Healthy Ramadan 2014: A meal in a glass

For Muslims in Ramadan, it can be very difficult to eat two healthy full meals with very little time in between the two. And its even more difficult to ensure that we are getting all the essential nutrients from both of these meals too. Here I have explained how you can go easy on one of the meal times without missing it on the nutrients and ensuring you are getting a well-balanced meal too. 

Healthy Ramadhan 2014: Keep Calm, Keep Cool & Stay Energised.

The buzz is in the air, the preparations have been made, it's very nearly almost here! Ramadhan, a month where Muslims are prohibited from eating and drinking from the early hours of the morning till sunset, to refresh our bodies and souls, but also to exercise our self-control and our faith to God. With the long summer days that Ramadhan now falls upon (here in the UK), there is a need for extra steps and special care to be taken in order to take care of ourselves and help us get through the day. In this blog post, I hope to provide special advice and guidance to help us keep our energy levels at its optimum.

Food Review: Snack Bars

Snack bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars, energy bars, what ever you like to call them, they are taking over our supermarket shelves. We are always short on time, and looking for new ways to eat on the go when we don’t have time to sit down and have a meal or snack or just need a quick energy fix when we are going about our day. We all know those days. One of the quickest way to have chosen to have our energy fix is by having a cereal bar, it has become a convenience food. However, not all of them are as good as they seem. In this blog I am going to review just some the bars I found on the supermarket shelves.

RECIPE: Oaty Protein Pancakes

You probably all know by now how much I love pancakes, I am always experimenting and trying to make it more yummy and healthy. I love having pancakes for breakfast especially in the weekend, I do prefer my sweet fruit topped pancakes but I am growing fonder of the savoury ones too. My spinach and feta pancakes are divine! If I do say so myself...check out my savoury pancake recipes. 

RECIPE: Homemade Granola

<<- This is the dessert I usually make with my homemade granola, fruit parfait. Since the first time I made everyone has loved it, even unhealthy sceptics! I usually bulk bake the granola and store it in a airtight container so it there for me to have and use whenever I want, a healthy convenience food! You can have the granola by it self as a snack, with milk for breakfast, top it on your porridge or any yoghurt for a healthy crunch. Try it yourself just to see how simple it is to make, recipe below: 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

·         200g rolled oats

·         2 tbsp of canola/coconut oil

·         3 tbsp of honey

·         100g of mixed seeds

·         50g nuts (of your choice, I used flaked almonds)

·         Dried fruit, pieces.

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the oats, oil and honey together in a bowl. Make sure the oats are coated and sticking together a bit.
3. Add the nuts and seeds. I usually use a pack of mixed seeds and flaked almonds.
4. Lay the oats on a baking tray, evenly and pop it in the oven.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, depending on how brown you like your oats. I like it really brown, so I bake it for a few more minutes but careful not to burn it.
6. Give it a mix and bake it for another 10 minutes.
7. Take it out the oven and let it cool. Add your dried fruit pieces.
8. Enjoy! Great for breakfast, snack or dessert. 

To make the fruit parfait dessert: I crushed some berries with the back of a fork, layer it in a dessert bowl or cup with Greek yoghurt (I used Total Greek), and top with the granola. Simple yet scrumptious! 

VARIATIONS: - You could add, walnuts, cashew, pine nuts. – Add honey to the yoghurt for a sweeter taste. 

By Ayshabibi H. ANutr

A H Nutritionist

14th November 2013

RECIPE: Healthy Oat and Raisin Cookies

Oat and raisin cookies are my absolute favourite! I always choose this combo, so I went on the hunt for a healthy version of this yummy chewy cookie. And here I am going to share it with you all! They are nutritious, chewy and have no butter, and SO easy to make.