When I met the founder of the Nutrition and Diet Center Sawsan Wazzan Jabri in 1996 I was far from imagining the resounding success of this franchise which was originally established in 1990 in Beirut. Already then, Sawsan Wazzan was convinced there was a big market for high quality diet meals, diet snacks as well as diet Arabic and western pastries. Indeed, the need for nutritious and tasty food that helps you lose weight, has been steadily growing in Saudi Arabia. Today, seven out of 10 Saudis are overweight and obesity is becoming a major cause of concern in the Kingdom.

The Nutrition and Diet Center helps you tackle successfully all your weight and nutrition related medical problems. This specialized Diet Center has also established Diet Shops. One can easily find one of over 40 shops located on major streets not only in Riyadh but also in Jeddah, Alkhobar, Dammam and Qassim. These shops are stacked with a large variety of dietetic products and they offer also a large choice of delicious, freshly baked diet pastries, croissants, “manouche”, “knafeh bi-jibn”, freshly made sandwiches and much more.

The idea of a guiltless pleasure is a dream come true for those of us who have a sweet tooth and are always battling to stay slim. I personally enjoy eating a piping hot diet “knafeh bi-jibn” with a drizzle of diet syrup. “Knafeh bi-jibn” is a pastry filled with a soft creamy cheese. This succulent combination of semolina dough and cheese, is a real treat, a mouth-watering delicacy that I find utterly irresistible at any time of the day. At the Diet Shop, you can also order a diet breakfast, a diet lunch and even a diet dinner which will be delivered to you, anywhere you want.

Incidentally, over one million “diet” meals are produced on a yearly basis at the Nutrition and Diet Center in Saudi Arabia. These diet meals have been incredibly popular and for three good reasons. First, people have lost weight. Secondly, the diet food is really good and one does not have the impression that one is eating diet food which is generally bland and boring. Thirdly, dieters have also an endless list of enticing Arab and international dishes to choose from.

This exhaustive selection even features Mexican specialties such as “Quesadillas”. This delicious Mexican specialty consists of a flour or corn tortilla, a flat circle of cooked dough warmed to soften it enough to be folded in half and filled with a savory mixture containing cheese, “queso ” in Spanish and other ingredients, hence its name.

Some of the most famous European dishes are available and prepared in a “light” version. This is the case with “Chicken Piccata”, an Italian dish. The word “Piccata” means “Piquant” and refers to the lemony sauce with capers which accompanies the chicken.

Another gourmet recipe offered in a diet version is the popular “Chicken Cordon Bleu” or “Veal Cordon Bleu” whereby the meat is pounded thin and wrapped around a slice of beef and a slice of cheese.

The famous “Beef Stroganoff” is also available in its lighter version. This dish is prepared with sliced beef cooked along with mushrooms and sour cream. However, certain Russian purists believe that the original Beef Stroganoff did not include mushrooms. Furthermore, this dish is generally made nowadays with sweet cream rather than sour cream.

The endless choice of choice of dishes include, of course, a large selection of Arab dishes. There are many Lebanese specialties which people generally abstain from eating when they are on a diet, because they do not know how to prepare a light version of these dishes. This is the case with the popular “Stuffed Courgettes”. Incidentally, when the famous French poet Lamartine visited Lebanon in 1832, he was invited by the Emir of Lebanon, Bashir Al-Shehab. One of the dishes served during the meal was “Koussa Mahshi”, “Stuffed Courgettes”. The writer enjoyed it so much, that he wrote in his journal: “This is the most succulent dish a tone could eat in the whole Orient”.

There is also a diet “Shawarma”. “Shawarma” is a very popular Middle Eastern specialty whereby the meat and the fat of the lamb are marinated for between 12 to 24 hours after which they are placed in alternate layers over a large skewer in front of an upright heat to grill while the skewer is turning slowly. The lighter version of “Shawarma” is made with lean beef or chicken, the marinade does not contain any oil and the meat is baked then finished off under the grill which gives as nearly as possible the taste of the real “Shawarma”.

Last but not least, you can also order diet versions of traditional Saudi dishes. “Kabsa” is one of them. This rice dish is flavored with the black looking “loomi”, a dried lime which imparts a delicious sour but fruity tang to the “Kabsa”. When it is used intact, you need to pierce it with a fork on each side so the cooking liquid can travel through the rice to take in the flavor.

The Diet Shops as I already mentioned are strategically located throughout Riyadh. These convenient outlets offer a large selection of enticing diet food.

The great novelty of this diet food lies in its taste and variety. Gourmet food makes dieting so much easier. Dieting is no longer a burden. You can keep on enjoying your favorite dishes in a light version while being reassured that this high quality diet food satisfies your nutritional needs, maximizes your overall health and helps you successfully cut down the extra pounds.

—

Email: [email protected]