Category: Family

15 tips to assist you towards a productive Ramadan
Stylemesisteradmin
April 25, 2017

Ramadan Prep time ladies (and well gents…).

Grab a pen and paper ladies; and maybe a cup of kava. There’s plenty that needs doing before Ramadan is here~Alliyah.

It’s the blessed time of the year when we all think about what we want to achieve in Ramadan but for some of us the things that we should park to one side take over and Ramadan simply becomes a rat race. Here are some tips to help you prepare and get the most out of the holiest month of the year.

1) Get a piece of paper and some pens and create a time chart of how you spend your time NOW. Colour code the following:

Essential duties: school run, work, caring for family etc

Things that can be delayed or adjusted: shopping, crafts clubs, cleaning daily*, social events, gym time

Things you can survive a month without: watching TV, films, catching up with friends, sports club

The idea is to see how much time you can potentially free up for holier activities. The essential duties must continue. Things that can be delayed or postponed/adjusted potentially open up the opportunity to delegate or postpone until after Ramadan. For example if you go food shopping and it takes you half an hour to get your little one ready, two hours to do the shop then you stop for a much needed cuppa consider ONLINE shopping. If you do a weekly shop for fresh food make a list of these essential fresh items and fit in the small shop around other errands or again shop online.

If like me you do a monthly ‘pantry shop’ of tins, rice etc you can do this a week before Ramadan to reduce the stress.

Things you can survive without: no explanation needed! You need extra hours os anything in this category can be put on ice to free up much needed time.

2) Make a list of your top 3 or 5 priorities for Ramadan. These can be anything that is close to your heart. Here are a few examples:

Recite the full Quran in the first 20 days of Ramadan

Give 30 food items to the food bank

Volunteer at the local soup kitchen with your teenagers every weekend during Ramadan

Increase gratitude as a family

Kick a bad/ugly habit e.g. smoking/a friendship that is weighing you down

Now be realistic and work out how much time you really need to complete these targets. If you have worked out you have enough hours to complete these targets simply by freeing up time from projects/tasks you are putting on hold e.g. instead of spending two hours a day in the gym you will spend it reciting the Quran kudos. You have figured out how to adjust life to more welcoming of Ramadan. Disclaimer: by no way am I saying the gym isn’t important. I’m just showing you temporary ways of welcoming the temporary guest that is Ramadan into your life.

If you find you have too many tasks and not enough hours even after you delegate tasks take the top two priorities and work to achieve as much of them as possible. The rest of your tasks can be spread across the remainder of the year In Shaa Allah. Allah watches us all; and if he sees you struggle to make time he will no doubt assist you beyond your expectations.

3) You’ve got approximately an MONTH until Ramadan. Now is the time to PREPARE your body as much as possible. How can you prepare? I’m glad you asked!

CAFFEINE addicts now is the time to reduce your daily intake or better still cut it out. The last thing you need is a a headache from the lack of caffeine going in your body.

Smoke? You know what you need to do! Ask your GP s Surgery for information on what support is available to you.

Ensure you are taking the correct vitamins for you and if you suffer from fatigue double check if you need Vitamin B12. Remember that it’s recommended you take any vitamin for a month before you will feel any positive impact.

Don’t sleep enough? Play on your phone in bed? Snap out of this habit NOW. Maybe you can try turning your phone off? Electrical alarm clocks still exist so invest in one rather than use the excuse that your phone is on as an alarm. Make those changes now.

WORK long hours? Well if you work for someone else you could ask if you can take your lunch break at the end of the day (or start a bit later) rather than using lunch time to watch other eat.

IMPORTANT: If you want Eid off now would be a good time to check if you can book it off.

If you cannot adjust your lunch break use this time to build on your Islamic knowledge by reading a good book or catch some online lectures on important subjects.

BONUS TIP: once you’ve pretty much sorted out your priorities for this month update your calendars/diaries to reflect this e.g. postponing plans etc.

3) Make a list of all your PRAYERS you wish to be granted during Ramadan. Sounds a bit weird but I find listing what I want to ask for ensures I don’t miss out on anything. Ask friends and family for their prayer requests too.

4) GET CLEANING now. The amount of sisters I see trying to clean their homes in Ramadan are high. Yes cleanliness is a positive thing (islamically yes, and for attracting positivity in general). You have approximately a month. Try and do as much as you can realistically. Ideally you should have systems in place to avoid your kitchen/living room/wardrobes going into meltdown.

Top tips for keeping a cleaner home in Ramadan:

BAN all toys from living and dining areas (restrict them to children’s room/play rooms only). You have a month to get this rule into place.

Declutter your main living areas before Ramadan. This should include removing magazines, unwanted toys, decorations etc.

Deep clean any rugs/carpets now as Ramadan isn’t the time to be getting out heavy cleaners.

Keep furniture wipes in the main living area to do a daily easy spot clean.

Have children? Delegate tasks to them. Younger children can help dust by putting a clean sock over their hand and wiping down surfaces. Research shows chores never killed a child and in fact will assist a child in the journey that is life. For real.

Launder all cushions/throws/covers now. Refresh before Eid with a good freshening spray (I swear by Wilkos own brand).

Organise wardrobes now. Remove unwanted clothing and give to charity. Store away unwanted clothing now. Get the family involved. If you have younger children consider organising 10 outfits and pinning together for Ramadan. Then before these outfits run out create another 10. You will hopefully only have to organise what they need to wear 3 times during the holy month.

Sort out your Freezer & Pantry now. Remove out of date items and use up items that are coming up to the end of their use by date.

5) Make a list of the food/beverages you will use during Ramadan. Check your ingredient supply levels and make shopping lists to reflect this. You don’t want to be shopping during Ramadan if you can avoid it. Stock up wisely especially if space is limited.

6) Do you give presents on Eid? Find out what everyone wants and order/make presents asap. For a guide on foodie presents see my article on it.

7) Eid clothes…we know Eid is coming so why leave it to the last minute? Plan outfits in advance and get shopping done prior to Ramadan. Tailors are often less busy before Ramadan too. And if like me you purchase clothes and then DIY with them the earlier you get your shopping done the better. At the time of writing this I’ve had by outfits bought for over a month….so….

8) Do you live in the West? Man do we have our work cut out for us as parents.

We are competing with Christmas, Easter, Valentines etc etc etc.You can deny it all you want; it really is what it is. So instead of rolling your eyes at the commercialisation that your children gravitate towards think of family traditions you can incorporate into Ramadan that have an Islamic meaning. We have a gratitude jar. We write down what we are grateful for and place it in our jar. It doesn’t matter what you are grateful for or if its the same things being repeated; gratitude is essential as a Muslim and teaches children the importance of acknowledging the blessings in their lives.

How about making crescent moon cookies decorating them and sending them to your child’s School with a short explanation of Ramadan and why we celebrate it.

9) Do you have DIY projects going on? Get them done now. If they cannot be completed before Ramadan as they are huge projects you may wish to negotiate with your workman about times that are suitable for you in Ramadan that cause less inconvenience to you and your family.

10) Looking for activities for Ramadan and Eid? Start asking at the Masjid/Community Centre now. If you cannot find suitable activities you may need to create your own.

11) Create activity boxes for younger children. I usually invest in colouring books, pencils, Eid related crafts, cookie cutters (such as crescent moon shapes), Ramadan related story books, bubbles (for outdoor play). Small items that the girls like playing with but they can have a treat every day/every other day. Something to promote cooperation during the month. Especially if you want a bit of quiet time.

12) Sort out your meal planning now.

If you are catering for large groups of people plan your meals to reflect this. Try and keep meals seasonal if possible. If you are in the United Kingdom bare in mind the weather maybe warm/bordering summer. The last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove when you could be reciting Surahs and extending your knowledge by cooking an equally yummy meal that takes less time.

If you have freezer space utilise this.

If you must have fried foods such as pakoras, samosas etc please remember Ramadan is not about stuffing your face and causing yourself heartburn. Instead consider alternatives. How’s about baked samosas? Seekh kebabs cooked under the grill? Small changes that your body will be thankful for. A lot of starters can be purchased ready made too; so if you are pushed for time don’t fret. Just plan simple meals and consider purchasing in samosas and other time consuming items.

If you do have freezer space why not plan your Sehri (breakfasts) too? I have an ebook coming soon (FREE!) on the kindle with some recipes for things like burritos. Again we want to save time and be more productive during this blessed month and beyond. Don’t create extra work for yourself; try and work cleverly by planning.

13) Is there revert sisters/brothers at your Masjid/in your community?

Reach out to them over Ramadan. Maybe you can send them some food? Or invite them over if Iftar isn’t that late. For a lot of reverts Ramadan and Eid are both very lonely times. Spread the love of Islam and reach out to those who will appreciate it. Remember the joy of Ramadan is for all the Ummah; remember those who may not be as blessed right now as you.

14) Do more for charity. Maybe you can schedule time to declutter the children’s toys and give them away? If your children are old enough get them involved in the process. Maybe you didn’t get the chance to declutter the wardrobes before Ramadan. As a family you can declutter wardrobes and give clothes to the various appeals currently underway. Create a habit of decluttering by scheduling another session in 6 months time. You won’t get rid of as much but it’s a positive habit and encourages your children to also give in an affordable way too. Every little helps and you are doing a good deed. Why not give your time to charity? Visit  the elderly? Do a bit of cooking for them? A little goes a long way. Allah never ever ignores a good deed regardless of the size.

15) Remember that Ramadan is a guest and will leave with the dawn of Eid-ul-Fitr. For a lot of folks Eid celebrations are somewhat murky. I’m talking to those of you that are hiring cars, driving around Wimmy Road (Manchester folk you know where this is) going out late at night, partying, living it up and then call it all Eid celebrations. Or booking to see the latest Bollywood film (this makes my skin crawl….). Eid is about family, loved ones and what your religion has given you. The blessings. Why on earth do you feel the desire to go back to a life that is the opposite of all the effort you put in over the last month?

Celebrate Eid in a clean fashion. Old fashioned maybe; but Islamically. See family and friends. Give gifts if you can afford to. Visit the elderly in your community (both Muslim and non-Muslim). Give to charity. Visit a hospital or hospice; ask if they need volunteers and create time to be a better person now that Ramadan has left and you feel more in tune with faith and detoxed from your old bad habits such as wasting time. Do something that your soul will reward you for. Forget this life; it’s only temporary; think about your eternal journey and how getting the most out of this blessed month could potentially give you the zest for life you’ve been searching for.

So what are your top tips for a productive Ramadan? Leave your tips below!

Saal Photo Book review
Stylemesisteradmin
April 15, 2017

Admit it; like me you have hundreds of photos squirreled away on your PC/Laptop/Mobile/Cloud storage waiting to be used in photo projects you are putting off. You keep thinking about them and pushing them to the back of your mind. You then click on a folder and want to do something with the photos but the sheer number of photos overwhelms you and you put it off further.

That’s pretty much been me over the last 2 years or so. See whilst I was recovering from my premature Heart Attack I tried to ‘act normal’ by continuing with all the stuff I did before. You know. Living life. Working. Running a home and to be honest organising photos and memories seemed at the bottom of my priority list.

Fast forward to May 2016 and my then nearly three year old demanded an EPIC party. You see her previous two parties had been low key (her first was a day trip to Gulliver’s World, Warrington, the second was a simple cake affair at home). However she’s getting old and KNOWS what she wants. And what did she want? A Rapunzel party. Yes my youngest is in love with the film Tangled (which is a good job really as Eugene is my ideal man).

Well it took weeks to put things together. From making the cake stands from thrift store plates and wine glasses to creating a hand printed brick fabric backdrop for the photo booth….it took a lot of blood sweat and tears (ALL MINE).

Once the party was over (and believe me everyone loved every single second!) I was left with a sense of disappointment. My little one was no longer a toddler. And her epic party was over. Yes she loved every second but I wanted her to have a keepsake.

Lucky for me I knew what I wanted-a Photobook. You see the quality ones are simply stunning. And the thick paper ones will outlive me (well I hope they do….). And my little ones will always have those memories to cherish.

I’ve previously used Smiley Hippo Photobooks and Albelli Photo Books both of which have downloadable free program so you can work at your own pace. However I came across the offer of a free Photbook via Saal Designs. A European company that have thousands of happy customers. As all they wanted in return was an honest review I jumped at the chance of getting back into preserving my families memories.

So I downloaded Saal Design Software to my laptop and within minutes I was ready to literally go.

As soon as you open the software you are greeted with a simple menu that allows you to select the project you wish to design. The main ones that stuck out for me were the Photobooks, Wall Decor and Posters. You also have the options of simple Photo printing and even business material design. So in essence you could kill a ‘few birds’ you’ve been putting off using this software.

I selected Photobook and was greeted with a further menu which allowed me to select which Photobook I wanted. You can select from a range including: Photobook XT (extra thick), Softcover and Photo booklet (which is spiral bound and looks perfect to use as a portfolio for a start up business). I selected the option of Photobook which took me to a further menu (again simple enough to navigate).

Now this screen/menu in my opinion is the most important as you are going to select the style of Photobook you wish to order. You can select from: A5 portrait, A4 landscape, A3 landscape (which I’ve noted down for when I do get round to satisfying my Wonderlusting) and so many more. There’s an option to suit all your photography needs.

So I selected the A4 Landscape (28CM by 19CM) design. I made the following selections:

Cover: glossy

Cover padding: unpadded

Spreads: glossy

Barcode: standard (you can opt for the option to remove the barcode for an additional £5.00).

I opted for 30 pages.

This came up to £39.45. Saal offered me a voucher of £40.00 towards the book. So I opted to get the most out of the voucher and pay for the postage myself (under a fiver and the photobook arrived within 5 working days!).

The design process:

I’m a huge fans of templates simply because I want something quick and effective (it must look good). So I was relived to see there was an option to select a pre-designed template. If you are more of a design freak and need freedom you can opt to go template free and do as you wish.

When it came to the actual ‘designs’ of the templates I was let down. There was as much variety as I would have liked. As my daughter was turned three the baby pink designs didn’t appeal and nothing else really suited. So I selected the ‘all rounder’ option and went for the block design.

The actual ‘putting together’ of the Photobook was simple and easy enough for anyone to go through. As I was using Software I was able to select the photos direct from my laptops memory which cut out the step of having to upload images to a website (if you decided to use a website to directly design your Photobook you are more than likely going to have to upload your images to their server which *yawn* is another step to the process).

NOTE: as soon as I started the project I saved it and continued to save it every couple of pages.

You can change how many images you have on the page via a simple click. That’s how easy this software is to use.

All you do is select your image and drag and drop. You can crop and change the images with not much effort. As I had all the photos I needed saved in one folder it took me less than 90 minutes to get my Photobook designed and ordered.

And before you submit your order the clever software let’s you know if you have missed any photos or have left any text boxes empty. You even get warnings if any photos are seen as not good enough in quality. You are greeted with a screen that shows you delivery times (estimates) for your order depending on where you live. Postage for the Photobook was £4.95. As I received the order in less than 5 working days I think the turnaround time and postage costs is great value for money.

So I ordered the Photobook not sure what to expect in terms of actual quality. I shouldn’t have given it a second thought as the Photobook arrived very well packaged and in record time.

As soon as I opened it up I was in awe. There was my three year old all glossy gracing the cover of the book. And the quality of the pages? Well all I can say it I was not expecting this level of quality and thickness. When I say these books will outlive me I really mean it! The glossiness is simply stunning. The Photobook impresses everyone who has looked at it. Of course you get the odd comment of ‘your photography is great that’s why it looks good’ however if the quality of the book was low my photography would make no difference. The quality in my opinion is fit for those celebrations you want the best for. I’m talking Weddings, Christenings. Aqueeqahs, Graduations, THAT family holiday you won’t repeat…those golden moments you wish to treasure for life.

Take a look at the photos and see what you think.


My advice to anyone hoarding photos is to download the software and start your projects. As you can save them work on them periodically rather than in long sessions. That way you can work on a few separate projects and know you are making progress. As the Photobooks are saved you could always order additional ones for Grandparents or other family members too (we all know the stress of purchasing presents). Get those projects going. Make 2017 a year you display those memories. I can recommend Saal for the simplicity of their software and the sheer memorizing quality of the Photobook. I’d be impressed if someone purchased me a book from these guys.

*As mentioned I was offered a £40.00 voucher to cover the cost of a book (which it did!) I simply paid the postage cost. The opinions given are my own. If you wish to have a product reviewed you can contact me via the contact form on Style Me Sister.

PS: for the curious reader it’s the Birthday reliving her magical day in the photos. Look out for a free ‘how to guide’ on planning the best DIY Rapunzel party for your little Princess.

 

Slow Cooker Keema (the perfect Breakfast or Desi Brunch dish ever.
Stylemesisteradmin
August 17, 2016

Well hello breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

So before you all throw things at the screen pretending to hit me so I come to my senses please hear me out. This isn’t an everyday Breakfast dish; it’s a weekend/special occasion dish. It’s one of those dishes that takes hardly any time to prepare and can also be prepared in stages. For example I keep packets of ‘browned’ mince in the freezer that’s ready to be added to this dish. As I brown of the mince in bulk I’m saving time in the long run which is always my aim.

Slow cooker healthy no added fat keema mattar topped with an egg to make it the perfect East meets West Breakfast.

How does one enjoy such a dish? Serve with toast or parathas.
Keema is awesome. It’s great with flatbreads and a side of yogurt and a plain salad in summer. Plus as it’s cooked in the slow cooker let’s me honest there’s not much cooking apart from the 10 minute of frying off the mince.
If you want to be kitchen awesome why not fry off keema aka mince in bulk and keep …packets in the freezer to save more time.
This recipe serves 3 to 4 depending on your portion sizes and can be DOUBLED easily and frozen too. 
Recipe for the Slow Cooker keema:
500 grams mince (I used mutton)
1 tin chopped tomatoes (use 3/4 if you are not a fan of the acidy taste of tomatoes)
2 tbsp pre fried onions (from a pack)
1 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)
2 dried chilies
1 tsp haldi
1/2 heaped TBSP cumin powder
1/2 heaped TBSP coriander powder
2 TBSP fresh chopped coriander (stalks included).
100 ml water (if you like a bit of shorba e.g. sauce in your keema or 60 ml if you like it dry. I personally add 100ml).
75 grams frozen peas (I love peas but if you don’t like them that much use less at your own discretion)
1) fry off the mince on the stove. Dry fry it for 10 minutes and then drain the excess fat on kitchen paper.
2) place all the ingredients in your slow cooker (including the mince). Mix well. Turn your slow cooker to the high setting and cook for 2 hours. I generally stir halfway through to stop sticking.
3) check keema is done; it should be. Turn off the slow cooker and serve.

To serve as in the above photo:
Warm up 3 heaped tablespoons in a non stick pan. Stir and warm through. Crack open an egg over the keema return the heat and cover the pan. Allow the egg to cook and set. This won’t take long. Turn off the heat and serve as desired.
I grind over fresh pepper as I love the stuff. Feel free to add your own touch . Cumin powder also works.
Yummy!

5 ways to spend time and nurture relationships with your children
Stylemesisteradmin
March 17, 2016

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We’re living in a society that is technology obsessed. Quality time gets interrupted by Facetime. Family meals are often dominated by the tone of messages coming through. And when you watch a film your checking your emails. It’s a safe bet that a lot of families want to spend more time with their family and less time fretting over technology. So here are my 5 suggestions to try this week.

1) Get creative. Let your IMAGINATION run free. And I’m not talking drawing or painting. I’m talking use your imagination be a big kid and PLAY as a family.

Use your bed sheets and duvets and build dens and ‘tents’ in your living room and pretend you are camping. Sit in a circle and tell stories. Make shadow puppets when it gets dark. Make hot chocolate and make some stovetop smores. Involve the children in the cooking/preparing if possible. Sometimes all it takes is one idea to spark a lot of ideas. Keep a notepad around to jot down ideas for future play days.

2) Go SPLASH in puddles and take photos; CREATE memories. No really. We put so many rules and regulations on children we forget they need to be children too. They need to explore. So next time the forecast says rain don’t turn the TV on straight away. Get your rain macs out and dust off your wellies and go have FUN. Take plenty of photos. Trust me some of the photos you will end up with make you smile everytime you look at them. In the day of Social Media photos can become somewhat forced. Let children have fun and capture that moment. That’s what makes a picture some to life.

3) Have a board game tournament. Got board games gathering dust? Dust them off and get (a bit) competitive. Prepare some snacks (these can be as simple as vegetable sticks with hummous or push the boat out and make some posh popcorn).

4) Look at family films and photos together. Learn about your family tree. Why not ask your parents if they wish to help teach your children about your family history? Children often love looking at old home movies.

5) TURN off wi-fi and TALK. That’s it just talk. Talk about School. Where the children want to go on holiday. What your child wants to be when they grow up. Sometimes we forget to listen to our children. We should all be in the habit of talking to our little ones so we nurture an open communication method. This is vital as our children grow. Open communication from the start will encourage your child to talk to you openly and honestly. And when they hit their teenage years you will be thankful for such a relationship.

It’s fascinating listening to children talk about how they see the world. If you have access to a camcorder (and most phones have great cameras on them) film your child talking. If you do it every year you’ll be able to document their growth in an interesting way.

 

 

Slutty Skillet Cookie
Stylemesisteradmin
March 17, 2016

I’ll be honest with you; the name does this cookie no justice. However it’s named after the infamous Slutty Brownie. So you have your basic cookie recipe. What makes the cookie ‘slutty’ is what you add to the cookie. You need 100 grams of chocolate. You can choose any chocolates you may have lurking in your treats cabinet. Or perhaps you have some fun size bars you want to use up. I would say it’s a great way to use up leftover chocolate. But who would I be kidding by saying LEFTOVER chocolate? Is there such a thing?

Anyway I had various fun size chocolates (store own brand). I used peanut and caramel bars (snickers will do), sweet coconut bars (Bounty) and some soft nougat bars (Milky way type) and a few M&Ms (chocolate ones). You can use whatever suits you.

This recipe is suitable for introducing young people into the kitchen as apart from the chopping up the recipe is pretty much child friendly and simple too.

For the basic skillet cookie (made in a 20CM skillet) you will need:

90 grams butter/margarine

80 grams soft brown sugar

80 grams castor sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla (I used flavouring)

150 grams plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

And of course 100 grams chopped up chocolate bars

Preheat the oven to 170 C/350F.

Grease the Skillet pan. I used 1 cal coconut spray oil. You can use what it suitable for your needs.

In a mixing bowl beat together the sugars and butter. Once it’s smooth add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla.

Add the flour and salt. Beat to incorporate the ingredients. You now have your basic cookie.

Now you can either fold in the chocolate or let little ones decorate the cookie with them. If you want the little ones to decorate the cookie (and this is fun-see photos) tip the cookie dough into the pan and evenly distribute it in the pan. Then let the kids go crazy with the chocolate.

If you fold the chocolate in stir it well to evenly spread the chocolate into the mixture. Then tip it into the pan and evenly distribute it in the pan.

Place the pan in the middle of the oven and bake for 15 minutes (or 20 minutes depending on how well you like your cookie done). Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

I served the cookie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

NOTE: this recipe produces a semi-crumbly soft cookie. It’s more of a dessert like cookie than a chewy cookie.