Inside Jozi WAHMs Kitchen- Easy Sehri (pre-sunrise meal)

As mentioned in yesterday's post, we have just started the month of Ramadaan. I will not be doing lots of Ramadaan posts, but I thought I would share my favourite sehri/ suhoor recipe (this is the light meal traditionally consumed before sunrise during the month of Ramadaan. This is my Ramadaan secret gem as it is quick, easy on the stomach and keeps you full for a long time. Even if you are not fasting, this is a tasty and nutrient -dense breakfast.

Now I know of older people who have a full on meal of curry and rice at 3-5 a.m. For me, the thought of this is slightly nauseating and we just stick to our normal breakfast of cereal, packed with a bit more extras for sustained energy. In summer, low GI smoothies work really well. However, now in winter, hot oats are my poison of choice. 

This morning's bowl of hot oats

 Oats are high in fibre and apparently help to lower cholesterol and keep your blood sugar levels stable (this aspect is of relevance when fasting as you want sustained energy in order not to feel dizzy and tired later in the day).

METHOD:
 

This is what I do to create a quick and easy breakfast that is light, but will keep you full for a good few hours as it is packed with nutrients and has a low GI:

I prepare a large serving of cooked oats as my children also enjoy oats (you might not want to stand in front of the stove that early, so you can make enough for two or three days in advance and keep in the fridge, just heat up and add the milk when you are ready to serve).
I cook the oats with a dash of salt and a few cinnamon sticks (cinnamon and oats are both known to regulate blood sugar and will help keep your sugar levels from dipping later in the day).

Then I add hot milk and a combination of whichever of the below tickle my fancy on the day in question: 

• dates (which feature in many Ramadaan recipes), 
• nuts, 
• dried cranberries, 
• fruit (always banana as it is so filling and sometimes other fruit too), 
• muesli, 
• dried fruit,
• sometimes a tiny bit of Nutella if I am feeling naughty (because of the nut and oil  content in the Nutella, its glycaemic index is not as high as you might think).
• a little cinnamon powder is added as this really keeps those hunger pangs away.

I would imagine that a protein powder would also help, but I loathe the taste of these.

 

Be sure to drink lots of water too in order to stay hydrated.

That is it. Easy, right?