Guest blogger, Yvonne Maffei, founder of My Halal Kitchen offers 10 easy tips to eat right and feel great during Ramadan. Enter the giveaway worth $25 from My Halal Kitchen! Simply leave a comment after this article about your own favorite recipe or tried and true Ramadan meal and you could win a new apron, measuring spoon and recipe card!
Eat Right and Feel Great During Ramadan
This year, fasting is a bit of a challenge considering the high temperatures and long summer days to endure without food or water. With the right planning and intention to keep our bodies healthy, fasting can actually be much easier than we realize. Use these tips to eat and hydrate in a healthy way, giving you the energy and endurance needed to get through the month while maintaining a healthy body.
1. Guard Your Suhoor
- Make enough time for it and make sure it’s a healthy one.
- Eat a complete meal with a variety of fruits, whole grains and protein, such as beans or eggs. Choose from leafy greens, and water-rich fruits such as watermelon, peaches and papaya.
- Avoid refined sugars and too many carbohydrates, which can leave you feeling exhausted by mid-day.
- Drink plenty of water or real juice, but don’t overstuff yourself with these, either.
2. Don’t Sleep the Day Away
- This is particularly important after the suhoor meal because digestion and circulation cannot occur if you spend half the day in bed.
- Additionally, you will slow yourself down by sleeping during the daylight hours meant for being productive.
3. Conserve Those Calories
- Avoid too much talking—yes, talking takes up a lot of energy and can actually bring on headaches. You need as much of your energy to get through the day so avoid unnecessary and long-winded conversations, especially futile ones that have nothing to do with work, family or the deen.
- Take it easy when doing errands or working around the house by maintaining a leisurely pace. Walk, don’t run and you’ll avoid losing the energy needed for your ibadah. We should remain productive, but choose our energy output wisely.
4. Break Your Fast Calmly
- Don’t be in a rush to eat. You won’t digest your food properly and could make yourself sick. Instead, break fast with a healthy room-temperature fluid like water, pure fruit juice or warm milk, as cold drinks are hard on your system. Have a couple of dates, figs, and a handful of nuts. Then, pray your salah and return to the table for a nice meal.
5. Ease Into the Iftar Meal
- Warm the stomach and slowly acclimate your body to food by having soup as a first course to the iftar meal. It’s not only easy on the stomach, but it also prevents over-eating with heavier foods that generally come afterwards.
6. Lay off the Salt and the Grease
- There’s no denying that many traditional Ramadan foods are deliciously tempting, but also tend to be on the greasier side. Have one samosa, for example, if you must, but realize that your body has to work harder to digest it.
- Salty foods should be avoided simply due to their dehydrating effects on your body. You may think by drinking large amounts of water you can recover from this dehydration, but you may suffer from headaches and bloating in the meantime.
7. Don’t Eat to Your Fill at Any Meal
- Eat plenty of protein- meat, poultry, eggs and fish, as opposed to empty calories like junk food, breads and snacks.
- Follow a golden rule on eating from our beloved Prophet (pbuh) who said:
“The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep him alive. If he must fill it, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for air.” (al-Tirmidhi –saheeh by al-Albaani)
8. Listen to Your Body
- How do you know when you’ve reached the one-third level? Your body will tell you, if you are listening. Be cognizant of what you’re putting in your mouth and how your body responds to certain types and amounts of foods.
- If you feel weak or out of breath, regularly check your blood sugar levels and heart rate. Young or old, improper eating regiments and passivity about one’s diet can be a seriously unhealthy combination.
9. Do Light to Moderate Exercises
- Lifting small weights or leisure walking helps build muscle and improve circulation. Ramadan is not a time to look or feel like a weakling. Instead, it’s a great time to build discipline and structure into our lives. Small, daily exercises are a great way to do just that.
10. Get Rest During the Proper Hours
- Some people are early birds; others are night owls. Either way, you must be awake and aware for all of the daily salah and to implement many forms of ibadat throughout the day. Get yourself on a good sleep schedule where you hit the sack early enough to get in a few zzz’s, wake up for tahajjud during the last part of the night, then continue on for suhoor and fajr. Proper rest, eating and ibadah will make you ultimately feel like you’re getting the most out of Ramadan, insha’allah.
Here are just a couple of ideas for some light and healthy meals you can implement for your iftar or suhoor.
Lemon Poached Salmon
With just a few simple ingredients this dish is not only super quick, it’s also super light because it is poached or cooked in a hot, simmering liquid just below the point of boiling. Serve with a side of sautéed potato wedges or mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables for a balanced meal.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz. pieces of salmon steaks (can be bought economically in bulk, fresh or frozen)
- 1 whole lemon, cut into thin wedges plus more to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-4 Tb. olive oil (or any light oil)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Defrost fish. Dry off any moisture on salmon with a paper towel, otherwise it will not cook properly.
- Season salmon steaks on each side with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet or sauté pan. Do not burn oil.
- Add salmon steaks all at once, skin side down. Let cook for about 4 minutes.
- Add lemon 1-2 lemon wedges on each steak. Add about 1 to ½ inches of water to pan. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook another 4-5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let salmon sit 2-3 minutes before serving.
Sicilian Pasta Salad
The ingredients in this dish are rooted in Mediterranean culinary traditions, but can easily be found fresh at your grocer during the late summer. Prepare it in the morning and refrigerate until dinner- it tastes even better when the flavors marry for a while.
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb. macaroni or any type of small to medium size pasta
- 1-2 lbs. finely ground beef, chicken or turkey already cooked, seasoned and cooled
- ½ cup feta cheese, broken up
- ½ Tb. red pepper flakes
- 1/3 bunch fresh parsley or 1 Tb. dried parsley
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- salt, to taste
- 4 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
- Cook pasta according to directions on box and allow to cool.
- Add all other ingredients and mix well.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Simple Steak
You don’t even need a grill to make this delicious and quick steak and after trying this recipe you may not even want steak any other way! Serve with oven-roasted potato wedges and a side of colorful vegetables.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 5-oz. beef steaks, thinly sliced (around ½” thick)
- kosher salt, to taste
- Finely ground black pepper, to taste
- 1-2 Tb. butter
- 1-2 Tb. olive oil or light cooking oil
- ¼ bunch fresh parsley
Preparation
- Pat steaks dry and salt generously. Add pepper, too.
- In a shallow sauté pan, add olive oil and butter and bring to medium heat.
- Sauté steaks for about 5 minutes then flip. Sauté another 5 minutes and flip again.
- Reduce heat to low and cover pan for another five minutes.
- Remove steaks from pan and add salt to taste. Top with a generous pat of butter and fresh parsley.
Author Bio
Yvonne Maffei, M.A., is a food writer, recipe developer, cooking instructor, and the Editor of My Halal Kitchen, a halal food and cooking blog showcasing culinary tips and healthy halal recipes. The mission of My Halal Kitchen is to provide home cooks with the tools to prepare halal meals, including those with the necessary substitutions to make every dish halal. It aims to make the lives of readers better by expanding the list of available recipes that are healthy, delicious, economical and halal. She resides in Chicago, IL.
Great article! My favorite simple, easy, and super-nutritious meal is a lentil salad. This recipe is adapted from Alice Waters (crusader of the organic food movement from back in the 70s) “Art of Simple Food” cookbook:
SERVINGS
4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup lentils (French green lentils or black Beluga lentils are the best varieties to use for lentil salads because they have lots of flavor and they hold their shape when cooked.)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or
3 tablespoons finely diced shallot
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
PREPARATION
1. Sort and rinse the lentils. Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until tender all the way through (adding more water if necessary), about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Toss the lentils with the red wine vinegar, salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if needed.
3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, scallions or shallot, and parsley. Stir to combine. If the lentils seem dry and are hard to stir, loosen them with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid.
VARIATIONS
Add 1/2 cup diced cucumber.
Dice very fine 1/4 cup each of carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until tender in a couple spoonfuls of olive oil. Cool and stir into the salad in place of the scallions or shallots.
(Optional) Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese.
Toast and crush 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and add to the salad. Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
Dice 1/4 cup flavorful sweet peppers, season with salt, and let stand to soften. Stir in with the scallions or shallots
One secret: If you don’t want to go through the hassle of soaking or cooking the lentils, many stores sell them already cooked (Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s). Enjoy!
I always find that grilled vegetables are a good iftar meal. They are light and easy to do by broiling chopped vegetables(ex.eggplant, red pepper, squash) in the oven for 30 minutes. My favorite part of iftar is roafza (rose water) with 1/2 a glass of milk and 1/2 a glass water. Ramadan mubarak!
The following is a healthy version of a popular middle-eastern dish called makluba:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey or ground chicken
1 can chickpeas
1 large eggplant
1 cup olive oil
2 cups basmati rice (can substitute for brown basmati rice but make sure you follow correct cooking time)
Directions:
1. Cook ground turkey or ground chicken completely. Use PAM instead of oil (first layer)
2. Add one can of chickpeas onto meat (second layer).
3. Peel and cut eggplant into approx. 1/2 inch thick circles, then drizzle with olive oil and bake for 40 mins at 350 degrees (cook until they look like they were fried).
4. Add the baked eggplant to pot (3rd layer).
5. Pour rice over all the other ingredients (4th layer).
6. Add low sodium chicken stock to the entire pot until it covers the rice. Be careful not to put too much stock; just cover the rice.
7. Cook rice as directed (white rice about 20 mins and brown rice about 45 mins).
Note: you can serve this rice dish with low-fat plain yogurt.
Enjoy!
I forgot to mention, add seasoning to meat and rice as desired (ex. salt and pepper). Keep in mind, the less salt, the better for fasting, since salt may dehydrate you.
Chicken Couscous:
Marinate chicken breast in tumeric, cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika.
Chop an onion and a few cloves of garlic and saute.
Add 3 carrots sliced, and 3 celery stalks sliced.
After about 5 minutes add half pound of green beans and cook another 5 minutes.
Next, add 2 zucchini sliced and 3 grated tomatoes.
Add 1 can chicken broth.
Add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, plus a few tablespoons harissa if you have it.
Lastly add in the chicken. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low until the veggies are soft and the chicken is done.
Serve over couscous (prepare as directed on the package).
Bon Appetite or as Tunisians say “Chehia Tayyiba!”
OH! How did I forget the chickpeas??? lol Add chickpeas also just before the chicken.
Great article. I really liked the first part of guarding your suhoor. I must say that my favorite recipe is the Sicilian Pasta Salad. Looks yummy, I’m going to have to try it one day before Ramadhan is over!
Great advice in the article masha’Allah. I find that simple iftars are the best, delicious food doesnt need to be fussy. I marinade a lot of things over night and then cook it in the oven. in this month every act of ibaadah is worth so much more so swap the standing in the kitchen for standing in prayer or reciting more Quran. Fruits (like nectarines, watermelon)and raw foods (vegetable juices and smoothies) are great for iftar, they are easy on the tummy too. Also I love mackarel in tomato soup, its delicious made with fresh tomatoes, garlic and coriander served with rice.
So many wonderful ideas!
I sometimes make a soup that we have before we eat our iftar:
Saute 1/2 pound raw orzo in canola oil (you want enough to coat the orzo without extra in the pot) and cook until very brown (taking care not to burn it). Add 1 quart of low-sodium chicken or beef stock and cook until the orzo is done. Season to taste and serve with lime wedges.
I open my fast with dates and and warm water (my Nani used to have warm water and lemon juice). One of the easiest iftar meals I made this Ramadan was roasted chicken with vegetables. The protein and vegetables are cooked together. It is a lot easier than it might look.
I marinaded chicken breast pieces (with skin and bone) with a mixture of salt and Herbs de Province (you can used any herb mix), making sure I put some under the skin. I let it marinade for about 15 minutes (you can leave this for longer in the fridge.
Meanwhile I prepared the vegetables (this can also be done well in advance, and covered in foil and put in the fridge until you’re ready to cook):
- One thickly sliced onion
- Two zuccini, cut into chunks
- Two potatoes into wedges
- Two tomatoes, halved
I then lightly greased an oven-proof dish with olive oil (spray) and layered the sliced onions at the bottom of the dish. I then put the chicken pieces on top of the onions and scattered the remaining vegetables around. I sprinkled the vegetables with the mixed herbs and some salt and sprayed them with olive oil spray.
The dish went into a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour and then I basted the chicken and lowered the temperature to 350 and cooked for an additional 15 minutes. I then completely covered the dish with silver foil and cooked for 10 more minutes. The beauty of this recipe is that you can switch off the oven and leave the dish in it until you are ready to eat, so you can go off and do your prayers etc before having dinner. My husband came home 1/2hr late the evening that I made this, but the chicken remained moist due to the silver foil. We took the skin off before serving (this is healthier) and drizzled the chicken with the pan juices.
I forgot – I squeeze some lemon juice on the chicken and vegetables before cooking.
Oh I am guilty of a few of those! I have two halal NY Steaks that I am defrosting now, and going to cook the Simiple Steak recipe tonight…I adore your site, I pray you become famous and everything good that comes with it, thank you for benefiting us on the internet!
This is my first Ramadan and I am looking forward to participating in one of Islams treasured traditions. I am a new revert, 5 months now, and I have so much support from my Muslim Sisters. But the information I get off the My Halal Kitchen has the the best so far..excellent blog. I was just saying to one of the sisters today, that I know Ramadan has many meanings and I will do my best, I also told her I am looking forward to losing some ( much needed) weight, she said I will probably gain a lot..I simply told her that I am getting good, healthy info from MHK and a FB friend( who also has very good tips and her own, women only gym)I just told her to watch and see…as for the recipes, the Lemon Poached Salmon sounds yummy. I have never tried salmon poached…
oops..i posted twice, i thought the first one didn’t go through because it was so long…:)