Friday 31 July 2015

July 2015: The One Where We Celebrated Eid-al-Fitr.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful



July 2015: The One Where We Celebrated Eid-al-Fitr.

July 1: parfait assembly.
July 2: cold sandwiches for hot days.
July 3: summer bowls.
July 4: ready to cook.
July 5: left my galette to look at the clouds.
July 6: frying chicken.
July 7: summer essential.
July 8: beautiful discovery.
July 9: cheesy chicken wrap assembly line.
July 10: cleaning out the veg drawer.
July 11: good things begin with butter.
July 12: easy iftar.
July 13: I do love a good biscuit base.
July 14: mini quiche heaven.
July 15: steaming.
July 16: so many mangoes.
July 17: samosas and roast chicken for the final iftar.
July 18: Eid Mubarak!
July 19: tackling the leftovers with quesadillas.
July 20: school dinners taken up a notch.
July 21: so addictive.
July 22: lost count as to how many spices were in this.
July 23: nostalgia.
July 24: home-grown fresh oregano is the best.
July 25: making a mess on a Saturday morning.
July 26: Sunday bake session.
July 27: there's red onion in my salad!!
July 28: rainbows were baked today.
July 29: everyone loved this.
July 30: one of those wow, this is so good dinners.
July 31: coconut milk tomato soup and fried polony lunch.


{via}
my tablet wallpaper this month.
my phone background this month.
 baking challenge: this month's was to make homemade ice cream. I've made an Italian ice cream before.
 along with a cheat's strawberry custard version.
and, let's not forget my no-machine ice cream obsession. here is the mango swirl one.
and, the latest? everyone's favourite Nutella version. I don't think I'm going to bother with the traditional custard-based ice cream when the no-machine method is so much quicker and so good.
 healthy food challenge: this month, I was supposed to make non-potato crisps. the obvious route would be kale chips but it was Ramadan and I could not be bothered to make them. instead, plenty of fruit beginning with huge slices of watermelon.
and, so many strawberries.
how could I forget the mangoes? this was their month to shine and I lost count of how many we ate.
favourite meals: cold chicken sandwiches - cooked + shredded chicken + mayo + chilli sauce + tomato ketchup + cucumber + carrot + bread.
 chicken burgers --> chicken kebabs + burger buns + lettuce + cucumber + tomato + chilli sauce + mayo + tomato ketchup + cheese.
 cheesy chicken tandoori wraps
 coriander chilli cheese toast + diced tomato
 creamy tomato chicken pasta with mushrooms --> boneless chicken and mushrooms cooked with onion + garlic + tinned tomatoes + garlic powder + dried oregano + dried basil + crushed red chilli + salt + pepper + double cream + cheese + pasta + fresh basil.
 mini caramelised onion and Cheddar quiches - shortcrust pastry base + caramelised onions + grated Cheddar + beaten eggs + milk + fresh chives + salt + pepper.
chicken potato shorba steamed with cooked rice.
leftover roast chicken quesadillas - tortillas + refried beans + shredded cooked chicken + Cheddar. on the side, more refried beans + fresh tomato salsa.
 salmon burgers {steamed salmon + ground spices + cooked potato + breadcrumbs} + sweet potato fries tossed with tex-mex spices + steamed carrots and peas.
 baked jerk chicken + rice with allspice, spring onions and kidney beans.
 tinned tuna + mayo + tinned sweetcorn + salt and pepper + chilli sauce + crackers.
 sweetcorn spring onion pancakes + maple syrup + chilli garlic sauce.
 chicken marinated in chilli garlic oil + chickpea Greek salad + minty Greek yoghurt
 chicken mince pizza - base + no-cook tomato sauce + spicy chicken mince with peas and potato + thinly sliced red onions + pickled peppers + grated Cheddar + dried oregano + fresh basil.
spicy boneless chicken {cooked with ginger + garlic + tinned tomatoes + red chilli powder + salt + pepper + green chillies} + soft naan + minty yoghurt + lettuce + cucumber + pickled peppers. 
disaster: that time on Sunday, when baking a jam version of this cake crumble, I overfilled the tin. cue the cake overflowing, a burning smell running through the house and mixed berry jam smoking on the oven floor. the cake turned out ok though. 
lessons learnt: the above quote says it all and this verse from the Quran sums everything up in one go:

13:28

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured.
{Surah Ar-Ra'd, Verse 28}

Nothing gives the heart and soul more peace and serenity than the remembrance of Allah. How do we remember Allah? By praying our 5 Salah, reading and trying to understand the Quran, doing Zikr and reading books about Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (saw). 
As the above quote says, the problems and jobs of this world will never end. There will always be something on the to-do list. It is our job to give importance and priority to the things that will benefit us in both this world and the next.


July, you have whizzed by in the blink of an eye. may Allah accept all our efforts and worship in this month and place blessing into this coming month of August - ameen.

Keep me in your duas, please, and have a lovely August,

Wasalaam!


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