International Falafel Day- June 12

What is falafel?

Falafel is a street food that came from the Middle East.

Falafel is a deep-fried balls made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both.

The falafel is commonly served in a pita with salads, pickled vegetables, and tahini, or wrapped in a flatbread known as taboon. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze tray (assortment of appetizers). 

falafel in a pita

Falafel is a good replacement for meat because it contains legume, so if you're a vegetarian, you must try Falafel, you may love it. It's also healthy because it's eaten with vegetables salad and tahini.

Where the falafel come from?

The common theory about the origin of falafel is that it originated in Egypt, and possibly eaten by Copts as a replacement for meat during Lent. Later the dish migrated to northern countries of the Levant. Some researchers believe that falafel is even older, from the Pharaonic Egypt era.

Where can you eat a falafel? 

In the Middle East you will find it everywhere, in every street corner. In Europe and North America you can also find it in Middle Eastern and Jewish neighborhoods and restaurants.

Nutritional value of falafel - per 100 g (3.5 oz) 

Energy 1,393 kJ (333 kcal)
Carbohydrates 31.84 g
Fat 17.80 g
Protein 13.31 g
Vitamins:
Vitamin A 13 IU
Thiamine (B1) (13%) 0.146 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (14%) 0.166 mg
Niacin (B3) (7%) 1.044 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5) (6%) 0.292 mg
Vitamin B6 (10%) 0.125 mg
Folate (B9) (20%) 78 μg
Vitamin B12 (0%) 0.00 μg
Minerals:
Calcium (5%) 54 mg
Iron (26%) 3.42 mg
Magnesium (23%) 82 mg
Manganese (33%) 0.691 mg
Phosphorus (27%) 192 mg
Potassium (12%) 585 mg
Sodium (20%) 294 mg Zinc (16%) 1.50 mg
Other constituents:
Water 34.62 g 

 June 12 is also Dia dos Namorados

Hug a vegetarian day - the fourth Friday in September

“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.” - Albert Einstein

  There are people in the world who believe there is no reason why humanity should eat animals, and they have a plethora of arguments to support this position. Not eating meat can benefit both the environment and health. Besides, in the meat food industry there is a lot of cruelty and the fewer people eat meat, the more it will reduce the suffering of animals.

  A vegetarian day is a day that respects all those who have decided to live a life without cruelty by removing the meat from their diet.

The history of a vegetarian hug is related to the history of the PETA organization that founded it. PETA is an organization of "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals", founded by Ingrid Newkirk in 1980 after being exposed for years to severe cases of animal abuse in a shelter for animals in which she worked.  

Hug a vegetarian day was created to show recognition and appreciation to those who have made the diet devoid of meat and life without animal products and their way of life. Being a vegetarian is not always easy, your menu becomes limited, and sometimes you encounter strange social hostility against those who choose not to consume animals.

Since vegetarianism has become a popular nutritional move, the variety of vegetarian options in the market is growing and today it is relatively easy to find alternatives to meat. Many restaurants offer vegetarian dishes, many bags and shoes can be found from non-animal materials, and all thanks to these courageous souls who saved lives.

It is the day to give them a warm hug and thank them for the life they saved and for their contribution to the world.  

How to celebrate the day of the vegetarian embrace? According to PETA, you should give a hug to any vegetarian or vegan you meet, and tell them that you thank them for the way they chose to live without cruelty and respect for animals.

When will the Hug a vegetarian day take place in the following years:
2021- September 24

2022- September 23

2023- September 22

Jack Fruit Day - July 4th

The jack fruit is a species of tree from the mulberry family, which grows in tropical lowlands in South and Southeast Asia.

Jackfruit fruit is an excellent substitute for meat, both because of the taste and because it contains a large amount of protein and is rich in nutritional values such as vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, lutein, vitamins from the B vitamin group and dietary fiber. Jackfruit also contains lycopene about 70 times that of tomatoes and beta carotene 10 times that of carrots.

The roots of the Jack Prut tree are also attributed many medicinal properties such as asthma treatment, diarrhea and more.

Jack Fruit Day was created by Jackfruitday.com to raise awareness for the existence of this fruit, which is a superfood - both because of its nutritional values and because of the help it provides to the planet by being able to replace meat.

Jack fruit is considered the national fruit of Bangladesh. The fruits of the Jack Fruit are huge and the weight of a single fruit can reach 35 kg and even more. The Jack fruit tree likes a hot and humid climate and is very tough - it can produce 250 fruits! Each fruit has up to 500 seeds so if You have fresh fruit jack fruit, you have real treasure in hand.

The fruit of the jackfruit is peeled

The fruit of the jackfruit is pruned on the tree

The reason that July 4 is Jack Fruit Day is that this date is also US Independence Day, a day when many Americans tend to have a barbecue and as a correction this is also a meat-free day and Jack fruit is a great substitute for meat! Vegetable burgers, patties, chunks of stir-fry in a tortilla or bun, etc. It is suitable for both savory and sweet recipes.