Due to exponentially increasing rates of heart disease and obesity, more and more people are becoming health-conscious in an effort to increase the quality and length of their lives. Many people jump on the bandwagon of extreme or crash dieting, believing that it will help them achieve favorable results faster. However, this type of dieting is not sustainable over a long period of time, and most people become “yo-yo” dieters, losing and gaining weight quickly and wreaking havoc on their health

The most effective path to long-term health is a true lifestyle overhaul. By incorporating moderate and sustainable changes, you can maintain a healthy diet and enjoy long-term health. One of the most popular and effective ways to achieve this is to incorporate a traditional Mediterranean diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?
Contrary to what many people believe, a true Mediterranean diet is not the pasta-heavy diet that many of us associate with Mediterranean food. A true Mediterranean diet revolves heavily around fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, seafood and poultry, dairy, and nuts. Pastas are typically included as small side dishes rather than the base of a meal, and pizzas are thin crusted and topped with lots of fresh vegetables rather than cured meats.

Aladdin Cafe

Aladdin Cafe incorporates the best of Mediterranean cuisine with a menu that is both healthy and flavorful. With dishes ranging from wood-fired pizzas, fresh Greek-style salads, and healthy sandwiches, Aladdin Cafe has something for every appetite. All dishes are prepared fresh with only the best quality ingredients, using healthy Mediterranean staples like olive oil, fresh vegetables, and seafood.

Vegetarian Dishes
A variety of vegetarian-friendly dishes are available. One favorite is Jasmin’s Vegetarian Pizza, which is topped with assorted grilled vegetables, roasted peppers, fresh tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. Basil and thyme finish it off for a delicious, Mediterranean-inspired flavor.
Or opt for the falafel sandwich. Ground chickpeas and spices are combined into round falafel balls, topped with lettuce and tomatoes, and wrapped in a fresh pita for a savory and filling vegetarian meal.
For a substantial portion of fresh vegetarian ingredients, the Vegetarian Meza Platter incorporates a little of everything into one satisfying meal. Served alongside a roll of fresh pita bread and a side of tahini dressing, enjoy a platter of traditional Mediterranean foods like tabouleh, fattoush, and falafel. This dish gives you a taste of everything and is substantial enough for sharing.

Enjoy the Taste of the Mediterranean at Aladdin Cafe

With something for everybody, Aladdin Cafe proves that healthy food can be truly satisfying and delicious. Incorporate a bit of the Mediterranean into your diet and enjoy improved health and wellness without sacrificing taste.

If you want eating that is fun, delicious and exotic, there is no better choice than Middle Eastern food. Nothing is better than eating this food fresh in a good restaurant. If you are interested in Eastern culture, learn more about Middle Eastern foods and restaurants.

The Basics of Middle Eastern Food

There are numerous Middle Eastern dishes that may sound familiar. These foods are popular throughout the Middle East, North Africa and the rest of the world.
Hummus is a mashed dip made of beans or chickpeas and blended with seasonings. Falafels are balls made of beans or chickpeas that are deep fried and topped with sauce or vegetables.

Middle Eastern foods are found in street markets and grocery stores. However, no replacement is found for the fresh food being served in authentic Middle Eastern restaurants.

Healthy Eating

Middle Easterners enjoy many of the same ingredients that everyone else does. Common ingredients include olive oil, sauces, pita breads, chickpeas and vegetables. Since many ingredients are natural, it is easy to benefit from a healthy lunch. Vegetarian food is not always easy to find in any kind of restaurant. Chefs find it easy to create vegan food based solely on Middle Eastern ingredients.

When people go to restaurants, they assume that the foods are overindulgent and unhealthy. That is not true if you go to the right restaurants. At many places, the customers receive menus with detailed nutritional labels. Restaurant chefs know that the new trend is healthy eating, so they are using healthier ingredients and creating fuller dishes.

Reasons to Eat Out

At any restaurant, it is important to have options. Choose how much food you want and where you want to eat. Sitting in the restaurant and eating good food is only one option. Customers should be able to take these dishes home with them.

Another version of eating out is catering out. Find a good Middle Eastern place that provides catering to any event, whether it is a birthday party, office meeting or home dinner. Middle Eastern dishes are sophisticated enough to satisfy the needs of corporate catering. When you need a change from fast food, choose foods from this part of the world.

Armenia, Persia, Iran and India are countries that you know about. If you really want to know these countries, you have to know about the cuisines. From this part of the world, the dishes are healthy and filling to anyone who tries them. Find a restaurant that provides a variety of authentic dishes from the Middle East.

The shawarma evokes a visual imagery of slow-grilled meat on a warm bread, a comfort food picked up in a corner deli on a lunch break. While the shawarma has been unjustly categorized by some as a fast food item, it is more than the exotic cousin of the sandwich. It is tradition wrapped in a delicious treat.

While the true origin of the shawarma remains unclear, the tasty dish has been described as part of traditional Levantine cuisine, which is popular in a region encompassing areas in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Regional variations of the shawarma exist but the basic elements are there. In fact, culinary iterations or similar versions of the shawarma can be found not only in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, but in regions such as Northern Africa. In Greece, they have the gyro. And in Turkey, they have the doner kebab. Both dishes involve a similar spit grilling process.

The dish may have gained popularity throughout the region through the influence and spread of the Turkish-Ottoman empire. In fact, the word shawarma was said to have originated from the Turkish word “çevirme”, which describes the turning process of cooking the meat. This method of grilling, which is still used today, involves placing the cone-shaped slab of meat on a horizontal or vertical spit to be cooked for hours over hot coals or firewood. The axial rotation ensures that the meat is equally cooked on all sides.

Based from the shawarma’s popularity, it could be said that it has transcended food fad and trends, and probably entered mainstream food territory. While the modern shawarma is now grilled using commercial gas or electric-fired rotisserie, the basics are still there. One can choose over grilled lamb, goat, chicken, or beef, shaved from the grilled slab of meat, and placed with vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers. Options for sauce paired with the mix also varies It could be a garlic toumaia, hummus or a sesame-based tahini sauce. Depending on the location, regional preference, and tradition, the delicious combo could be wrapped in some type of flat bread. It could be laffa or taboon bread, or lavash.

But despite being part of the mainstream culinary consciousness and taste for quite some time, the word “shawarma” was only recently recognized in the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. In fact, it was only nearly 8 years ago when the word was included in the list, along with 99 other words. But of course, this omission hardly matters to those who have been appreciating the taste of shawarma for years.