Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine

Book excerpt: It is a well-known fact that the cuisine of the Mediterranean, rich in olives and pulses, fresh fruit and vegetables and fish plucked straight from the sea, is one of the healthiest diets known to man. Meat is used sparingly and butter is replaced by aromatic olive oil. This does not mean that the food lacks flavour; on the contrary, their absence allows the subtle flavours of herbs and spices to emerge. The cuisine of the Levant - Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria - is full of colourful, fresh and delicious dishes that are low in cholesterol and high in flavour. planned with good health in mind. Each dish, from tempting appetizers such as falafel and stuffed vine leaves to exotic desserts like walnut pancakes, has a nutritional breakdown listing the amount of calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium contained in the food, so that you can plan your diet without depriving yourself of delicious flavours.