Dr Mirna Sabbagh Grilled Cheese Sambousek
What could be better than enjoying the rich taste of the melted cheese and the crunchy dough of a cheese sambousek as an appetiser at iftar? Put your calorie concerns to rest as Dr. Mirna Sabbagh, nutritionist at Mypedia Clinic, shares the perfect recipe for a light guilt-free cheese sambousek.
Ingredients
For the dough
2 cups flour (whole wheat)
1 teaspoon dried yeast, dissolved in 3 tablespoons warm water
1 egg, whipped
1 potato, boiled, peeled and mashed
1/2 cup warm water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg white
1 teaspoon salt
For the filling
250g light cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Method
Mix the flour, whipped egg, water, yeast and mashed potato with an electric mixer until you get a firm, smooth dough. Add more warm water if needed. Leave the dough to rest in a warm place.
For the filling: crumble the light cheese with a fork and combine it with the parsley and onion in a bowl.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough using a rolling pin. Cut the dough into 8cm diameter circles using a circular pastry cutter.
Coat the border of the dough circles with a bit of egg white, and fill each circle with one tablespoon of the cheese mixture then seal firmly its four edges to form a square that holds the cheese. The cheese should remain visible in the middle.
Place the cheese pies on lightly greased oven pans and bake at medium heat until they turn lightly brown.
Serve hot or cold
Dr Stephanie Karl
Brown Rice Mujadara Bowl with a Fried Egg
Traditional Arabic food is very healthy and one of the best meals, if grains are kept whole as in the case of brown rice. “Lentils keep blood sugar in check and energy levels high through the fasting period,” says Dr. Stephanie Karl, nutritionist at JTS Medical Centre.
For the mujadara:
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup brown lentils
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
Salt
For the bowl:
Olive oil spray
4 large eggs
Salt
Freshly cracked, black pepper
Paprika
2 1/2 tablespoons harissa (spicy or mild)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Method
Boil the brown rice, lentils and a hefty pinch of salt in a large pan.
Once the rice and lentils are fully cooked, remove from the heat, but keep the lid on for 10 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn deep brown and begin to caramelise (add small amounts of water at a time to prevent the onions from burning). When the onions are deeply golden, add the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add this to the rice and lentils.
Wipe the skillet used to cook the onions clean, lightly grease with olive oil spray. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your desired doneness. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and a dash of paprika. Serve it with the mujadara.
Mitun De Sarkar
Sweet Potato Dessert
Fasting for 15 hours has quite an impact on the digestive track. Opting for items with a low glycemic index during iftar can help rectify any damage. “Sweet potatoes are rich in potassium which prevents muscle cramps and has a calming effect on the gut,” says Mitun De Sarkar, dietician at Simply Healthy Diets. Follow the easy three-step recipe for a healthier dessert:
Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey, divided
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 slice whole wheat bread, crusts removed
2 cups mashed baked peeled sweet potato
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped, crystallized ginger
1/4 cup plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt
Method
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 11/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine eggs, 3 tablespoons honey, milk, and bread in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Add sweet potato, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice; beat until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish. Scatter pecans and ginger over top. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes until pudding is set and slightly puffy (it will sink slightly as the pudding cools).
While pudding bakes, mix yogurt and remaining 1 tablespoon honey; stir until smooth. Divide pudding among 4 bowls, and top evenly with yogurt mixture.
