After my last blog post about the cheesecakes containing animal gelatin at The Cheesecake Factory, I’ve received numerous emails from readers asking me to verify some restaurants regarding some items on their menu.

Below is an email I received from the folks at Outback Steakhouse:

G day

The only Halal protein served in our restaurant is the lamb which is imported from New Zealand. The Halal accreditation certificates are from The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand. If customers desire Halal compliance, we suggest they request their lamb to be cooked in a separate sauté pan. It takes 20 minutes or longer to cook the lamb in the separate sauté pan.

I hope this helps,
Your friends at Outback

“What was the best shawarma you ever had?”

Upon being asked this question, I pondered. Sure, we have some great Middle-Eastern spots here in the NJ/NY area, but I just haven’t tried enough shawarmas to be able to say which one I would truly consider to be the BEST.

So to begin my quest to find the most delicious shawarma, I came to Falafil Hut in Hoffman Estates, IL. I’ve heard nothing but great things about this place and so I wanted to come check it out for myself.

And let’s just say, I was not disappointed.

I recently reached out to The Cheesecake Factory to get an update on their list of cheesecakes that contain animal gelatin (ie. those considered not halal). Here’s the response that I received.

Dear Sameer:

It’s so nice to hear from you again. Thank you for your continued interest in The Cheesecake Factory! To answer your question, several of our cheesecakes do contain animal gelatin. The majority of those use beef gelatin, however two varieties do contain pork gelatin: our 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake and our Lemoncello Cream Torte.

As with most high end pastries and desserts, we have chosen products containing gelatin over products containing a host of gums and artificial additives. Gelatin is not added directly to any of our desserts, rather it is a sub ingredient in one of the essential ingredients in these cakes. The amount would be considered trace.

We continue to search for and test ingredients that contain neither, however at this time a suitable substitution has not been found. In the interim, I have provided a list below for our cakes which do contain animal gelatin. I hope that this information is helpful and will allow you to continue to enjoy our wonderful desserts.

1. Original Cheesecake
2. Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake
3. Cherry Cheesecake
4. Brownie Sundae Cheesecake
5. Godiva Cheesecake
6. Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
7. Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake
8. Key Lime Cheesecake
9. Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake
10. Low Carb Cheesecake
11. Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel
12. White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cheesecake
13. Wild Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
14. Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake
15. Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake
16. Lemoncello Cream Torte
17. 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake

Sincerely,

Shannon Powers
Guest Services, Consultant

There’s only one place that comes to mind when I’m in the mood for a nice, greasy sandwich in the Central Jersey area – Douglass Pizza & Grill! I’ve been coming here for the last decade, ever since my days as a student at Rutgers University. Enjoy the episode!

Have you ever been to a restaurant with your family or friends and got turned away because there wasn’t any seating? Here’s the story of my frustration.

I recently took my family out for dinner to Bonefish Grill. To my surprise, the service I received was not expected. Here’s what happened.

We apologize for the poor audio quality in this video!

“I’ve been on a sea food diet half my life, I eat everything I see.”
– Imam Zaid Shakir as he orders a Grilled Salmon with Mango.

Sameer flew out to the San Francisco bay area to hang out with his good friend, Imam Zaid Shakir of Zaytuna College. Check out the new episode of Imam Zaid and Sameer kickin’ it at Bang San Thai, the best halal Thai restaurant in the country!

Our Sponsors:

This episode is brought to you by the American Muslim Consumer Conference, the largest conference in North America that’s dedicated to understanding and marketing to American Muslim Consumers. The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ on October 29. We’ll be there, looking forward to seeing you as well!

Also, New Islamic Directions — dedicated to bring a fair and balanced presentation of Islam and its teachings.

As a “mompreneur” and a homeschooling mother of 5, I keep pretty busy. This, however, doesn’t temper my zeal for finding delicious and exciting meals to cook for my family.

I’ve always loved cooking and baking almost as much as I love eating the finished products. I enjoy making sure my family has home cooked meals nearly every day. However, even the most enthusiastic cooks, myself included, enjoy dining out from time to time. In order for my family and me to have the best experience, it is vital that both halal and healthy options are available on the menu. Since I know there are many Muslims who strive to eat only the best foods as well, following are a few pointers on what you can do to insure that you have the best possible meal at a Muslim establishment.

Is this meat zabihah?

I am very strict when it comes to eating halal. Nothing can ruin my dining experience more than finding out that the restaurant owner misunderstands what it means to serve halal meat. I am a big consumer rights advocate, and believe that there should be truth in advertising. What you pay your hard earned money for is what you should get. To make sure the restaurant and you are on the same page vis a vis the definition of halal, look for a Halal Certification posted inside. The form should be easily visible in the window, or somewhere else in the restaurant. This certification says that the meat served has been Islamically slaughtered. To further insure you’re getting truly halal meat, ask if ALL the meat sold is zabihah. More than a couple of times I have experienced a restaurant that claims to be halal, yet also serves non-zabihah meat. Adding insult to injury, they do not inform the customers which meat is zabihah and which is not! In order to save time and gas, I recommend calling and finding out beforehand.

Remember, halal simply means that the meat comes from an animal that is permissible to eat (unlike pork). Zabihah means that a halal animal was killed by Islamic standards.

I recognize that there are many Muslims who believe that it is good enough if the meat is not pork and/or is not cooked with alcohol. They consider it halal and legal to eat. If this is not your belief, make sure the meat is zabihah.

Hold the MSG, Please!

Monosodium Glutamate, more commonly known as MSG, is used in many restaurants as a flavor enhancer. Chinese restaurants use it most often but it can be found in other types of food establishments as well. Some people experience “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” when eating foods with MSG. The symptoms include: numbness, a burning sensation, tingling, facial pressure or tightness, chest pain, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, weakness, and for asthmatics, difficulty breathing. People who are allergic to MSG may have more serious reactions, such as a drop in heart rate or an extreme rise or fall in blood pressure, swelling, nausea/vomiting, stomach cramps, joint pain, depression, tightness of the chest, and more. Ask if a restaurant seasons their food with MSG. You can request your food not be.

Pass the Veggies!

Without a doubt, the best part of going to a halal restaurant is getting to “the murder,” as brothers Sameer and Aman Ali stated in one episode of “Sameer’s Eats.” However, don’t forget your earth food! There are many tasty vegetable dishes that can accompany the meat portion. In fact, combining protein and veggies is one of the healthiest ways to eat. Our Pakistani, Afghani, Lebanese, Malaysian, Indonesian, African and African American, etc. brothers and sisters know how to work those spices to make normally bland plants zing with flavor. But that’s not all: Vegetables are full of antioxidants that help fight harmful free radicals that can damage cells and cause cancer. Vegetables also add fiber to the diet, which is beneficial to the heart. They help us with the elimination process, and aid in weight loss and maintenance. Adding raw vegetables, fresh yogurt dressing and dip, chutney, mint, parsley and fruits with or after dinner helps digest the food, and prevents gas, heartburn, indigestion and upset stomach.

Easy on the Carbs

By now, most Americans have heard of the bevy of low carbohydrate diets that have swept the nation. Is there any truth to the healthful benefits these strict carb reduction diets claim? I believe there definitely are. Unless you are a very active, athletic person, you need to eat carbohydrates in moderation, especially the highly processed ‘white‘ breads and rice.

Carbohydrates are mainly responsible for fueling us with the energy that we need to move. If we eat too little we feel too tired to make it through the day. Too much, and the excess of that energy turns into fat. Also, eating too many carbohydrates can put a strain on the pancreas causing it to secrete more insulin in an effort to rid the body of the excess sugar (carbs are broken down to sugar). If the pancreas is stressed for too long one can develop insulin resistance and diabetes. Unfortunately, diabetes is at epidemic levels and is a serious, life shortening illness. You can prevent diabetes solely by what and how much you choose to eat.

You don’t have to subscribe to any of the low-carb diets in order to cut back. Just do it. Eat half the rice, only one slice of bread. If you know you’re going to eat dessert, pass up the bread. If you’re going to have potatoes, take the baklava home for a snack the next day. Even better, eat a variety of vegetables instead of rice, bread and potatoes.

Allah says: “O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He whom ye worship” (2:172).

Eating the good things–halal and healthy food–is easy to do both at home and outside of the home. It’s all about making conscientious choices.

About the author: Karemah Alhark is a graduate from State University of New York at Buffalo in Psychology and Early Childhood Development. She is also a homeschooling mother of 5 children, a marketing and real estate student and an Author of the newly released book entitled Halal Healthy Meals. You may follow her on Twitter, join her Facebook page, and follow her blog at http://halalhealthymeals.com.

Ever been to a Pakistinian restaurant? No? We haven’t either. But Ron Artest, a professional rapper and NBA star, claims that Roti Boti is the best Pakistinian restaurant in all of New York.

In this episode, Sameer makes a visit to this establishment with his good friend Aman Ali, a stand up comedian and the cofounder of the 30 Mosques 30 Days project. Watch Sameer and Aman as they “murder” the food like there’s no tomorrow.

Photos used in this episode of the 30 Mosques 30 States project are property of Bassam Tariq.

Check out these awesome behind-the-scenes photos from our shoot with Aman Ali, thanks to our new partner, Bright Light Studios! The rest of the photos will be uploaded to our Flickr page soon.

A very special shout out to Sameer’s Eats from Imam Zaid Shakir of Zaytuna College!