Assalamu Alaikum

This first issue of 2015 brings you much ‘food for thought,’ so I hope your mind is hungry. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of stomach food, too.

For starters, if you like to mix Far East spices with your burger or cheesesteak you will enjoy reading “Local Meets Global Flavor.” There you will read how chefs and home cooks mix ethnic ingredients into American fare to create new tastes.

Have you checked your cookware lately? In “Toxins in Cookware: Is It Time to Ban Your Pots and Pans?,” you will learn that it’s not just the food you eat that can affect your health; what you prepare it in also matters.

If you are a professional chef or one in training, you might be faced with needing to use ingredients you aren’t allowed to consume. In “Frying with Faith: Muslims in the Meat of the Matter,” professional cooks will share some of the challenges they faced in school and at work, having to work with pork or alcohol.

Before taking a break from home cooking and enjoying a night out, you will want to read “Eat This, Not That!” You’ll get ideas for healthier options like baked or grilled foods rather than fried foods and sharing desserts rather than overeating. Sharing desserts! Really, I can’t believe I said that!

Speaking of healthy, are you getting enough sleep each night? Most people aren’t. In “Sleep Hygiene: How to Get That Good Night’s Sleep,” you’ll discover the importance of healthy sleep habits and ways to achieve a well-rested mind and body.

And while many foods have been mentioned in the Quran, “God’s Creatures of the Sea” examines the benefits of seafood in our diet. You’ll want to make sure your diet includes some seafood every week.

Of course, the issue also includes some recipes for you to try. Let us know how they turn out on our Facebook page. We like hearing from you. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Roger M. Othman, managing editor