Thursday, April 21, 2016

Ramadan like a Refugee Challenge

When my daughter was younger I would, like clockwork serve up massive platters of food for Sahour and Iftar, sahour especially, because "I couldn't let my darlings go hungry! I'd stuff both to the gills, it didnt matter what they said, they would eat everything I made.... oh wait! Yes, the yogurt too!  I have no clue how either of them didnt turn morbidly obese with me dooting over them. 

I've never felt food insecurity. I know many people who have. I've tried my hardest to care for those people over the years, delivering what I can, but I dont honestly remember the last time I didnt want something and was unable, for any reason to obtain it. Humdullah. I've drew a lucky card. 

I was recently reflecting on this while typing out a Ramadan Facebook post. 

This is my family's first major holiday without our beloved matriarch, my husband's mother Nadia. I love Nadia deeply. She welcomed me with open arms from the moment she knew I existed, until her last breath. She was another Mother to me. I looked to her for guidance through out the years I was blessed to have her and now, I sit thinking, how can I best honour this amazing, selfless woman who worked so hard to do for others, most of whom were not even her family  but just people she met In passing or friends?

Nadia was left to raise her children, with nothing more than what she made selling scrap wire in the street after her husband's  brother took over their co owned business. (Karma later got him, just so you know)

I can imagine in the days shortly after she lost her husband, then her livelihood she was worried, never scared... but worried, how would she provide for these children? She kept her faith, she knew one way or another, the kids would be fed. All we have and will ever have is written for us by God. One way or another the children would be fed.

I can't help but wonder, did Nadia go hungry? Did she feed her children before herself? Before strangers? She was they type of selfless woman that would most definitely do such a thing. 

This made me think of the plight of so many mothers, especially in our Islamic family with the war in Syria, Palastine, Iraq, the financial issues in Egypt.... honestly I sat here in my Great American  privilege and felt pretty shitty. How could I fast Ramadan... fasting for the purpose of learning self control and to feel the hunger of the less fortunate... but do we really feel for them when we know we have a feast waiting for us?


So, I'm going to do the "eat like a regugee challenge"... ugg.. I hate the word challenge, no one challenged me. I'm damn not sure to you... but wtf ever... gonna roll with it.

Mine will be modified as I'm on a keto diet, I've lost a LOT of weight and I can't go through that rollercoaster again. I have averaged out the calories in a 1-week ration box. Is 5,138 broken down by day that's just 734 calories. 

I'm modifying it, but I'll be keeping it super basic, since there is no twist or diversity to these rations. You are sustaining like. End. Period. Over.

I'll still be cooking the full meals for my family, working every morning at my stores, all of my daily activities must be done. I dont have time to sit and pitty my growling stomach. 

I've started this morning with a modest sahour of1 2 eggs. Cheeses and 2 oz of diced tomatoes. We are at 4:30am, it is currently 2:01pm.... and damn! I'm starving far more than any previous fast.

My body is sluggish, I would kill for some sleep.but day one of 30 is almost over. 


Monday, April 18, 2016

Halal Keto chicken and spinach "lasagna"

Halal Keto chicken and spinach "lasagna"






Since starting the Keto diet I've been craving a good slice of lasagna and since pasta is a no, no!, I bring you the keto friendly version.





Ingredients.
  • 4 Chicken breasts, 
  • 1 jar pasta sauce*
  •  1.5 cups of thawed, frozen spinach, drain and squeeze out excess water. 
  • 4oz cream cheese 
  • 1/5 cup of GreenLand Feta**
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella/ provolone mix cheese.
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons garlic paste***
  • season salt
    Directions-
    Preheat oven to 400F
    grease baking dish or cover in foil, pour sauce into the bottom of the dish.
    Season chicken breasts with season salt and half of garlic. 
    lay chicken in a single layer in the bottom of the dish on top of sauce.
    In a large mixing bowl, mix together cheeses, egg, spinach and remaining garlic.
    Spoon mixture over chicken breasts.
    bake uncovered 45 min or until chicken is cooked and cheese is lightly browned.




    * tomatoes have a load of sugar carbs,  if you're at your daily limit, you can omit the sauce and use diced tomatoes, still some carbs but not as much.
    ** if you can;t find GreenLand feta ( a creamy feta) you can use regular feta and a few teaspoons more cream cheese.
    *** Garlic, another one of those amazing things that can add unwanted carbs.