Dutch Oven Stew

2/25/2022
Ingredients needed:
Beef cubes 1 lb
4 pieces garlic peeled and minced
1 onion peeled and minced
4 small carrots peeled and end removed, one-inch slices
1 lb small potatoes, red, yellow, and purple cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each
Salt
Black pepper
Sweet paprika,
Cumin
Fresh herbs 1 sprig of rosemary, &
4 of thyme, removing leaves from stem chop up
3 tablespoons worchestire sauce
1 quart, of beef stock
16 ounces frozen peas
1/4 cup flour to 1/2 cup water mixed well no lumps

Dutch oven preparation :
Heat oil in the dutch oven add garlic, onion spices and meat saute until meat is browned then add in potatoes, carrots and beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, taste and adjust seasoning if needed put the lid on, and place in oven at 350 F for 60-90 minutes. check potatoes and carrots, when soft add in 1 16 oz. package of frozen peas and the flour. mixture. cook again for 30 minutes. then serve hot can keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.

CrockPot preparation,
Can use a crockpot just braise the meat in a cast-iron skillet and then transfer to crockpot. cook 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high then an additional 30 minutes After adding the flour mixture.

Firepit preparation :
If cooking in a fire pit make sure you have a nice bank of hot coals that are slow-burning hardwood to bury the dutch oven in, can start the night before and eat for lunch or dinner

Note : you can replace the 1/4 cup flour with 3 tablespoons of corn starch if you can’t do gluten be sure to use cold water and mix to lump free then add slowly stirring until its added .

Harsha (Moroccan Semolina Bread ) Double recipe

3 cups Semolina flour find grind (11/2 cups for single recipe)

1/2 teaspoon salt (1/4 teaspoons salt single recipe)

2 teaspoon baking powder (1 teaspoon baking powder single recipe)

Mix dry ingredients together until well blended

4 tablespoons of honey ( 2 tablespoons honey single recipe)

8 tablespoons melted butter (4 tablespoons melted butter)

Mix the butter and honey into the flour mixture until it looks like wet sand then add in the milk

1 3/4 cups milk to 2 cups depending on how the batter is ,(3/4-1 cup milk for single recipe)

Batter will be a bit wet set a timer and let sit for 5 minutes then shape into round shapes using a biscuit cutter to mold make a ball then flatten in the biscuit cutter I flatten on aluminum foil or waxed paper

Heat pan on stove to medium high then turn down to medium cook each side for five minutes

Serve hot with butter, honey, jam , cream cheese or serve savory with Moroccan olives and scrambled eggs seasoned with cumin and salt can add pepper if you want .

Can make a double batch and cool down they freeze great to freeze place on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze then place in a freezer bag .

To reheat use oven or microwave until hot . Goes great with Moroccan mint tea and coffee

Things I have learned from exclusive pumping Part 1

This post is long over due I am writing about my personal experience as a exclusive pumping mom and let’s start at the beginning in the beginning it’s hard and overwhelming and you have very sore nipples. My journey was hard and fought with some problems , the first being a premature baby who’s mouth was too small to latch on so I pumped every time I feed her day and night and I drank lots of water and electrolytes as well as eating enough calories and carbohydrates as well as protein then I would pump for about 30/45 minutes depending on how full my breasts felt .

The most important thing to remember about pumping is effective removal of milk equals more milk

The number one rule removal of milk equals more milk

A good pump schedule is a must when baby was first born I pumped every time she ate for the first 4 months here’s a sample of a pumping schedule

Sample exclusive pumping schedule

I had more milk then my baby would eat because I had a oversupply which isn’t as fun as it sounds because I was very prone to clogged ducts and mastitis so I had to frequently pump and take horse size pills of sunflower lecithin to help thin the fat so it didn’t stick and cause problem .

Power pumping is your friend if you feel like your breasts aren’t emptying it can also help increase your supply too if you feel you need more milk.

Cluster pumping mimics how babies cluster feed it’s good to cluster pump around when your baby is cluster feeding below cluster pumping is explained .

Cluster pumping mimics cluster feeding

Here’s a important note pace feeding is a must for babies eating breastmilk in a bottle I’ve attached pace feeding information

Pace feeding explained

Pace feeding

Flange sizing explained

Examples of too small just right and too big

When to change pumping parts when they wear out if exclusive pumping it’s more often than occasional pumping or part time pumping

How big babies stomach is in pictures

Normal pumping amounts per pumping session

Miscarriages and pregnancy loss a poem:

Whether you lost your baby at 6 weeks.

Whether you lost your baby at 12 weeks.

Whether you lost your baby at 16 weeks.

Whether you lost your baby at 20 weeks.

Whether it is your first loss.

Whether it is your second loss.

Whether it is your third loss.

Whether is is your fourth loss.

Whether you have not had a child.

Whether you already have a child.

Whether you have two children.

Whether you have three children or more.

Whether you lost your baby in your teens.

Whether you lost your baby in your twenties.

Whether you lost your baby in your thirties.

Whether you lost your baby in your forties.

Whether you lost your baby through ivf.

Whether you lost your baby through unplanned pregnancy.

Whether you lost your baby through planned pregnancy.

Whether you lost your baby through surrogacy.

Your pregnancy loss matters.

Your grief matters.

Your tears matter.

You matter.

#iam1in4 #pregnancyloss #miscarriage

Baked Vegetables

1 large zucchini sliced in circles

5 big sweet meat eater tomatoes sliced

2 onions slice

3 bulbs of garlic peeled then cut into half

1/2 cup olive oil place zucchini in bowl coat with oil

In baking dish I used a rectangle one oil bottom and sides with some of the olive oil

Make rows of zucchini, onion and tomatoes then take chopped garlic and sprinkle between the rows I got 3 rows then take bowl that you tossed the zucchini with oil using a rubber spatula scrape remaining oil over vegetables then salt to taste can use pepper if you want to

Bake in oven 375 for half a hour Serve hot enjoy

Cookies

Cookies

Nutritional yeast, flax seed, rolled oats, wheat germ. I made these no bake bites and they are delicious! Fenugreek does the opposite for me and dries me up so I had to find other routes.

2 cups old-fashioned oats

½ cup ground or milled flaxseed

3 tablespoons brewer’s yeast

1 cup peanut butter or almond butter

½ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Steps

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add all ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Mix on low speed until mixture is well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll mixture into 2-tablespoon sized smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or enjoy right away. Once the bites have set, transfer them to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Mixture can be pressed into an 8×8-inch baking dish and cut into bars, if desired. Other optional add-ins: ½ chopped nuts (such as almonds or walnuts) and ½ cup dried fruit

Parent Of Special Needs Child

I am a parent of a child with special needs,

And I have been to places I never imagined.

I have fought for my child with many professionals,

I have won many battles, I know they are not over.

I have learnt that nothing comes easy,

I have grown so much more because of my child.

I see people differently, many for their kindness,

I have made new friends, who are strong like me.

I will wake again tomorrow, the same, but stronger.

Each day is new, I choose to focus on the positive,

I no longer worry about all of the little things,

And these days’ milestones have become the best things.

I am a parent of a child with special needs.

Tips For Flying

As Salam Alikum Readers

I am writing about flying in a airplane and here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way.

1. Always pack a change of clothes in your carry on , this is especially important if your flying with children, 
2. Gate check the stroller, wear baby / toddler in ergo carrier, if to big to wear then invest in a harness backpack we have one that looks like a monkey it will save you a lot of time and worry if you don’t have to chase a wondering toddler through the airport.
3. If packing yogurts get the tube kind and freeze before hand and store in a lunch bag for keeping foods cold I did this and it was still frozen when I got to where I was going after 18 hours.
4. Baby wipes for easy clean up, I use them to wipe down the seat armrests and tray
5. Bring a pillow and blanket with you
6. Pack a portable charger and have it fully charged for your phone or iPad 
7. Snacks and empty bottle for water
8. Extra pair of socks and underwear 
9. Extra hijab 
10. Travel in comfortable clothes 
11. Have all your important information in one place ( I have a bag I pack my passport and flight information in with a list of emergency contacts )
12. Something to read or do during layovers and on the flight, or headphones to watch movies if plane has them.

Know that when flying with your baby small children that you’re allowed to take them food and breastmilk, formula just tell tsa that it’s your babies food.

Dealing With Mood Changes …..

As Salam Alikum Readers

I haven’t been writing as much as I would like , I have been struggling with a few things . Feeling connected to my children is one of them , let me explain here a bit in depth, myself and my husband decided it would be best for their education if they went to school in Morocco and before February of this year I was with the children then I had to return to the USA and I’m missing my children, I chat with them through WhatsApp and get tons of pictures but it’s not the same as holding and hugging them chasing them around the house , I miss the mundane chores and activities I did with the children I miss them jumping on me in the morning and running to show me their latest drawings as well as their latest boo boo even if said boo boo doesn’t actually exist.

Another thing I’ve been struggling with is my health still trying to figure out why I get stomach aches because of this I have decided to remove cows milk out of my diet which is a lot harder than it sounds. I ran out of milk a few days ago and asked my husband not to buy anymore milk , he doesn’t really drink milk but he loves buttermilk but milk and buttermilk are completely different and I don’t care for the taste of buttermilk , I do like goats milk and it doesn’t upset my stomach so I just switched types of milk. I’m also trying to give up added sugar so today was the last day of the sugar I don’t plan on buying more don’t really have a need for sugar in my house my husband is diabetic and shouldn’t eat sugar so no more sugar for us. Also trying to decrease the amount of breads we eat there are healthier options aside from bread and breads turn into simple sugars when broken down by the body.

Will post a update on the progress in about a month, in sha Allah.

My Last Goodbye

My Last Goodbye

The time has come for my “last goodbye”, 

On this earth, 

Thought I would let you know, 

For all its worth 

This “last goodbye”, 

Today, 

Doesn’t mean, 

I want see you again, 

Someday.

I know you’re not in that body, 

I see. 

But it’s all that’s left on this earth, 

For me. 

With God, 

And my children, 

By my side,

 I’m trying to say, 

“My last goodbye.”

 All I ask,

 Is strength from Allah , 

To see me through, 

To say, 

“My last goodbye”, 

To you. 

My heart may be broken, 

But with Allah by your side, 

The hunger, 

Suffering and pain, 

Will no longer be inside. 

So, 

Sweet peace to you, 

As you take that final ride.

“My last goodbye”, 

To you, 

My precious babies

Today, 

Allah , 

Has you now, 

Forever, in his bosom 

( This poem is for all my babies that I lost due to miscarriages)