How much fatty food is in your diet? Could be time for a change. There are many issues with food that people are aware of, and try hard to control, such as high sugar levels and excess salt in processed foods. A less understood dietary issue is cholesterol. This is a substance which is often […]
Have you ever thought of a potato as possibly harmful? Along with tomato and eggplant it has that potential What do tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant have in common with tobacco? They are all part of the Nightshade family. Many salads call for their use, including the Middle Eastern eggplant dish Baba Ghanoush, however, despite […]
What could be more refreshing and healthy than a bowl of fresh fruit and yoghurt? Many people have stressful jobs that leave them little time to relax in the morning, nevertheless breakfast is always important. Making your way to the kitchen, there is always a debate of what to prepare that is both healthy and […]
These funny faces can help you both in and out of the kitchen Most people consider citrus fruit, such as lemon, a delicious seasoning when it comes to flavouring a salad (like tomato coriander salad), however these fruit are a great deal more versatile than that. The health benefit of lemons and oranges are well […]
The great breakfast spread; it not only looks fantastic, but it is also a healthy way to start your day. Waking in the morning and rushing out the door to make it to work on time is a daily hassle for many people, therefore breakfast seems to be another thing on the to-do-list for which […]
Do you eat meat on the sly, but call yourself a vegetarian? If so, you might be a cheatarian. Vegetarians, vegans, vegawarians, carnivores; these may be familiar terms, but they aren’t always clearly defined. Does a vegetarian eat fish or not? The answer seems to be flexible. It is difficult to decide on a menu […]
Would you think that this healthy vegetable could be converted into something unhealthy? When glancing at a list of ingredients, many of the words are not simply unfamiliar but completely unknown to the average consumer. This being the case, checking a list of ingredients seems an almost futile exercise as many of the foods listed […]
The honey bee chooses the flower, which changes the flavour of the honey. Which honey do you choose? The Jewish New Year, otherwise known as Rosh Hashanah, was celebrated just this past week, and one of the most common symbols of this time is honey. A jar of honey symbolises a sweet new year, so […]
A list of ingredients is often full of long, complicated words when all you really want to know is: “How much sugar is in this?” We live in an age where consumers are trying to become more health conscious. It is important to control what we eat, including the amount of items like salt and […]
Do you smile when you walk into your kitchen or does it make you frown? Maybe it is time to change your kitchen into a room you like. Summertime can be stressful with vacation from school, children around, not to mention the incredible heat we have been having here in the Middle East. When it […]
You have to love the health benefits of this amazing fruit. With Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) around the corner, certain traditional foods are expected to appear at the table. There are many different recipes, but there are several which are universal, including honey cake (try out this amazing recipe) and certain fruits. One of […]
Salt comes in many forms and has many uses. How many are you aware of? One of the most common features of a set table is the salt shaker sitting neatly next to the pepper grinder. Saltiness is not only one of the basic tastes next to sweetness, bitterness and sourness, it is also one […]
Have you ever looked at vegetables and thought “I can base a whole meal on all of this?” Seared salmon, braised lamb, sauteed beef: sounds delicious, but what about vegetables? Here in the Middle East we love our kebabs, shawarmas and barbecues, but recently The Food Network aired an episode of Iron Chef America that […]
If coffee is the only way you can give yourself a kick start, then you need to find a healthier way to start your day Coffee in the morning is a tradition for many people. Coffee as a pick-me-up during the day is another familiar habit that people rely on; however, there is some point […]
Plums are juicy and sweet, and also versatile in the kitchen. Have you ever tried stewing them? Summer heat can really bring you down and when it comes to cooking, nobody wants to slave over a hot stove. On the other hand, we all still want nice fresh food. What a conundrum! When it comes […]
Turkish, espresso or instant. The Middle East loves its coffee. The excitement of a good cup of coffee is familiar, but what other more negative effects are there? Does your day only start when you have had that big cup of steaming coffee? Is that big cup of coffee only the first in a long […]
Rock salt, sea salt, table salt, how much salt is in your diet? When it comes to taking care of our diet there are many aspects to consider. Most people are aware of the amount of sugar they eat, or fatty foods, but have you ever stopped to consider your salt intake? Eating too much […]
Sushi always seemed so healthy, but there are less healthy issues to think about It’s summer, it’s too hot to eat stew or pie, so sushi seems like the perfect idea. It’s filling without being heavy and being made mainly of rice and vegetables it is very healthy. Still you have to remember that there […]
Homemade fruit or veggie pops on a stick, inspired by SolPops. Portland, Oregon is not known for its hot, humid weather, unlike the sticky heat we get over here in the Middle East, yet it is home to a new summer treat – the SolPop. This is one of the healthiest alternatives to ice-cream and […]
Herbal teas, as far as the eye can see, and all with healthy benefits. Despite the heat of what is one of the hottest Middle Eastern summers in years, it is still easy to get sick when moving in and out of air-conditioning. As a child, getting sick always amounted to one thing for me: […]
Ever thought of doing more with your watermelon than simply slicing and dicing? Are you melting in the sticky Middle Eastern summer? Well here is a juicy fruit that is always a favourite, being nice and refreshing, the perfect thing for a summer’s day. There are many reasons for its popularity and not only because […]
When it comes to your food, are you eying the list of added colours? Red, blue, yellow and green, there is an absolute rainbow of colours out there that you can find in your food. When you stop to think about it though, most of these colours do not occur with the same vibrancy in […]
A fresh sprig of coriander is so versatile and delicious! I have always found it difficult to differentiate between the various types of green leafy herbs available in the market. For whatever reason, I can’t seem to see the physical differences between basil, thyme, coriander or mint. The taste, on the other hand, is something […]
Are you as healthy on the inside as the outside? Detox is the answer to internal health Summer, vacation, relaxing, it is not just for you, it is also great to give your body the chance to unwind. We tend to push ourselves too hard throughout the year and then try for the quick fix. Whether […]
Is your skin all covered up with material that stops it from being able to breathe? Maybe you should rethink your choice of fabric. Sitting here in the sticky summer heat, it is difficult to choose what to wear when really any extra layer on our skin is something we wish we could avoid. The […]