Snacking done well


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You're at your desk, five hours into the work day, maybe five more hours to go, and your stomach has begun rumbling. You're out of dirhams and can't get any sustenance from the vending machine (if you're unlucky enough to have one of those tempting monstrosities in your workplace) and everyone has already ordered lunch without you. You open you drawer and save for a few old bags of tea, there's nothing in there to appease your hunger.

Sound familiar?


A friend recently gave me a tip that's been proving invaluable in helping me stay on the straight and narrow to avoid cookies, chips and pretzels as my mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks.

It's easy. First off, invest in some Tupperware of various sizes, containers you can get from pretty much anywhere. Find a few minutes to peel some cucumbers, buy a bag of baby carrots, buy some grapes and your favourite kind of cheese, and buy some ready-made hummus from the deli in your grocery store.

Pick an evening, or, if there's extra time, do it in the morning, and prepare a few plastic containers with all your healthy, yummy purchases. Next time your stomach grumbles, dipping carrots or cucumbers (or slices of pepper or even celery sticks) in your nutritious hummus, that's high in protein, is going to make all the difference. And your sweet tooth might stop screeching so loudly after a couple of grapes; the slices of cheese are a bonus!

It's not a bad idea to have something else to snack on besides the ever-popular apple.

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Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS

Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.

Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.

Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.