Moving, Baqlawa, and Waistlines

I've been on holidays for the last two weeks and unlike most vacations it has been a period of high stress. Mrs Bugbear and I spent most of the past two weeks packing and moving things from the basement to the garage in anticipation of the move this coming weekend.  Most of the stress is from getting our insurance company to get off their duff and do their job.  As soon as we have completed the move I'm telling the company that I want an agent who is less of an air-headed twit.  I might need to amend the description since the aforementioned description doesn't set the bar nearly high enough.


So when I'm stressed I tend to read more, when I don't have anything to read, I cook and eat.  Of course all my books are packed for the move so I've been cooking, and eating.  Since the only cookbook my wife didn't pack was a Middle Eastern cookbook I've been trying quite a few recipes from it.  Last night I made a sweet and sour onion soup followed up with a green vegetable and beef stew and a platter of Baqlawa.  Before any spelling Nazis comment I made Baqlawa not Baklava. Baqlawa features different sweeteners, spices and pistachios rather than almonds.  All three of the recipes are Iranian in origin, although versions of Baqlawa are made throughout the middle east apparently.  Except for the desserts, the Iranian recipes all seem to run heavy to onions and turmeric.

Apparently, high stress, heavy lifting and overeating are a great combination, I lost about ten pounds while on holidays.