Pulses contribute to a #ZeroHunger World

Pulses are good for you, beneficial to farmers' livelihoods and have a positive impact on the environment. That’s the key message from today’s World Pulses Day observance and with it an acknowledgement that more and more people are paying closer attention to the nutritional benefits of what they eat, the ecological and sustainable choices in where food comes from and how it is made.

Over the next few weeks, our #SDGKitchen series focuses on sustainable cooking, looking at the ingredients we use, waste and food preparation. What we eat as well as the methods we choose to cook and harvest our food, affects our individual health and that of our planet. By cooking sustainably we can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals.

This weekend’s World Pulses Day is a great starting point for our series. Pulses are a type of leguminous crop that are harvested solely for the dry seed. Dried beans, lentils and peas are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. They have been an essential part of the human diet for centuries. Yet their nutritional value is not generally recognized and their consumption is frequently under-appreciated. Undeservedly so, as pulses are

• highly nutritious
• economically accessible and contribute to food security at all levels
• have important health benefits
• foster sustainable agriculture and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation
• promote biodiversity

Following the success of the International Year of Pulses (IYP2016), World Pulses Day is a new opportunity to heighten public awareness of the nutritional benefits of eating pulses and how they contribute to sustainable food systems and to a #ZeroHunger world.

Check out the links below to get all the information you need on Pulses, their benefits, what to make with them and content you can share with friends!

• Wold Pulses Day, 10 February
• Nature's nutritious seeds: 10 reasons why you should opt for pulses
• FAO Kids - Nutritional benefits of pulses
• How to get kids to eat pulses
• International Year of Pulses, 2016, infographics

And if you are wondering what to do with that tin of red kidney beans, we have a great, yummy, starting point with our #SDGKitchen recipe for some delightful Red Bean Brownies (instructions below).

Ingredients:

• 1 can (250g drained) red kidney beans,
• 2 eggs,
• 180g cocoa powder,
• 60g honey,
• 1 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil,
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract,
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to ????️180 C ,
• Combine ingredients and blend in food processor until completely smooth,
• Pour into a greased 20 x 20 x 5 cm pan,
• Cook for 25 to 30 minutes (cool for 20) 

⚠️Tip: serve, and only then reveal the secret ingredient!