumi Salad

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Soo this week I found out that I forgot a country. I was so looking forward to Cuba and Czech Republic that I completely forgot the amazing country of Cyprus! So stupid since I love Mediterranean food!

Cyprus is a complicated place, half Greek and half Turkish but completely part of the European Union. Because of it’s strategic location the history of Cyprus is basically the history between East and West. It’s also an incredibly popular tourist destination. The blue sea, beautiful beaches and rich history attract tons of tourists! And not just the nice kind… amongst Cyprus is know as a party destination. Which means weird people who just came for the cheap booze and hot girls in bikini. Tragic…

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There are lots of ancient Greek myths about Cyprus supposedly Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love) was born there.

  • Mount Olympus, which is notable in Greek mythology as being the home of the gods, is the tallest mountain in the Troodos range.
  • Cyprus was once the wealthiest nation in the known world. It was during the Copper and Bronze Ages when the island’s rich natural copper resources were exported to other countries.
  • Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is now the only capital in the world to be divided between two nations – North Cyprus & South Cyprus.
  • One of the world’s most famous shipwrecks lies off the Cypriot coast near Limassol Harbour. The Zenobia, with its cargo of vehicles, sunk in 1980.

I had never tried haloumi cheese but now I am hooked my friends! It has the texture of mozzarella but it tastes like goat cheese, oh come on! This pimps up every salad you make!

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Haloumi Salad

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This entry was posted in Around The World Project, Europe, Lunch, quick, Salads, Vegetarian, Weeknight Meal and tagged , , , , , , , , .

31. Burundi: Curried Spinach with peanut butter

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Burundi, well this one is pretty special to me, since my nephew is a quarter Burundi, I invited him and my sister over for this special dinner. Not my dad, but his other grandfather is from Burundi. Let’s get started! At the beating heart of Africa lies a small country called Burundi. Although Burundi is among the poorest countries in the world it has many attractions worth visiting: it’s legendary lake Tanganyika with a wild variety a birds, it’s mountains and valley’s, large savannah’s and enchanting forests. The people of Burundi have suffered a lot and are still suffering under de consequences of years civil war and hunger.

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Here are some fun facts about Burundi:

  • Drumming is an important part of the Burundian cultural heritage.
  • Kirundi and French are the official languages of Burundi. The country’s motto “Ubumwe, Ibikorwa, Iterambere” in Kirundi means “Unity, Work, Progress”. The motto of the country is also expressed in French – “Unité, Travail, Progrès”
  • Soon after Burundi gained independence from Belgium, the mountainous country enjoyed the distinction of being one of the first black republics in the world.

This recipe is served as a side dish, with rice. It’s deliciously creamy

Burundi

Ingredients: 200 gr chopped spinach, 1 tablespoon peanutbutter, 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 chopped onion, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 1 peeled and diced tomato, 1/2 dried chili pepper

Wash the spinach, roll leaves together and chop. Pop the tomato in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, peel and chop. Peel and chop the onion. Mix the peanut butter with the coconut milk. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the onion, tomato, salt and curry powder and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the spinach, continue cooking for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk mixture.  Simmer, for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. The curried spinach and peanut butter may be served as a side dish or as a full meal with rice

This entry was posted in Africa, Around The World Project, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian and tagged , , , , , , , , , .