OOTD: Eid fitr 2013 & Easy Henna Design

Long time no see!! I know it's kind of late, but I thought I'd do a quick Eid post. I've posted snippets of 2 outfits as well as a quick and simple henna design I did for all you novices out there new to henna. This design is easy peasy, give it a go!
Hope you all had a great Eid! x

Benefits of Fuller's Earth

Fuller's Earth (aka Multani Mitti) is a natural occurring clay. Its typical mineral content includes silica, alumina, lime, sapphire crystal, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, and calcium oxide. Fuller’s earth facial masks reduce oil and remove impurities from skin, and as such, are highly recommended for people with acne problems, spots, and blemishes. Below are some benefits.

•  For Sun burn: usually extra exposure to sun gives dark and burnish skin , to heal such skin,  apply one tbsp of  rose water and fuller’s earth each, or you can also try with one bowl of 1 tomato juice with 1 tbsp of fuller’s earth for about 15 to 20 mints. (Avoid and wash immediately, if redness or burning sensation occurs).

• To remove blackheads: not many of us know that fullers earth can actually dig out the white and black heads.  Mix 4 ounces of powdered almonds, 2 ounces of glycerin soap and one ounce of multani mitti in a ¼ cup of water. Rub this scrub on your cheek bones, nose and chin in circular motion. Massage for 20 mints and wash off. Exfoliation removes blocked pores.

•  For prickly heat: it is also an excellent reliever from prickly problem.  Prepare a paste by soaking 2 to 3 tbsp of clay into a cup of chilled water and remove after 20 mints of application.

For dull and damaged hair: Moisten your hair with warm water first and massage it  with few drops of sesame or apricot oil and wrap a plastic cap on your head and a towel for about one hour prior any application. Next step: apply a mixture of 2 tbsp of Fullers Earth to your scalp for 30 mints.  Rinse your hair throughout with warm water.  Shampoo mild.  Apply a liberal amount of refined oil to your scalp to dampen the roots.  Towel -dry the scalp.

• Treating split ends: Massage your hair with few drops of olive oil and leave it for 2 hours.  After that steam up with hot towel wrap for at least half an hour. Wash using mixture of fullers earth  and curd 1 tbsp each.  Wash off with your regular shampoo next day. * use butter milk for oily hair.

These are just some of the benefits of Fullers Earth, there were way more that I came across. Also, this product is available in Asda!

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Iftar

Strawberry and banana fruit salad

Pakora and lamb samosas

Lamb Stuffed Peppers with mashed potato and mixed olives

What did you have for iftar?

Borek

Here is my recipe for borek stuffed with feta, spinach and potato. Great for iftar with a salad.

Delicious meal idea for ramadan: Spinach and feta borek. Yum!

Ingredients:

Puff pastry or filo pastry

Potato (large)

Feta 1 - 1 and 1/2 block

Cheddar Cheese 100g

Spinach leaves (or if using frozen, saute with onion)

Onion x 1

Chilli flakes x 1/2 tsp

Paprika x 1tsp

Black pepper x 1/4 tsp

Olive oil

Egg x5

Butter

Yogurt

Method:

• Take pastry out of fridge/freezer to thaw

• Chop and boil the potato in salted water.

• Meanwhile, sauté an onion with some olive oil.

• Once boiled, drain and roughly chop into smaller pieces and add the onion, feta, spinach leaves and season with black pepper, paprika and chilli flakes. No need to put salt as the cheese contains salt. Taste to see if it’s okay and then add 4 eggs and combine.

• Make a mixture of egg, yogurt and melted butter to brush between layers if using filo pastry (if you’re using puff pastry you will not need this step)

• Brush a baking tray with butter.

• Add first sheet of filo and brush with yogurt, butter and egg mixture. Repeat until half of the filo sheets have been used up.

• Add the filling and spread.

• Grate some cheddar cheese if you like your borek cheesy (or if you just like cheese).

• Place a sheet of filo on top and brush with yogurt, butter and egg mixture. Repeat until all of the filo sheets have been used up. Add a bit of extra egg/melted butter on top of the last sheet and place in oven until golden brown.

Iftar Meal Plans 2013

Salaam, I hope that Ramadan is going well for you all insha Allah.
Last year I posted a link to ramadan recipes from the Nestle website.
Here is the link: http://www.nestle-family.com/my-ramadan/english/recipes.aspx
Here are just a few of the recipes featured: Red pepper pasta, Potato and Lamb Kibbeh, Light basbousa with almond.

Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan Mubarak everyone!!

May Allah grant us the tawfeeq  to exert our efforts in this blessed month. May we use each moment  productively and may this be our best Ramadan ever. Ameen.

Feel a Million Dollars for £1 or Less

To feel full until lunch

Two eggs – 50p (based on £1.46 for six medium free-range eggs)
Studies show eggs for breakfast reduces calorie consumption throughout the day by up to 18%.
“That’s because they make you feel full for longer, cutting the desire to eat more,” explains Cheryl Wilson, head clinician at The Nutrition Coach (thenutritioncoach.co.uk).
Try boiled, poached or scrambled eggs with a slice of wholegrain toast.

To improve posture and help back pain

A ball of kitchen string – 50p (40m string ball from Wilkinson)
Chartered physiotherapist Sammy Margo says: “Every morning, stand tall and pull your tummy muscles in as far as you can. Now, release them by half. Tie the string around your middle – under your clothes – and keep it there all day.
“It acts a constant reminder to engage your core muscles, flattening stomach muscles, improving posture and helping to beat back pain.”

To beat the bloat

Mint leaves – 40p (based on 30g fresh mint leaves for 80p from Tesco)
Herbalists swear by mint for its anti-inflammatory effect on the gut, aiding better digestion and reducing bloat.
It also cleanses the mouth, zapping the nasty taste and furry tongue that often comes with it. Infuse some leaves in boiling water for a few minutes.

To get rid of verrucas

Duct tape – around £1 (available from hardware shops)
Studies show that it can work better than freezing treatments.
It’s not known if it’s down to the tape preventing oxygen reaching the wart or verruca, or a component of the tape itself. Dr Annabel Bentley, Medical Director for Bupa Health and Wellbeing says: “Cover the wart or verruca with tape for six days. "Then remove the tape, soak the wart or verruca in water and rub with a pumice stone. "Leave it uncovered overnight and apply more tape the next morning. Continue until it disappears.”

To soothe a cough

Panda All Natural Soft Liquorice Bar – 65p (from Holland & Barrett)
Liquorice root is used in various herbal cough suppressants and throat lozenges because it has expectorant, antiseptic, antiviral, antioxidant, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory benefits.
It’s thought to coat mucous membranes, helping to reduce inflammation and soothe a sore throat and tickly cough.

To ease heartburn and improve concentration

Wrigley’s sugar-free chewing gum – rrp 49p
Scientists say the saliva stimulated by chewing gum seems to neutralise digestive acid and help force fluids back to the stomach. The study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, asked volunteers to chew sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after heartburn-inducing meals. Gum can help you stay focused for longer on tasks that require continuous monitoring, say Cardiff University researchers in a study published in the British Journal of Psychology.

To relieve hay fever

Vaseline – £1 (pocket-sized tin at Poundland)
Smear a small amount of Vaseline just inside your nostrils to catch the pollen, preventing it travelling further up the nose and triggering an allergic reaction, says Allergy UK (allergyuk.org).
Remove it every two hours with a tissue and apply again. If you prefer to take an antihistamine, don’t pay through the nose for big brands. Boots Value Health Non-Drowsy Hayfever and Allergy Relief tablets (99p for seven) contain the same 10mg of active ingredient Loratadine as market leaders that cost four times as much.

To ease sciatica

Tennis ball – 20p (based on a pack of five for £1 at Poundland)
Tennis balls, the plastic spiky balls used for tumble dryers, or even a potato, are great for massaging tight buttocks and relieving the muscular pain of sciatica, explains Sammy. “Either sit on one or stand against a wall and place it against the affected area. By pressing into the muscle, the ball provides a pivot over which the muscles stretch. "This ‘digging in’ relieves the muscular tension. Repeat several times a day for maximum relief.”

To get a good sleep

Cherrygood Cherry juice – £1 (Asda)
A study from Northumbria University found that two daily glasses of Montmorency cherry juice helps you get an average 25 minutes extra shuteye a night by increasing levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.

To soothe aching muscles and flatten your stomach

Cup (approximately 125g) of Epsom salts in bath water – 75p (based on 1kg bag at £5.95 from epsomsalts.co.uk)
The high magnesium content of Epsom salts means that they’re great for soothing sore, tired muscles and are popular with stars before red carpet events. Add one or two handfuls to a bath to draw out toxins and flatten your tummy.

To lower cholesterol

Handful of almonds – 50p (based on Tesco Wholefoods Snack Pack, 50g for £1)
Unsalted nuts, like almonds, are high in protein and good mono saturated fats, explains Cheryl. Compared with other nuts, almonds contain the highest levels of six key nutrients – fibre, magnesium, protein, potassium, copper and vitamin E. Although renowned for their healthy heart benefits, one study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a daily portion of almonds could cut your bad LDL cholesterol levels by 30%.

To boost your fitness and lose weight

Pedometer – £1 (Poundland)
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, US, found that regularly using a pedometer is associated with significant increases in physical activity and weight loss and improvements in blood pressure.
After reviewing 26 studies involving 2,500 people who were mostly female, overweight and relatively inactive, the researchers found that pedometer users increased their physical activity by 2,491 steps per day and helped them increase their overall physical activity levels by 27%.

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