Avocados fall into the category of my favorite foods on the planet. They’re so nutritious, full of good fats and now being called a super food. I’ve been eating them for their wonderful good fats all of my adult life. When I moved out to California recently, I couldn’t wait to get my hand on the local avocados, and in my mind I thought they would be a lot more economical than in the grocery stores of the Midwest. Much to my surprise, they’re not- and avocado toast at some local cafes can be upwards of $13 per sandwich! Not cool, California…
Well, avocado toast is the easiest thing on the planet to make yourself, if you like. My California twist involves a little red pepper, Himalayan salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients for California Avocado Toast: 2 pieces of bread, 1-2 large avocados (one per sandwich), extra virgin olive oil, sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, red pepper flakes
Simply toast or grill your bread of choice and brush a little extra virgin olive oil on each piece.
Remove the pit of one large, ripe avocado and mash the flesh in a bowl.
To the bread, add spring greens or arugula, then a handful of the mashed avocado on each piece of bread. Drizzle with olive oil.
Add a pinch of salt (Himalayan or sea salt) and a pinch of red pepper flakes on top, as well.
Because it’s a Sunnah to break one’s fast with dates (something that Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him, used to do), almost all Muslims will follow suit out of love and respect for this tradition.
After breaking the fast with dates, it’s common in many cultures to have something fried, savory and salty, which is often very tasty but not always the healthiest way to enter the non-fasting period of the day.
So what’s the alternative? A fresh and tasty plate of fruits and nuts that you share with your loved ones. It’s that simple.
Here are a couple very simple ideas. Take note that you don’t have to put exactly what’s on this sample plate, but instead choose what’s local and seasonal to you.
Dates are high in magnesium and both dates and figs are high in fiber, which help your digestive system move food out, which is necessary after fasting because the body is mostly in survival mode when you’re not eating or drinking anything all day. Dates have more natural sugars then figs, but in the case of breaking your fast, this isn’t a bad thing because they help to raise your blood sugar levels safely after losing some natural sugars from a day of fasting.
Dates, Figs, Apricots & Strawberries
Fruits like apricots and strawberries also contain fiber. Apricots are chock full of Vitamin C, and Vitamin A (from beta-carotene). They’re also rich in many plant antioxidants. Pick the when they’re the most golden color.
Strawberries aren’t just full of Vitamin C, but they also contain anti-inflammatory nutrients and antioxidants. Be sure to always pick organic strawberries, as they are one of the most heavily sprayed fruits on the market.
Dates, Figs, Walnuts & Apricots
Nuts like walnuts are so satisfying because they’re crunchy texture helps us to feel a bit satiated until it’s time to eat after the prayer. They’re also considered brain food- don’t we all need that after a day of fasting? They’re a rich source of monounsaturated fat as well as Omega-3, which isn’t always easy to find. Don’t remove the sometimes bitter skin of the walnuts, as it’s now considered one of the healthiest parts of the nut and full of phenols.
* This information is not intended to be medical advice.
I love really light meals in Ramadan and much of the time those involve fish and seafood. What’s great about this particular dish is that you can actually use frozen shrimp or fish an let it defrost and cook in the pan- perfect for the weeknight meal rush- especially in Ramadan.
For this dish, I use large frozen shrimp. Fresh garlic, limes, fresh cilantro, a jar of roasted peppers and it’s always going to be helpful to have a bag of the Saffron Road Simmer Sauce on hand because that elevates the dish to new heights with all the flavor that’s just packed in there. I particularly chose the new Thai Mango Simmer Sauce because it’s new and I hadn’t tried it yet, but also because I am craving tropical flavors in the summer.
The recipe is quite easy in that all you have to do is start with the base- but the important base here is using coconut oil as your flavoring oil. I know, I know about the “new” research on coconut oil and truth me told, I’m not really buying it that it’s not healthy for you. When you use extra virgin, organic and sustainably sourced coconut oil, in moderation (just like anything else), then you are doing the best you can to use the best possible type of coconut oil. That’s just my opinion and my take on it…
So, in this dish, I gently heat the coconut oil, add the garlic, green peppers and the shrimp.
Next, add the roasted red peppers, and don’t worry if some of the vinegar from the jar makes it into this dish. It’s fine and adds some flavor.
The smell is amazing at this point. And all you really have to do is combine with a spoon.
That smells so good, too. And it’s also gluten-free and halal. Great combo.
Next, all you do is let it cook for about 15 minutes on low heat. Then, it’s ready to serve.
You want rice? Serve it with rice? Want couscous? Thai noodles? This dish will go great with absolutely anything as a base, if you want. I actually put them in a tortilla to make tacos- but that’s another story.. To find Saffron Road products like this Thai Mango Simmer Sauce, go the store locator on their site here and be sure to follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @saffronroadfood.
The suhoor meal is such an important one to have because it can really make or break the experience you have on the fasting day. If it’s a good suhoor, you’ll feel energized and ready to tackle the day; if not, it can leave you drained and exhausted, unable to do the things you need to do to keep your household running.
Spinach, Strawberry & Mango Smoothie. Sometimes you just want a thick and energizing drink instead of eating much food at suhoor. If that’s the case, this is one you don’t want to pass up any time soon, as the ingredients go surprisingly well together.
Chicken Sausages with Heirloom Tomatoes. Chicken is light enough to have at suhoor, if you’re in the mood for some serious protein. You can also do this with beef or lamb. Get the recipe here.
Chicken Sausages with Heirloom Tomatoes
Baked Phyllo Shells with Scrambled Eggs. I love this recipe because they’re fun and bite-size, which means you will mostly likely have a small portion of them and still feel satisfied. Get the recipe here.
Baked Phyllo Cups with Savory Scrambled Eggs
Homemade Chappati. I’m a huge fan of homemade breads. You know exactly what’s in them and when you get the hang of a certain recipe, it becomes something you can do with your eyes closed. Try this one, it’s delicious and really straightforward and you can make great wraps with them! Get the recipe here.
Breakfast Eggs with Sejouk. I love eggs any time of day, but I feel they give me quite the boost when I have them at suhoor, since they’re a great source of protein. To jazz them up a bit, sometimes I add that semi-spicy Sejouk, or Turkish sausage similar to what a Mexican chorizo is like. This recipe is for one, but so easy to double, triple, etc. Get the recipe here.
Breakfast Eggs with Sejouk
Savory Spinach Pie: I can’t express how much I love this, as I could eat it any time of day or night. My best friend who is from Turkey taught me her version and my cousin who is half Greek taught me her grandmother’s version. I combined the two ways and came up with this, which I just love so much and find it to be perfect for suhoor. Get the recipe here.
Savory Spinach Pie
Parmesan & Feta Quiche. More evidence of my love of eggs, this quiche is like a fluffy egg pie. I just used whatever I had leftover in the fridge, which was quite a bit of cheese, but you can add whatever you like. Choose light ingredients, however, as anything heavier will affect the cooking time. Fresh spinach, chives or something similar would be good substitutes. Get the recipe here.
Stuffed Figs with Yogurt Cheese, Honey & Almonds.On the lighter side of suhoor sits fruits, yogurt and honey and I love these. If you can find some really fresh figs, go for it completely; if not try dates or even other fruits like pears, peaches or apples. The combination is so very good. Get the recipe here.
Chicken Pot Pie in Phyllo Dough. This is what I call the leftover suhoor recipe. I would probably start out making it for Iftar and then have some for suhoor because it’s light enough and not spicy, oily or heavy in any way. The protein, however, really helps me get through the fasting day. Get the Whole Tied Chicken by Zabiha Halal, boil it or roast it and then pull it apart to use in this recipe. Get the recipe here.
Chicken Pot Pie in Phyllo Dough
Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Zest. For the real breakfast experience, there must be pancakes of some sort, right? I love these so much because of the orange zest that gives it all that zing. These are spongy, not fluffy pancakes so if you like that style, this is yours to make. Get the recipe here.
Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Zest
For more Sahoor recipes, get a copy of my Summer Ramadan Cooking Cookbook in either paperback or Kindle version.
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When I first made this dish, I was apprehensive. I had only ever eaten rack of lamb at restaurants and considered it ‘fancy fare’ for the top chefs to make. Who was I kidding? It’s so easy to make and quite filling, even though it doesn’t look like a lot of meat when compared to burgers, ground meat or even stews.
I decided to continue on the theme of working with dates and create a date puree to act as a thick sauce, much like a BBQ sauce would be added to meat on the grill, although I’ve made this rack of lamb on the stove top. I like it for an intimate Iftar dinner for 2-4, served with rice, couscous or pappardelle pasta.
The spices I used are typically Moroccan (i.e. cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, etc.) just because that’s what I’ve been craving, but you could swap out some of your own that you think would go well with the deep and sweet flavor and creamy thick texture of Medjool dates.
Nature’s Anthem Medjool Dates from Coachella Valley, California
I’m probably not the only one whose favorite time of the day in Ramadan is the time when we break our fast. It’s not because it’s actually time to eat; it’s because the sweetness of that first bite or first drink is really and truly the sweetest moment time and time again. For me, t’s a time for the appreciation of flavors, of gratitude for the food before us and for the ability to savor every bite. No more taking ingredients and simple pleasures for granted. It truly changes the way you look at food.
That’s why some of my favorite things to come up with in the kitchen are Iftar Starters, usually of the naturally sweet variety. I use what I have in the kitchen and very rarely go out of my way to buy anything unusual to create them. Like these Banana Date Cups, I incorporated Medjool dates, which I always have on hand, fruit like bananas that I always have on hand and baking ingredients like coconut flakes, almonds and honey.
These are simple to make, very quick to put together and are easy enough to make just one or more for a crowd. That’s the kind of ‘cooking’ I like to do, especially in Ramadan.
