I am an ardent follower of the Sunnah or traditions of the Prophet (PBUH) and try to incorporate as many traditions as possible into our lives. The Sunnahs without doubt touch almost every aspect of our lives from healthy food options to healing techniques such as Hijama. There is no dearth of information regarding the Sunnah today and we come across multiple posts on a daily basis. All this information would be of no use until we make it a part of our daily routine. There is a whole list of Sunnah foods that the Prophet (PBUH) used to consume some of which are mentioned here along with their benefits.

But then again, we come back to the million-dollar question- How do we incorporate these Sunnah foods into our regular diet?  

I could recommend one practical method here that I personally follow and that has worked wonderfully for me for the last ten years or so now. In fact, some of these Sunnah foods have become such an essential part of my day-to-day life that my body would start showing withdrawal symptoms if I would skip them even for a day.

So let me just cut to the chase and introduce to you the Not –So-Ordinary Sunnah Basket.

This basket made an entry into our lives just recently as a gift basket and was quickly up-cycled and transformed into our Sunnah foods basket. My Sunnah basket includes the following super foods:

HONEY– You could use any store bought jar of natural or organic honey. Not necessary that you should only buy the exorbitant pure Sidr Yemeni honey or Manuka honey although the benefits of both are priceless. We all are aware of the amazing qualities of honey. As is mentioned in the Quran, “There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people…” –  Qur’an 16:69.

Method of Consumption

1. I include honey in my diet by either adding two spoons of honey to a glass of warm water or a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lime juice. This is a very potent mixture and its best taken on an empty stomach in the morning before breakfast.
2. Also, one to two spoons of honey can be taken directly or simply drizzled over cereals, pancakes or bread.

This healthy drink not only helps to detoxify our system but also aids in losing weight and improves the skin. I usually gulp down a glass of this mixture right before I dash out to work and it completely cleanses my digestive system and revs up my metabolism for the day.

BLACK NIGELLA SEEDS– We all have heard of the famous chia and flax seeds and thanks to the western world, every health conscious person considers it as a must have in their diet. But then how many of us are aware or have even heard of Black Seeds or Kalonji, which are in fact one of the most potent seeds out there and as the famous hadith goes – “The black seed is a cure for all diseases except death”, (Sahih Bukhari). Now that’s really something, isn’t it?

I believe the Black seeds should be definitely considered as the “Elixir of Life”. We blindly tend to follow western trends and health fads but when it comes to the Sunnah foods, we tend to doubt their credibility even though their immense benefits have been clearly established since centuries. It’s time that we revive the Sunnah and make these black seeds a vital element of our daily regime. Learn more about the benefits here.

Method of Consumption

1. You eat it raw, like pop a spoonful of it in the morning followed by a glass of water.
2. Or you could mix it up with honey or lemon juice.
3. Additionally, you could sprinkle it on breads.

CINNAMON –It’s a fundamental ingredient in south Asian cooking particularly Indian cooking and is one of the integral spices in the concoction called Garam Masala, which is a must add in almost every Indian recipe. This super spice has multiple health benefits and is known for its anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. So feel free to include this star spice in your daily diet.

Method of Consumption

1. You could add it in biryani, pulao, mutton or chicken recipes or even chats.
2. Alternatively, you could add a dash of finely grounded cinnamon powder to honey and warm water mixture and ingest it on empty stomach for best results.
3. Or you could get creative and add a generous sprinkling of cinnamon powder to your smoothies or desserts.

DATES – This amazing Jannah fruit is indeed a nutrition powerhouse as it contains seven vitamins and eleven minerals. Dates are an essential ingredient of a Muslim diet and are known for their antioxidant and laxative nature. Don’t limit its consumption to only the month of Ramadan as this miraculous fruit is nutrient and fiber rich and is known to have several health benefits which you can read here.

Always stock up dates at home as the Prophet (saw) said: ‘The home with no dates is like the home with no food’ (Muslim).  There are a whole lot of interesting ways to include them in your daily diet.

Method of Consumption

1. I either use dates as natural sweetener in porridge and cereals that I prepare for my kids or I mostly consume them as is.
2. Also, you could add deseeded chopped dates to your milkshakes, smoothies, puddings and cereals.
3. Simply get creative and top up your cakes, muffins and pastries with some date syrup. Or whip up this super easy, energy packed, lip-smacking Dates and oats smoothie-

Step 1– Dry roast the oats (Any store bought oats will do) on a pan until they turn slightly brown and let them cool.

Step 2– Add pitted, chopped dates into a blender, throw in some dry fruits such as chopped almonds, pistachios or cashews

Step 3– Add the cooled oats to the above dry ingredients and blend them all with milk and honey or brown sugar

Step 4– Voila! Our super rich dates-oats smoothie is ready, consume it directly or chill it in the fridge and garnish it with some crushed nuts and few strands of saffron before serving.

The above foods have been a part of my daily diet for almost a decade now. Go ahead and include other Sunnah super foods and create your own little Sunnah Basket. Just ensure that you place it in a strategic, easily accessible setting such as on the dining table or on the counter top so that your entire family could make the most of it.

Do share your recommendations on other Sunnah foods that are an essential part of your daily diet.