19th MARCh 2015

Randa Bessiso: Women In Business and The Need for "Soft Power"

Make a Mother’s Day Brunch Fit for a Queen

Can Your Child Benefit From Gentle Parenting?

5 Habits of Successful Savers

Increase Your Chances for a Healthy Pregnancy

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JUST FOR MOM.

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Spring is on its way, and with it comes the second issue of Dazzle, f illed with inspiring ideas for your health and happiness. Central to it all - Mother’s Day - provides an opportunity to honour the women who gave us life and made us who we are. We’ve provided lots of ideas for pampering mum and showing her how much she is appreciated.

Read on to f ind a collection of timely articles designed to motivate, advise, inspire and delight. From recipes you can make for your family and a specia l brunch for mum, to health, f inance, parenting and travel, Dazzle has you covered this spring.

For this issu e, we consulted the experts to bring you practical advice on the things that matter to women in the UAE. An investment adviser provides guidance on personal f inance, parenting experts weigh in on an alternative parenting strategy, and our intrepid reviewers bring you inside f ine restaurants and spas here and abroad. We also talk to one of Forbes Middle East’s 200 Most Powerful Arab Women about opportunities and challenges for women in business, education and her views on success.

As always, wellness and family are front and centre, along with practical advice on women’s health concerns of the day. In this issu e we tackle gestational diabetes with sage advice for those at risk. K eep reading to f ind out what other surprises are buried in these pages.

Publisher’s Note

Marilyn L. Pinto

stregisabudhabi.com

prices are subject to 10% service charge and 6% tourism fee

THE ST. REGIS SIGNATURE

AFTERNOON TEA

Savour a delectable selection of finger sandwiches, scones with

clotted cream and decadent pastries served with a selection

of 25 loose leaf teas prepared by a dedicated tea sommelier.

Daily from 2 - 6pm

AED160++ pp AED220++ pp

(with a glass of bubbly)

For reservations call 02 694 4553

or email

restaurants.abudhabi@stregis.com

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ContentsMARCH

Publisher’s Note..................................................................... 3

A Mother's Day Brunch Fit for a Queen............................. 6

TravelFour Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorous........................... 10

Women at the TopQ&A with Randa Bessiso...................................................... 12

You and Your Money5 Habits of Successful Savers................................................ 16Becoming a “Rich Woman”.................................................. 18

EntertainingAfternoon Tea: Top Chefs Share Their Recipes.................. 22

Parenting in the UAEExamining Gentle Parenting................................................. 30Maternal Wisdom................................................................... 34Box Lunches Your Kids Will Love....................................... 36

Health and HomeReduce Your Risk for Gestational Diabetes........................ 40Kitchen Tips for Working Mums......................................... 42

The Spa LifeSaadiyat Beach Club................................................................ 45Emirates Palace Spa................................................................ 46Rèmede Spa............................................................................. 47

Dine with DazzlePrime 68................................................................................... 48Las Brisas................................................................................... 50Li Jiang..................................................................................... 51Chamas.................................................................................... 52

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Mother’s Day Brunch

serving 4• Sparkling Peach Blossoms

• Smoked Salmon and Caramelized Onion Quiche

• Grilled Asparagus

• Croissants

• Stilton and Fresh Strawberries

A Mother's Day Brunch Fit for a

But mothers shouldn’t dream of lifting a finger- let your family do the work.

By Rick Arthur After All, she Does Deserve tHe Best.

Ingredients Per serving120ml sparkling water60ml peach juice

Sparkling Peach Blossoms

MethodCombine ingredients in a stemmed glass, garnish with fruit and serve.

Mothers, there’s no need to drop hints this year. Just leave Dazzle open on the kitchen table, and let us

walk your family through the preparation of a creamy quiche, a simple but tasty vegetable side dish and a flavourful but easy dessert plate for your special day.

While breakfast in bed makes for a romantic scene in novels and films, in reality it’s not as much fun to balance a tray, risk a spill and drop crumbs in the bed sheets. Instead, bring Mum her favourite cuppa, her laptop, and the remote control; tell her brunch will be served at the table in 45 minutes; and let her prepare herself to face the world and be deservedly honored.

As for the menu, you’ll want to make the quiche, let it cool, cover and refrigerate it the day before, when you’ll also clean and refrigerate the strawberries. Then, on Mother’s Day morning, you’ll reheat the quiche and bring the Stilton and the strawberries to room temperature. The asparagus takes only a minute or two to clean and trim and another two or three minutes to grill, and the store-bought croissants can be popped into the microwave for 20 or 30 seconds right before serving. The sparkling peach blossoms also are a last-minute preparation.

Children can help Dad with much of the work, even if they’re tender of age. If nothing else, little ones can clean, pat dry and store the strawberries and set the table (don’t forget the fresh flowers), and teens can beat the eggs and do much of the chopping and other kitchen prep work.

To really make an impression – and create a family keepsake – type the menu into a document, doll it up with some flowery clip art and print it out on good paper stock, putting it on Mum’s place serving.

Smoked Salmon and Caramelised Onion QuicheIngredients1 prepared pastry shell, fitted into a 25cm deep-dish pie plate2 large white onions, finely chopped3 cloves garlic, finely minced1 tbsp vegetable oil2 pinches sea salt1 pinch of sugar500g smoked salmon, flaked6 eggs475ml heavy creamFreshly ground black pepper2 tbsp chopped chives

Method1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.2. Caramelise the onions and garlic by cooking them

in the vegetable oil with one pinch of the salt and the sugar in a medium skillet over low heat until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

3. Spread the onion mixture and the salmon in the bottom of the unbaked prepared pie shell.

4. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the cream until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the onions and salmon, and bake in the medium oven until puffed and brown, about 40-45 minutes.

4. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.5. To serve: Reheat in a 150-degree C oven for 30-40

minutes, then cut into slices. Sprinkle each slice with the chives and serve.

Adapted from a recipe by chef Mark Peel at Campanile restaurant in Los Angeles, published in the Los Angeles Times in 2003

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Ingredients350g Stilton cheese, brought to room temperature16 fresh strawberries, cleaned but not hulled, and brought to room temperature1 tsp best-quality honey, optional

MethodArrange the Stilton (with a cheese knife) and the strawberries on a serving platter or cheeseboard and drizzle with the honey, if using. In keeping with the decadence of the menu, this is finger (and finger-licking-good) food, so it’s appropriate for everyone to help them selves from the platter.

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients450g fresh asparagus spears, cleaned and trimmed1 tbsp olive oilSea salt and fresh black pepper to taste1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method1. Heat grill pan or skillet to high.2. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with the olive oil, and season to taste.3. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not overcook; you want them to have some snap to them.)4. Drizzle with the lemon juice and serve.

Stilton and Strawberries

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TRAVEL

Take a Journey Back - Istanbul styleLive like guests of a 19th century Sultan at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, overlooking the hypnotic waterway

For a city that lives and breathes its historic waterway, it’s surprising that there are so few hotels along the edge of Istanbul’s Bosphorus from which to enjoy its buzz and glamour. Luckily there’s the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the

Bosphorus to answer this need.

The Bosphorus Strait, which divides the European and Asian sides of Turkey, is the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation. Its narrow girth helps to secure its reputation as one of the busiest waterways in the world, with some 50,000 vessels making the journey between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea each year.

This busy waterway is best way to approach the Four Seasons Hotel for the first time, the same way the Sultan’s guests did in the 19th century, when they cruised by boat up the starlit Bosphorus to the grand royal palace. Back then, uniformed men welcomed the Sultan’s guests to palace gardens lit with flaming torches. Today, guests arriving at the hotel’s private dock receive a similar reception, as they are guided to the beautifully restored Atik Pasha palace facing the water.

As befits a hotel of its stature, the Four Seasons has a luxury spa with ancient, traditional and modern offerings to please every visitor. But the must-try treatment when visiting Turkey is, of course, the hammam.

traditional turkish Bath

Hammam, the time-honoured communal Turkish bathing ritual, is updated in a series of private experiences at the Spa and Hammam. Traditionally a place for business meetings and social gatherings as well as for ritual cleansing, hammams were adopted by Victorian England through contacts with the Ottoman Empire. As they spread through the British Empire at the height of their popularity, they evolved into a cleansing and relaxing experience.

Today, visitors can experience the authentic hammam. At Four Seasons, three separate hammams (for men, women and couples) recreate the traditional high-pillared setting with deep steaming baths. Among the traditional Turkish hammam offerings are a 30-minute invigorating kese (scrub) for the time-conscious, the 45-minute kese and foam massage, or the pampered

60-minute Turkish bath with foam massage, nourishing hair treatment and body mask.

epicurean Hammam treatment

Most traditional spa treatments engage four of the senses: sight, smell, sound and touch and the traditional hammam does the same, activating blood circulation, detoxifying the body and improving skin tone. But the Four Seasons offers a hammam treatment for all five senses, the Epicurean Hammam treatment, giving you a taste of Istanbul in more ways than one.

Part way through your 25-minute hammam treatment in the hot marble sauna, you’ll be served an olive oil ice cream popsicle to keep you feeling cool and hydrated — just before receiving a luxurious 15-minute foam massage with natural olive oil soap. Next, you’ll be drenched from head to toe in a special creamy mixture of strained yogurt and rose water. As the healing yogurt absorbs into your skin, making it look firmer and brighter, a scalp massage will send you even deeper into relaxation.

At the end of your sensory journey, you’ll rest with a refreshing yogurt with honey to leave just the right taste in your mouth — and ensure you’re feeling good and looking great, inside and out.

Afternoon tea, turkish style

Afternoon tea at a hotel is an English practice that’s popular worldwide, often with a local twist. At Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, a Turkish Tea is offered daily in the Lobby Bar and Lounge.

The experience kicks off with Geleneksel Turk Tadimliklari, traditional savouries including cigar-shaped stuffed pastries, cheese puff pastry and Turkish bagel with smoked salmon. Sweets follow and may include almond cookies, baklava with pistachios and apricot tart.

If you still have room for dessert, you can try kabak tatlisi, made with pumpkin, and Turkish milk puddings known asmuhallebi. Although there’s a full selection of teas, you might want to try the traditional kahve, or coffee, following the local custom.

Decadent Dining

No trip to Istanbul - or to a Four Seasons Hotel for that matter - would be complete

without indulging in some great dining, and here there are three options to choose from.

For Mediterranean fine dining with Italian influences, there’s Aqua. Start with Air Dried Beef Bresaola with Thyme Ricotta Cheese Flan and Black Truffle Shavings. Then move on to Fried Cod Fish, Crispy Olives, Pickled Porcini Mushrooms, Smoked Mackerel with Fennel and Orange Salad. From there, a nice Pennette in Arrabiata Sauce is the perfect transition to Charcoal Grill Red Tuna with Artichokes Salad, Grey Mullet Roe and Pecorino Cheese Shavings. Or, if the Turkish air has stirred up a hankering for meat, you might want to try the Braised Duck Leg, Confit Mandarins with Ginger, Pomegranate and Quince Apple Puree. Whatever you eat, make sure you do it on the terrace, with views of the water.

For more casual fare, try the intimate and sophisticated YALI Lounge. Or dine in the breezy quayside atmosphere of the Pool Grill. Wherever you are, the backdrop of the hypnotic Bosphorus will ensure an unforgettable experience.

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul

at the Bosphorus Cıragan Cad. No. 28

34349 Istanbul Besiktas Turkey

tel. +90 (212) 381 40 00By : Marie Walsh

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Women at the Top: A Q&A with Randa Bessiso Randa Bessiso has spent much of her career working on market entry strategies, company start-ups and channel development programmes, and building profitable regional businesses. She has focused on management education, in which she has more than 20 years’ experience, including as the founding director for the Manchester Business School (MBS) Middle East Centre.

In 2014, Bessiso was recognised by Forbes Middle East as one of the 200 Most Powerful Arab

Women, in which she was ranked 49 in the Executive Management category. The award was presented by His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth & Community Development.

As founding director, she has overseen the development of the MBS team and the launch of several important initiatives including the Manchester Innovation Award for Emiratis and the introduction of corporate education programmes, following research into the market for executive education in the GCC, undertaken with Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC).

Bessiso has also built a wide range of collaborations for MBS with organisations and professional bodies including The Economist, Forbes Middle East, Oxford Business Group, IMA and ACCA. Many of these regional collaborations are unique within the Middle East or for MBS globally.

Bessiso is a regular speaker at executive forums in the UAE and especially on her special interest

area of women in business; she also writes for and interviews in local and regional media.

Here, she talks about her life, the rise of female “soft power” in the world and the transformative power of education.

When did you first know that you would be an educator involved in bringing business education to the region?

Education found me! But I was first inspired by my family who nurtured in me a deep respect and appreciation for learning; learning was central to my upbringing from a very early age and my family always believed that education was more than just good grades and could be a transforming experience, capable of changing people’s lives.

Professionally, when I started work in training and development, more than 20 years ago, I immediately found a great fit for my passion in learning and interest in people and business, and quickly saw how knowledge touches people’s lives beyond the career. It’s a long term process, of course, and easier to see over time, but the impacts of learning are also immediate and you can see the trajectory of someone’s life change very quickly.

What inspiration do you take from your own education?

I am constantly inspired by the people around me. Education was never about just the grades but about what you do with the learning you acquire; it really does start with the parents.

Today, access to learning is very easy and convenient but before the advent of the internet, people really had to want to seek out learning opportunities. As a parent, education is absolutely central to my life and to making learning fun and interesting for my young daughter.

And what inspiration do you take from the important people in your life?

My home, family and father, of course, inspired me. In my professional life I am blessed with an abundance of inspiring people and role models. I don't have to look far for inspiring women. Our President and Vice-Chancellor of the University is Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, the first woman to lead the University of Manchester, the UK’s biggest campus-based university. Professor Fiona Devine is the first woman Dean of MBS,

WOMEN AT THE TOP

By T.L Jones

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which operates seven international centres worldwide – all of which are led by women.

In the UAE, HE Sheikha Lubna Al-Qasimi is a great inspiration, and all the women on the Ro’Ya programme (that MBS supports) for women entrepreneurs in the UAE. I also have 1,800 inspiring MBA students in the Middle East, all facing and overcoming their own personal challenges to achieve their goals. What could be more inspiring?

How were you involved in launching Manchester Business School in the UAE and what were the challenges?

As founding director of Manchester Business School Middle East Centre in Dubai, I have spent the last few years building the Centre into the largest and fastest growing in the MBS international network and, really, a UK higher education success story in the Middle East.

MBS launched the Middle East Centre in Dubai Knowledge Village in 2006, and today we support more than 1,800 part-time MBA students across the region.

It all started at home as a one-woman show and as a pioneer in world class business education in the region. We had some advantages - our choice of location (Dubai Knowledge Village) - and timing was very good but we also had to work hard to create the awareness and understanding of business education here. Now, it is very different with many of the world’s top global schools joining us here. Our first students are now our most powerful ambassadors.

We have many people and organisations to thank including His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan; Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of the Education Cluster at TECOM; the British Embassy and UKTI; British Council. All have played a vital role in MBS’ success here.

In relation to female students in particular, would you say they have different motivations, concerns or patterns of learning?

We can see clearly from our own MBA students that women excel academically and cluster at the top of the class. They also tend to be successful in their chosen careers. They often choose to undertake some kind of entrepreneurial work based on their studies and these often have a social dimension and benefit.

For other budding female businesswomen out there, what are the challenges you had to overcome?

One challenge was that there were so few role models - I had to create my own – and business was not female-friendly.

The world of business is becoming more friendly and receptive to women and we see many more women excelling in business and creating the role models we need. This includes, in the Middle East for example, Forbes Middle East included corporate executives in its list of the 200 most powerful Arab women, for the first time in 2014. I was honoured to be on this list and humbled by the talented women who were also recognised with this honour.

In a few words, what advice would you give to the UAE businesswomen of the future?

Gender equality is already here and so there is no excuse for women not to compete on equal terms with men – and other women – in the business world. Entrepreneurship is not the only route but one of many options for women to demonstrate their talents, and there is plenty of support to help encourage this and there are some great examples in the UAE.

Are there any changes you would like to see to support women and mothers in business?

Arab women are renowned and respected for their strength and are very prominent in family owned businesses in the region, as well as in government. We already have some fantastic role models. The benefits of economically active and career-fulfilled women are very clear in the region.

The opportunity is that business is moving towards women. Business is more global than ever and more diverse - companies are more dispersed and working more collaboratively. All these developments play to the greater natural strengths of women in management and leadership positions – a more feminine style. It is a new and emerging world which increasingly relies upon and values the virtues of “soft power”.

What challenges are there left for you?

Professionally, we have a challenging and exciting year ahead celebrating the 50th anniversary of MBS and a change of name to Alliance Manchester Business School. We must continue to adapt to rapidly changing student needs - we will launch new executive education programmes this year in the Middle East.

As a parent, my challenge is to help my daughter develop the same love of learning that she can share with others through her life. Time is precious. Education will be my gift to her. If she is able to enjoy equal opportunity, access and rewards during her life and career, then we will have overcome the challenges facing many women.

WOMEN AT THE TOP

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Habits ofSuccessful Savers

Follow the advice of the experts to achieve your financial goals

In a country known for world-class shopping, decadent dining and luxury that knows no limits, it can be difficult to build and

stick to a solid savings plan. After all, the world’s biggest shopping mall beckons, and who can resist the allure of Michael Kors handbags, Gucci shoes and designer clothing from all over the world?

Indulge too often in shopping sprees and expensive entertainment, however,

and you might find yourself five or ten years on without a dirham in the bank. That’s why it’s important to establish a plan to save regularly and stick to it by making it a habit. By building a habit, you establish durable behaviours that help you achieve your financial goals and even go beyond them, says Meriem Zahouani, Senior Financial Advisor at National Bonds Corporation, which provides UAE nationals, residents and non-residents with credible and safe savings opportunities.

Zahouani is responsible for delivering expert financial planning services, training the wealth management team and advising high net-worth clients and government entities. She believes that having realistic goals is the first step and that cultivating the following five healthy financial habits can keep you on the road to savings success.

Set a saving goal. Ideally 20 per cent of your monthly income should be savings. Setting a goal requires you to think ahead. If you are planning to buy a house, for example, save for all related expenses, including real estate agent commission, moving company expenses, DEWA, other utilities service charges and property registration fees.

If you are saving already raise your saving by three per cent to beat inflation and maintain your purchasing power.

Think about retirement planning. If you haven’t started, make it automatic and start saving now. You will need 60

to 80 per cent of your current income to maintain your standard of living. Watch your neighbours and relatives who are retired already to see how some are struggling and others are enjoying the comforts of a well-planned retirement.

Save from your salary raise. Every time you get a salary raise increase your monthly savings by half of the value of your raise. If you haven’t started saving, increase this to 80 per cent of your raise.

If you receive an annual bonus use it to build your emergency fund. You need three times your monthly salary put

aside as an emergency fund that can be accessed easily. If you have children you need about six times your monthly salary.

Talk about your new plan to your partner, family and friends. This will help them understand your new obligations and let you achieve your personal financial goals.

Re-visit your savings plan often to see if you are still on track or you need to adjust your lifestyle to achieve your new commitments.

YOU AND YOUR MONEY

1918

You may have seen Kim Kiyosaki’s video blogs, investment events or television appearances. Or perhaps you know of her

through her famous husband, Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad books. Either way, you’ll associate her with attaining personal wealth.

Kiyosaki started working in advertising in Hawaii, later founding a fashion business and going into partnership with her husband in a company called Cashflow Technologies. She now controls a multi-million dollar property empire and the “Guide to Phenomenal Success” (GPS) investment planning system. She wants to help other women take the path to successful investing and financial independence.

Find a Reason to be Financially Independent

You may be one of the many women (statistically) described in Rich Woman who found themselves living well while married, then later divorced and facing tough times with little to show for years of sacrifice and hard work. Or you may have already started on the path to financial independence.

Referred to as “marital welfare”, the culture of dependence can leave a woman in a precarious financial position through unexpected circumstances. Part of rising above this, according to Kiyosaki, is the idea that if you just do something, you are likely to be successful and able to protect yourself. She puts into words the message that is already in the hearts of many women - the “you are on the right track” message that women need to hear to help them progress to self-sufficiency.

Her books do not provide a step-by-step guide to support your investment plans – for that you will need to look elsewhere – but what they do provide is the impetus to change your life. For many people that is enough.

Different Rewards and Values

Kiyosaki isn't saying that the mechanics of investing for women are different from those for men. Rather, she says, there are different motivations, values

Women have different attitudes to investing and risk than men, says Kim Kiyosaki in her books Rich Woman - A Book on Investing for Women and It's Rising Time.

Becoming a“Rich Woman”

with Kim Kiyosaki

and especially, different attitudes to risk. Men are less afraid to learn by making mistakes. “I almost talked myself out of my first deal,” she said in a recent interview, “just out of fear of what might happen, mostly fear of losing money or making mistakes.”

She discusses investor psychology for women, and the fact that men, unlike women, grow up with the expectation of financial independence. The most powerful motivation in the books is that women have to find a true reason to be

Kim Kiyosaki

YOU AND YOUR MONEY

By : T.L Jones

2120

financially free, and then follow it, hopefully with a supportive husband or partner alongside.

Investment tips for Women

For Kiyosaki, crossing the line of her first deal was the defining step in her life, allowing her to put away $25 of positive cash flow in the first month after expenses. From that first two-bedroom house she has learnt property investing and gone on to own thousands of units. Here are a few of the practical tips from Kiyosaki's books.

1. Trust yourself: Kiyosaki says the biggest mistakes she has made in business come down to the same common denominator: not trusting her own instincts.

2. Love what you are doing: If you are starting out as an investor or entrepreneur you've got to have the passion and drive to love what you’re doing. As you grow in business, you will encounter obstacles, for example in people management, financial management or public speaking. You simply have to find the training or other tools to overcome these hurdles. Once you have the entrepreneurial spirit, it's up to you to keep it alive.

3. Get educated about investing: There are all kinds of reasons for not starting in business, such as a slow economy or lack of knowledge, but when you look at the statistics, there were more millionaires and billionaires created during the Great Depression than at any other time. To overcome fears, you’ve got to learn what it takes to start a business. Take the first steps to learning what you need: investment tools, marketing, sales, cash flow, the internal systems of a business. As Donald Trump once said, you can tell a successful person from how they learn from their mistakes and how they respond to adversity.

4. Set goals: Goals are a huge part of Kim's investment planning process. Every year she sits down with her husband to create goals as a couple, but they also have their own individual goals. These are important to give you the necessary drive, to keep you on track, to help you learn and do things better.

supportive Partner is Key

When Kiyosaki talks to women about finances she sees the same hurdles over and over: fear, risk-aversion, lack of knowledge and lack of support. Trying to start a business without the support of a spouse or partner is next to impossible. And the support doesn’t need to be financial. Just knowing that your partner supports what you're doing can give you the confidence to make your dreams reality.

YOU AND YOUR MONEY

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ENTERTAINING

Plain Scones

Afternoon Tea:

Ingredients:serves 4 • 1 cup plain flour• 1 rounded tsp baking

powder• 40g (1½ oz) softened

butter• 1 tbsp caster sugar• 1 large free-range egg• 100ml milk• ½ tbsp icing sugar

Method:1. Preheat the oven to 220C. Put the flour and

baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

2. Beat the egg in a measuring jug. Pour in milk up to the 100ml level, then set aside the rest of the milk for glazing the scones later.

3. Gradually add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients, stirring it in until you have a soft slightly sticky dough

4. Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and pat out until it is about 2 centimetres thick. Use a 4-centimetre fluted cutter to cut out the scones. Don’t twist the cutter or the scones will not rise evenly.

5. Gently gather the trimmings together and pat out again to cut more scones.

6. Arrange the scones on greased baking trays and brush the tops with the remaining milk.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until well risen and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

8. With a fine sieve, dust each scone with icing sugar.

9. To serve, cut each scone in half and top with strawberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream.

You don’t need to be British to appreciate British traditions, and one of the most appealing of them all is the custom of afternoon tea. Introduced in 1840 by Anna, the seventh Duchess of

Bedford, it soon became a fashionable social event for which society women would change into long gowns, gloves and hats.

It’s not necessary to don your best finery for today’s afternoon tea, as these recipes provided by the Chefs at the St. Regis Hotel make for an elegant afternoon no matter what you’re wearing.

Afternoon tea:Brought to You by the Chefs at the St. Regis Hotel, Abu Dhabi

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ENTERTAINING

Finger Sandwiches

Ingredients: serves 4• 8 slices whole wheat or

white bread • 5 tsp soft butter

Egg Sandwich Filling3 hard cooked eggs, chopped1 tsp store bought mayonnaise10g minced white onion Smoked Turkey and Mustard Filling3 slices smoked turkey ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Cucumber, Radish and Belgium endive Filling10 thin slices English cucumber5 thin slices red radish 2 Belgium endive leaves

smoked turkey and Mustard Filling3 slices smoked turkey ½ tsp Dijon mustard

smoked salmon, Horseradish and Cream Cheese Filling4 slices smoked sliced salmon½ tsp horseradish½ tsp cream cheese (room tempera-ture)

Method:1. Spread butter on each slice of bread.

2. Combine chopped egg, mayonnaise and onion. Check for seasoning. If needed, add some salt and pepper.

3. Spread the egg mixture on the buttered bread. Top with the other piece of bread. Slice off crusts and cut sandwiches into quarters. Place on a platter and cover with a slightly damp paper towel to keep it from drying out.

4. Assemble the other sandwiches, slice off the crusts and cut the sandwiches into quarters.

5. Add remaining sandwiches to the platter and serve.

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Ingredients: (Makes 10 each)• ⅓ cup heavy cream• 200 g (4 oz) white

chocolate, good quali-ty, broken into pieces

• 1 tbsp butter - unsalted• ½ tsp vanilla extract• ⅓ cup coconut flakes• ⅓ cup coconut flakes

for rolling Method:1. Melt chocolate with cream over water bath

at low heat. Stir continuously until the chocolate is almost melted. Add butter and continue stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract.

2. Stir in coconut flakes, let it cool, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours until the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls.

3. Using a teaspoon roll the mixture into small balls. Roll each ball in coconut flakes. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 hours before serving.

ENTERTAINING

Coconut White Chocolate Truffle

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Ingredients: (Makes 15 Macaroons)• ½ cup powdered sugar

• ¾ cup almond flour

• 2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder

• Pinch of fine salt

• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature

• Pinch cream of tartar

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

For the Ganache Filling:• 56g bittersweet

chocolate, finely chopped

• ⅓ cup heavy cream

• ¼ stick butter, cubed, at room temperature

Method:1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Fit a large pastry bag

with a ½-inch plain tip; set aside.

2. Place the powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse several times to aerate. Process until fine and combined, about 30 seconds. Sift through a flour sifter into a large bowl; set aside.

3. Make a meringue by placing the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the egg whites are white in colour and hold the line of the whisk, about 1 minute. Continue to beat, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. (Do not over-whip.) Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.

4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the egg whites in four batches until the dry ingredients are just combined. (The meringue will deflate.)

With the final addition, stop folding when there are no traces of egg whites, the mixture runs like slow-moving lava, and it looks like cake batter. (Do not over-mix.)

5. Transfer the batter to the pastry bag. Pipe out 1-centimetre rounds about 2.5 centimetres apart onto the baking sheets, about 25 per sheet. Pick up the baking sheets and bang them against the work surface to help create the macaroon base, or foot. Let the rounds sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry the tops and ensure even cooking.

6. Heat the oven to 170°C and arrange a rack in the middle. Bake the macaroons one sheet at a time for 7 minutes. Rotate the sheet and cook for 7 minutes more. Transfer the sheet to a rack to cool completely.

For the ganache filling:1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl.

2. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil. Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles. Let sit for 1 minute. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until thickened but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.

to assemble:1. Pair macarons of similar size. Remove the ganache from the refrigerator. If

you choose to pipe the ganache, transfer it to a plastic bag and snip about a centimetre off a bottom corner. Squeeze or scoop the ganache to about the size of a cherry (about 1 teaspoon) onto the centre of a macaron half.

Top with another half and press gently so that it looks like a mini hamburger. The filling should not ooze out the edges. Refrigerate, covered, at least 24 hours before serving.

ENTERTAINING

Chocolate Macaroons

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Can Gentle Parenting Influence Brain Growth?Research suggests that a calmer, more compassionate approach, may benefit children

Disciplinarians take note; there's a new kind of parenting in town. Over the past few decades, a trend towards more gentle parenting techniques has emerged and the topic is getting a lot of attention from parents and psychologists alike. Research pointing to the negative consequences of

traditional, discipline-based approaches to child-rearing has brought up serious questions about the techniques parents have always used to influence the behaviour of their children.

Amy Vogelaar, health educator and licensed ToddlerCalm instructor, says the shift towards gentler parenting techniques has come about after extensive research into child psychology and development. “Increasingly, science is showing us the profound effects our parenting has on the size and development of specific brain structures such as the hippocampus, which controls memory and the ability to cope with stress,” she explains. “A child who is parented with compassion, and whose needs are met by highly responsive and empathetic parents, will actually have a bigger hippocampus than a child who is parented with less responsiveness and more authoritarianism.” Love and attachment, she continues, are as essential as food and water for children to thrive.

empathy, Compassion and Love

Research is also revealing how stress hormones - perhaps caused by methods favoured in traditional parenting approaches - can affect cognitive development. “Crying alone in a cot for long hours or receiving harsh punishments may actually increase stress hormones to a point of being toxic to the brain and reducing your baby’s ability to learn,” Vogelaar explains.

But does gentle parenting mean the parent is simply walked all over by the child? No, Vogelaar says. “Gentle parenting approaches do not mean there are no rules and boundaries; children need and thrive under limits and boundaries,” she explains. The focus is very much on parenting with empathy, compassion and unconditional love, she stresses, with emphasis on ensuring the child always feels those elements even when the parent is unhappy with the child’s behaviour.

“We look at what is causing the behaviour rather than just looking at the behaviour we would like to get rid of,” she says. “Children have needs that must be met one way or another, and gentle approaches consider those needs to be as valuable as the needs of the parent to get through their day.”

Change time out to time In

An example of the difference between traditional and gentle parenting is the approach to a common disciplinary tool of time out; gentle parenting techniques

always take a positive approach rather than a negative. “Time out isolates the child and withdraws the parent’s love in order to stop an unwanted behaviour, and although it may work with a compliant child who will do anything to avoid being punished, gentle parenting advocates would point out the child isn’t really able to understand the subtleties of what the parent is trying to teach and is just going along with it to avoid the negative consequences,” Vogelaar explains.

Instead, she suggests, parents should change this to a time in to try to connect with the child, understand why they’re behaving the way they are, empathise with how they’re feeling - especially since it’s likely they’re confused and even scared by their feelings - and make sure the child still feels loved. “Children who feel securely loved are far less likely to act out in negative ways, and a time in has improved your parent/child relationship rather than harming it.”

Compassion over Punishment

Another example is meeting a tantrum with compassion, rather than anger or punishment, as punishing a tantrum or rejecting a child until they calm down may give the message that the negative feelings are bad and shouldn’t be expressed, or that the parent only loves them when their behaviour is good.

“We acknowledge a child’s feelings and accept them, then find ways to help the child cope with big, scary, angry feelings that tend to be what caused the tantrum,” Vogelaar says. “This will encourage

the child to express feelings rather than bury them, teaches them over time how to verbalise feelings and find solutions themselves, and will also teach them effective ways to help other people cope with negative feelings.”

So how will this change your life a a parent? For starters, says Vogelaar, it should make it calmer and more pleasant for both children and parents. “Parents tell me gentle parenting changes their entire way of thinking about life with children,” she explains. “They report reductions in tantrums, crying spells, naughty behaviour and other upsets. They also think their children are happier, more confident, more empathetic and more comfortable in their own skins.”

Allowing the child some control over their lives is an important factor in gentle parenting. “This allows them to practise becoming more independent; we want them to become independent but how can they learn if they don’t get the chance to practice being independent and in control?” Vogelaar asks.

One last element to remember, she says, is that of modelling the behaviour you want to see in your child. “Children learn by mimicking us,” she explains. “So if we’re always bossy and negative, they’ll quickly start being bossy and negative. If we’re empathetic, co-operative and respectful, this is how they’ll learn to behave as well.”

the middle ground

Andalene Salvesen, parenting coach and author of books on raising children, sees the benefits of both approaches. “I believe

there are aspects of gentle parenting that are essential; children should be treated with respect, and there should be no shouting and plenty of age-appropriate discussions, as these have huge benefits in empowering parents and children to feel loved and to bond,” she explains. “However, even though we should always consider a child’s emotions, children are still immature and we need to guide them towards developing emotional intelligence.”

With regard to the lack of punishment or consequences for actions, Salvesen is concerned this doesn’t represent what happens in real life, and says protecting children from experiencing the consequences of their actions won’t protect them from heartache in the long run. “We suffer suitable consequences for our actions as adults, and it may be less painful to learn how to deal with this at a younger age,” she says. Equally, bubble-wrapping our children so they never experience disappointment, anger and frustration will do them no favours, Salvesen suggests. “We have to teach our children how to handle these emotions and again, earlier may be better,” she says. “Learning conflict resolution through practising is healthy.”

Ultimately, Salvesen says, children are children and should be treated as such using a style of parenting that features respect, love and understanding. “They should be given age-appropriate boundaries and age-appropriate choices and consequences, in order to earn the right to freedom and trust as they grow in wisdom,” she advises.

PARENTING

By : Catherine Harper

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S T E P I N T O A W O R L D W H E R E

IMAGINAT ION M E E T S A R T . . .

Welcome to Kidz Factory - An exciting new Art and Hobby Edutainment Centre NOW OPEN in Al Wahda Mall.

Imagine 4,500 square feet of pure bl iss – where your chi ld can create art, personalize it, learn about it and just simply have fun with it. No it’s not a dream. It’s a brand new haven for your kids.

LABART

DOODLEDEN

WORKSHOP

ZUMBA’s

And the best part? While your child paints on canvas, you can actually paint your nails, or just paint the town red! We’re NOW OPEN inside Wanasa Land on the 2nd floor at Al Wahda Mall. Contact us on 052 9785982. www.kidzfactory-uae.com

Where your kids can choose what to make - from candles, soaps, ceramics and more - all on a special conveyor belt!

An airbrush machine allows your kids to spray graffiti on, create and custom-ize their own whacky tees here!

An entertainment room equipped with props, a mini catwalk ramp, a photo-booth and lots of fun.

Where trained art teachers conduct workshops and create the magic. From paper-quilling techniques to beautiful calligraphy, special sessions are conducted almost every day.

Your haven for a host of heart-warming, arty knick-knacks, which can be customized specially for your kids.

MARTART

Complete with I-floors, i-sketch tables and digital walls, your kids can create their own art here and even take it home!

The place where it all happens – your kids get to create over 100 exciting items, with a little help from Zumba and our expert staff!

Here, your kids can enjoy and make a crazy mess with

our crazy rollers, sponges, textures, smileys, patterns, zigzags and much more..

Where your kids can go ahead and make a

crazy mess, by shooting, spraying and throwing

paint on canvas.

Serious little artists take their place here with oil

painting, charcoals, water-colours, acrylics,

pastels and more.

Here’s where you and your kids can leave special messages for Zumba – our friendly zebra – in the form of fun doodles.

Inside Wanasa Land, Al Wahda Mall. Tel: 02 6711269

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It is a well-known fact that when a mother-to-be is comfortable and relaxed, the birthing process is normal, smooth and

less painful. That's why the world-class Birthing Centre at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi is designed to provide you support

starting from the day you get to know you are pregnant to the labor day and post-delivery care of the mother and baby.

With state-of-the-art room facilities, personal midwife and world-class obstetricians, gynecologists and neonatologists who

know all your preferences and needs, the Burjeel Birthing Centre is ‘art of healing’- personalized.

Tender loving care forboth mother and baby.

• Full adherence to baby-friendly hospital practices

• Fetal Medicine

• Emergency Services

• Blood Bank

• State-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

• Antenatal and Lactation Classes

• Vaccination Support

• Home-like environment

• Warm, personalized care

• Modern birthing beds with built-in massage features

• Modern and spacious suites

• Suites bathed in natural light creating a relaxed atmosphere

• Plush en suite bathrooms

• Mother and baby are never separated for optimal bonding

• Baby-receiving-area within the mother's room

• Comfortable resting areas for visitors

Accredited by JCI, USA

call: +971 2 508 5555e-mail: info@burjeel.com | www.burjeel.com

BIRTHING CENTRE

at Burjeel

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Make nutritious and delicious packed meals your kids will love

Lunch boxes: the bane of many a parent’s life. Packing healthy lunches that children will actually eat may seem like an impossible task. Add

school rules into the mix - no nuts, no sugar, no treats - and you’re up against a challenge on a daily basis. So what to do?

Lea Debian, dietician at Emirates Hospital in Dubai, says a healthy lunch is vital to children’s development. “Children are active and grow rapidly, so it’s important each meal and snack they eat be healthy and well-balanced with nutrients and energy in order to contribute to their daily requirements,” she says. “At school, they should carry lunch boxes

with foods that contain everything they need for growth and development and the prevention of illness.”

Dr Anita Das Gupta, clinical dietician at Abu Dhabi’s Burjeel Hospital, believes school is the ideal environment in which children can learn about healthy eating, so lunch boxes should always be as healthy as possible. “School is a place of learning and children will be with others of the same age, so it’s easier for them to learn about healthy eating all together,” she explains. “Every school should have a healthy lunch box policy so that no matter what children are eating outside of school hours, they’re getting at least one healthy meal a day.”

No More Lunch BoxLetdowns

Pack in Some Variety and Fun

Annabel Karmel, bestselling author of books on feeding children, agrees it’s vital for children to eat well at school - especially given the high incidences of diet-related illnesses such as diabetes here in the UAE - and there are many ways you can help them learn to enjoy healthy foods. First off, she says, parents should appreciate that their little ones can have surprisingly sophisticated taste buds. “We have this preconception that children only like bland food but they actually like tasty food just like we do,” she says. Adding tempting sauces - even with strong flavours such as teriyaki - to lunchtime dishes will provide variety, she says, and giving them fun utensils such as chopsticks joined together at the top will make their dining experience that little bit more interesting.

Whether a food is raw or cooked could also make a difference, Karmel says, as can presentation. “Children often quite like raw vegetables if they won’t eat them cooked; carrot sticks or sugar snap peas with a tasty dip, for example,” she says. “Cut up colourful fruit into lots of small pieces and thread it onto a straw, and they’re much more likely to want to eat it.”

And lunch box meals don’t just have to be sandwiches, Karmel says. “You can make pasta salads the night before, with broccoli, chicken, sweet corn and tomatoes and a lovely honey soy dressing, and mix in the dressing in the morning. Or Spanish omelette with potatoes, onions and peppers is really nice cold.”

If you do want to include bread, though, Karmel says that making the sandwich more interesting - such as by using a wrap - will mean children are more likely to eat it. “One of my children’s favourite wraps was with mayonnaise, a bit of plum sauce, shredded chicken, cucumber and spring onion all wrapped up like a duck pancake,” she says.

Healthy “Junk Food” For Picky Eaters

So what to do if you have a child who refuses to eat all but the most stereotypical children’s staples such as chicken nuggets and chips? Panic not, there’s a solution. Karmel suggests making your own healthy version at home. “I make my own healthy ‘junk’ food; I use good-quality chicken or fish and crush corn flakes or Rice Krispies to make the nugget coating with some Parmesan, and I make my own burgers with lean minced meat. Or you can make your own pizzas with split toasted muffins and good-quality tomato sauce and vegetables on top.”

Debian suggests taking things slowly if you have a really picky eater. “Give your child time to adjust and introduce new foods slowly over a period of time,” she says. “Also, try to involve them in choosing their own lunch box and preparing their own food.”

And finally, both Karmel and Debian say being a good role model for your children is paramount. “Children learn by imitating their parents, so as a family, eat healthy food at home so your child can learn to do the same at school,” Debian says.

Gary Rhodes Family-style Lunches at schoolThe recently launched Gary Rhodes lunch programme at Kings' School Dubai features family-style lunches served by teachers. It’s an opportunity for students to develop table manners and etiquette, as well as learn about the high-quality food they are served.

Meals provided are wholeseome and nutritious, made from fresh ingredients sourced by the Rhodes’ team, without additives, colouring and preservatives.

PARENTING

by : Catherine Harper

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RECIPES(all courtesy of Annabel Karmel)

Turkey Pasta Salad(2 to 3 servings)

Ingredients

50g pasta shapes50g broccoli florets, washed100g turkey fillet, cooked and chopped100g tinned or frozen sweet corn2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and

Chicken Caesar Salad (1 serving)

Ingredients

1 chicken breast, cooked1 baby gem lettuce, cut into pieces1 slice thick white bread, crusts trimmed

and cut into small cubes1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese1 tbsp olive oil

Dressing

2 tbsp mayonnaise1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese1 tsp lemon juice½ small garlic clove, crushed⅛ tsp Dijon mustardA few drops Worcestershire sauceA few drops Tabasco sauce (optional)

Method

1.Heat the olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan and add the cubes of bread.

2.Fry, turning occasionally, until golden

Mini Banana Muffins(Makes 24 muffins)

Ingredients

1 medium egg½ tsp vanilla extract2 tbsp soft light brown sugar1 large, very ripe banana, well mashed55ml sunflower oil

so What’s In A Healthy Lunch Box?Lea Debian says every lunch box should include items from all six food groups in order to get the right balance of foods for good health. • Starchy food: Bread, rice, pasta and unsweetened cereals. Try to avoid refined white products, though,

and go for wholegrain instead. • Protein: Lean meat or fish, eggs or pulses. • Dairy: Low-fat cheese, plain yoghurt or unsweetened fruit yoghurt. • Fruit • Vegetables• Good fats such as avocado

chopped2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Dressing

3 tbsp light olive oil1 tbsp runny honey1 tbsp soy sauce1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

1.Cook the pasta following the packet instructions.

2.Steam the broccoli florets for five minutes.

3.Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.

4.Put the turkey, sweet corn, tomatoes and spring onions into a bowl, together with the drained pasta, and toss with the dressing.

brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

3.In a bowl combine all the dressing ingredients. Mix together the chicken and lettuce and toss with most of the dressing.

4.Pack the grated Parmesan and the croutons in a separate plastic container for your child to scatter over the salad at lunchtime.

PARENTING

⅓ cup wholemeal flour½ tsp baking powder½ tsp bicarbonate soda¼ tsp ground cinnamonA pinch of salt (omit for children less than

one year old)

Method

1.Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan. Line two mini muffin tins with mini muffin liners.

2.Beat the eggs and sugar together until thick, stir in the banana and oil.

3.Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt (if using) into the mixture. Then add the vanilla extract and bran left in the sieve, to the bowl too.

4.Stir together until just combined.5.Spoon into muffin liners (around ⅔ full)

and bake 12-14 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch. Remove and cool.

6.Store in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze (defrost at room temperature for an hour).

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per cent more have pre-diabetic conditions. In our clinical practice we estimate around 10 per cent of women we see have diabetes during pregnancy.”

While women who already suffer from diabetic conditions need to seek medical support before conception and throughout pregnancy, there

are a number of other risk factors affecting women who

would not normally suffer from blood sugar problems.

“People who are obese are more at risk,” says Dr. Hachem. “Also people who have family history of diabetes or who have already had big babies. A patient who has had diabetes in a previous pregnancy or who has had a baby with birth

defects is also more at risk.”

Prepare for Pregnancy to Reduce Risk

Excessive weight gain in early pregnancy can be a key indicator too, and looking

after your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels before and during

pregnancy is key to preventing gestational diabetes.

“If a patient is obese, reducing her weight before she conceives is very important,” says

Dr. Hachem. “But regardless of risk, every pregnant woman must be screened between 24 and 28 weeks. Gestational diabetes can have severe consequences for the mother and child, but if a patient

is treated throughout the pregnancy, those risks are very much reduced.”

Exc lus ive ly Exc lus ive ly

Ask any pregnant woman about her health concerns during those nine months and somewhere on the list weight gain is likely to feature. After all, gaining weight is an

inevitable part of the process for every mum-to-be.

But excessive weight gain during pregnancy, or obesity before conception, are two of the key risk factors for gestational diabetes, a condition that can have severe consequences for women and their babies.

Diabetes in the UAe

Globally, gestational diabetes is believed to affect around six to eight per cent of women during pregnancy. But the incidence is a great deal higher here in the UAE, according to Dr. Fady Georges Hachem, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi.

“In the UAE, we have a high level of diabetic patients, around 19 per cent of the population, and around 17

Boost Your Health to Reduce Gestational Diabetes Risk

With gestational diabetes increasingly common here in the UAE, knowing whether you might be at risk is key to protecting your health and your baby’s.

HEALTH AND HOME

By : Jennifer Gibson

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Busy mothers are always looking for ways to get more done in less time. To achieve this in the kitchen, think PDF.

We’re referring, of course, not to documents on your computer but to delectables from your kitchen, where if you’re a working mother you have precious little time to prepare meals for your family.

to make it easier: Plan. Double. Freeze.

In short, plan on keeping your pantry well-stocked, on putting together recipes for several meals, and on shopping for the ingredients.

Double almost everything you cook so you’ll have extra meals ready to defrost and heat up, and so you’ll have ingredients for different meals. Roast two chickens, not one, for example, and then you’ll have extra chicken for tacos, sandwiches, salads and more. And if you use a large-enough slow cooker – see the sidebar – almost any recipe can be doubled for leftovers.

Kitchentips for Working Mums

When it comes to saving time, a little planning goes a long way...By Rick Arthur

And freeze not only your extra meals but also herbs, cooked pasta and other starches and cooked beans and vegetables. For meals especially, pop them out of the freezer and into the fridge before you leave for work in the morning, and they’ll be thawed and ready to heat up when it’s dinner time.

Speaking of chicken, it’s a snap to make your own stock, which will give you the base for countless easy soups. Just throw a cut-up chicken, a halved onion, a cut-up carrot and some celery tops into a large stockpot, then cover with water, bring to the

boil and simmer for two hours, occasionally spooning off the scum that rises to the top. Bonus: Your house will smell divine.

Another time-saving idea for the evening meal is to have breakfast for dinner once or twice a week. You can scramble some eggs or make a frittata, fry up some sausage, toast some bread and blend a pitcher of fruit-yogurt smoothies in no time.

When the kids want a quick snack and it’s not time for dinner yet, in addition to serving them such tried-and-true staples

Take it Slow

No kitchen appliance is a greater time-saver for anyone tasked with making the family dinner than a slow cooker.

Affordable (a perfectly good one costs about Dhs 200) and versatile (you’ll find thousands of recipes online), the wondrous slow cooker is especially suited to casseroles and stews, meaning it’s perfect for UAE cooks and their range of one-pot British, American, Indian and Arabic dishes. You can prepare the ingredients the night before, throw everything into the cooker and turn it on low for eight hours. You’ll come home from work to a meal ready to be served.

That’s what I recently did, to much acclaim, with this Chicken Tikka Masala recipe adapted from realsimple.com.

-- Rick Arthur

as carrot sticks and a dipping sauce, try something different. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches famously helped make Elvis Presley fat, but the ingredients are actually nutritious and filling. One piece of toasted fibre bread is enough rather than a sandwich, though. Just spread it with some peanut butter, drizzle a little honey over it and top with six or eight banana slices.

So don’t resign yourself to another takeaway pizza. With a little foresight, creativity and ingenuity, you can work and put a wholesome dinner on the table.

HEALTH AND HOME

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Chicken tikka Masala

Ingredients

1 425g can crushed tomatoes1 medium onion, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 tbsp tomato paste4 tsp garam masalaSea salt and fresh black pepper8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs½ English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced1 good handful fresh cilantro leaves1 tbsp lemon juice185g Basmati rice150ml heavy cream

Directions

1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables and cook on low for 8 hours.

2. Toss together the cucumber, cilantro, lemon juice and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

3. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the packet instructions.

4. Just before serving, spoon the cream into the masala. Serve over rice and top with the cucumber relish.

serves 4

No serious cook would practise her art in the kitchen without these:

1. Microplane. Used originally by woodworkers, this nifty gadget grates hard cheeses, chocolate, coconut, garlic, spices, citrus zest and more.

2. tongs. Delicate enough to turn asparagus but sturdy enough to lift a roast, tongs also are a must-have tool for the grill.

3. Vegetable peeler. You can peel vegetables and fruits with a knife, sure, but this classic is made for the task. Plus, it can shave chocolate, zest citrus and make butter curls.

4. Wire whip. This basic utensil beats eggs and cream, stirs sauces and gravies, blends marinades and dressings – and can even be used on dry ingredients.

Saadiyat Beach Club Takes Relaxation to the Next LevelSerenity and nature combine to awaken the senses and soothe the soul

lounger or a beach cabana, pick your spot along the breezy shore. If you’re lucky you might see dolphins playing in the bay or even turtles, as the club is part of a protected habitat where Hawksbill turtles have nested for years. The 9-kilometre stretch of beach on Saadiyat Island has been certified Blue Flag eco label since October 2013.

Indulging in a day of pure relaxation in a peaceful, natural setting is one of the healthiest things a busy woman can do for

herself. And Saadiyat Beach Club, tucked away on the island of Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, is a perfect place to do it. The natural surroundings and beautiful facilities, built along a natural beach on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, provide a cocoon of peace that calms the senses and soothes the soul. Within the first 15 minutes of arrival you can feel the stress beginning to melt away.

Pristine Pool

On arrival, you can’t help but notice the stunning 650-square-metre, chilled pool, surrounded by private cabanas that seem to float magically above the shimmering water. This is a great place to start your journey to utopia. Choose a spot on a comfortable lounger and let the friendly staff cater to your every whim, while you concentrate on enjoying every aspect of your beautiful surroundings and peaceful atmosphere. Order a cool drink and feel the sun starting to melt your troubles away. It’s open from 8am to sunset, so you can come back as often as you like.

Breezy Beach

Once you’ve had your fill of the luxurious pool area, or if the call of the ocean is more appealing, head over to the natural beach and let nature do its work. Whether you’re in the mood for a

brace yourself for a dip in the plunge pool to awaken every fibre in your body. Then start all over again. It’s one way supercharge your senses and it gives way to a feeling of greater peace and relaxation that reflects your surroundings.

the spa experience

No trip to a spa is complete without indulging in some luxurious treatments for body, mind and soul. You can soothe away your stress in the relaxing treatments and beauty therapies and discover how a peaceful pampering can work wonders on your body and your mind.

Try the hot-cold combo made famous by the Scandinavians and feel your senses come alive. From a hot Jacuzzi, an invigorating sauna, or relaxing session in a steam room,

Saadiyat Beach Club

Saadiyat, Abu DhabiPhone 971 2 656 3500

Finish with drinks and snacks or a meal at one of the beautiful onsite restaurants. All that relaxation can really work up an appetite.

HEALTH AND HOME THE SPA LIFE

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Experiences This Heavenly Are Meant to be SharedThe Remède Spa at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi offers a double indulgence that’s second to none

Try not to be overwhelmed when you walk into the serene and spacious Remède Spa at The St.

Regis Abu Dhabi, one of UAE’s largest spas at 3,200 square metres. Located on the third floor of the hotel, the spa boasts 11 private treatment rooms, each decorated with natural materials and earth tones as well as aromatic candles, plush throws, wooden floors and hand-crafted tile mosaics. To make it seem less overwhelming, bring someone special along… say, your husband.

The spa has become known for its divine couples’ massages, provided by highly trained masseurs in a beautiful, luxurious setting. While the treatment rooms, wet areas, relaxation lounges and other amenities are available separately for women and men, a couples treatment option allows for a shared experience with your spouse.

Overlooking the Corniche and sparkling Arabian Gulf, the couples treatment room and VIP room feature sea views that enhance the experience. The spa

In a country that treats luxury as a necessity, it’s easy to become complacent. Another

beautiful spa with decadent treatments is usually just as beautiful and decadent as all the others. But the newly renovated Emirates Palace Spa defies the odds.

With exotic, Moroccan-inspired interiors, domes and graceful archways interlaced with delicate furnishings and spa fittings, the space is a retreat from the real world.

Old Meets New

With all this old-world Moroccan charm, you’d expect the therapies to lean toward the traditional, and you wouldn’t be wrong. However, alongside traditional ancient therapies, Emirates Palace Spa offers the modern treatments of a state-of-the art beauty clinic.

Traditional offerings include the Moroccan Hammam, which forms the heart of the spa. It includes two Jacuzzis, two steam rooms, heated marble, ice

also houses a spa café with a beautiful outdoor terrace where you can grab a healthy bite after your treatment.

Customised Massage

It’s not easy to find exactly what you want in a massage, especially when there are two of you, possibly with different needs, but here it’s not a problem. You may be looking for relief for sore muscles and your husband may just want to relax and let the world disappear. Not a problem. Your spa technicians will customise both your massages using speciality products including aromatherapy blends and warm paraffin, and will borrow from a variety of techniques to achieve ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation for both of you.

The spa also offers 25 different bespoke facials, massages, body treatments and spa packages for men and women. All treatments are provided by highly trained masseurs and aestheticians. Remde Spa was the first in the UAE to

offer real Oxyceutical therapies where pure oxygen is infused into treatments to drive visible results.

Hotel spa of the Year

It’s easy to see why Remède Spa won the “Hotel Spa of the Year Middle East” at the 2015 World Spa & Wellness Awards ceremony this February in London. The awards honour the best hotels and destination spas around the globe.

Remède Spa At The St. Regis

Abu Dhabi Phone : 971 2 694 4100

Web : www.remedespaabudhabi.com

Old World Meets Modern Science at Emirates Palace SpaTraditional and new-age treatments take pampering to a new level

Mother’s Day DelicacyThere’s no better time than Mother’s Day to unwind with special offers from Emirates Palace Spa. Enjoy 2.5 hours of pampering, beginning with a glamorous Bastien ManiPedi Duo followed by a customised Forlle’d Facial (Dhs 1050). Other options of 60 minutes and massage packages are also available.

Emirates Palace SpaLocation: Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Phone: 971 2 690 7978Email: spa@emiratespalace.ae

Hours: 10am-11pm daily

cave and two private changing rooms. Hammam guests can also take advantage of an exclusive relaxation room.

And on the modern side, a pristine manicure and pedicure salon features products from leading podiatric beautician Bastien Gonzalez, and a gentlemen’s grooming salon offers barber and grooming services from the luxury UK establishment Gentlemen’s Tonic.

Modern science

The spa also taps modern science for it’s most advanced beauty products. Forlle’d facials guarantee results after the first treatment through the regeneration and rejuvenation of skin at the cellular level. Amra facial and body treatments incorporate precious elements such as pearl, gold, diamond and caviar, with glowing results.

And who wouldn’t want to indulge in the signature Palace Massages, with tailored massage techniques combined with 24-carat gold oil to rebalance the mind and body, diamond oil to restore vitality or caviar infused oil to calm the muscles.

Today’s busy woman, juggling a family, a career, or both, needs time for decompression and relaxation to regain a sense of balance and serenity. And with relaxation comes rejuvenation, so that when you leave Emirates Palace Spa, you’ll look as good as you feel.

THE SPA LIFE

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“Here’s looking at you, kid.”

The Humphrey Bogart character Rick, from Casablanca, exudes sophistication in a larger-than-life photo that adorns one of the walls at Prime

68. He’s a fitting icon for the elegant steakhouse on the 68th floor of the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai’s Business Bay, where you’ll feel oh-so chic yourself in the monochromatic but sumptuous surroundings.

With stunning views of the city and the Gulf from the world’s tallest hotel, Prime 68 prides itself on offering classic steakhouse fare in a modern presentation. Think premium suppliers, sustainably caught seafood, organic, seasonal vegetables and premium beverages and you’ll begin to get the recipe for an unforgettable culinary experience.

More specifically, the steaks come from four renowned cattle farms: Charolais Beef, and Charolles and St Christophe-en-Brionnais in France; Blackmore/Livingstone Wagyu Beef in Australia; and The Creekstone Farms in the US. Carved as filets, New York strips, ribeyes, cote de boeuf or tri-tip – and presented with one or more of nine sauces – they form the centrepiece of a lavish and memorable meal.

Indeed, in addition to their beef selections, diners can choose from eight cold appetisers, five hot ones, two soups, six vegetable sides and six starch sides, and

can conclude their repast with a choice of seven desserts and four signature coffees. There also are six entrees other than beef, if you’re in the mood for, say, chicken or lamb.

As you might expect, you’ll find on the menu such staples as Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, creamed spinach, garlic mashed potatoes and New York cheese cake – but also such unexpected gems as Warm French Asparagus and Duck Egg, Canadian Lobster and Biscuits and Mom’s Mac and Cheese. (Go ahead, indulge yourself and add 50 grams of lobster to the latter.)

The house especially recommends the lump crab cake with Old Bay seasoning and lemon tartar sauce, and the Blackmore filet with Stilton sauce. And the delectable Blackmore Wagyu also

Prime 68 Location: 68th floor, JW Marriott Marquis

Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, DubaiPhone: 971 4 414 3000Online reservations: www.

jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com/dining/prime68

Timings: Dinner, 6-midnight daily; Business Lunch, noon-3.30pm Sunday-Thursday, Dhs 145; Friday jazz brunch,

noon-3.30pm, Dhs 495-695

You can’t go wrong at this sophisticated Dubai steakhouse high up in the world’s tallest hotelBy Rick Arthur

Prime 68 Delivers on Stunning Views, Superior Quality

features in another signature dish, Meatballs with Melting Tomatoes and Shaved Parmesan.

Not enough? You could adjourn three floors higher to the lounge Vault, where you might puff on a magnificent cigar, sip a premium beverage and offer the toast: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

Mother’s Day special

You can celebrate Mother’s Day with a mouth-watering dinner in the luminous setting of Prime 68 high above Dubai. The boutique steakhouse offers a set menu from 6pm on 14 March and 21 March, at Dhs 450.

DINE WITH DAZZLE

19TH MARCH 2015

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T H I S M A Y

SAVVY SUMMER ISSUE

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The competition is high for Asian flavours among Abu Dhabi and Dubai fine-dining emporiums, so

choosing a place whose name means “Beautiful River” would seem to hold much promise.

Indeed, Li Jiang, one of nine restaurants in The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal – on the capital’s waterway with stunning views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – delivers with its combination of traditional and contemporary Chinese and Southeast Asian offerings. Designed to resemble a vibrant Asian market, it elevates street food to modern levels of sophistication, as its open kitchen sates the appetite for all things spicy, authentic and Oriental.

The clever and compelling touches begin with the décor. Muted reds and browns, hardwood floors and fabric-covered walls evoke the ancient Spice Route, while one chandelier resembles bubbles floating to the ceiling and another is made of glass flutes. It’s all a chic and warm combination – the brainchild of the award-winning Japanese interior design firm Super Potato – and provides the perfect setting for the open kitchen.

That’s where chef de cuisine Sam Peong Teck You and his team labour lovingly over the woks and grills, turning out a wide-ranging and inventive menu of dim sum, soups, noodles, rice, seafood, poultry and meats. (Watching the noodle masters will leave you slack-jawed in

Experience the Opulence of the Orient at Li Jiang Sophisticated street food finds its own in a lively waterfront Asian market settingBy Rick Arthur

astonishment.) Favourites of repeat diners include Tom Yam dumplings and Har Kau dumplings, wasabi prawns, crispy duck and honey-glazed black cod, along with a pineapple seafood rice dish that’s served in a hollowed-out pineapple and is a work of high culinary art.

Desserts are few in number but tantalising – just try to decide among the Exotic Fruits Plate, the Lemongrass Crème Brûlée, the Deep Fried Ice Cream and the Roasted Mango, Ginger and Tea Jelly.

Beverages range from hot and cold Chinese teas to signature concoctions, as well as selections from well-known regions of Australia, France and the US. A resident DJ plays most nights.

Savvy customers know also to experience Saturday Night Market at Li Jiang. That’s when guests can create their own meal from an extensive selection of fresh products including greens, noodles, seafood and meats, along with their preferred sauce. The show kitchen serves as a stage for Chef Sam, a 30-year restaurant veteran from Malaysia whose previous postings include Kai in London,

which he helped to earn its first Michelin star, and Chi Lounge in Cyprus. Starting at Dhs 90 per person, the Night Market menu can be paired with a selection of homemade dim sum as an appetiser.

Li Jiang Location: Promenade Level,

The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal Phone: 971 2 818 8888

Email: abudhabi.restaurants@ritzcarlton.com Timings: Lunch, noon-3.30pm;

Dinner 7-11pm, Sunday-Thursday;Dinner, 7pm-midnight, Friday-Saturday

There are few better ways to spend a balmy spring Friday here in the UAE than whiling away the hours, dining

poolside with friends and family. And as one of the capital’s most renowned luxury hotels, there’s little doubt that Emirates Palace knows how to offer all that and more, with an extra dose of style and panache.

Throughout March, the resort is offering diners the chance to take in a gourmet Palace Brunch while lazing by the side of its East Wing Relaxation Pool, a lush garden haven shaded by swaying palm trees. The decked area truly does make for a relaxing ambience and the welcome, as is to be expected from such a resort, is second to none.

Las Brisas, the venue for brunch, is one of Emirates Palace’s more casual dining venues, making it perfect for a leisurely lunch date or family gathering, and there’s something for everyone amidst the extensive buffet selection.

smoky Heaven

There are few aromas that shout “sunny day” more succinctly than that of a well-fired BBQ, and the stroll among the many smoky stations is as pleasant as it is mouth-watering. Las Brisas specialises in freshly prepared salads and grills and this expertise is clear to see; the meat selection charred to succulent perfection.

Seafood lovers will also be in luck, with a variety of fresh fish and shellfish being

Las BrisasLocation: Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Phone: 971 2 690 7999Email: restaurants@emiratespalace.ae

Brunch Timing: 12.30-4pmDress: Casual

Cost: from Dhs 290 to Dhs 480

cleaned, shucked and cooked on the spot. The traditional tandoori station gives off that unmistakable scent of spice and smoke so well-known in this region, while the flavours more than live up to the promise. And if you’re hosting guests, you simply can’t miss the shawarma station. Las Brisas’ version of this Emirati classic

is second to none and we’re sure nobody will pay too much attention if you return for seconds.

Ditch the Diet

You’d be wise to leave room for dessert though, with the marscarpone and peach cheesecake in particular proving itself worthy of ditching the diet for the weekend. Add to this the fine selection of

beverages and bubbles, not to mention the fantastic music selection, and you’ve got a perfect sunshine spot to kick back and relax on a lazy Friday.

Poolside Paradise at Las BrisasThe UAE may not be short of brunch options, but the latest offering from Emirates Palace promises the perfect combination of delicious food and beverages in a stunning poolside setting.

DINE WITH DAZZLE

By : Jennifer Gibson

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It’s a Carnivore’s Paradise at Chamas Churrascaria and BarThe jewel of the Crowne Plaza Dubai’s 13 restaurants offers an authentic Brazilian experience for meat lovers to sink their teeth intoBy Rick Arthur

Two words of advice: come hungry. Or, if you prefer: skip lunch.

Flawlessly executing a simple concept, Chamas Churrascaria and Bar in the Crowne Plaza Dubai features an authentic Brazilian dining experience, with 18 choices grilled to perfection and served right to your table. Start with a sumptuous bread basket, move on to the buffet of hot appetisers, soups, salads, rice and starters, and end with a similarly lavish dessert buffet and you’ll understand the need to

arrive with a healthy appetite.

“Chamas” means “flames” in Portuguese, and the theme runs throughout the spacious restaurant, with its open kitchen, warm lighting and interior of reds and browns. Furthering the feel is a Latin American band that plays a seductive mix of rhythmic songs and laid back melodies every night except Sundays.

Let the Feast Begin

After you’ve sampled from the bread basket – which may feature the Brazilian

ChamasLocation: Ground floor, Crowne Plaza Dubai,

Sheikh Zayed RoadPhone: 971 4 331 1111

Email: fbreservations.cpdubai@ihg.comTimings: 6pm-midnight, bar 6pm-2am daily(Thursday 6pm-3am); Friday brunch, noon-4pm

cheese roll pao de queijo, plus cassava chips and plantain fritters - have tried the salads and starters and are ready for the meat selection, the culinary experience really takes off. Simply turn the red coaster on your table over to the green side, and the traditional passadores – the friendly and informative meat waiters – will keep coming with their gigantic skewers, carving and serving until you surrender.

The selection is vast: beef tenderloin, beef top sirloin, beef flank steak, the signature cut beef picanha, beef maminha (tri tip), baby beef, beef rib cut, beef rib eye, beef rib finger, beef rump steak, chicken thighs, chicken sausage, turkey breast, duck breast, veal rack, lamb leg and lamb rack “bone in”. To cleanse your palate between meaty mouthfuls, enjoy pineapple dusted with cinnamon, a treat that Chamas counts as one of the 18 grilled offerings.

the After-Feast

If you’ve somehow left room, end with an exquisite selection of sweets (papaya cream, anyone?) and cheeses and then call it a night.

By the way, like the dining concept, the pricing structure at Chamas is simple: packages with or without drinks range from Dhs 295 to Dhs 395.

And as if all that’s not enough, the Friday brunch adds a wide variety of seafood, including sushi, prawns and lobster, and theme nights offer various discounts on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

In short, come hungry. Or skip lunch.

DINE WITH DAZZLE

emiratespalace.ae

Indulge your senses at the new Emirates Palace Spa, where the

essence of Moroccan charm fused with traditional ancient

therapies have created a sanctuary of bespoke treatments.

Embark on a journey where attention to detail is the key to creating a haven

for remarkable encounters.

Choose from a selection of exclusive soulful escapes and treatments that have been carefully designed using

premium spa products.

For more information or reservations, please call +971 (0) 2 690 7978

or email: spa@emiratespalace.ae