I love international cuisine but I find that there are so many ingredients and spices that I never have them all on hand. That means making a special trip to get them. And then it takes time to toast, roast and simmer everything. So it often requires a time commitment too. Which you and I know means it's probably just easier to get some take out or delivery.

But thankfully Saha International Cuisine has created some  marinades and bases to save us all much-needed time, money and energy.

This small, Toronto-based company has created a line of Middle Eastern jarred helpers that take your normal, boring dinner ingredients and transforms them into something really special. And all with all natural ingredients, free of additives and preservatives. Trans-fat and cholesterol-free, you can feel good about using these at home.

Take their Shish-Taouk Chicken Marinade, for example. The ingredients are items you probably have one hand - water, onion puree (vinegar), garlic, canola oil and/or sunflower oil, tomato powder, lemon juice, sea salt and spices - but it's the spicing here, that you'll be glad to leave up to the experts. Suddenly chicken comes alive when you add this rich marinade using only 5-6 tablespoons and adding yogurt. You can certainly use it with other proteins or add it into your soups and chilis, but it really works with chicken. It's like getting Lebanese kebabs to go, but in the comfort of your own home. And what I really appreciate is that  that you can use those 5-6 tablespoons, put the rest in the fridge and you've still got lots leftover. How many jarred sauces do you know that last like that?

Same goes for the Shawarma Marinade, but it's quite mild in comparison. Feel free to use it on everything from beef to lamb to soy to any vegetables. This mix of onion, garlic, oil, lemon juice, water, sea salt and spices allows you to leave dinner in the hands of professionals, while saving yourself the time of mixing everything together. Just add the marinade and bung it onto the grill. Serve over rice or in pitas and you have a fun dinner that didn't wear you out or cost you a fortune for once.

Lahmajoun Pizza Base is my favourite of the collection because it's the most exotic of the bunch and makes it sooo easy to make Middle Eastern-style pizza at home! It has a lovely sweetness to it that mingles with the spices that makes it so much more exciting and enticing than regular pizza. In fact, I love the tang of it so much that I used it as a pasta sauce, mixed with ground beef and vegetables. Oooh, it was good!

Shop Saha International Cuisine and make great Middle Eastern fare at home fast for a great price, using all-natural ingredients.