Ah 2020. To say that it has been a year would be a painstakingly obvious understatement, given the current state of affairs globally. While I would love nothing more than to spend the next 300 words or so musing about just how drastically my life has been impacted by recent happenings, I won’t. Partly because…
UAE Conscious Gift Guide (for every season)
Before you say it – I know what you’re thinking. Christmas is days away and I’ve only just gotten around to posting this guide now?! In my defense, I don’t really celebrate Christmas. I mean, sure I do indulge in a little bit of holiday cheer (chiefly by partaking in the annual office Secret Santa gift exchange and…
Caramelised Onion Hummus
Alright guys, I have a confession to make. I only really fell in love with hummus as a student living in the UK, circa 2009. I know, it’s appalling. An entire childhood spent growing up in the Arab world and Tesco’s was the gateway to my undeniable love affair with pureed chickpeas and tahini. But…
48 hours in Fayoum
Al Fayoum: one of Egypt’s oldest cities and home to a large fertile basin in the middle of the desert. Often (erroneously) referred to as an oasis, the area is a charming amalgamation of lush farmlands, powder perfect dunes, glasslike saltwater lakes, and awe-inspiring archaeological sites. Our view on the drive over was littered with…
Vegan Istanbul Guide 2019
Ah, Istanbul. Dünyadaki en sevdiğim şehir. I’ve written time and time again about my love for this incomparable city, so I shan’t bore you again with mindless musings about Istanbul here. Before we dive into this year’s vegan travel guide, a few notes: I was in Istanbul for all of 72 hours ahead of a…
Eggplant and Lentil Bake
Can you believe it’s already Eid Al Adha? It seems like just yesterday we were bidding Ramadan farewell and celebrating Eid Al Fitr! For those of you who aren’t familiar, Eid Al Adha (which translates roughly to “festival of sacrifice”) is the second of two major Islamic holidays celebrated amongst Muslim communities worldwide. Needless to…
An Ode to Cairo
The thick fumes of gasoline swirled with the smell of deep-fried food. A wild, boisterous and seemingly endless racket comprised of beeping cars and zooming scooters, the shrill voices of scolding mothers, lofty claims from overzealous salesmen and the sweet sounds of Um Kulthoum and Abdulwahab singing love songs from yesteryear. Never before have I…
How-to: Brew your own Kombucha
My name is Nada, and I’m a Kombucha-holic. I kid, of course – but in all seriousness, kombucha is probably one of my favourite beverages of all time. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Kombucha is a fermented drink made from sweet tea and a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (also fondly referred…