'MasterChef' contestant ready for challenges of Ramadan

posted on: Jun 17, 2015

For those who’ll fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Amanda Saab offers this advice: Keep nighttime meals nutritious and simple.

Saab, a native of Dearborn, is the first Muslim woman to compete on the sixth season of “MasterChef,” FOX’s show hosted by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay that pits home cooks against one another in cooking challenges. The home chef winner ultimately receives a cookbook deal, $250,000 and the title of Master Chef.

When Ramadan begins early Thursday morning, Saab will abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. This poses more of a challenge for followers when the holiday falls during summer.

“Because … one of the longest days of the year is in the summer I am really trying to focus on nutritional foods that also keep us hydrated and feeling full throughout the day,” says Saab, 26, a Seattle social worker who taped “Master Chef” in January.

Source: www.freep.com