Crave: Delicious & Nutritious Vegan Enriched Pasta

Delicious & Nutritious Vegan Enriched Pasta

Coptic fasting can be a challenge when it comes to cooking tasty delicious dishes. However fasting recipes should not be either a sacrifice of flavor or of nutritional value. This vegan enriched pasta is slightly lower in calories and carbohydrates, slightly higher in protein and vitamin A. .

Carbohydrates like pasta provide glucose, the crucial fuel for your brain and muscles, since pasta is an awesome source of complex carbohydrates releasing energy at a slow and sustained level, you don’t get the energy spikes associated with simple sugars. Here is an easy and delicious red sauce pasta recipe you are sure to enjoy.

Ingredients:

Tomato Sauce

  • 4 x 400 g  tins of quality chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoon / 30 ml olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1-1¼ tsp sea salt
  • Pepper, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon hot chili powder or flakes (optional)
  • Large sprig of basil (optional)

Preparation:

  • Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
  • Throw in garlic and stir-fry it on low-medium heat until it softens and becomes fragrant.
  • Add tinned tomatoes. If using plum tomatoes squash them with a potato masher first before adding to the pan.
  • Now add stock or water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and chili and simmer (without a lid) on a low heat for about 45 to 60 minutes giving it a good stir every 10 to 15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to break down fully and the sauce to thicken so that it coats your pasta nicely.
  • Towards the end of cooking time, add a large spring of fresh basil and submerge it in the sauce to release its beautiful aroma.
  • Season the sauce with sugar (to neutralize citric acid used to preserve the tomatoes), pepper and more salt if needed. You can also add a bit more olive oil if you want it to be richer.
  • If you want your sauce to be smooth, transfer it into a blender and give it a good whiz. Or you can skip this step if you don’t mind your sauce a little chunky.
  • Mix the sauce into freshly cooked pasta. Serve with a few olives, lemon zest and fresh parsley.

Check out other recipes from this link

20 TV Shows to Catch in April

By: Mariam Elhamy

TV Addicts, rejoice! To keep you plugged into what is premiering every month, we put together a monthly list of new TV series set to air! We’ve added a description and a trailer for each show, so all you have to do is choose what sounds good and start streaming!

THE LLIZA SHLESINGER SKETCH SHOW

The sketch comedy from actress/comedian Iliza Shlesinger includes skits where she plays a newlywed, a daytime talk show co-host, an infomercial spokeswoman and a reality show narrator.

Start watching now on Netflix

BROKE

Single mother Jackie (Pauley Perrette) reluctantly takes in her estranged sister Elizabeth (Natasha Leggero), her husband Javier (Jaime Camil) and their assistant Luis (Izzy Diaz) after Miguel’s trust fund is taken from him in this comedy from Jennie Snyder Urman and Alex Herschlag.

CURSED FILMS: SEASON 2

Cursed Films is a five part documentary series which explores the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously cursed horror film productions. This season will explore The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Omen, The Crow and Twilight Zone.

MAN WITH A PLAN: SEASON 4

The family comedy with Matt LeBlanc returns for a fourth season.

SIREN: SEASON 3

A new mermaid arrives at Bristol Cove sparking a conflict with Ryn.

FUTURE MAN: SEASON 3

Josh (Josh Hutcherson), Wolf (Derek Wilson) and Tiger (Eliza Coupe) ar eon the run as they seek to clear their name in the third and final season of the sci-fi action comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

HARLEY QUINN: SEASON 2

Dirty Season two of the animated comedy series introduces Catwoman (voiced by Sanaa Lathan) and Mr. Freeze (voiced by Alfred Molina).

HOME BEFORE DARK

A young investigative reporter (Brooklyn Prince) moves to her father’s (Jim Sturgess) hometown from Brooklyn where she discovers the truth behind a cold case everyone else wanted buried forever in this mystery series inspired by real-life pre-teen investigative journalist Hilde Lysiak.

MONEY HEIST: SEASON 4

La casa de papel Part 4 begins in chaos: the professor (Álvaro Morte) thinks that Lisbon (Itziar Ituño) has been executed, Rio and Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó) have blown up an army tank and Nairobi (Alba Flores) is struggling between life and death

Start watching now on Netflix

TALES FROM THE LOOP

The sci-fi series based on the art book by Simon Stålenhag focuses on the townspeople who live where The Loop, a machine built by by a group led by Russ (Jonathan Pryce), allows them to experience “impossible” things.

FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES: SEASON 3

Set in 1920s Toronto, Frankie Drake Mysteries follows the city’s only female private detectives as they take on the cases the police don’t want to touch. In a time of change and hopefulness, their gender is their biggest advantage as they defy expectations and rebel against convention.

THE BIG SHOW SHOW

Former WWE wrestler the Big Show (playing a fictional version of himself) finds himself outmanned when his oldest daughter comes to live with him, his second wife and their two younger daughters in this comedy written by Jason Berger and Josh Bycel.

Start watching now on Netflix

THE LAST O.G.: SEASON 3

Tray finds a new job and a place to stay in a hip Brooklyn neighborhood in the third season of the comedy created by Morgan, Jordan Peele and John Carcieri.

THE CIRCLE: FRANCE

The Circle brings its participants together in the same building. They live alone, in separate apartments, without ever meeting. Their only way to exchange is a kind of social network that allows them to chat online and also offers them games and challenges.

Start watching now on Netflix

THE GOOD FIGHT: SEASON 4

Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart becomes a subsidiary of a large multinational firm and the loss of independence is felt acutely by Diane and her colleagues.

BREWS BROTHERS

Estranged brothers Wilhelm (Alan Aisenberg) and Adam Rodman (Mike Castle) are forced to run a brewery together in this comedy from Greg and Jeff Schaffer.

Start watching now on Netflix

INSECURE: SEASON 4

Issa has quit her job to work on her passion project as Molly tries to balance her new relationship and work life in the fourth season of the comedy.

KILLING EVE: SEASON 3

Suzanne Heathcote takes over as lead writer and executive producer for season three of the drama.

RUN

Ruby Richardson (Merritt Wever) decides to leave her dull life to travel across America with her old college boyfriend Billy (Domhnall Gleeson) after receiving a text message from him to fulfill a pact they made 17 years ago in this romantic comedy thriller written by Vicky Jones.

THE BAKER AND THE BEAUTY

Miami baker Daniel Garcia’s (Victor Rasuk) life is changed after he meets model-turned-fashion mogul Noa Hamilton (Nathalie Kelley) in this romantic comedy based on an Israeli series.

Check out our weekly in-theaters movie updates here! 

Cairo West, East & Central Online Magazines | April 2020

Online Magazines

Click below to read our Earth issue online! Each magazine has a unique Cairo Pulse section that is tailored to your side of town! Make sure to check them all out! .

 Click to read Cairo West Magazine

Online Magazines

Click to read Cairo East Magazine

Online Magazines

Click to read Cairo Central Magazine

Online Magazines

17 Creative Ideas to Entertain Yourself at Home while Social Distancing

By: Mariam Elhamy

Social distancing is tough, and staying at home can be boring when you’re restless, have run out of ideas and have finished all the regular chores. We’ve come up with some creative ideas that will keep you and your family entertained with minimal resources during the curfew or quarantine!

  1. Download free Ebooks apps and binge read as many books as you like! Here are some recommendations: Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, Nook, Wattpad, Goodreads, Oodles Free eBooks, Kobo, Aldiko, and FBReader. You could also start your own book club with friends!
  2. Make DIY arts and crafts or Playdough for your kids at home! Here’s a quick video on how to make Playdough at home:

 

3. Puzzles and board games are a great way to spend time with your loved ones doing a fun activity. You can buy puzzles online through Souq, Jumia, Le3ba Store, Ubuy, Hedeya, and Noon.

4. Keep a Quarantine Diary. Write a diary or journal for the things you do every day and your daily thoughts and feelings. It can be a very useful memory of this experience, which is hopefully a once in a lifetime event.

5. Adult coloring books help you relax, because … art therapy! You can buy these online from Hedeya, Diwan and Souq. Some Facebook pages that also sell and deliver: Anti-Stress Coloring Books – Egypt, Color Land and Cairo Coloring Club or you can download coloring apps for free: Color Me – Coloring Book for Adults, Colorfy: Adult Coloring Book, Coloring Book for Adults, Color by Number, Recolor, Coloring Book for Me & Mandala, and ColorFil.

6. Work on your hobbies. Whether you’re into drawing, playing music, jewelry making, baking or knitting, this is the time to practicemore!

7. Watch documentaries and subscribe to informative Youtube channels. A great way to learn new things you never thought about is by watching fun documentaries on Youtube.

Fun-educational Youtube channels: Crash Course, AsapSCIENCE, CGP Grey, It’s Ok to Be Smart, TED Ed, VSauce, SciShow, Veritasium, and Epipheo. You could also check out Explained on Netflix.

Youtube Channels for documentaries: Vice, National Geographic, Real Stories, The Guardian, and Journeyman Pictures.

8. Take up indoor gardening. It’s a great way to relax and add joy to your home. You can buy an indoor gardening kit from Souq or Ubuy. You could also make your own compost at home from organic materials that you usually throw away. Here’s a quick video on how to make compost:

9. It’s always a good time for movie night. Gather around and watch your favorite classic movie with your family. Also, Netflix lets you connect with friends so that you can binge watch TV shows and movies together.

10. Exercise! Don’t make excuses and workout at home, there are hundreds of workouts out there that you could do right from your bedroom or living room!

11. Cook! Another way to de-stress is to make everyone at home a nice meal to share together. We have hundreds of recipes you could try at home. Just click here.

12. Meditate, stretch and lengthen your muscles. Refresh your blood flow and restart your mind by doing yoga, stretching or meditating to clear anxiety. You can download the free apps: Calm, InsightTimer, Aura, Sattva, Ensō, Inscape, Smiling Mind, Simple Habit, Ten Percent Happier, Stop, and Breathe & Think. Find more free yoga apps here

13. Check out some online dance classes or any kind of classes you like and dance along!

14. Video call your friends and family. Social distancing doesn’t mean that you have to cut all ties, keep your connections.

15. Spa day at home, time to unwind! Pamper yourself with face masks, hair masks, body scrubs and a bubble bath. You deserve it.

16. Declutter time, get rid of anything you don’t need! Clean out your closet, your fridge, or your pantry. You’ll probably find a lot of things that you don’t need/use anymore.

17. Get some quality sleep. This is probably your best chance to get a good 8 to 9-hour sleep and it’s time to log that beauty sleep before Ramadan.

 

Hassan Fathy: The Genius Behind Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable Architecture

By: Mariam Elhamy

Hassan Fathy was an architectural mastermind who created many projects in several countries for both the rich and the poor and became known for sustainable architecture, Islamic designs and of course, his signature domes.

His plans originally made use of as little building material as possible and he succeeded in using some of the cheapest, most efficient and sustainable material to make long-lasting buildings and even villages. In rural areas, he cracked the code for using the best technology in housing, and was later commissioned for huge projects including a modest rest house for former president Anwar Sadat near Lake Nasser in Nubia.

In honor of the artistic genius's birthday, here are a few photos of his most famous projects: sustainable architecture
*Click on any image to expand and browse through the gallery...

Sadat Resthouse in Lake Nasser, Nubia

Abd al-Rahman Nassif House in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia

Akil Sami House in Dahshur, Egypt

Dar Al Islam in New Mexico, USA

Hamed Said’s Studio in Cairo, Egypt

New Gourna Village

New Baris Village in Kharga, Egypt

Casaroni House 

Also check out: Building Recognition for Design in Egypt with Ebtissam Farid   .

5 Things to Know About Panic Attacks

Manage Panic Attacks

We had a one-on-one with leading psychiatrist Dr. Abdel Nasser Omar and got the lowdown on how to manage panic attacks, a common situation people may face in times of extreme stress.

CWM:  Dr. Abdel Nasser, could you please tell us what makes a panic attack different from simple anxiety?

AO: The symptoms of a panic attack are very clearly recognizable. Your heart rate elevates dramatically, you can feel the pounding in your chest, you may become very short of breath and feel a numbness in your extremities. There is often a distinct feeling of loss of control, loss of sanity or even impending death. Usually, the panic-inducing situation is one in which you feel endangered and unable to escape.

What usually causes a panic attack?

Panic attacks can be brought on by a sudden traumatic situation. They can also come through having to cope in unfamiliar social situations, there are numerous reasons, and each depends largely on the individual’s ability to cope.

How are panic attacks normally treated?

The first step should be to identify and face your fears. Avoidance will just reinforce that fear, whereas by making an effort to put yourself in a situation that first prompted the attack, you can make a positive step towards developing confidence and handling the situation.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is widely regarded as the treatment of choice by psychotherapy professionals. It is based on the idea that your attacks are triggered by negative thoughts and negative behaviors. You will be taught to identify your fears and recognise your symptoms during an attack. For immediate relief  anti-panic medications can be prescribed and administered if you’re in the middle of a panic attack.

Are there breathing techniques that will help instantly?

Contrary to common belief, the solution does not lie in immediate deep breathing with an increase of oxygen, this does not create the PH balance the brain needs. The neuro-chemical pathways to the brain have actually been found to respond much better to an increase in C02, which is achieved by covering your face with your hands and starting slow, shallow breathing. This should restore the balance and enable you to adjust back to a normal breathing pattern.

 What general advice is helpful?

Well known stimulants like tea, coffee, smoking cigarettes and shisha can all make your symptoms much worse during an attack. You can also gradually lower your level of everyday anxiety through a variety of techniques, including meditation and exercise. A healthy, balanced diet and enough foods rich in Vitamin B 6 can help a lot in avoiding anxiety and panic attacks. .manage panic attacks

Also check out: Kick-off 2020 on a Positive Health Note

What’s New Around Town | March 2020

What's New

Spruce Music Academy

Spruce Music Academy was founded in 2019 to revolutionise the way music is taught in Egypt. Its custom-designed curriculum and teaching style focus on passion for music. Spruce currently offers guitar courses for all ages, with plans to expand further. What’s New Around Town


EmpowerEmpower is a girls football academy for all ages and abilities by Farida Salem. The academy offers a positive, safe environment for girls to train from age 5 up to any age. The vision is: Empowering women through sport and physical activity. Each player develops to their full potential. The academy serves a number of schools, teams, companies, individual athletes and coaches.


Square MarketThe biggest market between Remaya Square and Dandy Mall, Square Market has a range of high-quality groceries, fruits, vegetables, poultry, snacks, freshly- made bakery products, desserts, premium coffees and ready-made light meals.


Medico is an online application providing medical support, day or night. General Practitioners are on call 24/7, in addition to other services such as AskMedico – a 24/7 online medical chat support with General Practitioners and Home Lab Tests for requesting Lab Tests, X-Rays and Sonars. Results and reports are sent to the patients with online medical records available.


Petal & Stem is a creative flower design company founded by Tanya Ahmed, which caters to events, creates floral installations and makes handmade floral frames. Tanya studied flower design at McQueens Flower School in London, and discovered her passion visiting flower markets in Holland. Her vision is to integrate creativity in floral designs to showcase artistry, enabling the observer to truly appreciate the diverse beauty of flowers.


Bagel Brothers

Bagel Brothers has landed on Cairo’s favorite residential island and is ready for business! Find an assortment of yummy bagels at their location in the famous Om Kalthom Tower Hotel.


The Nest

Founded in 2013 as a home décor and home accessories store, The Nest has recently added new product lines such as furniture, textiles, and essential lifestyle selected items.


Alpha Pet

 

Alpha Pet’s goal is Customers’ satisfaction by providing them with any kind of product they ask for, so all Products are available, and also we have a small Pet Park front of the store, so the customer can move inside the store in a comfortable way, and we are also delivering within Beverly Hills and Sheikh Zayed City. . . What’s New Around Town

Contact Information:

Spruce Music Academy
V106, Tahrir St. – East Police Academy, First Settlement – New Cairo
01225586743
Facebook: @Spruceacademy

Empower
Alkarma Club by Smash Management (6th of October)
0100 718 6582
Facebook: @empower.fa

Square Market and Cafe
Cairo Alex Desert Road
El Naggar Compound – Building #2

02 3532 0113 – 0101 111 6265

Medico
Online 0100 613 0858
Facebook: askmedico
Instagram: @askmedicome

Website: www.mymedico.me

Petal & Stem
Online/Zamalek
0120 007 9118

Faecbook: petalandstem.eg
Instagram: @petalandstem__

Bagel Brothers
5 Abou El Feda St., Zamalek
0101 022 2132
Facebook: BagelBrothersEgypt

The Nest Concept Store
17 Abdel Moniem Riad St., Mohandessin
0101 727 0082
Facebook: The Nest Egypt
Instagram: @thenestegypt

Alpha Pet
Beverly Hills, Sheikh Zayed City.
0122 010 3080 – 0100 500 8257

Instagram: Alpha_Petstore
Facebook: Alpha-Pet-Store

Bifto in New Cairo

Bifto Turkish Cuisine in New Cairo

The story of Bifto is many years in the making and the mantra is simple: good food and good people. Nestled in Patio Food Court, a dining hub off North 90 Street, this restaurant offers authentic Turkish cuisine for those who love meat. Bifto Turkish Cuisine in New Cairo

Signature Drinks & Dishes  

Fruit juice cocktails are a must and visitors absolutely cannot leave without trying one of the signature lamb dishes: lamb kebob, rack of lamb, lamb neck, or lamb shoulder.

Dishes & Drinks Sampled 

To start, we had the house soup, goat cheese salad and every single cold mezze on the menu. The lineup of starters was perfect and filling, the creamy chicken soup paired perfectly with the tangy salad dressing on the goat cheese salad. The cold mezze transported us to the streets of Istanbul with each bite.

For mains, we chose the Adana Kebab, Mixed Grill Skewers, and Saslik. After marinating for four days the Saslik was tender and flavorful, thinly sliced beef grilled to perfection. The Adana Kebab was only mildly spicy but rich in taste served with grilled tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Both dishes were prepared perfectly, but the pièce de résistance was the Mixed Grill Skewers plate. This two-person platter offers an incredible amount of food with chicken, beef, and lamb skewers – each bursting with their own individual flavors.

To wrap things up, we ordered the hot cider, hot chocolate, and the Pineapple Show dessert. The unique treat brilliantly combines grilled pineapple topped with ice cream, cinnamon, and coconut. A must try for those who love to end with a sweet treat!

Other Menu Options that Appealed & Beverage Options

The pasta and burger menu. Bifto make a Fettuccine Alfredo with fresh mushrooms and cream sauce that sounds like perfect comfort food. The Gourmet Burger is a house specialty for those that are burger connoisseurs.

Bifto offers a wide variety of beverages including sodas, milkshakes, smoothies, fresh juices, and hot drinks.

Bifto Turkish Cuisine in New Cairo

Décor & Ambience  

The décor is simple and cozy with large tables for sharing and comfy chairs that make you want to stay and order one more dessert. While many restaurants focus on décor and theme, it is clear that Bifto focuses on food above all else.

The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, inviting guests to partake in a four-course meal or tea with friends. The restaurant has mixed indoor and outdoor seating with large glass windows giving the space a Mediterranean feel.

Clientele mix: A mix of families and businessmen chatting over good food.

Price range: The prices on the menu are fair with various dishes being a bit pricier due to the high-quality meat ingredients.

Contact information

Address: Patio Food Court, 37 N90 Street, 5th District
Opening hours: 9 am till 1 am
Tel: 0121 210 0091
Facebook/ Instagram: @biftocuisine

Wondering where to dine this weekend? Check out our reviews for the best restaurants in Cairo in this link Bifto Turkish Cuisine in New Cairo

20 Powerful Quotes by Modern Women to Celebrate International Women’s Day!

By: Mariam Elhamy

Each year we celebrate International Women’s Day on the 8th of March and it calls for a celebration of the most iconic female figures in our life. Here are some quotes that really inspired us to overcome challenges and continue to be the best version of ourselves we can be. Respect to every woman who makes real changes in society that better our lives each day!

  1. “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.” – Maya Angelou

International Women's Day

2. “The most beautiful thing a woman can wear is confidence.” – Blake Lively

International Women's Day Quotes

3. “Girls should never be afraid to be smart.” – Emma Watson

4. “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world. Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” – Hillary Clinton

International Women's Day

5. “We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced. I raise up my voice, not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard…we cannot succeed when half of us are held back” – Malala Yousafzai

6. “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn

7. “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

8. “Women are the real architects of society.” – Cher

9. “I’m tough, I’m ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a b***h, okay!” – Madonna

10. “There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself.” – Hannah Gadsby

11. “Well-behaved women rarely make history. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

12. “A girl should be two things: Who and what she wants.” – Coco Chanel

13. “The best protection any woman can have is courage.” – Elizabeth Cady Stanton

14. “Feminism isn’t about making women strong. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.” – G.D. Anderson

15.  “Above all, be the heroine of your life. Not the victim.” – Nora Ephron

International Women's Day

16. “The test of whether or not you can hold a job should not be in the arrangement of your chromosomes” – Bella Abzug

17. “After all those years as a woman hearing, ‘not thin enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not this enough, not that enough,’ almost overnight I woke up one morning and thought, ‘I am’” – Anna Quindlen

18. “How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants rather than to create it herself.” – Anais NinInternational Women's Day Quotes

19. “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” – Sheryl SandbergInternational Women's Day Quotes

20. “You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.” – Mary Elizabeth Winstead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also check out 51 Quotes To Create A New You
International Women’s Day. .