Refreshing Ramadan Salad

by Noor H. Salem

With the scorching hot sun, and the long hours of fasting, nothing is more refreshing to quench your thirst than water and fresh fruit.

While you may have the perception of eating away at all of your favorite foods at iftar, reality is that you can only eat so much before you’re full.

Moreover, due to lowered consumption during the day, your appetite shrinks, leaving you with less room for food. With that being said, it’s crucial that you take viable measures in consuming nutrient-dense foods, in order to sufficiently reach a proper intake of vitamins and nutrients.

Fasting all day then diving into a buffet of deep-fried appetizers, such as kibbe, samosas, or falafel, followed by entrees and heavy desserts, will not nourish your body well. Instead of gaining energy from your meal, you’ll instantaneously feel sluggish, sleepy, and lethargic. You may find it difficult to pray Taraweeh, let alone last a few hours before falling asleep.

For that, it’s highly recommended that you strive to eat healthier, in order to maximize your energy and ability to worship in these blessed days. Aim to have more water-dense foods, such as watermelon, cucumbers, and other fresh fruits and vegetables. Simultaneously, reduce, if not eliminate, your consumption of deep-fried food, heavily processed food, and unhealthy sweets.

Try this watermelon salad, loaded with healthy fats, antioxidants, and countless vitamins and minerals. Watermelon is one of the foods covered thoroughly in my book, Sunnah Superfoods. It’s extremely high in vitamin C, and contains copper, potassium, biotin, and a number of other minerals. Essentially, watermelon is very water-dense, and is an incredible fruit to reach for during the scorching hot days. The prophet (saaw) ate watermelon with fresh dates, and it’s recommended that both are on your daily Ramadan menu.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups organic baby spinach or spring mix
• 4 cups watermelon balls (cubes work too)
• 2 cups fresh organic blueberries
• ½ cup raw hazelnuts (or walnuts)
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• Optional (extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dash of pink salt for dressing)

Directions:

1. Make watermelon balls using a melon scooper, scooping through an entire watermelon (until you reach approximately 4 cups).
2. Place the spinach/spring mix in a serving platter. Layer with the remaining ingredients.
3. Garnish with the fresh mint. Serve chilled. 

Noor H. Salem is an author, speaker, and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, from Michigan. Noor works with clients in better understanding their bodies and healing with natural foods through her wellness practice, Holistic Noortrition. She presents various workshops, school lectures, group coaching classes, and community lectures on the topic of holistic health. Noor recently published her book, SUNNAH SUPERFOODS, a culmination of life-changing recipes and remedies, with a foreword by Dr. Waleed Basyouni. Her book consists of prophetic hadith, modern research, and delicious recipes, and is in the process of being translated into other languages.