I cannot believe that we are nearly halfway through the month of Ramadan.
Being in quarantine has made this a very different Ramadan, more time for reflection and baking!!!
My biggest issue in Ramadan is constipation, this year is worse due the limited movement. Working from home makes it harder to motivate myself to move, but I am trying to get out and walk a couple times a week.
I have been experimenting with high fiber recipes and in fact have been baking brownies, muffins and bread all with whole wheat flour and best of all for the fat I use olive oil. I will add some of the recipes on this blog.
I know I need to increase my fiber foods, but I need foods that are energy dense but also small as in Ramadan the stomach shrinks and it is hard to actually eat as much as we want.
The American Heart Association recommends that you consume at least 25 grams of fiber each day. Fiber reduces your risk of constipation and hemorrhoids by encouraging proper digestion and regular bowel movements.
At Suhoor which is the meal before sunrise, it is really hard for me to eat anything substantial. When I wake up to eat at 3.30am, I am still full from dinner. I usually eat breakfast foods like muesli or cheese toast, but have been experimenting with recipes.
I love these energy balls, we have them daily, they give you sustained energy from the oats and banana and have flaxseeds and chia to add more fiber and omega 3. The protein comes from the almond butter. Rolled in coconut they are delicious.
I sometimes add a tablespoon of cocoa or if I want to be indulgent add some chocolate chips. You can roll them in chopped nuts if you prefer. They take 15 minutes to make.
Dates are great in energy balls as they are a good source of fiber and antioxidants, but we eat dates daily to open our fasts at sunset. So I did not want to over do the dates.
Coconut energy balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup oats
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut plus more for rolling
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- 2 Tbs chia seeds ( optional)
- 1 1/2 mashed banana
- 1/4 cup almond butter( can try peanut butter)
- 1Tbs cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup maple syrup ( can try honey)
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbs olive oil
Soften the almond butter and mix all the above together. Then with wet hands make round balls. If the mixture is too sticky, put it Into the fridge for an hour. Roll each ball in coconut and place in tray.
They are not overly sweet and the best thing is that they require no major equipment.
Hope you enjoy the recipe.
May is mental health awareness month, so my next few blogs will include ideas to build our emotional resilience, which is the ability to cope or bounce back after an adverse event.
Even when it feels paradoxical, feeling positive emotions (love, gratitude, joy) in the midst of a global crisis can promote resilience (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2003).
Happy Mother’s Day to all the hardworking mothers.
Love and gratitude to all my readers.
Stay safe and stay well🙏