Nature has created a far more acceptable source of protein than meat – legumes. Protein-packed, incontrovertible great taste as well as the millennial joint evolution of humans and the various relatives of beans and lentils, are the main reasons behind us preferring this food to meat. Our For the Earth and Slow Food Bulgaria lectors helped us get familiar with the legumes’ nutritional benefits, learn more about their diversity here and around the world and last but not least – why this food’s environmental impact is low. We won’t forget to be practical. Our guest-chef Mihaela Beloreshka shared some really helpful tips about various faster and slower cooked legume dishes.
During the whole cooking process, we talked about the link between the global climate changes and intensive farming and livestock-breeding. The main reason behind the climate changes is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Their increased concentration leads to the increase in temperatures. The intensive livestock-breeding is the second biggest source of greenhouse gases after fossil fuels burning. When most ruminant animals are digesting their food, there’s emission of vast volumes of carbon dioxide and methane. This wouldn’t have been a problem if the livestock-breeding hadn’t turned into the major business that is today, having completely changed the diet in the so-called developed world.
Despite being a relatively cheap alternative to the meat proteins and the possibility of helping solve world hunger, the legumes are still underappreciated. Lentils, peas and beans are extremely important for most of the world population’s nourishment. In Asia, Africa and South America, these plants are an integral part of the menu and are mostly cultivated in small, family farms.
The three-hour (19:00 – 22:00) “With legumes against global warming” course was held at the Amuse Bouche Culinary school (8-10 “Korab planina” street, Sofia) on Tuesday, February 23rd. You can find more information about the course here.
“Cooking schools – how the food ends up on our plate” are practical cooking courses and are part of For the Earth and Friends of Earth Europe’s “School for stable development and activism” project, which stimulates informal methods for ecological education, focused on the development of practical skills and building an informed civic position on global issues that affect the people as well as the nature.
With legumes against the global warming and what are the natural alternatives to meat?
