70 years ago today on 16 October 1945, 42 countries created the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In doing so they took an important step forward in man's perpetual struggle against hunger and malnutrition. Although, progess has been made, hunger is still a major concern to all countries and all people. On October 16, every year, people around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger in our lifetime. Because when it comes to hunger, the only acceptable number in the world is zero.

Social Protection And Agriculture: Breaking The Cycle Of Rural Poverty

 World Food Day theme for 2015 

In honor of World Food Day we are offering 4 simple Vegetarian recipes from around the globe. If you chose to make any of these recipes, please take a moment to reflect on how lucky we are to have the ingredients available to enjoy them.  If you are able to donate a few cans to your local Food Bank, or a cash donation to a hunger related charity, all the better. 

Europe

Italian
Kris Carr/Crazy Sexy Kitchen

Squash Pasta and Sage Pesto

Sage Pesto
2 cups chopped basil
3 tablespoons chopped sage
2 tablespoons chopped leek
½ cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup olive oil

Squash Pasta
3 green zucchini, sliced into noodles 
1 yellow zucchini, sliced into noodles 
½ cup sunflower sprouts (other options: buckwheat sprouts or pea shoots)
½ cup thinly julienned red bell pepper

1. Prepare Sage Pesto: Remove stems from basil and sage.
2. In food processor, gently pulse basil, sage, leek, pine nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt until finely minced. Add the oil slowly and in a thin, even stream, pulsing until sauce has reached a coarse consistency.
3. Prepare Squash Pasta: In large bowl, combine green and yellow zucchini noodles with sprouts and bell pepper.
4. In small bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the Sage Pesto, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

French
Denise Linn and Meadow Linn/The Mystic Cookbook

French Country Potato Salad 

2 lbs. boiled red potatoes, cut into quarters
½ lb. blanched haricots verts, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (you can substitute green beans)
½ cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin 2-inch strips
1⁄3 cup diced red onion
1 tsp. zest from one lemon (use a zester, not a Microplane)

Vinaigrette
2 tsp. whole-grain mustard
½ tsp. sea salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (To save on water and cleanup, I recommend using the same pot for the haricots verts and potatoes.) When the water reaches a boil, toss in the trimmed haricots verts and cook until slightly pliable, about 3 minutes. Fish out with a strainer or tongs, and immediately shock them in an ice-water bath (this will keep them green and crisp).

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until cooked through, about 20 minutes, depending on their size. Drain and run cold water over the potatoes. While the potatoes cook, place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove the almonds from the oven, and when cool enough to touch, chop them. The nuts will get crunchier as they cool.

Meanwhile, slice the bell pepper, dice the onion, and zest the lemon. When the potatoes are cooked and cooled, chop them into bite-sized pieces. Drain the haricots verts from the ice bath and cut into 2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine everything together and toss with the vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette 
In a small bowl, mix the mustard, salt, and garlic together. Add the vinegar and combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion.

Serves 6

Asia

Thai
Julie Daniluk/Meals that Heal Inflammation

Raw Pad Thai 

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium zucchini
1 large carrot
1 green onion, chopped
½ cup (125 mL) shredded purple cabbage
½ cup (125 mL) cauliflower florets
½ cup (125 mL) mung bean sprouts or radish sprouts (spicy)

SAUCE:
2 tbsp (30 mL) tahini
2 tbsp (30 mL) almond butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) lime or lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) tamari (wheat-free)
1 tbsp (15 mL) raw honey
½ tsp (1 mL) garlic, minced
½ tsp (2.5 mL) ginger root, grated

DIRECTIONS:
1. Use a spiralizer (or mandoline, or vegetable peeler) to create noodles from the carrots and zucchini. Place them in a large mixing bowl and top with the vegetables.
2. Whisk sauce ingredients in a bowl. The sauce will be thick, but will thin out after it’s mixed with the vegetables.
3. Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegetables, and toss. This dish tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had a chance to blend.

Makes 4 servings.

Latin America

Mexican 
Doreen Virtue/The Art of Raw Living Food

Sweet Corn Tamales 

For this recipe, you’ll need 12 large-sized corn husks, soaked in water until pliable.

Tamale filling:
4 cups bicolor corn
2 cups pine nuts
1 Roma tomato
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

Topping:
2 cups portobello mushrooms
1 cup Rojo Salsa 

Combine corn and pine nuts in a food processor and process until lightly broken down. Add tomato, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil and process into a thick paste.

Assemble soaked corn husks on cutting boards. Scoop a 2-inch ball of filling into the center of each husk, and then top with Portobello mushrooms and salsa. Fold over and tie tamales. Place in dehydrator at 110° for 1–2 hours before enjoying. The longer they’re in the dehydrator, the drier the filling will get.

Makes 4 servings.