MADE is encouraging Muslims to embrace ethical living this Ramadan and to break their fast with Fair-trade A UK-based organisation called MADE is asking Muslims to look again at the way that their food is traded and to consider going Fair-trade this Ramadan. As they explain, whilst many Muslims are concerned about whether their food […]
With the Muslim holy period of Ramadan now here and the Jewish fast day of Tisha b’Av (Ninth of Av) just around the corner, eating better and more healthy meatless food is on many peoples minds. In addition to frequent meatless recipes on Green Prophet, including one on special foods for the period leading up […]
Green scholar Imam Zaid Shakir speaks to the fasting community pre-Ramadan about the influential initiative of "Greening mosque iftars". Inter-faith organisation Green Faith will also host a Green Ramadan webinar with a key presentation by the green Imam.
When an insect feeds on Monsanto’s genetically-modified MON810 maize plant, it is in for a nasty surprise. Encoded within the seed’s DNA is an especially insidious insecticide called cry1Ab that causes the insect’s stomach to explode after ingestion. Given its brutal assault on pests, the modified crop is pitted by the agri-giant as the cure-all solution to international […]
This venue offers dining that’s head and shoulders above the rest, literally. Dinner in the Sky is a self-contained “restaurant” comprised of tables, seats and kitchen on a platform that’s lifted skywards by a construction crane. Restaurant lifespan is fleeting, usually commissioned as part of a special promotion or business event. The system has also […]
This refreshing soup fits the menu perfectly when temperatures soar and you want a diet without meat: A quick historical note is in place here. The Jewish month of Av begins on a dark note. The preceding three weeks in Tammuz see a slowdown of joyful activities, as Jews remember the breach of Jerusalem’s defences […]
Eliminating BPA from baby bottles is just one step towards eliminating our exposure to harmful, noxious chemicals. Score one small victory for consumer groups and ecosexuals everywhere: The United State’s ban on bisphenol-A or BPA is a small step towards ending our romance with toxins. That’s the good news. The downside is that this ruling by […]
Make sugary sweet fizzy Kool-Aid drinks at home with Israel’s Sodastream? Company sends mixed environmental message with new deal. The home carbonating company Sodastream has entered into a deal with Kool-Aid to provide Kool-Aid flavors to Sodastream’s carbonated water. Sodastream from Israel is currently in a small war with Coke, and this latest move with […]
America, next to some European countries, has the most stringent environmental policies on health and safety. In 2008 America’s Food and Health Administrations (the FDA) declared BPA, or bisphenol A, an estrogen mimic used in plastics, as safe. But in 2010 it started backpedaling over concerns that it might have health risks, especially in children. […]
Turn sick buildings healthy with a probiotic air filter from Israel. Above, dust mites. Better Air of Rishon LeZion, Israel is using a new approach to improve indoor air quality. Their probiotic Biozone cleaners harness natural bacteria to break down biofilms and reduce contamination from molds and other allergens. This approach is intended to prevent […]
Want to quit smoking? There’s an app for that. Last week, experts lit up an Israeli conference with new strategies to curb smoking using email, text messages and smartphone apps. Hebrew University’s School for Public Health, in cooperation with The Medical Society for Smoking Prevention and Cessation in Israel and the Hadassah Medical Organization, sponsored a forum focused on using modern communication to help smokers kick the […]
From Ma’amoul to Couscous, why not try a new vegetarian dish from the Middle East and North Africa region this Ramadan? There are some dishes that evoke such strong memories of a festive occasion, that eating them any other time of the year feels wrong. For me, Qatayf (mini nut pancakes) and Mamoul (date cookies) […]
Get a Bollywood belly by dancing in Dubai Half a century ago, Chubby Checker (ironically) popularized the waist-whittling dance, “The Twist”. Twenty years on, Jennifer Beals’ Flashdance foot-stomping fueled record-breaking sales of leg warmers: required apparatus for burning off surplus 1980’s calories. Micro-shorted Richard Simmons challenged TV audiences to “Sweat to the Oldies”. Suburban strip malls […]
Rich spices and heavy wintertime comfort food: this is what often springs to mind when people think of recipes from the Middle East and North Africa. But with temperatures in parts of the region rising to 50 degrees Celsius in the shade, who wants to eat rich dishes that end in a food coma? Not […]
Making your raw, home-grown eggs safe for mayonnaise is easy. If you raise your own chickens and have plenty of healthy eggs, like chickens our editor Karin raises, there’s little to fear from salmonella. But for those of us bringing eggs home from the supermarket, that fear may creep into the fun of cooking. True, chances […]
Hamutal goes strawberry picking and shows us how to can our jam like a locavore
Taking the Italian invention of gelato and making it the most “local” we’ve ever seen is a new Israeli sweet treat: hummus-flavored ice-cream. Made from chickpeas, this Middle East treat isn’t just for dipping your pita anymore. Served in Jaffa, La Genda makes their frozen delicacy with chickpeas, tahini, vanilla and sugar – plus some stabilizers. “I […]
Turmeric originates from Asia and is common to Indian cuisine. It is also a popular ingredient for middle eastern recipes. Worried about the side effects of breast cancer recovery drugs, a 44 year old survivor named Vicky Sewart refused to follow medical orders and instead radically altered her diet. One of her secrets? A common […]
According to the Worldwatch Institute’s latest report on land grab, the oil-rich Gulf nations are big buyers of foreign land Since 2000, an estimated 70.2 million hectares of agricultural land worldwide has been sold or leased by private or public investors. Most of that land grab took place between 2008 and 2010 and most of […]
Tomat-O-Red colors foods that appetizing pink color and even offers health benefits. Like eating Shakshouka every day? Starbucks made waves with their eco-move away from artificial red coloring to a natural, sustainable dye. It was right there on their labels: carmine. Then a tip from an anonymous Starbucks employee to a vegan website alerted the […]
Bahrain’s health authority has established four directives to regulate the sale and prescription of traditional, alternative medicines. This step was taken in response to concern about the credibility of some businesses. Now the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) will establish guidelines for the sale, use, and advertising of alternative medicines, including services and practices such […]
If you live in the west or the east, in an economically advanced country or a repressed one, getting a blood test is always a good way to know if you have been exposed to heavy metal toxins. If you live in a large city, you can ask your own doctor about the possibility in […]
What’s sweet, good for you, and comes in completely biodegradable packaging? Bananas, of course. Don’t let June’s seasonal fruit distract you from picking up a bunch of firm yellow bananas when you’re out shopping. Bananas are in season too, and considering all the easy, no-cook ways to eat them, it’s a pity to pass them […]
Middle Eastern markets are bursting with the color and aromas of summer's soft fruits. This is the guide to getting the most out of June.
An illuminating article in Haaretz describes how certain industrious Israelis realized the marketing potential of khat juice – an exhilarating stimulant made from extracts of Catha edulis and other ingredients – and turned the potent drink into one of the most highly sought after drugs in all of Tel Aviv. Dafna Arad goes into significant detail […]