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.)