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News

Making a Difference During the Holidays

Preparing Bûche de Noël cakes for distribution to the victims of the Beirut Blast

Due to the many socio-economic challenges that Lebanon is facing, the holidays are still a difficult time for many vulnerable and less fortunate families who are struggling to put food on the table and make ends meet.

To make a difference this holiday season, FHF’s Akleh Community Kitchen decided to collaborate with a number of NGO’s as part of the “Akleh Christmas Initiative” under the Ardi Ardak National Food Security Initiative to spread the joy of Christmas by distributing hot meals to families across Lebanon. To support small-scale farmers, all the ingredients were sourced from rural areas.

Hearty and delicious chicken and rice dishes

On the 23rd and 24th of December the Akleh Community Kitchen prepared and distributed 3,325 hot meals to families in need. Additionally, 860 meals and 100 Bûche de Noël cakes were delivered to the victims of the Beirut Blast. The distribution was done in collaboration with the Mar Yaacoub church, father Pere Majdi from the “Bonheur du Ciel” association, Father Jean-Marie Chami, Berrad El Hay and Basecamp Beirut.

Preparing Bûche de Noël cakes for the victims of the Beirut Blast
Hot meals packed and ready to be delivered to families in need

In an effort to provide nutritious food for families in need during the holidays, FHF in collaboration with ESDU under the Ardi Ardak National Food Security Initiative prepared and delivered a total of 110 mouneh boxes to different neighborhoods across Beirut including Naba’a and in Tripoli and Aramoun.

Mouneh box ingredients sourced from local small-scale producers
Mouneh boxes filled with ingredients sourced from local small-scale producers

The distribution was done with the help of the Rashet Kheir and Ruwwad Al Tanmeya NGOs and “Soeurs de la Charité de Sainte Jeanne Antide.” All the mouneh boxes were filled with fresh and healthy ingredients sourced directly from local small-scale producers.

We’d like to express our gratitude to “Search for Common Ground” (SFCG) and all the wonderful donors and volunteers who helped us make this holiday season special.

Despite these challenging times, FHF remains hopeful that better days are just over the horizon and wishes all of you a joyous holiday season filled with love and good food.

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Central Kitchen

Akleh menu

By ordering from Akleh you will enjoy delicious healthy food prepared by women from the local community. Our menu features traditional recipes from different Lebanese areas and includes various options of pastries, salads, kebbeh, vegetarian dishes and hot meals. Our recipes are made from fresh, seasonal and local products, purchased from local coops & small producers.

For your events, conferences and workshops order now by calling us on 71-731437

Whole Wheat Pastries (Fatayer)

Veggies (spinach, wild thyme, purslane, dandelion etc.)
Kishk
Cheese
Spicy tomato & walnuts
Tomato and basil
Zucchini & Pomegranate
Veggie Pizza

Whole wheat kishk fatayer
Whole wheat kishk fatayer

Mini Kaak

Labneh with veggies
Cheese with veggies
Jam with walnuts

Markouk Rolls

Labneh with veggies
Cheese with veggies
Jam with walnuts
Palestinian Chicken Musakhan

Fig jam markouk rolls with wallnuts
Fig jam markouk rolls with wallnuts

Kebbeh

Potato Kebbeh stuffed with Labneh (grilled on charcoal)
Pumpkin Kebbeh
Meat Kebbeh

Meat Kebbeh
Meat Kebbeh

Salads*

Tabbouleh
Lentil Tabbouleh
Fattoush
Raheb Salad
Rocca Salad
Beetroot Salad
Thyme Salad
Green in-season Salad

Muttabal *

Hummus
Baba Ghannouj
Eggplant
Zucchini
Pumpkin

Moutabbal Koussa
Moutabbal Koussa

Vegetarian Dishes

Mdardra
Mujadra
Mussakaat Batenjen
Spicy potato
Dandelion (Hendbeh)
Pumpkin Kebbeh bel Siniyeh
Burghol aa Banadoura
Stuffed Vine leaves
Stuffed Chard

Hindbeh
Hindbeh

Hot meals

Rez aa Djeij
Moghrabieh with Chicken
Frikeh with meat
Makloubet Batenjen
Meat Kebbeh bl Siniye
Kebbeh Labaniye
Stews with rice (Bazzela, Fassoulia…)

Potato kebbeh stuffed with labneh and grilled on charcoal
Potato kebbeh stuffed with labneh and grilled on charcoal

Sweets

Sfouf
Molasses Sfouf
Rice Pudding (riz b halib)
Meghli
Ghoraybeh
Lawziyeh
Baked Maacaroun
Molasses cookies
Anis cookies
Date cookies
Orange cookies
Oat cookies with walnuts
Chocolate Sable
Palestinian Makrouta
Milk cookies (Kaak b haleeb)

A selection of healthy cookies and sweets
A selection of healthy cookies and sweets

Drinks

Minted Lemonade
Mulberry
Rose
Jellab
Iced Zouhourat

Refreshing drinks to be served at your events
Refreshing drinks to be served at your events

*Available also in “verrine” for cocktails buffet
Categories
News

Promoting traditional Palestinian food

The Food Heritage Foundation (FHF) had the pleasure to host ladies from the Woman Program Association (WPA) in Bourj Al Barajneh on April 30 2015 for a “Palestinian Cooking Day”. Seven ladies from the WPA worked together to develop a special traditional Palestinian menu and prepare the food at Akleh, FHF’s community kitchen. The event was promoted on social media and among FHF’s friends who came to taste the delicious Palestinian delicacies and support the Palestinian woman. Part of the food was offered to the Red Cross center in Spears to salute their effort and promote FHF’s activities. This event was supported by Majd Al Futtaim Properties.

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News

Akleh Community Kitchen: satisfying taste buds with traditional Lebanese food

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The women cooks of the Food Heritage Foundation’s community kitchen “Akleh” prepared sumptuous traditional recipes for the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, during its conference on “Exploring an Agenda for Active Citizenship” on Sunday February 23, 2015 in AUB.

A variety of colorful traditional dishes were on the menu, such as lentil tabbouleh, potato kebbeh stuffed with labneh, frikeh with meat etc… and raw ingredients were procured from small producers and farmers spread in different Lebanese areas.

Akleh Community Kitchen creates job opportunities for housewives and ensures the building on their capacities in terms of food safety and healthy cooking techniques.

Akleh’s food was successful in satisfying the guests’ taste buds and appetite!

Lunch1

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News

Women empowerment around food in Khiara, West Bekaa

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The Food Heritage Foundation (FHF) in collaboration with the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) organized a set of training workshops for women working in the Khiara Cooperative “Khayrat Bekaena” under the program “Community-based Health Kitchens to provide locally produced food aid for vulnerable groups affected by the Syrian crisis”.

The topics were covered during the training sessions are food safety, organizational and managerial skills, and Purchasing, Scheduling and Sustainability. In total, 7 Lebanese and Syrian women participated in the training workshops that were facilitated by Ms. Dominique Anid, FHF Nutrition and Health Officer and Dr. Salwa Tohme Tawk expert in Agriculture and Community Development.

The aim of this program is to further develop the existing cooperative by including a cooking unit for food assistance at first, that can later develop into a sustainable income generating business (catering; linking to neighboring universities etc.).

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News

SlowMed Team @ Akleh: Cooking A Traditional Recipe From Aarsal

Discussing History of the recipe

On Sunday December 7, 2014, Akleh, our community kitchen in Beirut, became the stage  for a filming session to document the preparation of “Makhlouta“, a traditional recipe from Aarsal. The SlowMed team in Lebanon composed of a chef, a dietitian, three camera men and their coordinator interviewed and cooked with Ms. Halime el Houjeiri, the president of Aarsal Food Processing Coop.

Ingredients

Makhlouta is a dish commonly prepared in mountain villages during winter and is often associated to the lent period. In Aarsal, this substantial dish is usually prepared in winter and is served hot.

Adding lentils

Halime explained that in Aarsal, Makhlouta is made by boiling chickpeas, beans, lentils, bulgur wheat, potatoes and onions, no stir-frying involved. Salt is the only condiment added.

Finishing with Olive Oil

A generous portion of extra virgin olive oil is responsible for the rich aroma of Makhlouta which combines very well with the earthy flavour of lentils and the buttery flavour of beans and chickpeas. Halime amused the team with proverbs from her area that hail chickpeas as a substitute for meat while serving them their lunch, with the “Akleh” of the day being: Makhlouta!

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News

Rural Tourism Strategy for Lebanon

On the 24th of July, 2014, the Food Heritage Foundation’s Kitchen Akleh catered the Iftar that was help on the occasion of announcing the Rural Tourism Strategy for Lebanon. This special event was organized by Beyond Beirut in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Services, with the support of USAID in the framework of The Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development – LIVCD Project.

The Iftar was held in the green garden of the beautiful Saint John Convent in Beit Mery.

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Traditional food, prepared by Akleh’s cooks coming from different Lebanese regions, was offered on the buffet.

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Whole wheat pastries were prepared live on the saj station.

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Also on the menu, potato kebbeh filled with labneh and grilled on charcoal.

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Savory traditional sweets and fresh fruits were also served.

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Categories
Events

FHF launches its traditional healthy kitchen

Kitchen Launching

It is in a great ambiance that the FHF launched its Traditional Healthy Kitchen in Beirut “Akleh” on Friday May 2, 2014. The establishment and launching of “Akleh” is supported by USAID in the framework of NABAD project for social entrepreneurship.

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Academics, researchers, food lovers, friends and supporters all gathered to celebrate this event, to visit the kitchen and taste some of the specialties to be served by our kitchen.

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Established in a 70 years old building (Zico House), “Akleh” will seek to revive our Lebanese food heritage by empowering the key holders of our culinary traditions: women from various Lebanese areas as well as small farmers and producers. The food – although traditional- will be customized according to healthy standards and served in a delicate way.

Akleh opening

Who said that old food couldn’t have a new mood?

Akleh2

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News

Akleh, winner of entrepreneurship incubator Nabad

Nabad1

On February 27, 2014, FHF’s Akleh Community Kitchen has been announced as one of 15 projects selected by arcenciel’s social entrepreurship program NABAD (http://www.nabad-arcenciel.org/)

The ceremony was held at Hilton – Metropolitan Hotel where Mrs. Mabelle Chedid, FHF’s Executive Director and Mrs. Dominique Anid, FHF’s Health and Nutrition officer received Nabad’s certificate from Mr. Ambassador David Hale.

In line with FHF’s mission to foster rural-urban linkages through the promotion of food heritage, Akleh community kitchen will provide women from different Lebanese regions with income generating activities, by training them on offering cooking classes highlighting their regional cuisines, and on sharing their knowledge and expertise in the field. Women will receive capacity building in food safety and hygiene, and healthy cooking techniques.

Akleh kitchen is based at Zico House, Spears – Hamra.

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Central Kitchen

Akleh

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