If you’ve ever taken one whiff of a fresh rosemary leaf, you won’t have forgotten the purely ephemeral aroma, the seemingly medicinal aroma that lasts longer in the air than most other herbs. That’s why it’s my absolute favorite fresh herb to have around, although it’s not always been easy for me to grow so I’ve had to learn over the years how to grow it indoors while I was in the Midwest. In the Mediterranean climates, of course it grows wild and huge and can withstand colder Med temperatures, but not freezing ones. You can recreate similar environments indoors, anywhere in the world.
All you have to do is clip cuttings from any rosemary plant or bush. Rosemary can get woody, so be sure to only cut stems from fresh, green ones. Once you’ve done that, take all of the bottom leaves from the stem and place each one in a separate small vase of water or several into a larger one. If your room is on the colder side, place a plastic bag on top to give it a bit of a greenhouse effect. Wait for some roots to grow (be patient, it could take a few weeks), and be sure to refresh the water every few days.
A lush and green rosemary plant is the kind to take cuttings from for healthy and successful propagation.
Once the stems have rooted, you can plant each one into their own pot with organic potting soil or compost with a little perlite for aeration. Soon you’ll have your very own rosemary plants, for free!
update: I wrote this at the start of the covid-19 pandemic, but I think it’s just as relevant now than it was then, considering the world seems to be watching a livestream of the most televised man-made tragedy we’ve ever witnessed in our lives….please pray for the people of Gaza and of Palestine. And for humanity.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some serious bouts of anxiety listening to all the bad news about the covid-19 pandemic our world is facing. I’m missing my family and I worry about them being in the States right now with the world’s largest outbreak in terms of numbers, as well as the completely bizarre and unorganized way the pandemic has been handled there. It’s unnerving, to say the least, and now we have to brace ourselves for impact here in Turkey.
That said, t’s time to take the bull by the horns and feel a little more empowered by doing something about it. At a time when it seems we have so little control over the outcome of this extremely contagious virus, there are things we can do to calm the nerves and actually arm ourselves with the best fighting chance to not get infected, or at the very least to not get so affected by all the bad news that we literally stress ourselves out to the point that we do lower our immune systems and make ourselves more vulnerable to disease and illness, even those unrelated to covid-19.
Here’s what I’m doing to take control over my own life and I do hope that these tips might help or inspire you to do what’s best for you, in your world, and within your means. Here goes:
I’m drinking a LOT of herbal teas. Consuming less caffeine is one of the most relaxing things I’ve done for my body, which has been in effect for several months now, as I was way too addicted to coffee for my own liking. In the coming days I’ll be posting more recipes for some of the teas I’ve been experimenting with after doing the research about their overall health benefits, so stay tuned and make sure you’re subscribed to this website so that you can get those. For example, I’m drinking ihlamur (linden tea), hot water with lemon, olive leaf tea, chammomile, and my favorite so far: mountain sage & lavender combination.
Dried papatya (chammomile) tea in the local pazar in Fethiye, Turkey | My Halal Kitchen
I’m staying in touch with family and friends, a lot. Whether it’s through texting, FaceTime, or WhatsApp, I’m using whatever tools I can use to check in on my parents, aunts and uncles, cousins (one is a nurse, so of course I worry), and of course all of my closest friends. It not only helps me to know how they’re doing, but the connection is good for my soul. Laughing, crying, expressing emotions about how we feel about one another and how much we mean to one another can only be good for the heart, it’s that important to me.
I’m doing other things that feed my soul are gardening and working, yes working. I actually try to combine both these days so that I can work among my plants, which makes me so very happy. I’ve moved all of my plants to a cozier place where I can work right in the center of them. It inspires me visually, but it’s also the most wonderfully-scented place in my house. It makes me very productive, too, so it’s a great place to be during quarantine.
I’m watching some of my favorite youtube channels for uplifting content, inspiration and to give myself hope for the future. Here are a couple of my favorites:
The Chateau Diaries– I love Stephanie Jarvis’ cheery nature and what she’s doing around her French chateau during the quarantine. It’s quite uplifting, to say the least.
Lifestyle Si– I love this interior designer’s calm and soothing nature as she talks about simple ways to decorate your home that just look incredibly aesthetic, natural and beautiful.
Eating a variety of healthy, all-natural, chemical-free real foods to boost my immunity | My Halal Kitchen
Most importantly, I’m listening to my doctors and their good advice- not the advice of rumors or old wives tales. For example, in addition to eating healthy (no refined sugars and only a variety of real, seasonal all-natural, chemical-free foods) I’m making beef or chicken bone broths almost daily, taking black seed and honey, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, magnesium, bee propolis. I do need to do more fish oils, so that’s going to start again soon. Here are some of the doctors I listen to most:
What do I need to do better during this quarantine?
Mediate more (prayer and du’a/supplication)
Exercise (I need to find more good exercises to do from home)
Sleep earlier. Working long hours isn’t always a good thing and good quality sleep is crucial.
Stress less by reading less negative news and only what’s absolutely necessary. For a news junkie like me, it’s not easy but I’m going to do it.
How are you handling stress and boredom during the quarantine? I’d love to know in the comments below, so please share your tips and wisdom with the rest of us.
*This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your physician before undertaking any of the advice or suggestions included in this post.
I made this video during the last few months I was in my house in Chicago. It was long before I accepted that I would have to leave that beautiful place, a home and land surrounding it that was everything I had ever wanted to produce my vision of a true food forest and permaculture garden (more about permaculture below and in the second video).
I’ve since moved abroad and still think about that place because it had all the elements that would afford a wonderful self-sustaining home and lifestyle. It still makes me very sad to think about what I had to leave, but it has also made me realize that if you have a little land or some pots to put outside, this can be done everywhere because it’s all about planting and becoming self-sustaining, no matter where you are. If it’s something you want to do then go for it, wherever you are in the world.
“Permaculture, originally ‘Permanent Agriculture’, is often viewed as a set of gardening techniques, but it has in fact developed into a whole design philosophy, and for some people a philosophy for life. Its central theme is the creation of human systems which provide for human needs, but using many natural elements and drawing inspiration from natural ecosystems. Its goals and priorities coincide with what many people see as the core requirements for sustainability.”Permaculture tackles how to grow food, build houses and create communities, and minimise environmental impact at the same time. Its principles are being constantly developed and refined by people throughout the world in very different climates and cultural circumstances.
In the first video, I describe the perennial plants that I purchased and why I’ve bought them. You’ll also get a glimpse of my beautiful Tortie cat, Saudah. She used to love sitting at that window and getting some fresh air. She’s not an outdoor cat and couldn’t ever be in that house because we used to have coyotes, hawks and other animals that could have been of danger to her.
Part 2 is a little longer and shows you more of the space I had and the surrounding natural beauty and the peace that comes with it. I’ll try to recreate that again, although it will not be so easy, it’s not impossible, either.
I hope you enjoy the videos and would love to hear your comments below or at the youtube videos themselves. Thanks for watching and please don’t forget to subscribe to my channel!
The first time I traveled to southern Turkiye (specifically Fethiye), I was completely and utterly taken in by how perfectly the botanics, the landscape and the climate appealed to what I had always wanted in a place. All of my adult life (or actually before that), I’ve been completely and utterly obsessed with the Mediterranean lifestyle and all the things that come with it: the great food, the beautiful surroundings, and the near-perfect climate (for me) – except for the very hot summers…
So when I decided to come here for long-term, although not knowing if it would be permanent or not, I knew that I was going toward a dream to put myself in those surroundings, most of which involved things like lemon, orange, olive, and pomegranate trees. They are symbols of the Mediterranean landscape and the food that has become an integral part of this thousand-year old rich cuisine.
That said, a few months after I came and realized I would be staying at least a little longer, I began to populate my balcony with potted plants to create my own little container garden. Here’s a video describing a little more about my neighborhood and the plants I’ve brought home (although that was last summer). They’re all much bigger now and I’ve moved location after realizing that direction was too hot and harsh for almost all of those plants, but this is how I got started:
Despite the recent fluctuations in temperatures, spring is officially here in North America. It represents life, renewal, growth, and warmth–something to be happy about. After being bundled up in heavy coats and scarves for several months, it’s nice to be able to step out for some fresh air and sunlight without feeling cold. I might be biased to say so considering spring is my favourite season, but either way it’s a wonderful season and worth celebrating.
After our party last summer for Ramadan, my daughter and her friends were asking when I’d host our next party. So I decided to have a little Spring Garden Party with spring themed food and activities. It’s a happy season after all!
We had plenty of finger foods and snacks with some fun spring elements.
To make sure the kids don’t fill up on the sweets first, I offered the kiddos a variety of fresh vegetables and homemade sour cream & onion dip. Surprisingly, they finished it all. That’s a plus in my books!
Then came the meal. With tiny tummies, I opted to make mini chicken sliders with seasoned fries. The pinwheel toothpicks made a great final touch to the mini burgers. Each child took one home as a souvenir.
Finally, there was the cake that everyone was tempted to dig into before any other food. Luckily I was able to hold the girls off until after their food was eaten :).
My munchkin helped me make this chocolate dirt cake featuring worms and grass–all edible food ingredients, mind you! For the soil, we used the Oreo cheesecake crumbs. For the green grass, I used a special piping tip which gave the fun effect of fresh blades of grass. This tip can be found at any store offering cake decorating tools such as Michael’s. For the final touches, we rolled fruit leathers into long worm-like creatures. They looked a little too real because some girls asked not to have it on their cake! The brave gals, on the other hand, gobbled it up right away.
Once we wrapped up lunch, the kids moved onto our planting activity. I gathered some organic vegetable seeds, soil pods and mini cups to help them plant their own mini gardens which they can take home.
We planted some tomato, carrot and lettuce seeds in different cups. The girls were eager to take it home to show their parents.
Afterwards, we got a little messy with some crafty pom-poms, pipe cleaners, crown cutouts and headbands. The girls were making fairy garden crowns. I used a hot glue gun to stick everything together, keeping it away from little hands.
The girls got very creative and were happy with their new wearable creations.
Finally, when it was time to go home, each child was given a little party favour my daughter helped me pack up. It contained some little candies, animal-shaped pencil toppers, and homemade strawberry lip balm. Yum. They loved it!
I was happy to see the girls chatting about how they were going to plant the seeds in their gardens when they sprout and share the veggies with their families. Incorporating some mini lessons and life skills into the party is something I enjoy doing. I hope they enjoyed their day.
Sobia Hussain is a professional soap artisan who runs The Olive Tree Soap Company located in Toronto, Canada. She creates vegan natural soaps and skincare products with an eco-conscience. She is also Editor of Muslim Gift Guide and writer for various international publications. Sobia loves teaching creative Discovery Workshops designed to help children discover their inner talents and inspire creativity through explorations in art and science.
Winter came a little too late to many parts of North America this year. But when it came, it came with a big bang…and lots of snow. While some people were super excited, others were…well…not so much!
One thing I personally love about winter is the cozy atmosphere you can create inside the home. With thick blankets, extra pillows and heavier curtains, your room can transform into a warm safe haven during the blistery cold temperatures outside. Plenty of hot cocoa and coffees can do the trick, too!
During this season, I also like to make handcrafted soy candles to burn throughout the longer winter nights. The added benefit of using soy wax as opposed to paraffin wax is it lasts much longer and is better for the environment producing up to 80% less soot. Soy candles are very easy to make and I’ll show you how!
Here’s what you need…
Materials:
soy wax flakes
large mixing bowl
large pot
spatula
medium size pot
glue gun/glue sticks/hot plate
small glass mason jars (or your choice of containers)
clothing pins
tabbed candle wicks
drinking straw
fragrance oil (phthalate-free is best)
The soy wax, tabbed candle wicks and fragrance oils can be found at your local craft store. I would highly recommend you use phthalate-free fragrance oils which are better for your health. The rest of the materials can be found at any dollar store. You can get creative with the type of jar or container you’d like to make your candles in. Old tea cups and small deep ceramic bowls can also be great options. For this project, I’m using cute mini mason jars.
Preheat your glue gun. To avoid surface damage, keep a hot plate or newspaper under the gun as it heats so the glue doesn’t drip onto your work surface. I have a small metal plate I’ve dedicated to this purpose.
To start, insert a tabbed wick into the straw. Using the hot glue gun, carefully add a small dab of glue on the metal tab of the wick. The straw helps keep the wick stable as you prepare to glue it into the jar.
Carefully, adhere the metal tab to the center of your container, using the straw as a guide. Press down and hold for a few seconds. Then gently remove the straw. Repeat for the rest of your containers.
.
Create a double-boiler by adding a shallow amount of water to your pot and placing the large mixing bowl on top. Heat over the stove on medium until the water gently boils. Add soy wax to your mixing bowl.
To measure the correct quantity of wax for your containers, fill the container with wax twice and empty into the mixing bowl for melting. This is enough wax for one jar. Repeat until you have enough for each of your containers. For example, I was making 4 mason jar candles so I filled the jar 8 times and placed it into the mixing bowl. This was enough for my 4 candles.
IMPORTANT: Have a mixing bowl and utensils reserved just for candlemaking. You do not want to use a vessel which is intended for eating. I have separate instruments, including bowls, spatulas, etc, I use for all my non-edible projects such as candles.
Once the wax has melted, remove the mixing bowl from the heat and add your fragrance. Add enough until you are satisfied with the scent. Make sure you don’t put too much oil as it will not mix into the wax. A rule of thumb is using 20-30% the amount of wax you have for our fragrance.
Using a spatula, stir the wax and fragrance oil until it is fully blended. The wax will look uniform in appearance.
Now, carefully add your soy wax into each of your jars. Do not fill to the top, leave about 3/4″ inch from the rim.
Carefully, center the wick with the clothing pins. Now let it rest for about 1 hour, until the wax has fully hardened.
Let the candles cure for 24 hours. Then trim the wick about 1/4″.
TIP: Always trim your wicks to 1/4″ for ideal and even burning.
Light your candle and enjoy hours of burning for an aromatic experience!
Now make yourself a hot cup of cocoa, wrap yourself in a cosy blanket and immerse yourself into good book with your candle nearby!
SH
Sobia Hussain is a professional soap artisan who runs The Olive Tree Soap Company located in Toronto, Canada. She creates vegan natural soaps and skincare products with an eco-conscience. She is also a writer for various international publications. Sobia loves teaching creative Discovery Workshops designed to help children discover their inner talents and inspire creativity through explorations in art and science.
.
