Online Inspirations

Assalamu alaikum Homemakers!

Insha'Allah all is well with you and yours.

I wanted to share the names of some Muslims online who I have personally benefited from Alhamdulillah. I have a confession, I don't really like chores, ok maybe that's not such a big confession but it's important for me to find interesting and entertaining ways to help me get through daily chores. One way I do this is by listening to lectures. I try not to play music, TV or movies because I find it more distracting than anything else. So, here are some Muslim speakers I find engaging and helpful, insha'Allah you will too :)



1. Nouman Ali Khan:

This Brother is AMAZING masha'Allah, he gives practical advice, he's funny, and down to Earth. He has a lot of videos touching on so many different topics....insha'Allah in the near future I'll make a "top 5" list of his videos. In the meanwhile here is one of his lectures I found so motivating, particularly as a newly wed (the video quality itself is not too great but the lecture can be very beneficial for married as well as unmarried people).

2. Yasmin Mogahed

This Sister shares so many pearls of wisdom in her lectures masha'Allah. Sister Yasmin has a way of putting things that really causes me to reflect, her analogies are truly thought provoking. I will share one of my favorites here

3. Imam Khalid Latif

Imam Khalid Latif is Executive Director and Chaplain for the Islamic Center at New York University. I find his lectures both entertaining & informative, Imam Latif speaks eloquently, he makes a lot of appearances in the media, most recently he spoke with Katie Couric in regards to President Obama's press release on Feb 18th, 2015. Below is one of my favorite lectures by Imam Khalid Latif.

These are my top three Muslims to listen to. I also listen to Joel Osteen from time to time, I find him to be  a Protestant version of Nouman Ali Khan :) sharing very inspirational and practical words or wisdom masha'Allah. I'd love to hear who you listen to, whether its while cleaning/cooking like me or whenever, who have you benefited from online?

Raw Carrot Cake with Yogurt Frosting

This Raw Carrot Cake tastes just like the baked version (if not Better). Nutritious and delicious, this guilt-free dessert will satisfy any sweet tooth. Refreshing yogurt frosting compliments this cake perfectly and is sure to impress your friends and family. Great for any occasion, this recipe is a true winner!

Raw Carrot Cake Ingredients:

3 cups shredded carrots (about 1 lb.)
8 oz. (about 1 cup) pitted dates
1 cup raw walnuts
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
pinch of salt

Yogurt Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 Tablespoons Maple syrup ( honey, or agave nectar can be substituted)


Method:

for the raw carrot cake

1. Place carrots in food processor and process for one minute to reduce their size.  Leave carrots in food processor. 
2. Add all of the other ingredients and process until well-blended.
3. Press mixture into an 8-inch baking pan and carefully cut into desired portions. 
4. Cover and place in fridge for at least 4 hours to set. 
5. Top with Yogurt Frosting just before serving (recipe below).

for the yogurt frosting

1. Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl, cover and leave to strain for at least two hours or preferably overnight. This step is key for a creamy texture.
2. Whisk the coconut and Maple syrup together.
3. Add strained yogurt and whip until well incorporated.
4. Use a spatula to spread frosting on pieces of cake. Serve immediately.

Suggestion: 

For a smoother frosting, process the 1/4 cup shredded coconut to a finer texture before mixing with Maple syrup.

I'm Back!

Assalamu alaikum homemakers!


Insha'Allah (God willing) all is well with you and yours! I know it's been QUITE a while since I have posted. After the birth of my second child I had to prioritize my efforts and pace myself but Alhamdulillah I am now able to multitask a little more successfully :)

I have big plans for the blog and hope to post a lot more consistently insha'Allah. If you have any topics you'd like me to discuss or any suggestions as to what you'd like to see on the blog please do share!

I really hope to create a community for halal homemakers...whether you work outside the home or not, if you put love, time, and care into your home, in my eyes you ARE a homemaker!

I'd like to thank everyone for reading, please stay tuned for great things to come insha'Allah!

<3 Halal Homemaker

No Problem Too Big

Halal or Not? Islamic Services of America Info

Assalamu'alaikum,


Happy New Year! I hope 2014 proves to be a positive and productive year for everyone insha'Allah.

I wanted to use this post to help spread information made available by the Islamic Services of America. Below is the link which will take you to their website page providing halal terminology.

http://www.isaiowa.org/Content/Halal-Information/Halal-Education/Terminology.aspx

Another informative link directs the public to different categories such as "Health and Beauty" & "Pharmaceutical" listing their halal compliance....

http://www.isaiowa.org/Content/Services/Consumer.aspx


It's important for us as consumers to make sure we know what we are spending our money on but more importantly what we are exposing ourselves and our loved ones to! Please do take the time to become better aware of such things insha'Allah as I too hope to do so as well :)

Whatever good lies in this post is from Allah (swt ) alone, and any bad is from myself and shaitan.

Angel or Animal?

It's Been a While! Pineapple Pudding Cake Recipe.

Assalamu alaikum!


My apologies for not posting in a few months, I had my second baby boy in September Alhamdulillah and its been a full time job (and then some) getting adjusted. I'm so grateful to my family for helping me into this transition of being a mom of two, now its time to get back to work :) insha'Allah...

Just a couple days ago we celebrated my first borns birthday, I baked a cake from scratch for the first time. It was a Pineapple Pudding Cake which was quite yummy! I am going to share the recipe here, there is an easier way to make this cake by using yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding (make sure it's halal). I did not take pictures as I went along (only of the final result) but will do so next time (yes there will be a next time for this delicious cake i'A!).


Yellow Cake Recipe

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cup sugar
3eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup milk

METHOD
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two nine inch round pans, or you can use a 10" x 13" disposable aluminum pan that is at least 2" deep (these are usually sold in 99cent stores).

Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly, add the eggs and continue mixing lastly adding the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl mix the cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Now alternate mixing the flour and the milk into the butter mixture and pour into cake pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes. I baked for 30 and kept checking every five minutes or so to make sure it didn't burn. Poke the center of cake with a toothpick, it should come out clean when done.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about ten minutes before taking it out and then letting it cool more (preferably on a wire rack).


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Vanilla Pudding Recipe
I used the recipe from the site provided below, since this is going on the cake make sure its not too runny. I let it cool and then refrigerated the pudding for at least 2-3 hours before putting it on the cake. Also this recipe makes a decent amount of pudding so you may (or may not depending on how rich you want the cake) have some left after assembling the cake.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-vanilla-pudding

***

Ok, now on to the good stuff.......

Pineapple Pudding Cake

In addition to the actual cake and vanilla pudding you need:

*one 8oz container of Cool Whip
*8oz can of crushed pineapple.

I randomly poked holes (about the circumference of a pencil) all over the cake (I spaced them out some), then I poured some of the pineapple with its juice (not too much juice) over the holes and spread it evenly on the cake. Next spread the vanilla pudding over the pineapple. Lastly spread the cool whip over the vanilla pudding, voila!

Here's a picture of the cake I made....its not as refined as I'd like it to be but I did my best while juggling an infant and a toddler at the same time! Alhamdulillah!

Enjoy!