Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.
Here it is, the brownie recipe that my husband loves so much...and everyone else, for that matter. I'm typing the specific ingredients that I use, because I believe that treats should be delicious and good for you. If you substitute with variations, I don't know what the difference will be in the final product, but I don't think you can go wrong.
1/2 cup butter (organic if possible)
1 cup organic raw sugar
cream together, then add:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (non-alcoholic/glycerin based or vanilla powder)
mix together, then add:
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/3 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup organic wholewheat pastry flour/wholewheat/ white wholewheat flour
mix/beat until it is a smooth and uniform batter.
I bake the batter in muffin/cupcake baking trays so each brownie is a neat circle. Bake at 350F or 175C for about 20 - 25 minutes until done. This makes 12 thick, rich brownies.
hmmmm sounds good and healthy! and love the title! :D
ReplyDeletenice.. is see salt healthier than regular salt. Now i have a another harder question. I sometimes want to buy organic food. I really do but they are usually more expensive than normal food and then I start to feel guilty and think "people are starving in parts of the world, and Im here picking the best quality food when i can settle for what everyone else is eating". I don't know. Is there some way I can eat organic without feeling guilty. I don't want to live a life where Im being picky about what I eat. but then again im very health consious. Whats your advice?
ReplyDeleteI love brownies......lol I mean brownies, and I are close lol. Who can resist yummy brownies. I like buying organic foods too, and most of these ingredients I have in my kitchen, minus the organic butter. @ Sarah I noticed organic foods actually taste better to me. They are more flavorful. Inshallah I gonna try these.
ReplyDeleteAs salaamu alaykum Sarah.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to a simple explanation of the differences between sea salt and regular table salt.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/table-salt-vs-sea-salt-difference-between-sea-salt-and-table-salt.html
The difference lies in how the salt was derived (natural vs. chemical processing), its nutritional content, and the affect it has on the body.
As for you question regarding buying organic food when others are starving in parts of the world, Allah tells us in the Quran that he has not created us all with equal sustenance or positions. The slave is not the same as the master. When a person is in a situation where he has no choice what he eats, then the responsibility isn't on him. However we have been told in the Quran to eat what is Halal and tayyibaat. Not just halal, but also tayyibaat - good and wholesome. If food contains harmful ingredients or lacks nutrition, then it doesn't qualify as tayyibaat.
Allah also told us, "...and do not destroy yourselves." So, when you have a choice between food that is untainted and food that has been sprayed with pesticides (these are minor poisons), contains chemicals that have harmful effects, or even steroids and growth hormones, or has been grown on fields spread with toxic sludge, which choice is obeying Allah's commands?
If I take an apple and spray it with a couple of pesticides in front of your eyes and then offer it to you to eat, will you eat it comfortably or will you ask for one without those pesticides? What is the natural choice and what is the choice pleasing to Allah? Well, that is the issue. A conventionally grown apple has over 30 different pesticides sprayed on it during its growth. You just cannot see them when you reach for one in the produce aisle.
There are many ways to eat organic and untainted food. Cooking from scratch makes it much less expensive than buying the ready made foods. In addition, it really is a simple as planting a few dollars worth of seeds if you have space for a garden. As more people are aware, organic has become more and more accessible and affordable. Demand makes a market.
There is a dirty dozen list out that tells you the conventional produce with the highest pesticide loads and also the ones with the lowest loads, so you can make informed decisions about the safest foods to buy without paying for organic.
The issue, in my mind, is that our bodies and this earth are an amanah from Allah. Whenever we knowingly and intentionally put something in them or on them that in some way harms them, we are breaking that trust.
salams mai, thanks for taking the time for such a long reply masha'Allah! Anyway sorry to be a pest but i have one more question, i would like to know do the pestisides on food have any side affects on human beings? So if i eat them what side affects and what harm am i doing to my body. unfortunatley organic food here is so expensive, im just a student at the moment.. but i already bought the ingredients for the brownie recipe including raw sugar, so i will make them insha'Allah.
ReplyDeleteWa alayki as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Sarah.
ReplyDeleteThe most reluctant governmental body to admit any danger, the US Environmental Protection Agency, has plenty of information on pesticides. This link will take you to one page about human health.
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm
If you explore further, especially the risks to children, etc., is is quite eye opening.
For a more public view, check out this link:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety.cfm
The page covers many aspects of food safety, and all are very important, including a section on pesticides. There is an excellent shoppers guide to pesticides, which should help you make informed decisions. The dirty dozen and clean 15 wallet guide or i-phone download are great when you have to buy conventionally grown but want to make informed choices.
Hope that helps...and I hope you enjoy those brownies, inshaa'Allah. They are melt in your mouth good!
Assalamu alaikum,
ReplyDeleteMy family reeally loves brownies and I think about them almost everyday even though I never tried to make them because I am a failure at baking.
Can you please clear this up. Does this mean you consider non-organic food to be haram? Is there any fatwas I can get about this, too?
"If food contains harmful ingredients or lacks nutrition, then it doesn't qualify as tayyibaat."
There is some controversy over what foods can cause cancer, what chemicals/ingredients the food has/how they affect us, and so on. I don't think it's black and white as organic vs. non-organic in order to be eating what Allah has allowed us to eat except what He has made black and white such as Islamically slaughtered animals, not pork, no alcohol, etc.
I definitely agree that home grown, locally grown food is way better to go if you can get it. I can usually get it in the summertime here in canada alhamdulillah. -And food without any chemicals. But I mean, someone can't possibly be eating haram if they can't afford organic and what not at the store. Maybe I misread or misunderstood. Allah made things easy for us.
I am sorry if I bothering you. Jazakallah khair.
Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Em Hamzah.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, NO! I don't consider non-organic food to be haram at all. There are plenty of non-organic foods that are not harmful to us in any way, inshaa'Allah. However, there are plenty of foods that are halal, but are not tayyibaat. That doesn't make them haram, it means they don't meet both criteria.
In addition, there is no way to hold accountable those who cannot afford to eat the healthiest, safest food available. We all have to live within the means Allah has provided for us. As I mentioned, there are people who have no choice at all what they eat. There are some who have no access to better quality foods. Allah knows their situation far better than us.
However, the choices we, as Muslims, make about what we eat are important and we will be accountable for them. When faced with the choice between a food with a chemical-laden ingredient list and/or things we know are not healthy and a food that is healthy (not organic, just a nourishing, healthy choice) then we need to consider which choice will honor the amanah from Allah. We eat to nourish our bodies to worship. Choosing food as per the guidelines Allah has set, makes is part of worship...because our obedience to our Creator is a facet of our worship.
What does this mean in practice? We need to consider what we put into our bodies and try to make healthy, safe choices. Whether those choices are only comparatively safer is not the issue. We can only do our best, Allah does the rest.
Allah always makes things easy for us...and what is easier than some low pesticide load vegetables, local meat, simple grains? For some years we didn't have the money to buy much local or organic produce. I was fortunate enough to have a tiny back yard that we dug up and, for a few dollars, planted our own. Allah knew that we were taking His amanah seriously, especially once we had children, and made things easy as pie for us, lol. I have found that when one has the desire and intention to please Allah in their food choices, He makes the path easy in all manner of ways. Subhaan Allah!
Please forgive me for anything I wrote that caused such a big misunderstanding. No need to ever apologize for asking something. If you misunderstood, so could many others. AstaghfirAllah.
As for the brownies, it really is a foolproof recipe. Just fling the stuff in a bowl, mix, and bake. If you do try it out, say a big "Bism Illah" at the beginning and let me know how they turn out, inshaa'Allah.
Jazakallah khair for all the reminders and clearing things up for me. I can't wait to try some brownies once I get some cocoa powder inshallah. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I cant wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteam i really going to be accountable for choosing non organic over organic? Even though I can afford organic. Im not understanding what you are trying to say.
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that very few "organic" labelled foods are truly organic.Where do you get organic foods there, who's the agency regulating your organic foods.
ReplyDeleteVery few fruits need to be pesticide free, thick skin fruits for example.
Are you going to be accountable for eating empty calories like brownies?
Salams Mai, Lol I just got finished making, and eating these brownies. I told my oldest daughter I was making brownies, and she said "Ummie I love you", lol. They turned out very good, mine were about 98% natural organic ingredients. I usually buy natural foods so I had all the ingredients. Thanks for sharing the recipe! :0}
ReplyDeleteWa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Umm Assad.
ReplyDeleteMashaa'Allah, now you're feeling like "supermom" and all the family is "sweetened up" LOL! I'm so happy they turned out well and you can feel really good about what was in them, Barak Allahu feeki for sharing that sweet news and you're welcome, anytime!
Anonymous 1: I think I made it as clear as I could in my response to Em Hamzah. If it still isn't understandable, then I apologize and suggest you leave the issue or look elsewhere for answers.
ReplyDeleteHow about just keeping in mind that we have been commanded to eat what is Halal and tayyibaat, and doing what you believe or understand is best in those regards?
Anonymous 2: Yes, I realize that man has contaminated the earth to such an extent that it is very difficult to find foods that aren't compromised. We simply have to do the best we can.
ReplyDeleteAs for getting organic foods here, Al Watania is the Saudi Arabian company that produces and sells organic foods. Their products are certified by EcoCert and the USDA. In every supermarket there is a "diet section" which has a range of organic products. I plan to write about it in more detail on my Living in Madinah blog inshaa'Allah.
As for fruits, I strongly suggest you check out the Pesticide Load list. You will find the link above in the second response to Sarah. You will find the fruits that are very safe in the Clean 15 list. However, almost all soft fruits, such as berries, cherries, plums, peaches, etc. and apples are extremely high in pesticide content.
If the brownies are made with minimally processed, minimally chemical-laden, wholesome ingredients, then we have made something that is a sweet treat (not a daily staple food) that is far from empty calories. They are wholegrain, nutrient-rich treats with nutritional benefit. Are they a better choice than some dates or honey? No. However this is about making better choices within people's ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development). They are da'wah brownies, lol.
how can you even compare date with brownies? you always mention sunnah and it's importance, brownies are sunnah? should you eat them, because our Prophet didn't same as he didn't use a table because it didn't exist...
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: Does not a wife get a great reward for pleasing her husband? Yes! The brownies please me :)
ReplyDeleteNo one ever compared dates to brownies. We do not have to eat everything the Prophet ate. Allah gave us free will. It seems that you just want to argue, get a life.
Are you following the Sunnah? If you say, "Yes"...why are you using the computer? If you say, "No" why are you using the free will that Allah gave you, but attack others who do the same?
As for tables, they did exist during the time of the Prophet. Knowledge precedes actions. So please get some knowledge about furniture in Arabia during the time of the Prophet, before the action of speaking unwisely.
Now, I'm going to ask my wife to make me some more brownies so she can get a great reward!
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteInshaa'Allah your day is richly blessed and joyful. Please forgive me if I have caused you any annoyance.
Tables most certainly existed at the time of the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. He purposely never ate at a raised table, as was stated in the hadith. "Allah's Messenger ﷺ did not eat upon a table or from a platter." (Al-Bukhari) The word table wouldn't be used if it didn't exist. He specifically stated that he ate as a servant and sat as a servant sits (Al-Bukhari), for modesty and humility.
Exactly the same for beds. Raised beds existed, but he purposely chose to sleep on a mat on the ground and the his reasoning for it and the hadith explaining it are very humbling.
As for comparing a date with a brownie, they are both sweets...the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, loved sweets. His sweet treats were dates, honey, fruits, etc.
How can I compare a brownie with a date? If the flour is wholegrain that is from his sunnah as the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, never ate refined flour (and it did exist then). Eggs and butter are no issue (as long as they weren't pumped up with harmful additives), unrefined organic sugar is in keeping with
"O you who believe! Eat of the lawful pure things that We have provided you." (2:172)
Although, most certainly date sugar or date syrup would be excellent. Vanilla...a bean/spice. Glycerin...from animals or vegetables. Salt from the sea. Cocoa from a plant. The closest I can get to pure is the organic or homegrown route, right now.
It is important to know the difference between Sunnah and Arab culture. It's not about eating the same exact foods, it's about the nature of the foods...being wholesome, healthy, and halal.
I didn't dream up these ideas. After reading Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim over 20 years ago, I learned how the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, lived and why he lived as he did. I learned what he was trying to model for his ummah. It is a beautiful thing and not deserving of nit-picking, belittlement, or sarcasm. May Allah open our heart and minds to His true message and that of His beloved Messenger, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, ameen.
so your wife should do something that's unhealthy for you just because it pleases you? weird thinking.
ReplyDeleteYou share a lot on your blog,however both just because you choose a lifestyle doesn't mean that's the best .
What is in your heart is what counts, Allah sees and judges.
A man who chooses to marry a second just because he can't control himself doesn't sound like anyone I would choose as an example.
I prefer a good husband who turns to his wife not search for another.
I am arab and no one used tables or elevated beds in simple households,like the one of prophet Mohammad(sallaAllahu alayhe wa sallam) not even when I was a child.
ReplyDeleteThat's arab culture, not sunnah, be careful, you are the one mixing things.
I don't think just because you now live in an arab country makes you an expert on arab culture!
Sameerah
@ Anonymous: You have spoken without knowledge.
ReplyDelete@ Sameerah: What are you talking about? No one said The Prophet ate at a table. The point stressed was that tables existed, but the Prophet didn't use them.
ReplyDeleteAs for being an expert on Arab culture, no one said that either. However, if you live and mix with Arabs for 20 years or more, you mostly likely know the people and the culture.
Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteMy husband got a good deal from you and your untrue, insulting words.
An Insult with a Gift [Backbiting]
It is reported that ‘Abd Al-Rahmān b. Mahdī – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “If it were not for the fact I hate that Allah is disobeyed, I would have wished that no one remain in this city except that he had spoken ill of me and backbitten me; for what is nicer than a good deed a man finds in his records on the Day of Resurrection without having done a thing or even having known?”
Abū Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 4:45.
Notes
This is a reference to a person who has been backbitten receiving good deeds on the Day of Judgment from the person who backbit him and didn’t repent and make amends, as mentioned in some narrations from the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The narration reminds us of the dire consequences of backbiting others: your good deeds may go to them if you don’t repent and make up for what you have done. It also provides assurance for those who have been backbitten: if left wronged in this life, they will be given good deeds in the hereafter as compensation and justice will be done.
As for the brownies, what is unhealthy about MY brownies? Which ingredient or ingredients in my wholewheat, organic brownies is unhealthy or not halal or not good?
As salaamu alaykum Sameerah. Jazaaki Allahu khayran for giving me a name to address my responses to.
ReplyDeletePlease provide you proof, in Arabic if that's where you can find it, about it not being the Prophet's Sunnah - salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam - to sit on the floor for the sake of humility, to remind himself and others of our position on this earth as servants of Allah. The proof should clearly state that this was not part of his Sunnah and he did it only because it was Arab culture.
The ahadith I have do not imply that, neither do the books and articles I have read written by Arabs. As an example, here is a link to the e-book in Arabic of Minhaj al Muslim. It is all about the Sunnah, by an Arab who lectures at Masjid an Nabawi. http://s1.islamhouse.com/data/ar/ih_books/single/ar_5376.pdf
While it may have been done before the Prophet's time, it wasn't done for lack of a table in his case. Don't forget, Khadijah, radhi Allahu anha, was rich; they could easily afford a table. The precedent of purposely not sitting at a table, even if one was available, was set by the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Whenever our Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, did something and spoke about it and explained its reason in relation to ibadah, it was considered part of his Sunnah and Allah Knows Best.
How beautiful that you had the blessing of living in such a simple way. However, if you never believed by living that way that you were holding on to the messages of our Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, by maintaining a life of simplicity, humility, and avoidance of unnecessary material comforts, then indeed it was just living as per Arab culture. But if you did it for the reasons of our beloved Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to my understanding it would have been an integral part of your ibadah, and Allah Knows Best.
Does this mean that people have to eat on the floor? No. His message is not about the physical action of eating on the floor, it is about always remembering we are simply servants of Allah, not aggrandizing ourselves, avoiding kibr, leveling ourselves with our brothers and sisters whether they have much or little. Some people can sit in a $10,000 dollar dining room with crystal chandeliers and be humble (although hardly level with their brothers, lol)...it's just harder. This is not an attack on you for sitting at a dining table, entertaining in style, or having a raised bed. It's nothing to do with you. It's just about our Prophet's message, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
I will not comment on Arab culture, as Arabs were called the worst of people by Allah, subhaana wa taala. Allah, azza wa jal, said that is why He sent Islam and our Prophet to them. Rasool Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, wiped out, through Islam, all that was bad and retained what was good with proof of why it was beneficial for our faith and life.
Please don't be rude to me. I don't know you, have done nothing of harm to you. I never said I was an expert on Arab culture. Even after almost 20 years living with Arabs, I have never wanted to be an expert on them, I only want to gain as much knowledge, understanding, and benefit from our perfect example to mankind, Prophet Muhammad - salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam - and his Sunnah.
Barak Allahu feeki wa fee hayaatiki.
Where did I backbite?I told your husband what I thought on the blog he shares with you? backbitting is not telling the person your opinion of them, you really do mix up your terminology. Backbitting is talking about someone without their knowledge.
ReplyDeleteby the way, he's the one who wrote on his blog that he married because he has a roaming eye...so....
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: Prophet Muhammad said :"Do you know what backbiting is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?" The Messenger of God said, "If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him." (Muslim)
ReplyDeleteLastly, you don't know why I married.
Mai,
ReplyDeleteMay Allah be with you and keep you and your husband sane through these comments and reward you for your patience! Ameen.
Em Hamzah,
ReplyDeleteJazaaki Allahu khayran. I greatly appreciate your dua' and say a big AMEEN to it!
It is an incredible blessing to come across such comments, because we won't know whether we have any patience unless it gets tested, LOL! Al hamdu l'Illlah 'ala kully haal! Inshaa'Allah it is a learning opportunity for our readers as well as us. It's all good.
As Salamualaikum Mai! I for one ENJOYED the recipe without looking for Hidden meanings in your words that aren't even there! lol! May Allah reward you for sharing, and pleasing your husband! And may he reward you both for keeping the peace and responding to annoyances according to the sunnah! Ameen!!
ReplyDeleteI usually say, when it comes to matters of the deen, I won't even dispute if you don't bring dalil to the table! It's pointless to debate with a person and you're the only one quoting from Hadith and Qur'an lol! Alhumdulilah for that!
As for Annon. I have no intent to argue but wanted to share this:
Sa’eed bin Musayyeb says: Once the Prophet was sitting with his Companions, and one person used insulting words against Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), causing him pain. But Abu Bakr remained silent. The person again used bitter words against Abu Bakr, and still Abu Bakr did not respond. The third time when this ignorant person hurt Abu Bakr with his tongue, Abu Bakr tried answering back.
At this point the Prophet got up. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, “Are you displeased with me, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet replied, “No, but (when you remained silent) an angel came down from the heaven responding to this man’s talk. But the moment you started replying to that man, the angel went away and the devil sat down. And I cannot sit where the devil is sitting.” Abu Dawood 041 4878
“I guarantee a house in Jannah (Paradise) for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a house in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even when joking / for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” [Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم) - reported by Imam Abu Dawud]
As Salamualaikum!
Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Faith.
ReplyDeleteJazaaki Allahu khayran for your report on the brownies and your great support, mashaa'Allah.
I am not one to usually pursue discussion with anyone when they speak without daleel or manners, much like the first hadith you quoted. However if I hadn't responded, readers may have been misled and misinformed. I had to portray the subject as correctly as I could, because I must answer for that.
Subhaan Allah, I had already decided to put up that last hadith you quoted if anonymous took it any further.
Mashaa'Allah, it seems we are on the same page, Faith! Isn't it the most beautiful thing to have such perfect examples from our beloved Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, for good manners? Al hamdul'Illah!
Barak Allahu feeki wa fee hayaatiki, my little sister :D
Assalamu alayki,
ReplyDeleteMashAllah...every little counts!! :))
I will bake some this eve inshAllah. Though its not as organic :( ...Alhamdulilah i do tend to make an effort with cooking and treats. But since i have become pregnant im starting to forget those things, i need to get back on track inshAllah... 5 months now (first kid) really excited. BarakAllahu feek for the thughtful reminder xx
FiamaniAllah
Umm Abdullah
Wa alayki salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Umm Abdullah
ReplyDeleteOooh, 5 months into your first pregnancy - mashaa'Allah, I'm excited for you! This is a good time during the pregnancy to get things together for a while, before you get so heavy you couldn't care less whether they are together, apart, or scattered in the universe, LOL. Yes, every little does count and sweet, melt in your mouth chocolatey treats should get a heartfelt response ;D
Much love to you wa feeki Barak Allah!
Salam Walaykum Mai! I was waiting for a special day to try these brownies, and this was it! I surprised my daughter when she came home from school that she was going to make brownies with mommy ;-) Wow, masha'Allah! Melt in your mouth goodness! Jazak Allahu khair for sharing this awesome brownie recipe!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Ping, I can't find your blog sis, if you still have one? Drop me a comment on my blog if you do, I won't post it. Salams to you!
Wa alaykum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh Umm Hamza!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm, mmmmm, good! I am so happy to hear that you and your daughter enjoyed that special treat. Wa iyaaki, ukhti.
As for Ping, she has been taking a break. She may contact you, but still please keep her firmly in your dua'. The exclusion of the world is sometimes very important for focusing and accepting Allah's Plans.
Assalamualaikum :)
ReplyDeleteMade these last night and they're awesome! Thanks for the recipe <3
As-salaamu'alaykum sis,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds wonderful. I love the idea of using whole wheat pastry flour!
Thank you for sharing :)