focused initiative by the region's leading retail and hospitality conglomerate Landmark Group, has partnered with Dubai's food enthusiasts - Nadia Parekh, founder of home-based catering company Mélange, as well as Nabih and Ghalia, home chefs and founders of Nabz&G – to create a selection of 40 health-friendly recipes for the summer. These recipes are free-to-download and available on www.beatdiabetes.me. Nisha Jagtiani, Director, Landmark Group said: "Our Beat Diabetes programme is focussed on motivating the community to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Through our year-round initiatives, we encourage individuals to take three simple steps – Eat Healthy, Get Active and Take a Yearly Medical Test. "These healthy recipes are part of our various ongoing efforts to reach out to the community with healthy alternatives. We believe that by creating interesting and adoptable programs that can be weaved into the daily lives of people with ease and simplicity, we can help them embrace a better lifestyle." Through the free-to-download cookbook the Beat Diabetes initiative aims to provide an appealing selection of dishes for families to cook this summer. The cookbook offers tips to recreate well-loved regional and international recipes prepared using nutritious ingredients and alternatives. The recipes range from traditional Middle Eastern treats such as Mahashi Khodra and Tabat Tamir repurposed in a contemporary style by culinary duo and raw food proponents Nabih and Ghalia of Nabz&G to international delicacies such as Fish en Papillote and Vegan Quinoa Chili created by Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef Nadia Parekh of Mélange Dubai. The chefs have creatively infused superfoods with familiar, comforting ingredients to offer a tasty surprise to foodies looking for nutritious, occasion-appropriate fare, using easy to recreate techniques. Alongside the cookbook, the initiative will share interesting recipe videos and tips for healthy eating. All this will be available on the website www.beatdiabetes.me and across the initiative's social media platforms: Facebook www.facebook.com/beatdiabetes Instagram- beat.diabetes Twitter- @2beatdiabetes Mini Mousaka Created by Nabz&G for the Beat Diabetes initiative's Homey's Guide to Healthy Recipes Serves 6 people INGREDIENTS 1 large eggplant 250g grass-fed ground beef 1⁄2 Onion 1 cup diced tomatoes Greek yoghurt Olive oil 2tsp salt or to taste 2tsp black pepper 2tbs mixed spices Dry basil 1 garlic clove METHOD For the eggplant Cut the eggplant into 6 thick round slices Sprinkle with salt and allow to rest for 5 minutes Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Place the eggplant on a baking tray and brush each slice with olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes. For the beef In a warm pan sauté the onions for 3 minutes or until golden, add the beef and stir until the meat starts to change in color, add the salt, pepper and mixed spices and stir for 10-15 minutes until the meat is cooked. For the tomatoes Place the diced tomatoes in a small pot and heat for 5 minutes, add the crushed garlic, 1tsp salt and 1tsp black pepper, dry basil and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 30 minutes For serving: place the baked eggplant slice in the middle of the plate, place the cold tomatoes gently in the middle, add 1tbs of ground beef on top and a touch of fresh yoghurt. Beetroot Napoleon with Honey Drizzled Goats Cheese (gluten free, refined sugar free, veggie) INGREDIENTS Resting time: Overnight 4 small red beets, roasted or boiled 200g Goats cheese, softened 2 tablespoons honey 3-4 tablespoons Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction 2 tablespoons groundnut oil 50g chopped and roasted hazelnuts Mixed leaves to finish METHOD Using a mandolin slice the beets very thinly and using a 2 inch diameter cutter, cut into circles. Place on a tray generously lined with paper towel and rest in the fridge overnight. Mix the softened goats cheese with the honey and add the greek yogurt one tablespoon at a time, mixing until slightly softened but still holding its weight. Put in a piping bag. Mix the balsamic and groundnut oil well, and dress the mixed leaves and hazelnuts together. Start to build the Napoleon: starting with 1 beet slice, pipe a bit of goats cheese mixture in a swirling motion, top with another beet slice and press down slightly if the cheese mixture has not made it to the edge. Repeat to create a stack of 6 layers of beet and 5 layers of goat's cheese. Serve chilled with the dressed mixed leaves and hazelnuts.
