UD Review: Java Jolt Dubai

Quiche and iced tea at Java Jolt Dubai
Quiche and iced tea at Java Jolt Dubai

 

If you’re looking for a new option for a healthy and fresh lunch in Dubai Silicon Oasis, then I have found just the right spot for you. Java Jolt is a newly opened cafe at Le Solarium building in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Their concept is to create simple, tasty food with a refined edge. At the same time, they try to source organic ingredients as much as possible.

When I asked co-founder and co-owner Lora about the origin of the concept, she explains: “Since everything in Dubai Silicon Oasis was take-away and fast food joints, we wanted to bring fresh, healthy food to the area.”

Lora describes the home-grown concept by saying: “We serve food that resembles something that you would make yourself at home. We use as much organic ingredients as we can. Basically, all the elements that go into the food we make are home-grown, local produce from the region.”

Executive Chef Khomotso from South Africa prepares all the sauces and salad dressings from scratch. He also makes the bread himself in the cafe’s open kitchen with the help of a kitchen aid. Java Jolt uses organic flour to make fully organic bread, muffins and wholesome bagels.

“I actually like to make my own things – completely.” Said Chef Khomotso.

Velvety pumpkin soup at Java Jolt Dubai
Velvety pumpkin soup at Java Jolt Dubai

 

The pumpkin soup at Java Jolt Dubai tasted like home-made soup!
The pumpkin soup at Java Jolt Dubai tasted like home-made soup!

 

Best pumpkin soup in Dubai - hands down
Best pumpkin soup in Dubai – hands down

 

When asked about his favorite dish to make, the Chef immediately tells me: “My favorite thing to make must be quiche.”

 

Specials change depending on the Chef's choices at Java Jolt
Specials change depending on the Chef’s choices at Java Jolt

 

Quiche, a side salad and a home-made iced tea are key ingredients to the perfect lunch!
Quiche, a side salad and a home-made iced tea are key ingredients to the perfect lunch!

 

Healthy, fresh and tasty food at Java Jolt Dubai
Healthy, fresh and tasty food at Java Jolt Dubai

 

If you visit Java Jolt, you must try their home-made iced teas. The chef constantly makes new variations of freshly made iced tea. The first time I was there, I tried a pomegranate iced tea. This time though, I got to sample the Rooibos iced tea – made with a hint of lemon and orange. Known for its great health benefits, Rooibos tea originates from South Africa and makes for a wonderful refreshing drink when infused with orange and lemon!
“I was looking for something from home that I like to drink.” Explains Chef Khomotso. He calls his creation; Rooibos Citrus.

Freshly made Rooibos iced tea with a hint of orange and lemon, at Java Jolt Dubai - simply divine and refreshing
Freshly made Rooibos iced tea with a hint of orange and lemon, at Java Jolt Dubai – simply divine and refreshing

 

Greek salad at Java Jolt Dubai
Greek salad at Java Jolt Dubai

Co-founder and co-owner Jenny describes the new cafe concept: “We are trying to go as clean as possible in the UAE.”

Jenny explains: “In Dubai, most cafes are part of big chains or big companies. We wanted to start a more family-oriented style cafe with a homely feel.”

Being residents of the Dubai Silicon Oasis area, the sisters who founded and manage the cafe together with their mother felt the need to fill a gap in the market. With the majority of the available options being chain and processed food cafes and restaurants, they wanted to introduce a home-grown, wholesome concept with a friendly, welcoming and family-oriented atmosphere.

Another element that was lacking in the Dubai Silicon Oasis community was the option of an outdoor area, where friends and families could meet and catch up over coffee and fresh fare.

The New Zealand style cafe with a South African twist offers guests the option to sit outside – at the spacious and inviting terrace. “There’s no where to hang out in the area and sit outside. We created a space where parents could meet and bring their kids to play” – explains Lora, co-founder and co-owner of the fresh, wholesome and healthy concept.

 

Java Jolt Dubai has a spacious terrace for relaxing in the cool weather
Java Jolt Dubai has a spacious terrace for relaxing in the cool weather

 

A homely, friendly and family-oriented style cafe
A homely, friendly and family-oriented style cafe

 

Java Jolt will be open on Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm starting next week. They also have plans to open on Friday mornings for breakfast, and on Saturday evenings for an evening roast dinner.

To find out more about the cafe and their opening times, check out their Facebook Page.

 

Coffee Barista Koli preparing a latte using RAW coffee beans
Coffee Barista Koli preparing a latte using RAW coffee beans

 

UD Recipe Story: Couscous-Stuffed Peppers

Couscous-stuffed Peppers
Couscous-stuffed Peppers

 

I just finished having dinner about an hour ago, and I couldn’t feel more satisfied and content! I made these stuffed peppers for lunch yesterday. But because I made four pieces – and had two for lunch yesterday, I still had two more in my fridge. So, it felt great coming home at around 9 in the evening after a blogging-related meetup and not having to worry about what to eat – or to resort to a sandwich or a takeaway…I heated these babies in the oven for a few minutes and they tasted even better than when I first made them!

This is why I recommend this extremely simple recipe for a tasty and healthy dinner. I got this recipe from Good magazine, but I made some minor changes to suit my preferences.

Let’s start with the ingredients that were listed in the magazine:

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And the instructions:

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Here are my ingredients for the recipe (I skipped the feta cheese and toasted pine nuts):

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Now if you’re like me – you don’t have all the time in the world to cook your own food and you hate having to wash so many post and pans after cooking – then you can buy ready-made couscous from the store’s ready food counter ๐Ÿ˜€

Of course, for those ofย  you who prefer to make their own couscous, then by all means, go ahead. I admire you for your culinary skills and passion and I hope to reach your level one of those days ๐Ÿ™‚

As you can see in the above photo, I added capers – which I’m a huge fan of…Here’s a close-up of the ready-made couscous:

 

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Here are my chopped veggies…I added some spring onions, parsley, and green chilies for my personal taste:

 

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I added some sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and drizzled some olive oil to my halved red peppers before putting them in the oven:

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For the filling, I mixed all the ingredients in two small bowls (because I didn’t have clean large bowls) – I told you I hated washing dishes :p

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Next, simply stuff the roasted peppers (which I cooked in the oven for around 25 minutes) with the couscous and vegetables mixture. I added the capers, chopped olives, some salt and pepper and some lemon juice too.

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Finally, put the stuffed peppers back in the heated oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. And voila! you’ve got your juicy, tasty and nutritious meal, which you can have for lunch teamed with a salad, or on its own for a light dinner ๐Ÿ™‚

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Stay tuned to the blog for more healthy, quick and scrumptious recipe posts….You might want to follow my fan page too!

Love,

The Rebellious Saudi Diva

 

 

UD Recipe Story: Vegetable Frittata

simple and tasty vegetable frittata
simple and tasty vegetable frittata

 

Do you want to know the precise meaning of the word: comfort food? If you’re a foodie like me, then you won’t be surprised when I tell you that I started making this healthy frittata late one evening – it was around 11:00 or later…I had to finalize my University’s research project the following day, so I decided to make this simple and tasty dish the night before – to save time during the day so I can work on my project.

To tell you the truth, I couldn’t have made a better decision in my life! This frittata turned out to be the first culinary creation that I make from scratch on my own and ACTUALLY like the taste of! I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen for some time, but most of the dishes I make are just OK…nothing really special. This dish however, made me feel ecstatic, satisfied and full ๐Ÿ˜€

I got this recipe from the fabulous Gourmet magazine, which I have been featured in a few months ago. You can find a photo of my appearance in Gourmet on my blog’s Facebook Page – while there, don’t forget to hit the “like” button!

The great thing about this frittata as mentioned in the feature is that it can be eaten at room temperature, or warmed up. And can easily be packed in a container to take to work or school. Also, I personally can have frittata for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Let’s have a look at the ingredients (as taken from Gourmet magazine):

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And the method:

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To make my frittata more filling, I added some potatoes that I boiled for some time. As well as a yellow pepper that I had in my fridge ๐Ÿ™‚

Vegetable Frittata Ingredients
Vegetable Frittata Ingredients

 

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Here are my vegetables, after they have been chopped:

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My potatoes as they are boiling:

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The veggies are being sauteed…

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Whisking away those eggs, with some coconut milk, parsley, sea salt (which adds amazing flavor to the food) and black pepper:

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Then, once the vegetables are soft, you can add the potatoes followed by the egg and parsley mixture….

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After baking the frittata in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, you are rewarded with a comforting meal that you can have over the next couple of days (if you live alone and are still not confident enough with your cooking skills to share the results with friends or neighbors) ๐Ÿ˜€

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I can’t describe how good it felt to have this perfect frittata at around midnight – a foodie’s dream ๐Ÿ™‚

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I hope that you will try to make this simple dish and enjoy eating it as much as I did…I’m so excited to try another recipe from Gourmet magazine. I will share it with you once I’m done from my final exam for my “Media Audiences and the Public” class. That will be on the 10th of August. Looking forward to taking a break from University assignments and exams…

Wishing you a wonderful week and see you soon X

You can still keep track of my random posts by following my blog’s Facebook Page ๐Ÿ˜€

 

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UD Recipe Story: Aubergine & Chilli Pasta

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I’ve started to go more vegetarian with my food choices recently, in an attempt to become more healthy and clean. And since I love aubergines especially when teamed with rich tomato sauce and baked in the oven – yes I’m talking about that delicious Italian starter – parmigiana.

Today’s recipe isn’t exactly Italian, but it’s a very tasty and authentic one that I got from BBC Good Food ME magazine and decided to try out.

Here’s the recipe from the magazine:

recipe from BBC Good Food ME magazine
recipe from BBC Good Food ME magazine

 

I decided to get spaghetti instead of the type of pasta recommended in the recipe, because I wanted to go for the whole grain choice…

 

ingredients
ingredients

 

The main ingredients:

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You start by cutting your aubergine into bite-sized cubes:

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Then chop the tomatoes and onions…

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Start cooking the onions, aubergine and oregano…

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Then add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and 200ml water…

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While this colorful mixture cooks on low heat for 20ย  minutes, you can start cooking your choice of pasta…

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Once your sauce is thickened in the other pan, and the tomatoes reduced and softened, you can add the vegetables to the drained pasta…

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And voila! there you have it!

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Note: I skipped the red chilli in this recipe – not because I’m not a fan of spicy food – but because I could only get a pack with tons of it and I didn’t want to buy a whole army of chillis…However, I must admit that the chilli is a main ingredient in this dish and skipping it will greatly influence the taste of the pasta.ย  It still was OK, but I could tell that there was something missing. So I highly recommend that you add the chilli to give this dish the zest and rich flavor it deserves ๐Ÿ™‚

 

Aubergine and Chilli Pasta
Aubergine and Chilli Pasta

UD Recipe Story: Chickpea Tomato Soup

Chickpea Tomato Soup
Chickpea Tomato Soup

 

When I’m not blogging, commuting to the other end of town to attend a lecture at University, working on my school projects, complaining about being single to almost anyone who would listen, or doing anything that will add some value to the world and the human species, then I can be found doing something of major relevance: day-dreaming about being a house-wife who spends the day trying out different recipes, watching repeats of cooking TV shows, going for Pilates, yoga or other fitness classes, catching up with friends, and writing on this blog in the evenings.

OK, maybe my life isn’t that far fetched from my imaginary one…the point is, that I absolutely love and truly enjoy doing my own thing! Ever since I was young, I would plan out my day into different slots – each with a type of activity. At the time, they could be things as silly as watching a certain TV show, or doing rounds around the house! Yes, I used to be a very weird teenager ๐Ÿ™‚

Hopefully, if I continue to work hard towards my dreams, one day I will meet prince charming and those day-dreams of mine will become a reality ๐Ÿ˜€

I would still like to write my biography though….so that would be one activity that I would dedicate some time for ๐Ÿ™‚

Enough ranting about my life, let’s move on to talking about this recipe post…

 

As many of you know, I was feeling a bit under the weather last week. And since I live alone, I decided to cure my cold and make myself a home-made soup from scratch! I must admit, I do feel much better now, especially after trying to eat more freshly made salads at home and try to eat less at restaurants.

My previous recipe post – if you missed it – was for a super healthy and nutritious smoothie. You can check it here.

 

I got the recipe for this tasty and wholesome soup from a food blogger’s web site. You can get the ingredients and the recipe from her blog here.
I’ll take you through the steps of when I made the soup with pictures.

1st, the ingredients:

 

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The Ingredients
The Ingredients

 

This is what the soup looked like while it was being cooked ๐Ÿ™‚

 

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Et Voila! A healthy and tasty home-made soup ๐Ÿ™‚

 

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Having coconut milk in soup adds a new dimension to the flavor. It also gives the soup more richness and so it becomes more filling and could also replace a meal.

If you don’t like the taste of coconut milk in soup or in food in general, then I would suggest that you simply skip that ingredient and just make the soup without coconut milk.

 

I’m really excited to try out more recipes (that include solid food!) when I get the chance. I also plan to get my friends involved and have them make their favorite home-inspired dish or appetizer. So, stay tuned to the blog and the Facebook Page for more ideas, inspirations and healthy lifestyle posts ๐Ÿ™‚

UD Recipe Story: Superfood Smoothie

Superfood Smoothie Ingredients
Superfood Smoothie Ingredients

 

Here’s a simple recipe for a highly nutritious and healthy smoothie. Coconut milk can be replaced with regular cow’s milk or any other type of milk you prefer (soya, nut milk, almond milk).

The ingredients as shown above are:

  • One ripe banana.
  • One cup of fresh strawberries.
  • One handful of berries. The original recipe uses Goji berries, but I couldn’t find them. So I used raspberries and Mexican blackberries instead. Which makes for a delicious combination.
  • One can of coconut milk – I used organic coconut milk.

 

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Step One:

Place all ingredients in a blender. I used a blender that has a juice/smoothie setting.

 

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Step Two:

Blend the ingredients on a medium to high speed setting. Or use the smoothie setting button on the blender if you have one.

 

Superfood Smoothie
Superfood Smoothie

 

Note: The above ingredients serve two persons (two large glasses).

 

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Hope you get to try making this uber healthy and refreshing smoothie….and look out for more UD recipe posts coming soon to this blog!