Life coach wants to teach you to live well What is your favourite
UAE-based Leila Al Meena makes her TV debut during Ramadan with her show ‘Ghathi Moodik’ (Feed Your Mood) on Fatafeat
Embarking on a new and exciting life journey, UAE based life coach Leila Al Meena is aligning her work experience with cooking.
On the TV show called
Ghathi Moodik (Feed Your Mood) airing during Ramadan on Fatafeat, Al Meena is attempting to create a bridge between food and well-being. Not an easy task to achieve. Yet, the uniqueness of the show lies in a philosophical approach to life as well as simplified dishes that you can enjoy with friends and family.
“Balance is so difficult sometimes, especially in today’s world. We as women have so much pressure on us. So, what I want to do is kind of say, ‘Wait a minute, guys, there are easier ways to tackle life’s pressures. Bring in as many healthy aspects as we can into our lives and that’s through food’,” she says.
Being half-Saudi and half-American, the certified professional life coach took an early interest in cooking and soon after realised it is something that not only makes people feel good, but also changes the way people see life.
Al Meena recently spoke to tabloid! about food, culture, life and her show.
Who comes up with the
recipes for the show?
All the recipes you see here, they are all recipes that I have come up with and some, of course, are inspired from recipes I’ve seen. But all the steps I’ve taken, they are all my steps. And the reason why I’ve structured it this way was because I wanted to show how simple it can be to cook happy meals on the go.
Do you believe in strict do’s and don’ts where food is concerned?
Here is the thing: I don’t want to pass up a great dessert or a chocolate cake, or M & Ms at the movies. I’m not super strict. But I’ve always been conscious [of what i eat]. I know I need nutrition. What I am is what I eat. I’m not a nutritionist but I am very much aware of what foods work for me and what kind of food will help me to stay focused and happy.
What do you have for
breakfast, your most important meal of the day?
My typical breakfast is yoghurt, muesli, blueberries, all of that topped up with honey. I love honey and it has to be organic. If people can, I advise them to look for only pure organic honey.
Did you ever take any cooking classes?
I have taken cooking classes throughout my life, because I enjoy it. When you are learning new skills, you are engaging your mind and when you are engaging your mind you are living the moment, and when you are living the moment you are actually happy. Definitely, cooking classes are super fun. Do you think it is mandatory for a woman to know how to cook?
The whole point that I am trying to make here is to enjoy the process. You don’t need to be a chef or somebody who knows how to cook to make the recipes we are showing on the show. You just need to kind of be a little bit focused and enjoy it. So what if it comes down a little more bitter or salty, or less sweet. It is OK. The whole point is that you tried it, you did it. Next time it will come out better.
dish for iftar?
I personally like to eat dishes that don’t look like what I’m used to. So I would probably go for something that looks not so familiar at first. But, I really like Ramadan soup. I just love it. It’s made of oats and chicken/ meat. The reason being because it’s nostalgic for me. For dessert, sambusa is my guilty pleasure.