Sunday, October 2, 2011

In Which I Visit Barbur World Foods, and a Thrive Foods Giveaway


Recently I went to one of my favorite food markets in the Portland area. This is Barbur World Foods. You wouldn't know it was wonderful from the outside, but it's full of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern staples that are hard to find elsewhere.


Such as fresh pistachios! I've also purchased fresh chick peas and grape leaves here, but they aren't carrying them at the moment.



You have to pass the desserts (including the baklava, which is vegan and very delicious) to get to the deli case/sandwich counter/pizza oven. All of the vegan items are clearly marked. They make a mean falafel sandwich, the spinach pies are yummy and lemony, and the zaatar pizza is vegan and wonderful.

As you travel back you pass a mountain of pita for the hummus you picked up at the deli counter. See?



They have this tarragon soda I am kind of obsessed with, and Cheerwine!






In this aisle, it's all olives on the left, and all different kinds of pickled vegetables on the right. There is another aisle which is all olive oil. Trying saying this three times fast: olive oil aisle.



Here we have stacks of six-pound cans of tomatoes:





Fuul, aka broad beans. Loads of them.



Dried fruit and nut aisle. And spices and spices.



Three brands of frozen molokiyya. I have eaten this horrid thing. In Cairo, where it is beloved. Prepared by a local. The closest I can get to describing it is: it's like eating spinach, but with the sliminess of okra, or maybe mucus. Keep it behind the door.

And finally, packed in amongst all of the other fun things, the kitchen supply area, which includes this small fancy coffeepot with a bird on top.


And so was my visit to Barbur World Foods. I hope you enjoyed it!

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On to the giveaway. The lovely people over at Da Capo Lifelong have been extra-lovely this month, and have furnished a number of titles for giveaways on this blog. Please consider having a look at their website, and/or following them on Twitter and Facebook, because they are seriously generous. Today will be the first of those, and it's Thrive Foods by Brendan Brazier.

The product desription on the Amazon page says: Building upon the stress-reducing, health-boosting nutritional philosophy introduced in his acclaimed vegan nutrition guide Thrive, professional Ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier now turns his attention to your dinner plate (breakfast bowl and lunch tray too). Where does your food come from, and is it healthy? How can you be sure that you are receiving the nutrients you need? In Thrive Foods, Brazier clearly explains how nutrient-dense, plant-based foods are the best form of proactive health insurance and environmental sustainability rolled into one. And that's not all. Thrive Foods also features 200 nutritionally complete, easy-to-make recipes that utilize the power of super- foods such as maca, chia, hemp, and chlorella, and that avoid common allergens, such as wheat, yeast, gluten, soy, dairy, and corn.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment below. Tell me what makes you thrive, pass along a healthy tip, or just say you'd like to win! This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. Others throughout the month will be open to everyone everywhere. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and posted tomorrow below tomorrow's giveaway. If you win a giveaway on this blog at some point this month, please be kind and don't enter further giveaways--I'd love as many people to win something as possible!

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The winner of yesterday's Rishi Tea giveaway is Leslie R.! Congratulations! Please send your name and address to me at miso...@yahoo.com. (<---make sure to click on the . . . link for the rest of the email address. This is a spam avoidance thing.)




26 comments:

  1. I could live in that store! I think I was from the Mediterranean in a past life. If I had to only eat one type of food my entire life, that's what I'd chose.

    Fresh chickpeas and pistachios! My mind is blown.

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  2. I was just reading about Brendan Brazier's new book and it looks really interesting. I'd love to own a copy

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  3. I would love to win a copy of Brendan's book. Thanks!

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  4. That market looks fantastic. Those pistachios YUM! I think I would be spending hours there.

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  5. That is such a great market. And I had to laugh about your molokiyya experience. I've had a similar one! So slimy!!! I've learned my lesson.

    You've inspired me to hunt down some tarragon soda locally... how intriguing.

    I don't know what exactly makes me thrive... but good company combined with good food seems to set my thrive-o-meter to maximum.

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  6. I live very close to Barbur World Foods and it's the most magical place in the world! Their hummus is my all time favorite.

    Place like THAT make me thrive! :-)

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  7. What an awesome store. I love visiting any and all new grocery places, but especially "world goods" ones.

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  8. A healthy tip: pack a portable fruit (apple, orange, grapefruit, etc) wherever you go! This way if you get stranded without immediate access to food you at least have something to tide you over!

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  9. I'm so intrigued by that tarragon soda.
    what makes me thrive? working out and eating good vegan food. lather, rinse, repeat.

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  10. Kale, Broccoli, Chickpeas, with some chocolate (very dark or course) every now annd then! Balance, right?

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  11. I'm thriving on green smoothies and fresh air!

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  12. I'm thriving on the changing weather and fall leaves! Thanks for an awesome giveaway!

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  13. What the what??? Where is that store located??? We've started making our own hummus at home and it would be amazing to start off with fresh chickpeas!

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  14. I've been going through spinach like it'll make me rich. I through it into smoothies, sandwiches, pasta, salads, soup ... pretty much everything. I suppose that's what's got me thriving lately!

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  15. what makes me thrive is yoga, a morning cup of black tea, vegan whole foods, my 3 1/2 yr old son's laugh and the new batch of kimchee i just made that is going to rock my current cold away.

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  16. I thrive on running and yoga!

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  17. I thrive on knowing that I help animals every single day just by being vegan!!!

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  18. I want to go to there...I thrive on doing what needs to be done to make my body feel good (exercising, eating right, sleep, prayer, and sometimes chocolate:)

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  19. Thanks for the tour through the store. One of my favorite things to do when I visit foreign countries or other cities is to visit their grocery stores. I love seeing what kind of local goodies I can find. I thrive by cherishing each little experience.

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  20. Lovely giveaway! I thrive on delicious food and spending time with my loved ones.

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  21. Oh I wish I lived in the Portland area--this store looks so cool!

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  22. I loved the other Thrive books, I really want to check out this one!

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  23. I can't win this giveaway, but I just wanted to say that that store looks amazing! I could spend days in there. And I really want to try tarragon soda.

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  24. I won't lie. Matt was reading your post and over his shoulder I spotted the baklava and squealed a little. I think I also shouted "baklava" three times. I think this means I must visit this store!

    PS- This isn't an entry!

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  25. Tarragon soda?! My mind is blown. Seriously, now I want to try one.
    Happy MoFoing! <3

    (P.S. I won't be entering any giveaways either - I'm not on twitter or FB!)

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