Ramadan & the Mighty Date

The deliciously sweet date has been a part of Islamic history right from the very beginning. Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) used to break his fast with dates and a glass of water, and Muslims the world over follow this ritual to this day.

 

The humble date is a powerhouse of nutrition. Apart from its characteristic sweet taste, dates are high in fiber which help prevent the absorption of harmful cholesterols and also act as a laxative to maintain healthy bowel movement.

 

Dates get their delicious sweetness from fruit sugars. Fruit sugars are more easily broken down by the body giving an instant energy boost. It is no wonder that the Prophet chose this fruit for breaking fast!

 

Dates contain a good amount of iron, an essential nutrient for boosting the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. Dates also provide Vitamin A, a strong proponent for good eyesight. Traces of calcium, manganese and copper in dates help maintain good bone health. Potassium in dates is great for the heart, and regular intake can guard against heart-attacks.

 

 

In the Middle East, expectant mothers going through labour pain are given dates to eat for stamina.

 

Calorie-wise, 10 dates give you approximately 250 calories. Not bad for all that goodness! 

 

I will be hosting an Iftar party this coming weekend, and want to serve a contemporary fair (a twist of the traditional with Western influences) - more on that in my next post. I was gifted a generous 5 kilos of fine dates, so apart from serving them as is, I will be using them in all of my desserts. I will make date muffins, Al Batheeth (a traditional Emirati date dessert), and date kheer (a twist of the traditional Indian risotto with the sweetness of dates). Sharing my recipes with you here:

 

 

 

Date Muffins (makes 24 mini muffins)

 

200 grams dates, pitted and chopped

1/3 cup boiling water

3 teaspoons baking powder

100 grams butter

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk

200 grams plain flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

 

- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

- Blend dates with water and baking powder. Leave to sit for 10 minutes.

- Beat butter till fluffy, and add the eggs. Beat again.

- Add the date mix and milk, and blend.

- Sift flour and spices together, and fold in the date mix.

- Spoon into mini cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes or till golden and firm.

 

Al Batheeth (makes 20 pieces)

 

200 grams whole wheat flour

200 grams dates, pitted and chopped

50 grams ghee

1 cardamom pod

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Icing sugar for coating

 

- On medium-low heat, brown the flour on a non-stick pan. Be careful not to burn it, and stir often.

- Add the dates, and cook for a few more minutes.

- Add the ghee, cardamom and ginger. Mix well and set aside to cool.

- Once cool enough to handle, shape the dough into ovals or use pretty moulds, get creative!

- Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

 

Date Kheer (serves 6 to 8 people)

 

1 litre fresh milk

1/2 cup water

200 grams dates, pitted and chopped

1 small can condensed milk

1 small can cream

2 bay leaves

4 cardamom pods

2 cloves

1/2 cup uncooked rice, washed and soaked for an hour

 

- In a saucepan, bring the milk to boil, and reduce to a simmer.

- Add the bay leaves, cardamom and cloves.

- Add rice and cook till tender.

- While rice is cooking, boil the water and cook the dates till soft. Whizz in blender (but not to a paste - you want to keep some semi solid date pieces).

- Once rice is cooked, add the condensed milk and cook some more till milk reduces further.

- Pour in the date mixture and cook on low flame, stirring constantly.

- Mix well, remove from heat and stir in the cream.

- Refrigerate before serving.

- Big Sis.

Rachel Roy Feed Bag

Philanthropy and style merge together with this gorgeous tote.

 

 

The very talented Rachel Roy collaborated with Lauren Bush's Feed initiative. Lauren's lovely Feed bags have been around for a while now. Every Feed bag (or other Feed merchandise) bought goes towards charity.

 

Rachel Roy, being inspired by a recent trip to India and revisiting her heritage, decided to create this limited edition Feed tote. Each bag bought feeds 100 meals to children in India and also supports local artisans hired to create these. 

 

I bought mine online from the Rachel Roy website. I chose the white bag ( they also had it in orange).

 

So the charitable part is noble, but in all honesty I fell in love with the gorgeous ethnic print. It's also super light and easy to carry about.

 

I like Rachel's message printed on the inner pocket; "kindness is always fashionable". It seems an apt motto for her!

 

 

The only thing I would have liked on this bag is a closure of some sort, maybe a wee snap button, just to give my contents a little bit more security from falling out.

 

All in all, a great purchase for a great deed. Thanks Rachel!

- Big Sis.

Manawatu: Heart Standing Still

I can sincerely say that it is no exaggeration to say that New Zealand really does rank very high as one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Like many Kiwis I often take for granted what a scenic country I live in.

 

 

Shot from a phone, pictured above is a portion of the Manawatu Gorge area.  The Manawatu River is seen with windmills from the Tararua Wind Farm to the left.

The Tararua Wind Farm is the largest capacity wind farm in New Zealand with 5% of the country’s electricity generated by this means. The Manawatu River is also significant, being a key river of the lower North Island.

The river derives its name from a Maori legend involving an explorer named Hau. Hau had travelled down from the west coast of Taranaki chasing his runaway wife Wairaka and her lover. During the chase he crossed through many big rivers, but was very afraid to cross the latest large one. Clutching his chest, he named the river Manawatu. Manawa in Maori means heart, spirit and tu means depressed or still. So in total, Manawatu: heart standing still.

- Lil Sis.

Glysolid: A Savior for Dry Skin

Glysolid is a glycerin and allantoin based cream balm and is excellent for dry, chapped skin.

Glysolid and I were meant to be! A couple of weeks back I was driving through a major dust-storm looking for an office I had an appointment at. Getting lost in the heat and dust really winded me up, and after the meeting I treated myself to a manicure at the salon on the ground floor.

My hands seem to be getting drier by the day, and this is hardly surprising given I wash them almost every few hours and am slack at moisturizing (amazing how we tend to neglect our paws and not our faces!). My mother always said a lady’s age can be seen from her hands, so I decided to try the liquid paraffin treatment at the salon. The wax was a little too hot for my liking, but my hands did feel baby soft all day.

But like all good things, the feeling was temporary and my hands were back to being moisture-quenched a few days later. The manicurist was a lovely lady from the Phillipines and she recommended I try Glysolid. She told me to use it religiously every night before I go to bed on my hands, feet and even legs.

I looked up the red tin in my local supermarket. My manicurist said if I had trouble finding it, I should ask a Pilipino. And sure enough, the sales girl at the supermarket who helped me was from her place. The product is from Germany, but it appears Pilipino ladies have quite a few beauty secrets up their sleeves!

I was also pleasantly surprised at just how cheap this product is. I got a generously large 3.38 ounce tin for AED 13. I used to use Neutrogena Hand Cream Concentrate, and a small 50 ml tube costs AED 25.

The texture of Glysolid is similar to the Neutrogena Hand Cream Concentrate, but I feel it gets absorbed into the skin quicker and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. You only need a small amount, and I think this tin will last me a good few months.

My toddler likes Glysolid too!


- Big Sis.

My Hair Loves Macadamia Natural Oil

I can't stop raving about this product range. I have very fine, limp hair and the years of dying and styling it has made it dull and dry. I used to avoid brushing it as I loose clumps of hair to my brush, and then I'd have to fight the tangles! Life has been hard for my tresses, and then I discovered this range.

 

 

I saw the Macadamia Natural Oil range displayed in Nazih. For those of you who don't know Nazih, it is a gold mine for beauty products! They are wholesalers who sell to salons across the UAE and tend to stock high quality beauty products you wouldn't find on the supermarket or pharmacy shelves.  

So there I was in Nazih, and I see these gorgeous green and brown bottles. I help myself to a sample and fall in love with the amazing scent, and it doesn't take much persuasion from the sales lady to make me buy.

 

I decided to get the 'Healing Oil Treatment' and the 'Deep Repair Masque'. Given the hefty price tag, I decided not to splurge on shampoo, something I'd rinse off anyway.

 

The 'Healing Oil Treatment' is basically a hair serum. Just one pump is plenty for my shoulder-length hair, and I've been using it daily on dry hair. It leaves no oily residue, my hair looks healthier and moisturised, and best of all the scent is so very amazing!

 

I use the 'Deep Repair Masque' once a week on shampooed and towel-dried hair. You just need a teaspoon-full. The instructions say you need to leave it on for 7 minutes, but I keep it on for 15 along with a squirt of the 'Healing Oil Treatment'. Together, the gorgeous scent lasts a little longer, and the masque really hydrates dry dull hair. I use more on the ends than my scalp as it's pretty rich and can tend to make my hair look limp.

 

These products are definately not cheap, but worth every penny. They also last a good 3 to 4 months, and my hair is in love with this stuff. The pretty packaging is an added bonus and looks great on my bathroom shelf.

- Big Sis.

Have a Nice Day

This divinely creamy vanilla rice pudding from Al Rawabi is aptly called 'Have a Nice Day'. A spoonful of this yumminess keeps me smiling all day long!

It's a pleasure to eat and reminds me of something my mother would make us as kids... A cusp between a vanilla risotto and a simple home-made custard. 

Strangely it is not always on the supermarket shelves, so when I see it I grab a whole tray of 6! 

My little girl loves it too - happy mummy with a happy tummy! 

Now that the holy month of Ramadan is here, I'll be serving these yummy pots of goodness for Sehri and Iftar.

Ramadan Kareem everybody!

- Big Sis.

The Denim Shirt: A Wardrobe Essential

Forget the white shirt, the classic denim shirt is a fashion investment every wardrobe should have (yes, even for the boys!). Like your favourite pair of jeans, a good quality denim shirt will last you many a fashionable season and will only get better with time.

You can invest in a few cuts and colours, but the most versatile bet is a regular blue wash denim in a slightly loose fit. A loose fit will allow you to play with more style options such as knotting, tucking and wearing as a jacket.

Tuck in for a more chic, polished look. 

Or tuck out for easy-breezy casual.

A denim short looks great on all fits of pants and skirts.

 

Wear it as a jacket. A denim shirt makes layering a breeze.

 

Add a casual vibe to a body-con dress. 
 

 

Or play around with a sparkly number. Love the look below!

Don’t shy away from wearing denim on denim. You can’t go wrong as long as each piece is a different colour and you accessorize right.

I am currently obsessed with pairing my denim shirt with bright jeans. Take the cue from fashion designer Rachel Ray below. Doesn’t she look charming in her yellow capris? I also love the classic combination of denim and bright red.

 

 

 A loose-fitting denim shirt allows you to do the knot. Simply unbutton the last two to three buttons and tie the ends together for a beautifully boho look.

 

 

When layering for winter, a peak of denim can add an edge to a drab sweater.

 

If there's one thing you're splurging on this month, let it be a classic denim shirt. A regular wash light denim blue is your best bet, and one that is slightly a size bigger will give you more wear (as a jacket or the knotted look above).

 

I'm sure you'll fall in love with this fashion essential and invest in more styles. Happy shopping pretties! It's all about buying the right pieces that go the extra mile.

 

xoxox Big Sis.



Gladiator Sandals

 A trendy pair of gladiator sandals, preferably leather, that tie up right to the knees, is high up on my summer lust list. Then I see Simone Heng donning these beauties by Husna, and this starts me off on a mission to find a pair for myself! A pair of gladiators is perfect for summer, but one that can twist and wrap itself knee-high has far more fashion quotent in my books, and will look absolutely striking with an assymetrical skirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the original Gladiators crafted these beauties, little did they know that they've placed themselves in fashion history for generations to come.

 

 

In New Zealand, a pair of gladiator sandals is a part of the summer uniform till date (for both genders). 









 And the fashion scene has seen so many versions of these lovely strappy sandals over the decades. I own a few low-rise versions in different styles and colours, but really want to get my hands on a knee-high version!

 

I found this lovely store on Etsy that does custom-made sandals, and am totally in love with the pair below. There goes my resolution to spend less this month...

- Big Sis.

The Dilemmas of a Working Mother

One of the biggest heartaches as a working mother is when you share the “Mama” title with the babysitter. It was an emotionally uplifting moment when my chubby little cherub, a mere 7 months old, held out her pudgy little hands and called me “Mama”. I gave her a giant squeeze; she giggled, and relished the new word formation her tongue had mastered. And then the babysitter informs me she calls her “Mama” too. I cringe and morph into the green-eyed monster. She is my baby, I carried her for 9 months, I am paying you for looking after her. I am the real Mama!

But then logic kicks in. It’s bubby who has got it wrong, not the babysitter. For her, the word “Mama” must refer to the woman who feeds her, changes her dirty nappies, and puts her to bed (a normal cycle in the life of a wee baby). And to hear I share the “Mama” badge with babysitter must mean she is doing a pretty ok job.

My own mother gave up her career in teaching and raised three children at home sans babysitters or any domestic help. We used to come home from school to a warm lunch on the table in the company of family. My little girl goes to the babysitter. I made her lunch the night before, and the babysitter warms it up for her now. She eats and plays with a group of toddlers there, and they all wait past 6 for their respective mummies and daddies to finally take them home.

I am not saying I had it better than my daughter, but they say our early social interactions shape the adult we become in later years. In this case, it would be easy to conclude that my daughter will be more of a social butterfly than I am. I can see traits of this already. I was a shy child, but she happily goes off with strangers. She is also a little bully and has little boys under her control. But will this make her less attached to family? I worry about that, and this makes me do bad things like spoiling her to bits.

Her toy boxes are over-stuffed, she gets to eat chocolate almost every day, and she gets to be breast-fed beyond the median age. I give in to her tantrums. I am turning into the mother I promised I wouldn’t be.

Perhaps a part of me feels guilty for not being with her most of the day, but giving up my career was not an option. Money is not the issue; my husband works full-time and we can get by comfortably on what he brings home. But I have worked hard to get where I am today. You earn your degree in college, but the hard knocks of the real workforce teach you more. I enjoy what I do, and more importantly, it keeps my grey cells active. I cannot fathom how women can be at home all day serving a baby 24/7. It can take its toll, so perhaps my office is actually a sanctuary from mundane mummy duties. I turn into “Mama” after 6.

The added income doesn’t hurt either. It means we can afford better schooling for bubby, save up for her future, and buy her prettier things. And Mama gets to do more retail therapy to keep her motivated at juggling both jobs.

As my child is growing older and conversing more, I make the most of my time with her. I limit TV time and play with her. We sing nursery rhymes together and laugh at silly cartoons. I let her watch me cook and let her do simple things around the house to make her feel important. I take her for a walk and we point out interesting things to each other. I treasure these moments. And around her first birthday, she started reserving the “Mama” tag solely for me!

Children grow up far too quickly, and there’s something magical about every stage. I feel warm and fuzzy remembering the day we first met in the delivery room, a tiny bundle wrapped in sterilized white, big inquisitive eyes staring at the new world around her. I had promised to be there for her always; her guardian, her guide, her mother. Life will throw difficult choices our way now and then, but being a working mother should not be a taboo. Sure a stay-at-home mother has her perks (being there to watch her child every step, taking power naps when bubby is snoozing), but I have chosen to work, to have more financial flexibility for my child's future, and to give her a more intelectually stimulated mother. I am confident my daughter will understand the reasons behind my choice and look at the silver lining.

- Big Sis.