Ramadan is fast approaching and today I wanted to round up a few of my favorite healthy Ramadan recipes from the blog to help you eliminate the stress of getting food on the table for the next 30 days. Now here is where prepping ahead for the month will save the day and help you shift the focus on what’s actually important i.e. prayer and other acts of worship.
In this post you will learn about:
- What is Ramadan?
- Benefits of fasting
- Why eat healthy in Ramadan?
- Tips for the best Ramadan
- Sahoor Recipes
- Iftar Recipes
- Dinner Recipes
- Snack Recipes
- Dessert Recipes
- Ramadan Drinks
- FAQ’s
- Full list of Ramadan recipes
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the month where Muslims all around the world fast from dawn to dusk. It is a month of prayer, charity and community. The focus is on sacrifice, self- improvement and increased devotion to God.
Ramadan is all about instilling discipline and patience so this is the best time as any to try to make better food choices no matter how tempting that daily samosa/pakora or other deep fried snack may look!
When I first started on my Hashimoto’s journey, fasting was one of the very first strategies I used to bring balance to my body.
What are the health benefits of fasting?
In recent years research has come to light about just how beneficial fasting is for ones physical and mental health. Here are some benefits:
- Decreased risk for heart disease. The different risk factors associated with heart disease such as blood sugar levels, blood pressure and total LDL cholesterol improve when fasting and so decrease the risk of the disease.
- Decreased Inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation has reached epidemic proportions today. This is the root cause of many modern day diseases such as Crohn’s, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and even cancer.
- Mental clarity and decreased risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Dr. Mark Mattson, a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has said “Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and we think that your brain reacts by activating adaptive stress responses that help it cope with disease” Diseases including but not limited to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
- Increased life span. Although far from being proven in humans, studies show a marked increase in longevity of fasting mice in comparison to fully fed mice.
- Weight Loss. This would seem almost certain but for the bad eating habits and lack of exercise most Muslims are susceptible to during Ramadan.
Why eat healthy in Ramadan
From the lens of physical wellness, fasting in Ramadan is intermittent fasting at its finest. Research shows that when you fast from sunrise to sunset, Atophagy kicks in, a process by which the body cleanses out the bad and dysfunctional cells and regenerates healthy cells. So eating healthy is crucial so as not to negate the benefits of fasting.
My tips for having the best Ramadan
1.Make suhoor a priority. This sets you up for a successful fasting period.
2.Eat nutrient dense foods. Eliminate highly processed foods and replace with whole foods; those found in nature or minimally processed. Fruits and vegetables, eggs, oatmeal, healthy fats like butter and avocado, lean protein such as chicken and fish, nuts and seeds are all part of a healthy diet.
3.Get the fiber in. Fiber is important for satiation during the fast as well as prevention against constipation which is often a complaint early on in Ramadan.
4.Avoid fried foods. This is a no brainer but can’t be stressed enough. If you come from a culture of pakoras and samosas know that moderation is key. Eating fried foods every day for thirty days is extremely unhealthy and as one study has shown, eating fried foods for seven days or more a week increases the risk for heart failure by 68%!
5. Stay hydrated. Water is the best when it comes to quenching ones thirst. A good rule of thumb: 2 glasses of water at suhoor, 2 at iftar, 2 post iftar and a bottle to take sips from while at taraweeh or wherever you plan on doing your night prayers.
6. Avoid sugary drinks. Sugar has been linked to a plethora of diseases, heart disease and type 2 diabetes being the most common.
7. Recharge by taking a short nap during the day. This will help make up for the long nights spent in worship.
8. Stay Active. Ramadan is not an excuse to drop all physical activity. Do what you can even if it is a short walk.
Sehri/Sahoor Ramadan recipes
Sehri is the most important meal so make sure not to skip it and instead focus on protein and fiber rich foods.
- Khagina This recipe comes together in a pinch if you have all your veggies prepared ahead of time. Protein rich and satiating to last you through the day.
- Khagina Muffins Meet the meal prepped version!
- Barley Bread Perfect for a quick sehri that’s nutritious and filling.
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread Refined sugar free and nutrient dense this is a great meal prep friendly sehri/sahoor idea as well as a sweet snack post iftar.
- Chia Oat Cereal Another meal prep friendly recipe. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy throughout the week.
- Homemade Granola You can eat this in a bowl of milk or top your yogurt, smoothie bowls etc.
Iftar Recipes
Dinner recipes
Most Pakistani homes eat a big snacky iftar rich in deep fried foods that are not the best choices. My family and I have switched to a regular dinner most days with some indulgences on the weekends. Below are some recipes that you’ll love!
- Quick and Easy Chicken Haleem A haleem hack you have to try! So easy yet authentic!
- Keema This spicy keema recipe is perfect for dinner and then use leftovers for keema and scrambled eggs for sahoor!
- Chicken Karahi Super quick to throw together.
- Tandoori Chicken Curry A hack on the classic tandoori chicken.
- One Pan Tandoori Chicken Another tandoori chicken favorite!
- Hara Masala Chicken Curry My mother’s famous recipe that my family and friends love!
- Khao Suey Make it with beef or chicken, this is a meal on it’s own!
- Masala Lamb Bowls Everything is better in a bowl!
- Lamb Chops A simple yet winning recipe!
- Daal Easy to make ahead.
- Hot and Sour Soup If you feel like having a soup, this Pakistani inspired Hot and Sour Soup fits the bill!
Snack Recipes
- Chicken Quesadillas Boil some chicken and batch prep these quesadillas before Ramadan for a snacky iftar or quick sahoor!
- Club Sandwiches Use some of that boiled chicken to make these Pakistani style club sandwiches.
- Chana Chaat Using canned chickpeas makes this so quick, easy and filling too!
- Chicken 65 Make it as a snack or pair it with Daal and rice to eat it as a meal.
- Hara Masala Chicken Skewers An herby grilled chicken snack perfect with tamarind chutney.
Chutneys
- Tamarind/Imli Chutney Spicy and tangy without the refined sugar. Make a batch to last you through the month.
- Pea Chutney A riff on the hari / green chutney we all love so much!
Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Granola Bites Perfect for a quick snack post iftar or even sehri.
- Cardamom Date Balls These date balls have fiber rich dates as well as healthy fats because of the nuts.
- Chia Kheer A South Asian twist on chia pudding. Protein rich chia is satiating so can be eaten as breakfast too!
- Almond Halwa I love this adaptation of sooji ka halwa into a gluten free version.
- Stuffed Dates Sweet and savory with a hint of spicy!
- Cardamom Rose Cake A perfect snack cake or a show stopping Eid cake!
Ramadan Drinks
- Watermelon Juice My answer to the sugary red drink that is signature to most South Asian iftars.
- Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie A refreshing drink perfect for iftar.
- Mint Lassi Not diary free but refreshing all the same.
- Lemon Mint A refreshing variation to plain lemonade.
FAQ’s
There are so many! In Pakistan you’ll typically find pakoras (gram flour fritters), chaat, shaami kebabs and biryani being the hot favorites. In the Middle East, lentil soups, Ful, Shakshuka and Shawarma are popular.
Khagina, Chia Cereal, Keema, Tandoori Chicken Curry and more mentioned above!
The fasting window starts from dawn to sunset every day for 30 straight days in which no food or water is allowed. After sunset one is free to eat and drink.
Full list of Ramadan recipes
I hope you enjoyed this healthy Ramadan recipes round up. I’d love to see you make some of these recipes so be sure to let me know in comments if you do! And tag me on Instagram!
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