World Pulses Day, celebrated every year on Feb. 10, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the vital role of legumes in our diet, agriculture and global sustainability.
For this occasion, the INCREASE project – Intelligent Collections of Food Legumes Genetic Resources for European Agrifood Systems, presents “The Taste of Pulses” initiative: a contest between citizens and restaurateurs to share recipes, knowledge and flavors based on legumes.
Legumes, grown on our territory in numerous species and varieties, are a very important basis for a balanced and healthy diet. They are a great source of vegetable proteins and micronutrients with a low environmental impact. Beans in particular, because of their water efficiency and due to their nitrogen-fixing capacity in the soil, are particularly advantageous in the cultivation phase, as they are an excellent ally in regenerating and maintaining a healthy soil. Let us not forget that fertile soil is the indispensable ingredient for the production of the food that feeds us.
That’s why the slogan chosen by FAO for this year is:
#Pulses: bringing diversity to agrifood systems
#Love pulses for a healthy diet and planet
Pulses are an integral part of the traditional diet; beans, chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, peas, lupins and chickling peas are present in the traditional cuisines of many regions. They are an easy and long-lasting food in its dried seed nature, and thanks to the genetic diversity it still retains today, varieties have developed that can adapt to cultivation in different microclimates.
Therefore, we invite you to dust off your favorite local legume recipe and tell us about a dish of your local gastronomy that you appreciate and why not, even experiment with recipes proposed by other participants!
THE CONTEST:
We invite you for the days of Saturday, Feb. 8, Sunday, Feb. 9 and Monday, Feb. 10 to soak your favorite legume, host friends and relatives for dinner, cook it according to the recipe that works best for you and finally enjoy it.
But before you consume the whole dish, remember to photograph it and then share your recipe with the entire INCREASE community!
Your post will be published on our social pages and can be read and voted on by everyone.
Don’t forget to add your preparation tips, preferences and invite your friends to this challenge as well.
If you are a restaurateur, canteens, associations, schools we invite you for the occasion to include at least one dish made with beans or other legumes in your menu and propose to your customers to enjoy with us the good and healthy of local legumes. Remember to share your recipe with the whole community by publishing the post and your location on our website; this way it will be easier to find you. If you wish during registration you can agree to show your name in the list of participants.
The celebration is active in many states, so search for international participation by typing #WorldPulsesDay and #LovePulses and you will find the different initiatives.
The recipes with the most votes during the three-day event will be awarded and you will receive a prize from INCREASE project at home, so let the “likes” roll in.
The opportunities are not over!
The INCREASE project proposes you to become a citizen scientist. By participating in INCREASE’s Citizen Science Experiment
you can contribute to the enhancement of agrobiodiversity and support research!
By downloading the free INCREASE CSA App and registering, you will be able to cultivate some of the thousand bean varieties distributed by the project; moreover, by documenting their growth and collecting and exchanging the collected seeds with other citizens, you will contribute to the valorisation and decentralised conservation of genetic resources.
Register your participation in the 5th round of INCREASE’s Citizen Science Experiment until 28 February 2025!
If you have already participated in previous editions, you can confirm your membership for this new round as well, participate with your seeds and exchange seeds with other citizens.
FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK HERE
