Asian Noodle Soup Recipe

This soup is warm, comforting and bursting with flavor. Inspired by Malaysian noodle soup and Thai Khao Soi, its creamy coconut base and beef broth is extremely nourishing and delicious. The recipe below makes a stockpot worth of soup, so feel free to halve the recipe, or simply share with another family. :-)

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef shank (with bone)

2.5 - 3 tbsp red curry paste (I use 1/3 packet of Mae Ploy brand)

3 tsp turmeric powder

8 tsp coriander seed powder 

6 tsp cumin seed powder

6-7 cardamom pods (cracked)

1 2 inch stick cinnamon

2 dried red chilies

10-12 curry leaves

1 large bay leaf

33.8 oz coconut cream (I use 1000 mL Kara brand)

Whole wheat noodles

Sliced boiled eggs

Directions:

1) In a stock pot on medium high heat, sauté the beef shank with red curry paste.

2) Add the seasonings (not the coconut cream) and continue sautéing. Add a little water to prevent burning. Continue sautéing until all seasonings are mixed well and fragrant.

3) Add water until it’s at least 2 inches above the meat, or at most 2 inches from the top of the pot. Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for a few hours until the meat is tender. I let it cook 5-7 hours.

4) Lower the heat to the lowest setting and stir in the coconut cream.

5) In a separate pot, boil the noodles to desired firmness.

6) Ladle the soup over the noodles. Serve with sliced boiled eggs. 

Reviewing with Children

Lack of motivation is a common problem when memorizing. Although we really want to continue memorizing the Qur'an and desire to have the words of Allah preserved inside our hearts, we still struggle with the portions we have already memorized and need to review. I have noticed this lack of motivation in myself, my children and other students of the Qur'an. Following are some tips which I have used to make reviewing with my kids easier. Try whichever ones you feel will work; sometimes different methods work on different days.

1) Make du’a for Allah to put the Qur'an in the hearts, minds and actions of your child and for it to be easy for her. The only way anything happens is first, with the help of Allah, and then with consistent and persistent effort. It’s amazing how strong and effective du’as are.

2) Let your child see you when you are reviewing. The biggest motivator for a child to perform a behavior is seeing her parents do it. Reviewing is no exception. When your child sees you reviewing, she will internalize the importance of review.

3) Talk to your child and remind her about the importance of review. Memorizing without maintaining review is like carrying a bucket of water with a hole in it; eventually everything will be lost. I find that even though my daughter knows the importance of review, this reminder is needed often.

4) Do the hardest review first. Save the easier review for the end when the brain is more tired. For my children, the hardest review is usually what they memorized in the last 3-6 days, followed by their weekly review. We do the remainder of the recent review in the end.

5) Make Qur’an first on the to-do list. The brain is freshest and least cluttered in the morning. Use the morning freshness to your advantage and knock review off the list. Often my kids will do their most recent review and their new before having breakfast. On days they’re too hungry, they do it immediately after breakfast.

6) Schedule a break. My children complete their cycle of old review during the weekdays, so on the weekends they only have recent review and new memorization. This break allows them to rest their brains but still move ahead in new memorization. There have been times where we took a day of the weekend completely off, but that’s rare.

7) Snuggle during review. I have a friend who listens to her son’s review with her head in his lap. I often review with my daughter in my lap or snuggled next to me, even though she is 10 years old! It brings us closer together and makes her feel like it’s her special time with me. 

8) Be gentle. When your child makes a mistake, don’t get frustrated, and don’t get angry. It may seem strange that she is repeating the same mistake multiple times, but when the mistake is solid, it is difficult to fix. Remember that it is difficult to review, but it is even more difficult when the person listening to you is upset with you. When your child fixes an old mistake or completes a portion without mistakes, give her a thumbs up or another gesture to indicate she did well; speaking to her when she is doing well may throw her off and cause her to make a mistake.

9) Review in a distraction free area. My children often review in the car, because there is nothing around to distract them. Sometimes we review in the garage or in the office with the door closed if there are other children around.

10) Set a timer. Set a fixed time to concentrate and see how much can be finished in that time. I used to set a 30 minute timer for my daughter, and that really helped her focus on getting done as much as she could without getting distracted in between surahs. Often she would finish all her review, even though she though she anticipated it taking much longer. Caution: Ensure your kids are not reviewing fast. Reviewing too fast compromises tajweed.

Which of these methods have you tried before? What works for your children?

Crunchy Cereal/Granola Recipe

This granola is perfectly crunchy and full of wholesome goodness with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s an amazing substitute for cereal when paired with milk. For a snack, its crunchy sweetness balances out the tart creaminess on a bowl of homemade yogurt. This recipe is so easy my kids make a double batch (without my help) to keep on hand for busy days. 

Ingredients:

2 c rolled oats

1/2 c sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds)

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

3/4 c sliced almonds

1/4 c coconut oil

1/4 c honey

Optional: 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2) Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

3) Put the oats, seeds and almonds on the parchment paper.

4) Melt the coconut oil and honey together. I use a glass measuring cup and microwave for 30-60 seconds until the coconut oil is melted.

5) Stir and pour the honey/oil mixture onto the dry ingredients on the parchment paper.

6) Mix until everything is coated with the oil and honey mixture, and spread it all out evenly on the parchment lined baking sheet.

7) Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown, stirring 1-2 times to ensure even browning.

8) Let cool completely before adding optional raisins or other dried fruit.

9) Enjoy with milk or yogurt. Store in an airtight container.

There's a hole in my bucket...

Inconsistent review is like having a hole in your bucket. Even if you are memorizing new portions of the Qur'an, your old portions are slowly leaking out. Unless you plug the hole by reviewing, you will eventually lose everything you memorized.

Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe

My family LOVES yogurt! We eat it plain, add berries, cook with it, or use it as a replacement for sour cream! This yogurt is deliciously thick and creamy while having just the right amount of tartness to it. Yogurt is already simple to make, but the instant pot shortens the hands on time and ensures consistent results.

Equipment:

Instant pot

Steaming rack

Glass container to fit on the steaming rack inside the instant pot

Funnel

Ingredients:

Whole Milk - enough to fill the glass container almost to the top.

2 tbsp yogurt

Water from your tap at the hottest setting 

Directions:

1) BOIL: Pour the milk into the instant pot and close the lid. Put the glass container on the steaming rack. Put the vent in the sealed position. Press yogurt; then press adjust so the display reads boil.

2) STERILIZE: When the milk boils (in about 30 minutes), open the lid and pour the milk back into the glass container. If you have a thermometer, put it in the milk, but you don’t need one. 

3) COOL: Wait until the temperature is between 110 F to 115 F (about 50 minutes to an hour). My thermometer broke, so I wash my hands and use my finger to measure the temperature—If I can keep my finger in the milk, it’s ready for the starter yogurt. If it’s a comfortable temperature, it’s too cold. 

4) STARTER: In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of yogurt and a couple of tablespoons of the cooled down milk from the glass container. Mix gently and pour the mixture back into the glass container. Mix it all up gently (don’t blend).

5) WATER BATH: Turn your tap water on to its hottest setting. Put the steaming rack with the glass container into the instant pot. Use the tap water to create a water bath around the glass container, filling water all around it. Use a funnel to ensure water does not get inside the glass container.

6) INCUBATE: Close the instant pot and press yogurt. The display should show 8:00. The instant pot will maintain incubation temperature for 8 hours.

7) REFRIGERATE: After 8 hours, remove the glass container from the instant pot, place the lid on it, and place in the refrigerator.

8) ENJOY: your fresh homemade yogurt!

* I use whole milk, but skim, reduced fat, and even cream will work.
* For more tart yogurt, incubate for a longer time. For less tart yogurt, incubate for a shorter time.

*Adapted from: https://trinaholden.com/easiest-yogurt-recipe-ever/ and https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DUO-Series-Manual-English-January-24-2018-web.pdf

Qur’an Memorization Tips

1) The night before you memorize, read the word for word translation of the portion you’re memorizing. Study it so you understand and internalize what the words and verses mean as you recite. This will not only help you during memorization and review, but also in implementing what you memorize.

2) The night before you need to memorize, read from the mushaf the portion you need to memorize until it’s easy on your tongue. That means it rolls off your tongue smoothly, without any hesitation. Make sure you do this with proper tajweed so your tongue is used to the correct recitation. For some people this is 10 times, for others it’s 40. If it’s easy on your tongue, it will be easy to memorize.

3) Listen to it on repeat. You can listen to it as you’re falling asleep, while you’re cooking, doing your chores, or any other time your body is doing work that is automatic and does not require much thought. It’s amazing how much just hearing the Qur’an will aid in memorizing it—even if you think you’re not an auditory learner.

4) Mark your mistakes. If you keep forgetting a certain word, circle it in pencil, or make a box around it, and repeat that word with the word before and after it. When you’re reciting it from memory, the mark will help you remember the spot on the page where you were messing up—even if you think you’re not a visual learner.

5) Recite to someone before you recite to your teacher. If you do not recite your new lesson to your teacher daily, you need to find someone who will listen to your new memorization the day you memorize it. It also helps to have someone listen to the combined new lessons the day you’re reciting to your teacher, to make sure your recitation is free from hesitation and mistakes. For example, if you recite to your teacher once a week have someone else listen to your new lesson daily. Also, have someone listen to all 7 days of lessons combined right before reciting it to your teacher. 

6) This last tip is only relevant if you get nervous when reciting to your teacher, and your mind goes blank: Stay around 2 days ahead of what you need to recite to your teacher. That way, when you get nervous, you still remember your lesson, because it’s 2 days old (and you’ve been maintaining your review!!).

Choc-oat-late Truffles Recipe

These truffles taste like delectable, chocolatey, crunchy bites of heaven in your mouth. They are sweetened with nothing but dates, and use only wholesome ingredients.  When your sweet tooth strikes, whip up a batch of these and enjoy them guilt-free! Be warned: One truffle is never enough...at least for my family ;-p

Ingredients:

1 packed cup pitted medjool dates
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp vanilla essence
2 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 to 2/3 cup sliced almonds

Directions: 

1) Put all the ingredients except the almonds in food processor. Blend until the mixture turns into a ball. If the mixture isn't sticky enough, add more coconut oil and keep blending.

2) Add sliced almonds and pulse until just mixed, or mix them in by hand. The more almonds you add, the crunchier the truffle will be.

3) Roll into small balls.

4) Refrigerate (if you have the patience to wait).

5) Enjoy!

Benefits of Traveling with Kids

On our recent trip to Maui, I was thinking about how much my family enjoys traveling. For those who haven't traveled with kids, it may seem daunting. It may even seem like unnecessary torture! However, after countless road trips, camping trips and flights with my children, I realized that I should share some of the benefits of traveling with kids which keeps us traveling as a family.

1) Build Confidence: My kids are not the most outgoing, but they have enough confidence to converse with adults, buy things, and request what is necessary. When we're traveling, my kids meet new people on airplanes, in restaurants, and in hotels. They ask flight attendants for snacks, they let the waiter know their orders, and they call the front desk to ask for extra towels. They make friends at the hotel pools, and they enjoy talking to locals.

2) Instill Self Sufficiency and Responsibility: My children are almost always responsible for packing their own carry ons and backpacks when we travel. I let them know how many outfits to take, but they choose which ones. They pack their own swimming clothes, undergarments, footwear, and fun items for road trips and plane trips. Since they pack their own items, they don't argue with me over what they should wear or why something got left at home. It also saves me the time I would have to spend packing their luggage. They even roll their own carry ons and carry their backpacks, although sometimes my 3 year old decides to let me carry her backpack for her. :-)

3) Value Experiences and Family and Memories: Traveling has allowed us to experience some amazing moments. When we were in Thailand, the kids and I walked onto a local pier on a beach city where vendors were selling local crafts and foods. We walked hand in hand as the light, warm rain pitter pattered on her heads. Wearing our flip flops, we sloshed in the little puddles. We stopped to watch a lady make som tam, the most amazing papaya salad, from scratch. She allowed us to taste it as she added different ingredients. When she finished making it, we sat down on her makeshift table to enjoy the fresh, delicious, sour, yet sweet and spicy delicacy as the rain drops fell around us. Our tongues tingled and our eyes took in the beautiful ocean in front of us. To this day, my children and I remember that som tam--not just because it was the most delicious som tam we ever tasted, but because it was a moment we all shared together.

4) Embrace Different Cultures: I often feel like racism and ethnocentrism, and often many disagreements are a result of not understanding the ways, culture or traditions of another person or people. We are often afraid of what we don't know, and we tend to assume. I want my children to understand that different people will do things differently. That's why, I encourage learning about different people and how they live in different places.  Allah says in the Qur'an "And of His signs is the Creation of the heavens and earth and diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge." (Rum: 22) We discuss which aspects of a culture we can take part in as Muslims, which foods we love to incorporate, and what we enjoy most about different ways of living. When we went to Thailand, we enjoyed Thai food immensely. When we went to Hawaii, the children picked up many Hawaiian words and used them while we were there and even when we came back home! As Muslims we believe in a single God, so we did not take part in any Buddhist activities, but we understand that people of different religions can still live in peace and harmony.

5) Practice Patience and Flexibility: When we travel, we're taken out of our homes and our regular routines. We're required to wait: wait for transportation, wait for food, wait for a hotel, wait for the bathroom. Granted, my kids don't always wait patiently, ;-p but at least they get to practice their patience, and they are patient most of the time. We also have to be flexible and learn to make do with what we have. We don't have our own beds, so my elder two share a bed. My youngest shares our bed or sleeps on a makeshift crib. We all share a bathroom, so we wait for each other. We learn to live with less for those traveling days, which in turn makes us realize we can make do with less even when we are home.  We learn to care for each other and help each other out. For example, my elder two often help my youngest get dressed, use the bathroom, eat, and put on her shoes, among other things.

Of course when we're traveling as a family, there are always times that are difficult, mostly when the children are hungry or tired. What I've noticed, however, is that we have really come to enjoy exploring new places together, and the benefits greatly outweigh the difficulties. Our experiences together have made us a closer family and encouraged us to be better people.

Are you inspired to travel with kids? Have you traveled with kids? If so, what benefits did you see? If not, what holds you back?

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

These cookies are hands down, the best I have ever tasted in my entire life...EVER. NO exceptions!! They are slightly crispy on the outside, while being soft on the inside with just the right amount of gooey chocolate chips. Their wholesome yet addictively delicious taste makes it just about impossible to stop eating them!! The best part: My 7 and 10 year old daughters make them without me even stepping foot in the kitchen...In fact, I had to ask them for the recipe! Hint: Don't make the mistake of making single batch. ;-p

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup softened butter--NOT melted (around 30 seconds in the microwave)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 T milk
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (preferable Ghirardelli)

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3) Using a mixer, cream the sugar with the softened butter for about a minute. Add the egg and mix for another minute. Add the vanilla and milk and mix again.

5) Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, with the mixer on low. Mix just until the flour disappears. Don't overmix.

6) Add the oats and mix. Add chocolate chips and mix.

7) Form rounded cookie dough balls using about 1 T of dough. Don't make them too dense. Place dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.

8) Bake cookies for 13 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. They should be "puffy" when they come out. Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes to set up. Then move to a cooling rack. Makes around 16 cookies.

* Adapted from: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookies/

Book Review: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits by James Clear was nearly impossible for me to put down. It is an incredibly easy read filled with practical information, examples from the lives of successful people, and anecdotes from the life of James Clear himself. There is enough explanation to understand concepts without feeling bored.

Why should I care about building habits? Clear explains that “Habits reduce cognitive load and free up metal capacity so you can allocate your attention to other tasks.” I have a lot I’m already thinking about, so I’m happy automating as much as I can to free up my brain cells!

He also explains why its important to build habits and focus on the “system” rather than the “goal”. Simply wanting something won’t guarantee I’ll get it. What I need is the right system that will get me to my goal—I need to take the right steps to get where I want. If I make “tiny changes” I will gain “remarkable results”.

How I we cultivate these habits in myself? Follow his 4 laws: Make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy and make it satisfying. Clear explains each of the laws and gives examples of many successful people who used them to achieve success.

Reading about all these successful people, one would think successful people just have more willpower, but Clear explains that ““Disciplined” people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic will power…they spend less time in tempting situations.” For example, if I want to stop eating junk food, I should stop storing it in my house! It should be EASY to keep up a habit, not difficult.

Finally, Clear stated that “The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom…It’s the ability to keep going when work isn’t exciting that makes the difference.” This means that I have to be able to stick to repetition even if it isn’t fun.

This book is definitely worth reading; I highly recommend it.