10 Minute Suhoor Recipes

Cooking anything at 2am for the morning meal (Suhur/Suhoor/Sehri) in Ramadan is an exertion that I for one find unnecessary. But if the recipe takes just ten minutes and will boost my daily productivity, it's doable .

The following recipes are ten tried and tested ten-minute suhoor recipes (say that ten times!) from the Eating Well food and recipe cookbook. Try them out, pack for take-outs, happy suhoor!

Bagels and Bananas (pictured above)
Recipe feeds 2 • Halal/Vegetarian • Tip: Sprinkle almond slivers on top for crunch

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of a natural nut butter, such as almond, cashew or peanut
• 1 teaspoon organic honey (acacia honey is a favourite)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 whole-wheat bagel, split and toasted
• 1 small banana, sliced

Method

1. Stir together the nut butter, honey and salt in a small bowl.
2. Divide the mixture between warm bagel halves and top with banana slices.
3. Serve at suhoor.

Good For You Oatmeal
Recipe feeds about 6, reduce as required • Halal/Vegan/Diabetic • Preparation takes slow cooking so get it started at iftar, the breaking of the fast.

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups oats (dried, rolled, steel cut)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method

1. Combine the water, oats, dried cranberries, dried apricots and salt in pan over low heat.
2. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and the porridge is creamy, 2-3 hours.
3. Serve at suhoor.

Blueberries and Lemon Cream
Dense recipe will serve 3 thin people • Halal/Vegetarian • Tip: Replace with raspberries and sprinkle over crushed honeycomb. This dish will keep in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

Ingredients

• 115g/ 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese,
• 80g/ 3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt (plain yoghurt will do)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Method

1. Using a fork, break up cream cheese in a medium bowl. Drain off any liquid from the yoghurt and add to the bowl along with honey.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture at high speed until light and creamy.
3. Stir in the lemon zest.
4. Finally, layer the lemon cream and blueberries in dessert dishes and garnish with extra zest or chopped mint leaves.
5. Serve at suhoor.

Maxi Cheese Melt
Recipe feeds 1 {sharing is khayring} • Halal/ Vegetarian • Try baked beans in tomato sauce, lentil curry (dhaal), or cooked left-overs from the night before.

Ingredients

• 2 heaped tablespoons canned cooked beans
• 1 thick slice organic whole-wheat bread, toasted
• 1 tablespoon prepared salsa (available in jars)
• 1 tablespoon shredded cheese, such as Mexican blend or Jack

Method

1. Spread beans on toast. Top with salsa, then cheese.
2. Microwave on high temperature until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot, about 45 seconds.
3. Serve at suhoor with mango juice or milk.

Herb and Onion Frittata
A basic frittata recipe that can be made flavoursome with soy sauce and spices or more filling by chopping in sliced red and green peppers and mushrooms.
Serves 2 (small portions please) • Halal/Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 100g/1 cup diced onion;
• 25ml of water, and 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, or 1/2 teaspoon dried 
• Pinch of salt or to taste
• Large pinch of ground pepper or to taste
• 2 tablespoons of 'farmer's cheese', which is soft white unripened cheese, or reduced-fat ricotta

Method

1. Drizzle oil in a shallow pan (skillet) and add onion over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until the onion is slightly softened. Uncover and continue cooking until the onion begins to brown. Sprinkle in a little water to prevent sticking and continue to cook until golden brown.
2. Pour in the eggs, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the eggs start to set, about 30 seconds.
3. Continue cooking, lifting the edges so the uncooked egg will flow underneath, until the egg is mostly set, about another 30 seconds.
4. Now reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle your herbs over the frittata and season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the soft cheese on top. Lift up one edge of the frittata and drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of water under it. Cover and cook until the egg is completely set and the cheese is hot, about 2 minutes.
6. Slide the frittata out of the pan using the spatula and serve at suhoor.

Peach-Pineapple-Papaya Parfait
Recipe for 1 (or 2 small portions) • Halal/Vegetarian • Tips: Replace wheat germ with oatmeal or crushed crackers and dribble over the Pakistani syrup Rooh Afza.

Ingredients

• 75ml / 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 80g/ 1 cup peach chunks, pineapple chunks or papaya
• 2 teaspoons toasted wheat germ

Method

1. Place the fruit in a small bowl. Dollop the yoghurt over and sprinkle with wheat germ.
2. Serve!

Raspberry Parfait
Recipe for 4 • Vegan/Halal • Alternatively, make a lighter Eton Mess using strawberries, yoghurt and omitting the meringue.

Ingredients

• 200ml (2 cups) of peach yoghurt (with fruit chunks, not smooth)
• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries, (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups of fresh, frozen or canned pineapple chunks

Method

1. Divide and layer the yogurt, raspberries and pineapple into 4 glasses.
2. Serve at suhoor.

And now, the Suhoor Smoothies!

Papaya Smoothie (EatingWell Cookbook 1996/2008)
Recipe feeds 2-3 • Halal/Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 1 papaya, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (1 1/4 cups)
• 75ml/ 3/4 cup bottled fruit nectar, such as papaya, mango or peach (think Rubicon fruit juice, watch out for preservatives such as aspartame: artificial sweetener, bleuch).
• 50ml/ 1/2 cup buttermilk (or semi-skimmed milk)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Lots of ice, ice baby (10 ice cubes)

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until very smooth and frothy.
2. Pour into 2 tall glasses and serve.

Mango Lassi
Serves 2 • Halal/Vegetarian • Tip: Serve with chopped pistachios, whipped cream or grated bittersweet chocolate curls.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped peeled mango
• 75g peach sorbet (or crushed ice)
• 70g vanilla yoghurt (or plain yoghurt)
• 25ml cup pure orange juice without pulp
• 1/8 teaspoon orange-flower water (optional)

Method

1. Place ingredients in the order listed in a blender. Pulse twice to chop mango, stir well, then blend until smooth.
2. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Banana Smoothie
It may not look full of character but banana in any recipe is a strong and fruitful contender. This smoothie tends to browns after 3-5 minutes, although it doesn't affect the flavour, so add a splash of lemon juice to slow the process if not drinking immediately.

Serves about 2-3 • Vegan/Halal • Tip: Replace the vanilla kefir with 2 cups semi-skimmed milk or skimmed.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 cups vanilla kefir (see how to use vanilla kefir)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (too much nutmeg is 'makruh' in Shariah)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 10 ice cubes (for ultimate hydration and a more fluid smoothie)

Method

1. Combine the kefir, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ice cubes in a blender; blend until smooth.
2. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Smoothie
Recipe feeds about 3 • Halal/Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed berries or frozen berries
• 1 cup of pomegranate juice {carton "fresh" is fine}
• 1 small banana
• 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese, or full-fat milk
• 1/2 cup water

Method

1. Combine mixed berries, pomegranate juice, banana, cottage cheese/milk and water in a blender; blend until smooth.
2. Serve immediately.

Images + Eating Well, Purple Foodie

More recipes:
+ Home-Made Lemonade For Iftar Headaches
+ The Ramadan Gingerbread Cookie Project
+ Plants of The Qur'an: Pomegranate
+ Pasta Salad For A Vegetarian Ramadan