Hello everyone, I’ve decided to put together a free Ramadan meal planner for all of you. It has a simple layout and is easy to use. It has spaces for Suhoor, Iftar, Dinner and Snacks. I’ll be using the snack section to include lunch ideas for the cookie monster, can’t forgot our feasting kids.
Yes I know Ramadan isn’t about the food. For me personally I’ve found that being organised during Ramadan means I spend less time fumbling in the kitchen, less time thinking about what to cook and less time in the grocery store. This means more time spent on prayer and worship (for me anyway).
I’ll be using this meal planner during Ramadan and in shaa Allah it helps me to keep on track. If you need some organisation too, feel free to download the planner. Just click here and print. And don’t worry, yours won’t have modestmunchies.com splashed across the middle 😉
The above planner was from 2014 and 2015 is below.
Eid is fast approaching, where did the time go? Eid is a pretty special time with lots of yummy food and treats, and of course we’d like to display them in an appealing way. Dessert tables are all the rage at the moment so Siddiqa (from Cupcakes with Siddiqa) and I decided to put together a dessert table for ideas and inspiration.
Here’s some of my tips for creating a perfect dessert table at home:
Colour scheme – when choosing a theme, consider the colours of treats you usually make as well as any serving ware and decorative items you may already have
Is there enough? – for a dessert table to look appealing it’s necessary to have a few items displayed 5/6 is a good place to start but be sure not to overcrowd your table
Vary the items on the table – having a range of items ensures there’ll be something for everyone to enjoy
Commercial foods – Don’t be afraid to have store bought items on your table, marshmallows, lollies, chocolates all make great additions to dessert tables and take some pressure of you as well
Decorations – Use anything you have around the house, old scarves, flowers and even decorative home wares. These can add texture to the table and help liven it up
Height – If you have a focus item, make it pop by giving it some height. You can do this easily by putting plates above upside down bowls for a make shift cake stand or even using boxes wrapped in themed paper
Move things – Play around with different placement of items, just ensure you don’t leave to much blank space on the table as it will look empty. Choose to go symmetrical or asymmetrical, keep in mind with symmetrical placements you’ll have to have two sets of everything whereas asymmetrical allows for more freedom of placement.
Here’s the list of treats we featured on our table:
The Burfee frosting was a little invention I had been working on and I am so glad it turned out the way it did, it was exactly what I was hoping for. I can’t wait to get this recipe up for all of you!
Hope these posts help you bring a little pizazz to your Eid day this year.
Ramadhaan has dawned upon us once again. Dates are out in full force, from fruit shops, to grocery stores and even the local supermarket chain. Dates are very nutritious, full of fibre and great to stave off hunger pangs, no wonder it’s the perfect food to break fast with. The best part is that this wonderful treat is not only good for you, it tastes good and most importantly it’s Sunnah!
We go through a lot of dates during Ramadhaan, so I’ve come up with some date recipes to spice things up a little. There’s no doubt that dates taste great just by themselves, but if you do want to try something a little different, are having guests over or even need a treat outside of Ramadhaan, give these a go.
Pistachio Cashew Dates
Split date on 1 side and remove pit. Crush pistachio and cashews. You’ll need 1 tsp of nuts per date. Fill dates with crushed nuts.
Coconut Almond Dates
This is an old classic. Split date on 1 side and remove pit. Fill 1 almond in each date. Heat butter on stove, throw in coconut, again you’ll need approximately 1 tsp per date. Roll dates in heated butter and coconut mixture.
Cream Cheese Walnut Dates
Split date on 1 side and remove pit. Fill each date with approx. 1/2 tsp cream cheese and 1 walnut which you can crush by hand. This is my personal favourite, it’s a recipe given to me by a friend. Thanks Christina!
Give these a try sometime, great during Ramadhaan or any time really. Ramadhaan Mubarak to everyone out there, hope you all have a blessed month.
… not a dinner date. A medjool date, or whatever type you like really!
It is a sunnah of our Prophet (pbuh) to break your fast with dates and water. “If one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with dates. If dates are not available, then with water, for water is purifying.” [Ahmad]
I know we all would have stocked up on dates before the start of Ramadhaan so if you’re looking for some new ways to use your dates here’s one, date filled with nuts, you could almost call it a date baklava.
Nut filled dates
Ingredients
6 tsp nuts of your choice (I used cashews and pistachios)
12 dates ( I used medjool)
Note: the ratio is approximately 1 tsp of nuts to 2 dates
Method
Slice dates on one end and remove pit. Grind nuts in food processor or grinder. Fill each date with a teaspoon of ground nuts and serve.
With Ramadhaan right around the corner, I thought I might put together a few tips on making Ramadhaan a little more healthier. I’m not sure what Ramadhaan is like at your place, but at our place, Ifthaar is an array of deep fried goodies. I guess I can blame that on my Indian heritage. We usually try to compensate for the foods we missed during the day which is very unhealthy. This year I’m attempting a healthier Ramadhaan and here are a few tips:
1. Incorporate nutritious items onto the menu: including foods that are low GI to for a more sustained energy release, porridges such as oats as well as fruit like bananas are filling and keep you fuller for longer. Add fresh fruit and vegetables into your Ifthaar/Dinner which will leave your tummy feeling lighter and give you the energy for Taraweeh (night prayers). Don’t forget the dates, they’re nutritious and full of fibre, and most importantly breaking your fast with dates is a Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
2. Prepare your meals in advance: It is more likely that you will be able to keep healthier if you have a clear idea of your meals in advance. Being unprepared is more likely to leave you flustered and running to grab the closest thing that can be quickly prepared in the fryer.
3. Space out your meals: Spreading out your meals will help to get your metabolism going as well as giving your stomache enough time to digest between meals.
4. Bake everything: During Ramadhaan we tend to prepare many ‘fry-ables’ in advance, like samoosas and spring rolls, etc. Try baking these instead, it still has all the flavour and crispiness, but feels so much lighter on the tummy.
5. Fluid Intake: Drink lots of water during Ramadhaan. This is 1 thing we tend to neglect, but it is very important. It seems hard to fit it in, but keep up with the 8 glasses. Remember to sip your water instead of sculling it, drinking in 3 sips is another Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
Hope this helps all of you have a healthier Ramadhaan.
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