Eating healthy in Ramadan
Ever since I left my job 2 months, I haven't been feeling like experimenting and making unique things for lunch and breakfast. But since Ramadan started I was in my zone again and making special things for Sehri and Iftar. I know it's very hard to eat healthy in Ramadan, with all the samosas and pakoras staring at you in the face. But it helps if you research healthy recipes and try them, join fitness groups or post your sehri and iftar meals everyday on Instagram story. Also, try making your meals presentable so they look pleasing to the eye and satisfy you in more ways than one. You will feel so fresh and energetic after having a healthy meal in Ramadan that you will automatically cut back on the fried things.
Here's a basic pattern that I follow.
Sehri
I have either eggs or oatmeal. I either make an omelette, fried egg, boiled or scrambled eggs. With that I have either kidney beans or a sausage. And I top everything off with cottage cheese. Also, I've been thinking about having boiled egg with sauteed potato or sweet potato.
The second option is oatmeal. I like my oatmeal either sweet with figs, fruits, and flax seeds or savoury with coriander, basil, tomato and a fried egg. You can even make overnight oats with yogurt.
Additionally I also like to have a side of yogurt and some fruit. Or you can just have fruits with yogurt for sehri.
For days you're craving something sweet, try making banana oat pancakes. They're very easy to make and satisfying. Top them off with honey or mape syrup, nut butter and banana.
All these options keep me full till iftar and I don't feel bloated at all.
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| Scrambled eggs with beans, sausage and cottage cheese |
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| Apple cinnamon oatmeal and flax seeds |
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| Savoury oats with fried egg and tomatoes |
Iftar
Try to have veggies and fruits for iftar, with some protein. Usually I have dinner that my mom makes, with less rice and some cucumber and tomatoes on the side and a nice glass of watermelon juice.
Some days I make my own iftar, with either chicken, sweet potato cake or falafel. On the side I add some sauteed veggies or salad, beans or mushrooms and top everything off with cottage cheese and basil. Vegetable or lentil soup is also a great option. You can make plenty of it and freeze it. I also make a lot of sweet potato cakes and falafels and keep them in the freezer. They're a nice addition to any veggie bowl. Here are some of my favourite veggie combinations:
1. Apple, spinach, almonds, olives and raisins topped with apple cider vingear
2. Apple, cabbage, pineapple, raisins topped with yogurt
3. Steamed capsicum with tomato, ice berg lettuce and olives
4. Sauteed egg plant, tomato, zucchini topped with honey
5. Sauteed potato with kale
6. Sauteed mushrooms with spinach
Of these 6 sides, the ones you saute can be kept in the freezer. Others have to be made fresh.
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| Shami kabab with veggie rice and salad |
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| Sweet potato cake with salad and cottage cheese |
Some alternatives
1. Use yogurt instead of mayonnaise or cream
2. Use homemade chutneys instead of store bought ketchup or chili garlic sauce
3. Shallow fry your samosas.
Some cheats
It's good to cheat in your diet. Otherwise you end up eating like crazy or feeling really depressed.
2. Eat a nice meal at home every 2 days
3. Eat out every week.
I hope this post helped you out in some way. If you're already eating healthy, keep going. You're doing so well. Lastly, don't consider eating healthy as an punishment. Think of it as a means of self-care.
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