Libya (Africa) – 7 November 2025

https://www.britannica.com/place/Libya

Libya is located in the continent of Africa. It has the Mediterranean Sea, Italy, and Greece to the north, Turkey to the northeast, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, Algeria and Morocco to the east, and Tunisia and Spain to the northwest.                                            

The capital city is Tripoli.

The official language is Arabic.

The climate is dominated by the hot arid Sahara, but it is moderated along the coastal littoral by the Mediterranean Sea.

The unleavened bread, couscous, olives, figs, dates, chickpeas, lamb, variety of vegetables, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, fish and so much more (https://travelfoodatlas.com/libyan-food).

MODIFIED KETO HASA ADAS (Lentil Soup) (AI):

• ¼ C olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C low-carb substitute (chopped canned green beans (drained and rinsed), lupini beans, or a mix of mushrooms and leafy greens like Siss chard or spinach).
• 6-8 C vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon (to taste)
• Optional for garnish: extra fried onions, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh parsley or cilantro.

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the cumin, black pepper, and turmeric, cooking for about 1-2 minutes until the spices are fragrant.
5. Add your low-carb substitute (chopped beans, mushrooms etc.) and saute for a few minutes to coat in the spices and oil.
6. Pour in the stock (enough to cover the ingredients well) and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
7. For a creamier soup consistency, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup. Do not blend all of it if you prefer some texture.
8. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with extra caramelized fried onions (cooked separately) and fresh parsley or cilantro if desired.   

I used spinach, mushrooms and a few red lentils. Very good flavor!!

KETO MAKROUDH (AI):

Dough:

• 2-1/2 C almond flour
• ½ C coconut flour
• 8 TBSP (1 stick) cold butter, softened or melted ghee
• 2-4 TBSP low-carb sweetener (erythritol or stevia blend)
• 1 tsp cardamom or mahlab
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg (optional, for better cohesion)
• Orange blossom water or rose water (optional, for flavor)

1. In a bowl, rub the almond and coconut flour with the butter and sweetener until it resembles fine crumbs.
2. Add the spices and mix well.
3. Add the egg and /or a little water/almond milk/orange blossom water as needed to form a cohesive, pliable dough.

Keto filling:

• ½ C crushed walnuts (or almonds/pistachios)
• ¼~1/2 tsp cardamom or cinnamon
• 1-2 TBSP low-carb sweetener
• 1 TBSP water or a little orange blossom water to help bind

1. Combine the crushed nuts, spice, sweetener, and a little water or orange blossom water. Mix well and form into small balls or logs.

1. To assemble, take a small amount of dough, flatten it, place a piece of filling in the center, and close the dough around the filling.
2. Form into balls or logs.
3. Use a ma’amoul mold for traditional shapes or gently press the log with a fork for a simple pattern before cutting into diamond shapes (lozenges).
4. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 10-20 minutes, or util just lightly golden at the bottom. They should remain pale on top.
5. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray before moving them, as they will be soft when warm but will harden as they cool.
6. The recipe calls for dipping in honey syrup and then coating in powdered sugar; you can opt out of this for strict keto or dust lightly with a powdered low-carb sweetener if desired.

I love cardomom and used crushed walnuts and then ate it with some ice cream. Very good!!!

I had a low-carb wrap with the soup. It tasted great!!