Sauerkraut

i have been wanting to make this for a very very long time. fermented vegetables, with the thousands of friendly bacteria in them is definately the best thing for anyone who is trying to restore their gut flora, but actually it's a great thing for just about anyone and everyone. its a great way to preserve your vegetables and works wonders for your health as whole.

i used organic red cabbage, sea salt and carraway seeds. it so simple, i really don't know why i put it off for so long?

 

if your interested in boosting your health, then friendly bacteria is the way to go.
i got my recipe and method from here http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-homemade-sauerkraut-in-a-mason-jar-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193124

Turkey :: Istanbul

Alhamdulillah, we feel blessed that we were able to go on a holiday, to Turkey, Istanbul. SubhaanAllah, it was full of beauty, so much to see and do. from the minute we hit istanbul, we were constantly on the go, and we loved it.
here's a few glimpses into how we spent our days....

 

So much history, so much culture and so much beauty.

a feast for the eyes and for our tummies MashaAllah

a winter walk....

today our winter walk was of a different kind. today we had a purpose which went beyond having a stroll and breathing the fresh air. today we had others in mind, our local, wild birds to be precise.

as we snuggle together and keep ourselves warm and cosy, waiting for this long and cold winter to come to an end, we often forget about all others who are also anticipating the warm and fruitful days that the summer will bring.

so we feed, we feed them, in order to feed our own souls.

 

 

these days......

....... i'm eating healthily, fresh, whole, homemade food, walking more, breathing deeper, taking in  fresh air; to revive and rejuvenate.
im on a journey......i want to eat better, be more active, live healthier.
why don't you join me!

the essence of sunday mornings.....

...a long, leisurely breakfast.

winter evenings

When you can't shake off the cold (and lets face it, that's most days in our neck of the woods), dim the lights, and light candles, lots and lots of candles. there's something about visually seeing the flame that gives you a warm and cosy feeling.
(oh yeah, switching on the heating and consecutive cups of hot drinks also helps).

....the season to be jolly

:: Fresh fallen snow, to play, roll, and build with

 

::evenings spent indoors, reading, quietly to ourselves and to each other

 

:: hot cups of tea wrapped in our hands, throughout the day

 

:: home made cakes with hot custard, on a cold, wet evening

 

:: evenings spent in candle light, helping us forget the bitter cold outside

 

:: and soup, warm, fulfilling and healing

 

 

 

the things that help me get through winter

the best things in life...

 

...people say the best things in life are free....i must say i would have to agree with them.

whats better at this time of year than free blackberries picked at our allotments, and made into blackberry and apple crumble...served with custard, obviously.

just sit back and enjoy on a cool autumn evening.

Assalamu Alaikum dear readers,

if anyone is wondering whether i've disappeared off the face of the earth and whether i will be returning or not, well think no more! we are back!
we have been away Masha'Allah and it's been an experience of a lifetime. we left everything behind, schooling, our allotment, the kids arabic class, our house, our bills, my blog, for ten weeks, but now we are back and ready to get on with the roles that we left behind.
our first destination was Makkah, the city that never sleeps, the sacred city, the city that rewards are multiplied, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) favourite city.
Alhamdulillah, words cannot describe, the feelings, thoughts and emotions that you go through while on this journey, but what i can say is that i feel blessed that Allah invited me and my family and i pray sincerely that everyone has this opportunity that we have had.
Masha'Allah Alhamdulillah.

Capital of a believer

The capital of the believer is his religion, it is always with him, he does not leave it behind when on a journey and neither does he entrust it to another.

—Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī [d 110H/728CE]

a winter walk

the best walks are the walks, when you go out expecting it to be an ordinary walk, but then something surprises you, like the walk at the beginning of spring when you spot the first crocuses and daffodils, or the walk in autumn, when you find a tree full of apples, in a spot that you walk past almost everyday, but this tree has gone unnoticed, but the best walk is the walk in winter, when you expect the tree's to be bare, but instead you are faced with one of the most prettiest sights that you'll see at this time of year.



escapism....

when kids are bored, and you just can't get yourself to look or feel excited about doing an activity with them, give them a box of junk, some sellotape and pva glue, then make yourself a cup of tea and leave them to it.
works every time.

:: this moment ::

the holistic approach...

in islam, our approach to life is a 'holsitic' one. we take care of not only our physical body, but we ensure our mental and spiritual bodies are taken care of as well. that is the true beauty of islam, the everyday normal actions that we do in our day to day live without giving much thought as to how this is effecting us, generally has a physical, mental and spiritual impact on us, such as our salah (five daily prayers). this not only applies to the actions that we do but what we eat and drink can have this effect on us too.

pumpkin is something that we enjoy at this time of the year. it is available in abundance, it's delicious and very versatile in what you can cook with it, but did you know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was thought to have loved squash; he was reported to have once asked his wife A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) 'O A'isha, if you prepare a casserole, increase the squash in it, as it strengthens the grieving heart' (Jauziya).

It is not exactly known which type of squash the Prophet (PBUH) was talking about, but what we do know is that nearly all the vegetables in this group contain beta and alpha carotene's, vitamins C and E, and potassium and fibre. they also have a high antioxidant level which is beneficent in heart disease.

SubhaanAllah, not only does this group of vegetable have many physical benefits, but the Prophet (PBUH) mentions that it 'strengthens the grieving heart'.

(some content taken from: healing body and soul, by amira ayad)

healing body and soul

i am currently reading this book, and finding it quite fascinating. as someone who is very conscious of what we as a family eat, the benefits of healthy eating and how it effects us, mind, body and soul, finding this book was a blessing.
 i would love to share every little bit of this book with you all, but as this isn't possible, i will share what i feel are the most relevant to us and what we can mostly benefit from insh'Allah.

upside down pear cake

after many Friday's of eating cake baked by my babes, i though it was high time i baked them something.

some softening pears which everyone was ignoring gave me the inspiration.

one of the simplest cakes I've ever baked.

not one of the prettiest,

but one of the tastiest.

enjoy with cream or custard (we had it both).

today we.....

.....after so many grey and dark days saw the sun shining so we put our books away and went outside, even though there were winds which felt as if they were blowing 100mph.

splashed about in puddles that were left behind from last nights rain.

saw this hole and discussed what kinds of animals might live in there.



my two year old told the ducks off because they were stealing each others bread.

got chased by huge white swans who wanted all the bread for themselves. 

eventually the clouds moved in and the winds blew us all the way home.