Hello everyone, my name is Noshin (@noshineats) and I am going into my 4th year in Food, Nutrition and Health at UBC. Today I am teaming up with UBC Food Services to share some nutritional tips for Muslim students who are fasting and wondering how to stay healthy during Ramadan, plus a very easy and yummy dessert with dates, which is perfect for Ramadan because who can imagine breaking their fast without dates! My tips:
1. Do not eat too much for iftar (breaking fast)
Consuming large meals for Iftar can lead to over eating and discomfort. Dates are great for breaking your fast because they contain plenty of natural sugar, vitamins and minerals. Eat 5-6 dates to break your fast and alleviate extreme hunger. Then wait 15-20 min before having a full meal. This will help prevent overeating as you wont be as ravenous. Choose fluid-rich foods, for example any kind of soup or stew with lots of vegetables, and don’t forget to have fresh fruits. Other dried fruits and nuts are also great energy sources.
2. Try to have a balanced meal
Meals during Ramadan can vary depending on culture and traditions, but it is important to maintain a balance of whole grains, vegetables and fruits, protein and fats. For example - a chicken/beef stew with lots of vegetables along with brown rice make up a great meal.
3. Drink plenty of water
It is easy to get dehydrated when you are not drinking water for the whole day. So, it is important to drink plenty of water during and after iftar.
4. Get some physical activity in
Go for a walk after 2-3 hours of iftar.
Stuffed & Coated Dates Recipe
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
10 pitted dates
5 whole almonds
2 whole cashews
½ a banana, broken into small pieces
Dried fruits such as cranberries, pears, apricots
5 chopped almonds and cashews
½ cup white chocolate chips + 1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup milk/dark chocolate chips + 1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp matcha powder
Method
You can be creative and make a combination of any stuffing and coating for the dates. The crunchiness of the nuts and the sweetness of dates and chocolate makes it super tasty and nutritious. Here are a few of my favourite combinations!
To start, put the white chocolate chips and 1 tbsp olive oil in small bowl, and microwave in 15-second intervals until it is fully melted. Repeat with the milk/dark chocolate chips and 1 tbsp olive oil, and set aside.
Almond Chocolate Coconut Dates
- Open up 2 dates.
- Stuff 2 almonds inside each date and pull the dates closed around the almonds.
- Using a toothpick to hold the stuffed dates, dip them in melted white chocolate, then roll in shredded coconut.
Banana Peanut Butter Coconut Dates
- Open up 2 dates.
- Stuff a small piece of banana inside each date, then pull the dates closed around the almonds.
- Using a spoon, coat the dates with peanut butter, then roll in shredded coconut.
Cashew Chocolate Almond Dates
- Open up 2 dates.
- Stuff 2 cashew nuts inside each date, then pull the dates closed around the cashews.
- Using a toothpick to hold the stuffed dates, dip them in melted white chocolate and roll them in the chopped cashews and almonds.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Dates
- Open up 2 dates.
- Stuff crunchy peanut butter inside each date, then pull the dates closed around the peanut butter stuffing.
- Using a toothpick to hold the stuffed dates, dip them in melted milk/dark chocolate.
Almond White Chocolate Matcha Dates
- Open up 2 dates.
- Stuff 2 almonds inside each date, then pull the dates closed around the almonds.
- Using a toothpick to hold the stuffed dates, dip them in melted white chocolate and roll in matcha powder.
