"An almost perfect food" proclaimed London's Department of Health and Human services after assessing the nutritional content of dates.
That's not big news in this part of the world, where dates have formed a consistent part of the diet for hundreds of years. They are particularly popular during Ramadan, which means you may have some left over after the holy month.
Low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of antioxidants, dates also contain potassium, magnesium, selenium and calcium, among other minerals. Their high fibre content is an additional bonus, but their natural sugar content means they are high in calories, so they should be consumed in moderation.
Here are five recipes to help you use up your stocks.
1. Right Bite energy balls
Courtesy of Right Bite; www.rightbite.com
Ingredients:
1 cup dates
3 tbsp natural salted or almond butter
1/4 cup dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon chia or flax seeds
2/3 cup rolled oats.
Method:
Combine ingredients in a blender. Shape mixture into balls and place in fridge.
2. Chicken stuffed with dates
Courtesy of Emily Price
Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
75g dates, chopped
2 skinless chicken breasts
60g cream cheese
small bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped
25g flaked almonds
salt and black pepper
Method:
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for eight to 10 minutes, until softened and light golden brown.
Increase the heat slightly and add the cumin seeds, followed a minute later by the dates. Stir well, season with salt and black pepper and cook for a further three to four minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, tip the mixture into a bowl and leave to cool.
Using a sharp knife, slice into the side of each chicken breast, to form a pocket.
Beat the cream cheese, parsley and flaked almonds into the cooled date mixture, taste to check the seasoning and spoon into each pocket.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for three minutes on each side, then reduce the heat and continue to cook for a further seven to eight minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
Remove from the pan and serve with your chosen accompaniments – wild rice works well.
3. Chocolate-dipped peanut butter and date energy balls
Courtesy of Zahra Abdalla of Zahra’s Kitchen; www.cookingwithzahra.com
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped dried figs
½ cup cashew nuts
½ cup almonds
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups dates, pitted
Method:
In a food processor, pulse the dates, figs and nuts.
Add the chia seeds, rolled oats and peanut butter, and pulse until combined into a dough-like consistency.
Roll the mixture into 24 small balls and set aside.
Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips.
Dip each ball halfway into the chocolate and place on a tray to set.
Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens.
4. Deliciously Ella’s raw date and hazelnut brownies
Courtesy of Deliciously Ella; deliciouslyella.com
Ingredients:
For the brownies:
3 cups medjool dates, pitted
220g blanched hazelnuts
5-6 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons date syrup
Pinch of sea salt
For the frosting:
16 medjool dates, pitted
60g cacao powder
7 tablespoons coconut oil
250ml almond milk
Method:
Preheat oven to 180c, fan setting.
Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until golden. Take out and leave to cool.
Once cool, blend the roasted hazelnuts in a food processor until they form a crumbly mixture.
Add the dates and blend again before adding the cacao and maple syrup.
Place the mixture into a baking tray and refrigerate.
While the brownies are in the fridge, place all of the frosting ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth.
Spoon a smooth layer of the frosting over the top of the brownies.
Place back in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours to allow the brownies to set.
5. Apple, date and cinnamon muffins
Courtesy of Emily Price
Ingredients:
130g butter, at room temperature
2 green apples, peeled, cored and diced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
100g dates, pitted and finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
80g self-raising flour
80g ground almonds
¾ tsp baking powder
30ml whole milk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C, or gas mark 4.
Line a muffin tin with muffin cases. Set a large saucepan with 15 grams butter over a medium-low heat and leave to melt.
Tip in the chopped apples, sprinkle over the cinnamon and then stir well to coat.
Add a generous splash of water, increase the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft.
Add the dates to the saucepan, stir again, and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
Beat together the eggs and remaining butter, either by hand or with an electric whisk.
Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder, then add the cooled apple mix and the milk until just combined.
Divide the muffin mix between the muffin cases and transfer to the preheated oven.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until risen and golden.
Leave for 5 minutes in the tin, then remove and leave to cool completely.
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Read more:
Making butter is surprisingly easy: how to do it at home in just 15 minutes
Should you store tomatoes in the fridge? A new study has the answer
The 10 best pizzas in Dubai: from Rossovivo to Akiba Dori
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
THREE
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
THE%20SWIMMERS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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