Ramadan Mubarak. What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a period of time when Muslims around the world observe a month of fasting. It’s a time for self-reflection, gratitude, kindness and self-improvement. It’s a time to achieve peace within yourself and with the world. It is an entire month devoted to good deeds, prayers, and especially feeding the poor and hungry and serving in our communities. This is also a great time to ask questions if you have any!
May this month of fasting reward you with Many of you have been asking us about healthy foods to eat that sustain you while fasting. We are sharing some of our favorite dishes and provide some tips for meal prep and making dishes that are sweet or savory depending on what you like.
To maintain energy and hydration throughout the day follow these tips for your ramadan sahoor or iftaar meals:
1. Drink two glasses of water before eating your Sahoor (pre dawn meal)
2. Make breakfast quinoa by heating it with coconut milk, vanilla, and spices then add nuts and dried fruit.
3. Whole grain toast with almond butter, banana slices and chia seeds.
4. Toss bananas, skin-on pears, and pumpkin seeds with a little lime juice and cinnamon.
5. Sweet or Savory Ezekiel Wrap – For a Savory wrap add Beans and salsa rolled in a whole grain Ezekiel tortilla. For a sweet wrap add your favorite slices of fruit, nut butter, cinnamon, in an Ezekiel or whole wheat wrap.
6. Blend 1 cup of almond or soy milk, with frozen berries, spinach, kale, banana, almond butter, chia seeds, hemp and flax seed for a quick nutritious smoothie.
7. Savory or Sweet Steelcut oatmeal – add leftover veggies or curried chickpeas from night before and mix in with the oatmeal for savory.
8. Sweet oats add frozen berries, flax and chia seed with some almond milk sprinkle some cinnamon for a delicious sweet dish.
9. Make breakfast quinoa by heating it with coconut milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, nutmeg spices then add nuts and dried fruit like dates or figs.
10. Blend a frozen banana with 1/2 cup frozen kale and 1/2 cup coconut water into a blender.
11. Eat fruits and veggies with high water content like tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, oranges, pineapple. Avoid sugary juices and drinks, eat salads.
12. Blend mangoes, oranges, and pineapple with coconut water and coconut milk add some hemp, flax, chia seeds and a couple of medjool dates.
13. Make smoothie packets with different ingredients and keep in your freezer at the beginning of the week to keep that 3am meal simple.
14. Have a big bowl of soup. It provides the body with fluids, vitamins and minerals while offering a great way to incorporate vegetables. Try making soups from colorful vegetables available in season such as carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins, bell peppers, spinach, zucchini and eggplants.
15. Add flavor with lots of fresh herbs to all your dishes, soups and salads.
With such an assorted list of food ideas for you to choose from, this ramadan journey will surely be a pleasantly, healthy trip. And with a better view of your choices this Ramadan, you now hold the key to a nutritious diet. Just remember, whatever you decide to eat, a balanced food plan containing healthy, fresh ingredients, cooked right will help you enjoy Iftar and Sahoor while giving you good health and more energy.
May everyone who observes the blessed month of Ramadan have a peaceful, healthy and happy time with family, friends and your community.
Comment below and let us know what your go to meals are for Sahoor and Iftaar.
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