Smooth-y Suhoor

Ramadaan Mubarak from Le Mis Mimz

It's been a while since I posted recipes for you to try out and indulge in (if you get it right). Well, since I promised you healthy Ramadaan recipes to help you stay focused and in shape, I decided to share some with you today as part of our 'Healthy Ramadaan' series.

So we know how important having Suhoor/Sehri is and I hope we are not skipping it. Suhoor/sehri is our 'start of the day meal', if you don't have it, you'll probably pass out or break your fast at 12 pm (which is sooo avoidable if you just have suhoor/sehri). This week's recipes are all about smoothies which you can make in no time and enjoy at suhoor/sehri (or iftaar because it's just too awesome to not have more). By the way, if you didn't know, A smoothie is a blended and sometimes sweetened beverage made from fresh fruit, vegetables and, in special cases, chocolate or peanut butter. They can be enjoyed any time of the day, month or year.

First on the menu is a power date smoothie. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
• 5 dates
• 1 banana
• 2 Tblsp peanut butter
• 2 Tblsp oats
• 2 Tblsp honey
• Pinch of cinnamon

What to do:

Soak oats and dates in milk and refrigerate overnight. In the morning (suhoor time), add the milk/oats/date mixture with all other ingredients to a blender. Let it blend lekker and serve when smooth. This recipe makes 2 servings. 

You can replace the peanut butter with about 4-5 strawberries and replace the oats with your favourite flavour of Future Life.

Rapsberry smoothie

Ingredients:

• Your favourite nut butter (aka crunchy peanut butter)
• Low fat milk
• Frozen raspberries

What to do:

Blend all the ingredients together and serve :) You can garnish with some raspberries. Yep, that's about it.

Blueberry Green tea smoothie

I do not like green tea at all, but the blueberries I just love. They are my favourite berry and not just because of their distinct violet/purple colour, but also because they help burn stubborn fat. Combined with green tea, we have an antioxidant nutritional powerhouse.

Ingredients

• 3 Tblsp water
• 1 green teabag
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 1/2 cup frozen blueberrie
• 1/2 banana
• 3/4 cup vanilla milk (or just normal milk)

What to do:

Make the tea the way you make normal tea, but make sure that the teabag releases all that green goodness. Stir in the honey until it dissolves.

Combine berries, banana and milk in a blender. 

Add tea to the blender and blend together. When it's smooth, it's ready to serve. 

I don't know about you, but these smoothies are making me hungry. I'm off to make myself a smoothie or two for iftaar, yes, cold n all. That's all I have for you for today. More recipes to follow soon so make sure you keep your eyes glued to your LCD's. Oh yeah, don't forget to enter the Ramadaan competition on my Facebook page. It's a collaboration with Baitul Salaamz as well as Dhaakira Health and Children's Organisation.

Enjoy the rest of the fasts. Until my next blog post.

Peace, Love, Unity, MwaHugs

Healthy Ramadaan: Part 2

Alhamdulillah, we only have a few more days left until Ramadaan is on our doorsteps. Are you prepared? You should be prepared by now, if not, there is still time to do so in'sha Allah. 

In Healthy Ramadaan: Part 1, I gave you a brief on how your metabolism works during fasting as well as the types of foods you should opt for when preparing your Ramadaan meal plan. So you're meal plan is now sorted, but you still want to know if you can exercise during Ramadaan. The good news is, yes you can exercise during Ramadaan and Health24's Fitness Expert, Habib Noorbhai says that if you follow certain guidelines, it is perfectly safe. Read his tips here.

So Noorbhai says you should continue exercising because if you miss one month of exercise, its equivalent to losing four months of hard work. Yes you read correctly, four months gone. He also mentioned that you should maintain your current workout programme, but not intensify your routine. If you suffer from a chronic illness, injury or complication, then exercise with caution. 

Now that you have your exercise plan in order, here are some tips to follow to ensure you have a healthy Ramadaan.

• Plan your schedule and meals ahead of time in order to make sure that you get the nutrients, hydration and rest that you  need. It's important that your body gets enough rest because fasting can take its toll on your body.

• Eating suhoor/sehri is important and also Sunnah. There are many rewards and benefits of having suhoor so therefore make sure that you don't miss it and have an unhealthy 'dry fast'.

• Drink plenty of water if you can during suhoor and focus on foods that are rich in carbohydrates and proteins because that's where you'll get your energy from.

• Don't stuff your face during iftaar, instead break your fast the Sunnah way with dates and either milk, water or fruit juice. After maghrib salaah, continue with a light starter like soup or haleem and a cracker cos' nothing goes down well like hot soup on a cold winter evening. While still enjoying the feeling of eating after a long day of fasting, don't overeat. Have a light dinner and drink as much liquids as you can. Now don't mean caffeinated beverages and sodas.

• Avoid fried and spicy foods as they may cause heartburn and indigestion.

• Use this opportunity to eliminate bad habits like smoking.

• Have an assortment of dried or fresh fruit and nuts instead of the caramel treat desserts. Reserve that for Eid, I'm sure aunty Fatima will understand. 

• And after having all those yummy foods, don't forget to brush and floss your teeth for healthy teeth and gums. 

• Maintain a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index): Ramadaan is the perfect time to absorb the spirit of fasting and become more aware of your consumption and eating habits. A common way to identify a healthy body weight is through the BMI. The formula for calculating your BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared: BMI= Weight/Height x Height. For example: 56kg/1.7x1.7=20.76

Underweight = 18.5

Normal weight = 18.6-24.9

Overweight =  25-29.9

Obesity =  BMI of 30 or greater

Remember to plan your schedule properly so that you can make the most of this blessed month by reading and reflecting on the Glorious Qur'aan and the purpose of Ramadaan because you never know if it may be your last. May Allah make it easy for you and me and allow us to reach full potential during this auspicious month. 

I will post recipes soon in'sha Allah, so stick around, but until my next blog post:

Peace, Love, Unity MwaHugs ;)

  

Person to look out for: Fazeela Isaac

Some time ago, I did an Outfit Of The Day (OOTD) featuring the adorable Maseeha Moola. In case you didn't know, she's the daughter of super mum, my good friend,  and this month's person to look out for: Fazeela Isaac.

Fazeela is a 28 year old BBA final year student; an Aalimah graduate; FAIS accredited broker and designer, who was born and bred in Chatsworth  Durban. She's this month's PTLOF because she is making her mark with every step she takes. If this interview were to take place over tea and samoosas, we wouldn't have got anything done.

What is the name of your collection and when did you start it?
The name of my collection is Maseeha Collection and I started it one year ago.

You're an accredited broker and BBA student, why did you decide to start a line of clothing?
I am a Jill of all trades (lol), so after trying out a few other businesses, I realised that my strength is in supplying products rather than services. And that coupled with the unpleasantness of unsuccessfully searching for abayas in stores that were unique to my individuality, brought me to the point of designing and sewing my own abayas and dresses. It is highly important for me to show our Muslimahs how elegantly beautiful, trendy, stylish and modern we can look whilst still pleasing our Creator.

When did you start designing?
I learnt how to design and sew around 2005 at the Institute where I completed my Aalimah course. I officially got back to designing in 2014.

How do you come up with the ideas?
Trial and error! I enjoy brainstorming with my cousin Haafizah. I usually play around with ideas and piece fabrics together and then pass the idea to her for a second opinion.

What type of fabrics do you use and are they easily accessible?
Bonbon and nida are my ultimate faves. I love the quality and texture of them as well as the versatility. I also add some chiffon pieces at times depending on the design. Cotton African prints are now being introduced to the collection and I'm loving it. The fabrics are easily accessible and available at almost all fabric shops.

Who is your target market?
Females of all ages and sizes. There are abayas for little girls from our 'Lil Princess' Collection, right up to teens and of course adult Muslimahs.

You're a mother as well as a teacher, how do you cope in all those roles?
By simply putting on my Superwoman abaya and hustling like a pro #HustlersParadise. It also helps to have a stupendously independent, brilliant and supportive daughter to add to the ease of trying to do it all. I might not have much time to breath between my students, my kid and my business, but the taste of success and independence makes it all worth it.

How do you define success and what motivates you to succeed?
Success for me is being able to smile at my bank account (just kidding) :-)
Having the ability to be financially, emotionally and personally independent is what defines success to me. My motivation for success is without a doubt my daughter Maseeha whom the brand is named after.

Where do you see yourself and Maseeha Collection in five years time?
Expanding my business by exploring other avenues like online stores and getting my abayas into boutiques with absolute brand awareness and brand recognition. As for myself, well, still pushing the hustle while growing my family in'sha Allah.

Here's a sneak peak of what you can expect from the Maseeha Collection:

Lil Princess Collection

Unique designs made to suit your style and personality

Maseeha has a lil something for everyone

If Le Mis Mimz were to have an awards ceremony to honour the women in my life, Fazeela would definitely win the award for Most Hardworking Person, because she does exactly that #HustlersParadise. You can view the Maseeha Collection here or follow her on Twitter: click here and Instagram: MaseehaM

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for a fashion show and to be dressed by Maseeha ;)

Healthy Ramadaan: Part 1

Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu

With Ramadaan just around the corner (a few weeks to go), all I'm hearing is "yes, I'm gonna lose weight," "time to get rid of this fat," "the only time I can lose weight is in Ramadaan," "I can't wait for Ramadaan so that I can lose this weight." Let's get one thing straight, the beautiful and holy month of Ramadaan is not a weight loss challenge or diet to make one lose weight. The month of Ramadaan is not like any other Islamic month. It's purpose it to rid man of those habits which he/she has accumulated throughout the year. It prepares us for the remaining months by teaching us discipline and self control. Acts such as eating, drinking and fulfilling ones desires have been made haraam by Allah. If we can control our desires during Ramadaan, then we can control it any other time. So if you've ever fasted, you know that losing weight doesn't happen so easily in fact, some us gain weight. 

Let's look at what happens to your body during Ramadaan. While you are fasting, you become more dehydrated at rest than usual, but less than if you had exercised aerobically for over an hour. Your main metabolic fuel source for bodily function during fasting is mainly fat, which is a good thing. So what you want to do in Ramadaan is to maximise metabolism even though your metabolism slows down due to less frequent meals; preserve and enhance as much lean muscle mass as possible which will increase your metabolic rate and allow you to burn more calories at rest. Don't put all your hopes on Ramadaan to hep you get slim and trim because that is setting yourself up for disappointment instead focus on staying healthy and not gaining unwanted fat due to all those pastries. If you want to make this Ramadaan a healthy one, set goals and stick to them.

Here are a few things to choose from and a few things to avoid to keep you energetic and nurtured throughout Ramadaan.

Meat and other protein sources
Choose:

• Fish
• Grilled skinless chicken
• Lamb
• Moderate amount of prawns
• Legumes such as beans, lentils and peas
• Eggs at least 3 times per week

Avoid

• Fried chicken
• Fatty meats
• Liver and other organ meats
• Sausages and Wors
• Large amounts of prawns, shrimps and shellfish

Milk and dairy products
Choose:

• Skimmed milk
• Skimmed or low fat yoghurt
• Low fat cheese

Avoid:

• Full cream milk
• Whipped cream
• Creamy and cheesy sauces
• Yellow full cream cheeses 

Fruit and Vegetables
Choose:

• All fresh vegetables cooked with a little olive oil
• Fresh fruits and natural fruit juices

Avoid:

• Coconut
• Fried veggies
• Veggies boiled or steamed in butter
• Juices with added sugar

Bread and grains
Choose:

• Whole wheat or brown bread
• Plain brown rice or spaghetti
• Whole grains

Avoid:

• Pastries that contain large amounts of fat like doughnuts
• Fried rice
• Slap chips, French fries or fried potatoes
• Sweetened desserts

With such an assortment for you to choose from, this Ramadaan journey will surely be a pleasant and healthy one. Do remember that whatever you decide to eat, a balanced food plan containing healthy ingredients, cooked the right way will help you enjoy Suhoor and Iftaar giving you more energy and staying healthy.

Look out for part 2 of the Healthy Ramadaan series which will include more tips and recipes.

Until my next post: peace.love.unity

MwaHugs :)

The #Gimme5Challenge

I'm always on the look out for new workouts to try because I'm one of those people who gets bored after doing the same thing over and over again.
I stumbled across the #Gimme5Challenge on Womens Health online mag and I decided to take the challenge and challenge you to do the same. I'm looking for something that will challenge me physically and mentally and give me killer results. I am already built athletically since I grew up doing sports, but I'm not yet at that 'fit' level that I want to be at.
So, here's the link to the #Gimme5Challenge, get your weights, get your gear and let's get fit and fabulous together #Gimme5Challenge Don't forget to eat right and drink lotsa water.

I'll be posting results after the first 30 days of the challenge on my Facebook page Le Mis Mimz so make sure you check it out.

Time to get fit. Toodles. MwaHugs

HD in your face

Being a t.v presenter for an Islamic magazine show, modesty is key and I'm fortunate enough to wear beautiful dresses made by some of Mzansi's most talented modest wear designers. One designer in particular that caught my attention was Zainab Khoele, the face behind HD or commonly known as Haya Designs.

Her style is a fusion of beautiful African prints from all over Africa with denim which is something that she loves. The designs are simple, yet elegant and can be worn for any occassion. Imagine wearing sneakers with a dress, well, with HD you can.

This is what I wore on the set of An- NUR, The Light on one lovely Friday morning :)

This print has all the earthy colours that many African women like and I must admit, it's my personal fave. Zainab will soon be featured on our 'Person to look out for', so make sure you look out for her. To view her collection Click here

Makeup by: Maureen

Hijab/scarf style: Me

Dress: Haya Designs

That's all from me for now. I'll be back soon with more awesomeness. 

Peace. Unity, Love Mwahugs

Fifty Shades of this n that

Hey ya'll, I'm back :) I know it's been a while since I've posted anything, but I've been a busy girl hey.

So it has been well over a month since the-highly-anticipated-much-awaited, first installment of the Fifty Shades Trilogy, 50 Shades of Grey. There were many mixed reviews to the release of this movie with some calling it 'mommy-porn', others dubbing it 'bad' and 'un-religious' or whatever they were calling it.

Okay hold up, let me just say this, 50 Shades of Grey is not the first and probably won't be the last of its kind. Erotica has been around for a very long time. I'm talking before the 18th Century. So why such a buzz on 50 Shades of Grey? Growing up, I didn't read a lota erotica because that wasn't my kind of thing. I was more into scary stories and fantasies, (well 50S is a fantasy on its own) and adventure.

October 2013, my cousin introduced me to the compelling; dull; unstimulating; unnerving world of Anastasia Steele and the unholy; abominable Christian Grey. Why did you do it girl... whyyyyy??? You have awoken my 'inner Goddess' hahaha.

Reading the book then watching the movie was a whole new ball game. It seems like not much thought was put into capturing the entire story as it is in the book. If you were watching the movie and have never read the book, you wouldn't understand what was happening. Take Wanda for instance (that's Ana's blue beetle by-the-way), you didn't even know she named it unless you read the book. While watching the movie, I waited to see how the conflict between Ana and her inner Goddess and Subconscious would turn out, but it wasn't there... where did that go? Or was the budget too low to include it?

On to the characters, oooh my gahd, Eloise Mumford as Kate? Noooo. Luke Grimes as Elliot Grey? Noooo. Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey? I'm still getting used to that, it hasn't sunk in yet. Dakota Johnson as our leading lady Anastasia Steele, I have to admit, at first I didn't quite like her, but to me, she's the only one who actually got into her role and gave us that timid, dull, boring, under-dressed-for-an-interview-with-a-billionaire kinda girl.  And as for the other characters, they were fine by me.

Everything else in the movie was spot on, like Grey Enterprises Holding Inc. the cars; the apartments; Charlie Tango; the secretary and other 'blondes', in fact the entire ambiance.
For Fifty Shades Darker, extra effort needs to be put in to make it better than the first or else it will be a huge flop. I've already got friends saying they aren't going to watch it because the first was a disappointment.

Ratings:

• Story line- 7/10 (it was not just about the hanky-panky)
• Character cast- 5/10 (they should've listened to the audience)
• Ambiance- 8/10
• Overall- 6/10

At this point, I can't really say I'm looking forward to the sequel. And I suggest that you read the books before watching the movies so that you like you know what's happening.

That's all from me until my next blog... mwahugs