Tag: #muslimahblogger

Creating new Family Traditions…Weekend Breakfast
Alliyah Dawud
April 22, 2019

I’ll be the first to admit that during the week my breakfast routine is ‘get in town your neck’. My breakfast is usually high in protein (boiled eggs with zataar for example). I also keep it low carb and low sugar.

The same applies to my children; except they have low sugar cereals, Porridge (made in the microwave) or wholemeal toast.

However we do like the idea of a longer, more lazy breakfast with more variety. So we have developed a bit of a family tradition on Saturdays.

We all get up around the same time as weekdays (an extra 30 minutes to an hour is a good way of catching up on some extra sleep) however we all have a cooked breakfast. It doesn’t have to be the full monty (eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, hash browns, beans etc) but it’s usually cooked.

It doesn’t take me ages to cook breakfast because I do the following:

I use frozen hash browns that I air fry

I use frozen sausages that again I air fry

Fried eggs take no time at all; if the girls want omelettes we stick to omelettes and hash browns and beans.

I don’t make fresh juice; I leave my desire for fresh juice for when I am on holiday

I take items out of the freezer the night before and defrost them in the fridge overnight-then pop them in the air fryer in the morning.

We all like bit of bacon (which we do fry) and that takes a matter of minutes to cook. Any leftovers get added to mac and cheese.

If you do like mushrooms you can actually buy sliced mushrooms frozen.

The girls rarely like smoothies on Saturdays but if they do want one it’s simple to create as I have frozen fruit, frozen yogurt cubes etc at hand.

I have a menu that I have on display in the kitchen for Saturdays. We like to make things special. I keep all the ingredients on hand for all the menu options.

My menu includes:
The full monty
Mini monty
Omelettes
Cloud Eggs
Egg Muffin
Eggy bread
Fluffy pancakes (optional: serve with bacon & syrup)
Egg, cheese and bacon muffin
Spinach, egg and hash brown tortilla wraps (prepared, cooked and frozen. All I do is defrost, warm and go).
Sausage sandwich
Sausage muffin
Smoothies
Smoothie Bowls
Sugary cereals (frosties/cocopops etc).
Nutella Porridge (it’s a treat due to high sugar content).
Parathas and eggs (the best of desi breakfasts!)
Breakfast specials (on Eids etc such as Breakfast quesadillas, breakfast casseroles, sheer khurma).

Drink wise:
OJ
Tea
Green tea
Desi Chai

I make breakfast whilst the girls usually watch a bit of morning TV however they do try to help with certain options.

We then enjoy breakfast together. In Summer we usually have breakfast in the garden and make the most of the season. The girls then play in the garden whilst I clear up and do any washing required.

We all eat which makes this tradition of ours easy to keep up.

If we have to be somewhere early I narrow down the options for the girls the night before and prepare as much as possible in advance. Very rarely have we had to have cereal and run out of the door. I’m a planner; so try to keep on top of things.

And as someone that meal plans my freezer is always stocked with essentials; which makes life so much more easier.

My aim with lazy Saturday breakfasts is to create memories for the girls plus I hope they’ll find the time in their busy lives when they have their own families to sit down and eat together at the end of the week and reflect on things. It’s like date night, but at breakfast and all the family are invited. It also helps set the tone of our weekends (Which I try to focus on family friendly activities which both girls can take part in). I believe it’s important to lead by example and putting in an effort so we all sit together and eat together is setting an example of the importance of family and appreciation (gratitude) of what we do have.

I would love to keep this tradition going when the girls are teenagers; but who knows what the future will bring.

In the meantime though I’ll carrying on waiting for the girls to decide on what they want to eat (only to pick what they had the past 9 Saturdays on the row).

Why you need to set up a Ramadan Cookery Circle
Alliyah Dawud
April 15, 2019

Ramadan is the most blessed months a Muslim can experience. Its a time for contemplation. A time to reflect and change the direction of life. Its a time to give back to charity. It’s a time to get closer to our faith.

Sadly for many sisters its a time where they find themselves chained to the kitchen when they should be reaping the rewards of this awesome month.

For a lot of families food plays a huge part in Ramadan. There’s Sahoor and Iftaars to plan, prepare and cook. Then there’s hosting Iftaars for nearest and dearest (which FYI I haven’t done in a decade). That’s a large chunk of time on a daily basis. By the time you’ve cooked and cleaned up energy levels are at a low and the idea of staying up to repent or pray is near impossible (because half hearted recitation is also a no-no; you want to focus and give it your best).

A couple of years ago I started to batch cook food used in Ramadan and froze it in suitable sized portions. This helped me no end. There was no last minute mad panic in the kitchen. Things ran smoothly; very smoothly.

I then came to the realisation that my issue of balancing the time spent preparing and cooking food with the actual important duties of Ramadan were a problem for a lot of sisters. And if you are reading this and nodding along I have an idea that may help you a lot….

Ladies I present to you the idea of setting up a Ramadan Cookery Circle.

For this idea to work you will need a group of ladies in a similar position to you.

How this works:

Basically you come together with a group of ladies and cook a few recipes in bulk. You then swap portions of the food with others in the circle for food they’ve cooked. And voila; you have instantly increased the amount of food you have for your Ramadan freezer.

Sounds pretty easy doesn’t it? I’ll still talk you through it.

STEP 1:
Gather your friends that will be having the same issue as you during Ramadan together.

STEP 2:
List all the food that you guys know you will be cooking in Ramadan. These foods need to be suitable for freezing.

STEP 3:
List all special dietary requirements including how hot people like spicy foods!
Share recipes (if required) with the group.

STEP 4:
Delegate the recipes out to the group. Agree on how much of each recipe needs to be made.

STEP 5:
Decide when you want the food to be cooked by and where and how the food will be delegated. Will you guys meet up a few days before Ramadan to swap food?

STEP 6:
Take the food home and freeze.

Now that doesn’t seem to be that scary does it?

The idea behind this is you save time by bulk cooking your delegated recipes and then you swap some with the others.

So if there’s 5 of you and you each of you cooked 2 recipes in bulk you are walking away with 10 dishes for your freezer (including what you cook yourself).

Don’t you think that’s awesome?

And the more of you there is there’s potential for less work and more dishes.

In my experience the following are awesome for freezing:

Samosas and rolls
Burrito rolls (great for Breakfasts)
Kebabs/Koftas
Pulaw and Biryani bases
Chutneys
Curry sauces
Meatballs (so pasta sauces, koftas etc).

What else should consider?

How much freezer space you have.
How much time will you need to prepare and cook your dishes in bulk.
Is everyone happy with their delegated dishes.
Do you want to swap dishes or do you want to pay for the ingriedents instead?

The idea of the circle is to cut your time in the kitchen and essentially share cookery skills and invest more time into Ramadan doing things that will be fulfilling.

With Ramadan on it’s way why not share this post with your ladies and see whose willing to sign up to your circle?

Got any advice for other sisters? Drop it below.

90 days left until the start of Ramadan.
Stylemesisteradmin
February 5, 2019

It’s funny how time flies isn’t it? The idea behind this countdown isn’t to scare you but rather eliminate that OMG Ramadan starts tomorrow feeling.

So with three months to go…here’s my list of suggestions to get on with.

Health:
Have you been meaning to boost your vitamins? Or are you lacking a certain mineral? Now is the time to invest in them so your body has time to adjust to them and reap the benefits.
Tip: do your own research into Black Seed Oil. It’s an amazing product and I think doing your own research will benefit you long term.

Sleeping problems? Speak to your GP now and see what options you have to help with the problem.

Smoker? Start looking at cutting back or better still quitting.

Spirituality:
The busiest time of the year for the hub of our community (the Masjid) is Ramadan. Why not give it an MOT beforehand? Does the Masjid need paintwork? Does the driveway need patching up? Look at the tasks now and get a group together to get work done before the Holy month. You will feel a lot of satisfaction especially on the first night of prayers when Masjid goers comment on how the Masjid is glowing.

Community:
If you live in the West it’s nice to let the community know about Ramadan. Its also good to let elderly in the area be aware of the Holy month and how footfall will increase especially at night. Seeing groups of people you usually do not see can be a worry for elderly people so it’s courtesy let them know the prayer time table.

Tip: if the Masjid route falls on an area with a high elderly population why not get leaflets printed at the masjid to explain Ramadan and offer to assist the elderly with chores, shopping etc? As Ramadan falls in hotter months this can also be a worry for elderly (dehydration is a common problem). Some won’t open windows (in particular of bungalows) in fear of thefts. Be community minded. This is a type of dawah we can all adopt.

Contact your local Police Station and let them know Taraweeh times so that if there is any offers on patrol around that time they can be seen around the Masjid which helps build stronger community links for the younger generations.

Clean up your neighbourhood. Organise a litter pick or get involved with one. Take pride in your area.

Work:
Let your boss know when Ramadan is and see what can be done about making life a bit less strainuous without affecting business. This could be leaving earlier if you skip lunch break or working different shifts. But you won’t know what is available until you ask your boss.

College/University/Schools:
Inform everyone about Ramadan and when it will be and end. If you have children at School ask for key dates for the diary and adjust your dairy to reflect this.

Tip: Only book things into your diary during Ramadan that you cannot avoid. A long fast, hot weather and working life will result in general lack of energy.

Family:
Even if your children are too young to fast start preparing them for the blessed month. Let them know that Ramadan is coming and you’ll be coming together as a family to celebrate.

And that’s my list! What do you guys do to prepare for the Holy month?

Drop your comments below.

#100days left until Ramadan 2019…are you ready for it?
Alliyah Dawud
January 25, 2019

Admit it; even though you know Ramadan is an annual thing you feel it creeps up on you and the panic stricken you promises to devote themselves to nightly prayer sessions, healthy eating and committing to cleansing yourself of this world.

However time gets the best of us and before we know it things are not going to plan.

And every year POST Ramadan we promise next Ramadan will be different. But is it?

Nope!

So this year I will be posting a practical countdown to the Holy Month and hope this helps you get in control of life so you can get the best out of those 30 days and nights.

I’ll also be posting things on Social Media so don’t forget to follow us on there too.

Are you ready for this?

#100daysuntilRamadan

What can you do 100 sleeps before the Holy Month?

Answer: PLENTY.

By being practical and thinking ahead we can do a lot this far in advance.

Health:

Medical issues are one of the biggest reasons we miss fasts and taking part in the nights of blessings. So if you have pre-existing medical problems and need a check up get it done now. Need blood tests for something? Book it and stop putting it off. Give your health an MOT.

Are you a Smoker? Now is the time to consider your options to QUIT.

Have another addiction? Again now is the time as you have ample time to work towards it.

Spirituality:

Have lots to ask Allah for? Make a list of those Duas and update as the month approaches.

Give your life an MOT. Are you happy with life? Is everything going the way you want? Think about what you want to achieve and start making realistic plans now.

Life:

Got plans for big DIY projects around the home? Get organised now. You don’t want workmen in the kitchen banging away at 10AM if you are trying to fit sleep in after a night of reciting Duas and you need to be at work later. Trust me it’s an unproductive mix.
My advice is to AVOID having work done during the month. Sometimes it’s not avoidable but if you can plan as much as possible to have a peaceful Ramadan.
Declutter NOW. That’s right. NOW. The more stuff you declutter now the less stuff you have to worry about later on.

Need to book Annual Leave to give you some space in Ramadan? Do it now (the sooner the better).

Let your children’s School know when Ramadan is…chances are they already know but if you have children that may wish to take part in fasting it’s always good to give the School a heads up and vice versa.

Confident Speaker? Why not offer to read a Ramadan/Eid book at School and explain what Ramadan is to younger children so they understand why their friends celebrate it?

Top Tip: avoid booking play dates, shopping trips and other things in Ramadan. Mark Ramadan and Eid (both) on a Calendar and in your diary so that when you do go to pencil something in you can see it’s Ramadan.

Our Retailer of the year 2018…PRIMARK!
Stylemesisteradmin
January 22, 2019

Without a shadow of a doubt Primark is taking on the world. Stores are popping us Stateside and their ranges are constantly evolving, moving forward with the times and their price point in perfect for the teenage fashionistas, young Mamas, Grannies buying for their broods…etc etc etc.

This year I discovered the Primark Cosmetic Range. Now as we know many cosmetics firms have accepted that having a limited range foundation colours is no longer appealing to the UK consumers. Most probably because skin tones are no longer just ivory…and that’s a fact accepted widely now (kinda like the whole hey we’re not all size 6 you guys….).

I’m Asian and used to struggle to find a foundation to match my skin on the UK High Street. But thanks to Boots colour match services I now have the perfect red lipstick (Pillarbox red y’all) and foundation too. I also found out whilst getting myself rematched (because skin tone can change with seasons) that I didn’t need a full coverage foundation as my skin was actually in awesome condition (yay to the skin care routine!). Oh by the way my skin was still the same colour. I could rave about Boots No 7 colour match foundations but I won’t this is about Primark.

Anyway…I found Primark were selling Matte lipsticks, red lipstick (proper red. Like Alliyah red which is red with sass) and foundations. I picked up some lipsticks…because a girl can never have enough red lipsticks and I also invested £3.00 on a foundation in the shade Honey.
And guess what amigos?!

The foundation was a PERFECT MATCH.

Can you imagine my joy? Well I guess you can’t but it’s an amazing feeling!!!

On top of that I’ve started allowing my daughters to wear nail polish at the weekends at the Primark 60 pence per bottle polishes are proving not only popular in our house but are pocket friendly too (I’m sorry but my girls have to EARN treats…I’m old skool).

Apart from the foundation discovery why else am I saying Primark were the biggest winners of 2018 for me?

The fit on most products was improved!
There was enough Disney stuff to keep us all happy (Have you seen my Grumpy Duvet cover?!)
The Harry Potter Range had us all sending off applications to Hogwarts
They don’t use plastic bags…
The sales rack always have bargains on…
I picked up a pair of Chelsea Boots for…£3.00!
They also have sales.
Their home range is ever changing (side note: Primark not all that shop in your store watch reality trash so can you please ease off the crap. Thank you).
The mens range was also awesome this year (although I don’t think I purchased anything from the range this year).
Their Stationary range is the reason I need a bigger loft
Their perfume range is actually quite nice. I love the smell of roses, uud and I noted they had a few awesome fragrances during 2018. Not too expensive of course and yet they don’t last that long (however I did notice the £10.00 perfumes from the Christmas rang lingered the day after on my coat too).
The newborn range is so cool that I’m excited about welcoming bambino Tebbutt into the fold by buying lots of HP stuff and making them look like a wizard….
For those celebrating Christmas the decoration range was absolutely amazing! From Disney Princesses, Tinkerbell and Mary Poppins to Harry Potter.
Mary Poppins merch was everywhere!

Did I mention the price point?

Social Media wise the Primania section on their website is breeming to the edge with fashionistas posing around the world in Primark purchases. Primark are also active on other media platforms too (check out their Instagram for latest arrivals). Most stores have their own Facebook page to update customers on what’s in and what’s expected in soon.

So I know Primark is often accused of exploiting sweatshops however this article is about the fact they’ve done awesomely in 2018. There’s no negative in here.

What can we expect from Primark in 2019? I’m expecting pretty much more of the being ‘on trend’ with lots of Aladdin merchindise in May (can we have duvet covers please Primark!) as well as more slogan t-shirts and further investment in their cosmetics range. I believe we’ll also see better sizing that will be awesome for plus sizes everywhere.

I’m assuming further world domination is also on the cards. Go Primark!

The only slight downers for Primark are the following:

No website. Now I get why this isn’t practical however can Primark imagine the profit if they went down this path, invested effectively and PUT THE RIGHT team in the right place and allowed INTERNATIONAL purchasing?
Of course they would need to sort out the sizing…hence why they need to develop it and move forward at the right pace….

Their use of reality TV stars in their campaign. They are not needed. The price point means parents that are spending on their children on the High Street are twice as likely to walk in regardless of some woman off a reality TV show being on a poster.

Their customer service at HQ level is PANTS!
I emailed them on several occasions to ask if the Honey shade of foundation would be available across the ranges they have (e.g. powder). I got fobbed off my them to speak to my local store. Spoke to staff in store and they said HQ dealt with what to send out. And the same happened again. AND also when I reached out to them via Social Media. So that’s a thumbs down.

So Primark…we’re ready for your 2019 ranges..are you?