This is a sponsored recipe post by the Zabiha Halal brand. They provide halal-certified products mentioned in this post.
After three full weeks of fasting, napping, eating, praying, and eating some more, as well as being up all night, so much of the Ramadan schedule has either become routine and habitual or a second wind came along to help us get through it all. Either way, many of us have gained newfound energies to elevate the game during this countdown to Eid. I think it’s been quite the marathon, personally.
That said, for parents out there who really need a few more ideas for productive kid-friendly activities, I say we focus on encouraging those things that highlight the spirit of generosity and charity in Ramadan. Choose one, a few, or all of the activities for the remaining days of Ramadan and into Eid, and I think the whole family and even the community will benefit, insha’Allah.
Prep and Deliver Food for people in ‘Itikahf.God bless the people who do not want to spend a single night of the last ten nights except in the place of worship. What if our precious youth can help them in their dedication by providing support in the way of sustenance- i.e. good food! It would be one less thing for worshippers to worry about, and one more good deed for the kids to count. A kid-friendly recipe that they can help you make and take is with the Zabiha Halal Smokies and Broccoli Carbonara, which can be found here.
Post-meal cleanup.Let one good deed follow another by keeping the masjid (mosque) clean and tidy. Closing the cycle of food delivery and clean-up really shows them responsibility from start to finish and they will most likely see a lot of appreciation and encouragement from the adults who are amazed at what the kids have done. Besides, another crucial lesson here is that ‘cleanliness is half our deen’.
Nap in the afternoon. At first thought, a nap might not seem productive, but how many parents have nostalgia for those precious times of the day where the kitchen is closed, everyone goes down for a snooze, and wakes up feeling refreshed and renewed- and ready to help around the house, too! It’s just the recharge essential before night prayers and activities commence, too.
Ask the neighbors how the kids can help them.A very sweet way to meet the neighbors is to offer to lend a hand, whether it be cleaning up their yard, taking out the garbage, doing simple cleaning tasks around the home or something light and easy for the kids’ age. Limit the time to an hour so it doesn’t sap their energy but keeps it short and sweet. Let the focus shine on the importance of time well-spent in service as a representation of faith, kindness, mercy and just simple good neighborly behavior.
Decorate the house.Nothing signals great significance of the moment like changing the ambience in the home. In preparation for Eid, hang party lights indoors and out, banners and add pops of color in textiles and flowers as a way to indicate a unique time is coming. So we do not become desensitized to the occasion, or dilute it with other celebrations throughout the year, keep it special by clearly communicating these decorations are temporary and will only last until soon after ‘Eid.
Maintain the garden.The steamy, sometimes stifling, summer air just might keep us looking at the garden overgrowth from behind our windows. It’s actually a perfect time, however, to show the kids that staying up after fajr has it’s benefits in that it’s usually quite cool out in the morning, which is perfect for working in the garden. If everyone pitches in, then nurturing, weeding, watering and harvesting are a snap. Rotating the responsibility for certain areas keeps things from getting boring. Inspiration to expand with new plants and layouts shows the activity has taken root. Recording stages of growth in a journal with colored pencils and learning the scientific names of plants expands the vocabulary, too. It’s a great educational opportunity.
Try one new recipe that is also a cross-cultural learning opportunity.In the last days of Ramadan we are pressed for time, but we do have to eat. Why not make one of the Iftar meals a window into a different culture? We can all make the world a friendlier place by transforming our lack of knowledge about a people into a delicious, bite-size opportunity to learn something new about them. In my experience, kids absolutely love the excitement of learning something new- and are more apt to try new foods when they’ve been involved in the creation of it. Try the Grilled Tex-Mex Chicken Smokies Pizza with the Zabiha Halal Smokieshere.
Collect and Donate Unwanted Items. In an effort to clean up the house and their rooms, have your kids select some toys and clothes they don’t need or use anymore and donate them to charity.
Qur’an and Dhikr.Read, recite, make du’a and repeat. No better time than in the last days of Ramadan to teach the children small suras, simple du’as and even some short stories about the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the Sahaba.
Delivery service to the elderly in your community.The generations who selflessly supported the youth when they helpless deserve a huge amount of respect, attention and appreciation. Communicate and work with the local community and businesses to set up a delivery service of some sort (i.e. food, therapy animals, reading material, games) to the elderly. Whether living alone or in nursing homes or assisted living, this will make such a huge impact on everyone. A package or a visit with a smile from our youngest to our oldest quickly softens the hearts and strengthens our relationships, and I can think of no better time than now to begin this beautiful good deed, which can insha’Allah, turn into a habit.
There you have it! Ten ways to keep your children (and in many cases adults, too) productive in Ramadan. Which ones do you think you can do? How might this work in your home? What is possible to continue well-past the end of the month, and maybe as a continual effort? Please share your thoughts in the comments section with what works, what doesn’t, what you did about it, and the outcome of such.
Everyone wants snacks, even without celebration days, right? I’m not a big snacker on a daily basis, but I do like to make my own when I am craving them or doing a bit of a Netflix bing. Diriglis Ertugrul, anyone?
Here are a few ideas for you to serve to your guests if you’re hosting a party or just having guests over for coffee, tea or mocktails on the day of Eid or for your own personal and family movie nights.
This mix is a blend of a variety of spicy and smoky, which I love.
Crunchy Party MixNot as savory as the one above, but nice and crunchy and you can make it light on the salt if you get the unsalted nuts.
Smoked Salmon dips are the best. I will never buy this ready-made. I’m sure they’re fine, but it just doesn’t sit right with me because I want to make sure the salmon is fresh. Plus, you can make your own in this simple recipe. Seriously simple.
Caribbean Style Shrimp Salad. This is such a refreshing appetizer and one of my favorites. I think it’s great for all of you who live in nice, warm and tropical weather but those of us in Chicago could also use a nice hefty dose of Vitamin C that’s in here…
There’s plenty more on this site, so please have a browse around. I’d love to know what you decide to make, so please share in the comments below…
Every year, twice a year we have an Eid, a celebration that proceeds great sacrifices. Eid ul Fitr celebrates the completion of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. What a great reward for sacrificing all food and drink (and a few other things) from daybreak to sunset! Eid ul Ahda, which is upon us now, is a wonderful time of celebrating the completion of the Hajj season and is celebrated every year in the Islamic month of Dhul-Hijja. Some people are visiting Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, to experience the Hajj, or annual pilgrimage. It is one of the five tenets of Islam and is mandatory upon all Muslims to perform at least once in his or her lifetime, if he/she is able to do so.
With each Eid comes a very festive time- parties, gifts, buffets and more are all part of the gatherings each and every Muslim family and home will participate in around the world. Eid ul Adha has a particular significance around food like lamb, goat, beef or chicken because it is incumbent upon those who can afford it to sacrifice an animal such as the ones mentioned. The Islamic belief is that this is in remembrance of the sacrifice of Abraham (peace be upon him) who was willing to sacrifice his only son as a command from God, which was a test upon him to do to measure his obedience to his Lord. Once he passed this test, his son Ishmael was replaced with a ram and saved from the act of being sacrificed.
That said, it’s recipe time! Here are some of the past recipes we’ve shared on My Halal Kitchen that use fresh cuts of lamb, goat, beef or chicken and can be used at your next Eid ul Adha gathering. Many of the recipes contain Saffron Road products, too, so please use the hashtag #EidulAdhaMHKSR when sharing on social media so your friends will know there’s a great recipe for Eid ul Adha, too!
Classic American Beef Stew
One of my favorites, use acorn squash or zucchini squash if you can’t get pumpkin.
Lamb Stew with Pumpkin, Plantain, Sweet Potato and Chickpeas
This is a favorite with my Moroccan Cooking Class students!
Goat is a hugely under-consumed meat in most people’s recipe repertoire, in my opinion. Try it in the following two recipes, and I think you’ll absolutely love it.
This next one is in my new cookbook, My Halal Kitchen: Global Recipes, Cooking Tips, Lifestyle Inspiration and it’s on the cover for a reason- it’s simply one of the most delicious taco recipes you’ll ever taste (in my very biased opinion!)- and tacos are great for serving a crowd! If you want the recipe, you can get the book on Amazon here or if you’re outside of the U.S., you should be able to get it from Amazon within your country.
This next one is a classic in my house. When I first became Muslim, Eid was a bit hard because I craved comfort celebration food and struggled with missing Italian flavors in those gatherings. Enough of that- I created my own Italian Lamb Stew and never looked back, since it’s now on the top of my list during Eid. It’s especially great for people who aren’t so keen on spicy dishes.
This is so great for a crowd, and a busy cook. Gather everything in a large pan that you’ll put into the oven and you can even make this the night before then put into the oven the next morning after Eid prayer. It’s almost like prepping for Turkey Day!
There’s plenty more on the website, so please browse around. I’d love to know what you decide to make, so please share in the comments below!
I’m working with Saffron Road’s halal products this Eid to make my cooking easier! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter, using the hashtag #EidulAdhaMHKSR for recipe ideas and cooking inspiration, and to share with your other foodie friends, too.
One of the best ways I’ve found to make soups and stews richer and easier to make is by adding all sorts of broth and stocks: chicken, veal, beef, fish and lamb, in particular.
You can learn how to make your own broths with my recipes in the My Halal Kitchen cookbook and how to prepare the large quantities for the fridge or freezer by watching the video below.
Broth, or stock, is rich in vitamins and minerals and it’s a staple in the traditional cuisine of most cultures, for those reasons. Because most of the meats found in the grocery store today are void of any bones, we miss out on having those vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, in our diets. You must ask for the bones at your local halal meat store. Speak to the butcher ahead of time, as sometimes they need to order or ask specifically for them since they’re not used in cooking as much as before, unfortunately.
Eid ul Adha is a great time to make your broth since many families will be sacrificing the whole animal and thus have access to all the parts, much of which can be used to make beautiful broths, so I encourage you to make your own stock or broth with your Qurbani, if you can. There may be an even easier option by purchasing the broths from Saffron Road, in particular the Culinary Classic Chicken Broth, as it’s one of the best broth on the market I’ve ever found and it’s also halal-certified by IFANCA.
When we look through recipes online or in magazines, what really prompts us to go out of our way to make a list and head out to the store with the intention of buying all the ingredients specifically for that recipe we enjoyed looking at so much?
I look at food for a living, literally, and am incredibly delighted by the vibrant colors and gorgeous photography that exists in the blogosphere and in the publishing world. I can’t, however, make everything that awakens my stomach or inspires me to fly off the couch and dig into my cabinets for every spice listed in a recipe so that I, too, can make a gorgeous Thai noodle dish.
There is one Libyan dish, however, that prompted me to set out to use up our Qurbani meat to make this dish called Tbeikhet ‘Eid which features pumpkin, chickpeas and raisins. I liked the idea of using seasonal produce like pumpkin so much that I decided to give it a try, though digressing a bit by using other ingredients that I had at home that were in much need of being used: (more…)
This is a sponsored recipe post by the Zabiha Halal brand. They provide halal-certified products mentioned in this post. 
God bless the people who do not want to spend a single night of the last ten nights except in the place of worship. What if our precious youth can help them in their dedication by providing support in the way of sustenance- i.e. good food! It would be one less thing for worshippers to worry about, and one more good deed for the kids to count. A kid-friendly recipe that they can help you make and take is with the Zabiha Halal Smokies and Broccoli Carbonara, which can be found here. 
Let one good deed follow another by keeping the masjid (mosque) clean and tidy. Closing the cycle of food delivery and clean-up really shows them responsibility from start to finish and they will most likely see a lot of appreciation and encouragement from the adults who are amazed at what the kids have done. Besides, another crucial lesson here is that ‘cleanliness is half our deen’. 
A very sweet way to meet the neighbors is to offer to lend a hand, whether it be cleaning up their yard, taking out the garbage, doing simple cleaning tasks around the home or something light and easy for the kids’ age. Limit the time to an hour so it doesn’t sap their energy but keeps it short and sweet. Let the focus shine on the importance of time well-spent in service as a representation of faith, kindness, mercy and just simple good neighborly behavior. 
Nothing signals great significance of the moment like changing the ambience in the home. In preparation for Eid, hang party lights indoors and out, banners and add pops of color in textiles and flowers as a way to indicate a unique time is coming. So we do not become desensitized to the occasion, or dilute it with other celebrations throughout the year, keep it special by clearly communicating these decorations are temporary and will only last until soon after ‘Eid.
The steamy, sometimes stifling, summer air just might keep us looking at the garden overgrowth from behind our windows. It’s actually a perfect time, however, to show the kids that staying up after fajr has it’s benefits in that it’s usually quite cool out in the morning, which is perfect for working in the garden. If everyone pitches in, then nurturing, weeding, watering and harvesting are a snap. Rotating the responsibility for certain areas keeps things from getting boring. Inspiration to expand with new plants and layouts shows the activity has taken root. Recording stages of growth in a journal with colored pencils and learning the scientific names of plants expands the vocabulary, too. It’s a great educational opportunity. 
In the last days of Ramadan we are pressed for time, but we do have to eat. Why not make one of the Iftar meals a window into a different culture? We can all make the world a friendlier place by transforming our lack of knowledge about a people into a delicious, bite-size opportunity to learn something new about them. In my experience, kids absolutely love the excitement of learning something new- and are more apt to try new foods when they’ve been involved in the creation of it. Try the Grilled Tex-Mex Chicken Smokies Pizza with the Zabiha Halal Smokies here. 
Read, recite, make du’a and repeat. No better time than in the last days of Ramadan to teach the children small suras, simple du’as and even some short stories about the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the Sahaba. 
