HalimaBobs

One of the surprise positives of boycotting? Slow fashion, because there’s a whole lot of things you can’t buy. I first saw that as a downside, but I’m now enjoying the benefits of embracing slow fashion, having more money and buying less crap that I don’t need. I took inspiration from the brilliant Aja Barber, who talked about the concept of shopping in the back of your closet. Finding old outfits that you loved and forgot you still had. The top in this picture is nearly a decade old.

September 20, 2024 Book Life & Rants Parenting This post is for the fellow mums out there who may be struggling balancing work/building a career, whilst raising small children. I almost didn’t take this picture. I’ve had my banner up in a library and had been meaning to pop over to take a pic but didn’t have the childcare. I talked myself out of making the short journey with my son so many times. Would it look unprofessional if I turn up with my four-year-old?

This post has been updated with new pictures on 04.09.24. So if you haven’t tried Turkish Ezme salad, you really have to! It’s not just any salad. In fact, it’s hardly a salad. It’s more of a delicious juicy, mouth-watering dipping sauce. And frankly, it knocks humous out of the water. I originally tried ezme salad in a Turkish restaurant. My friend ordered it, as I normally steer clear of salads as starters.

I’ve been meaning to put this bone broth recipe on the blog as I’ve received so many questions since mentioning it in my article on kitchen essentials. Though this is a halal bone broth recipe (I could never find halal bone broth in the shops) the basic recipe can be used for any meat. A few years, I ago discovered a simple bone broth recipe and I’ve never looked back. I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, in fact my husband thinks I’m a bone-boiling witch.

June 20, 2024 Beauty Make-up Skin Anyone who knows me knows that I am all for unfussy, multitasking makeup. I’ve raved about Dr Paw Paw’s Multipurpose Balm (it’s still a regular in my mum bag), and basically anything that I can use on my lips on my cheeks as a winner. So when I was introduced to Lavera, an organic make up brand which has launched a new multitasking hero – the Lavera Naturkosmetik Multi Balm, I couldn’t wait to try it.

You know when you cook some chicken and realise that you have leftovers which can make a whole other meal? It’s a great feeling right? Well that’s the exact happy situation I faced when I boiled some chicken – for the first I ever – to make Vietnamese summer rolls. I mean before this, I didn’t even know you could boil chicken, so it was a real revelation. Anyway, left with more chicken than I needed, not to mention a soupy broth, I discovered a great way of making spicy chicken soup.

March 28, 2024 Beauty Hair Life & Rants Skin With all due bias, this is arguably the most important Eid gift guide of all. I’ve shared Eid gift ideas for kids, as well as Eid gift ideas for him, now it’s your turn. Shampoo bars have only recently come on my radar, but I love the idea of less packaging and minimal ingredients. Gruum (pronounced groom), is a British-based company, despite it’s Scandinavian-sounding name, and they provide eco-friendly skincare and hair care.

Stuck for ideas for what to get for hubby? Look no further. As explained in my previous Eid gift ideas for kids guide, this is a pared down post with a focus on functionality with a little bit of fun. This one is as much a gift for him, as it is for you, so that in my book is a win-win! The Simba Hybrid Duvet is suitable for all year round use. It helps you stay cool in the summer and cosy in the winter, meaning an end to swapping out duvets.

I’ll be honest, with everything going on in the world, I was hesitant about curating an Eid gift guide this year. However, this Ramadan, I found a lot of comfort in spending time with family, and in particular, making it memorable for my children. So, this time round, my Eid gift ideas for kids guide is simpler, more pared back with a focus on learning, functionality and practicality. For Eid gift ideas for him, see here. For Eid gift ideas for her, see here.

The third book in my series, The Secret Diary of a Bengali Newlywed won the BookBrunch Selfie award for Best Adult Fiction! I had won the same category in 2021 forThe Secret Diary of an ArrangedMarriage. I wasn’t expecting to win again. I couldn’t even attend the awards, as it was Ramadan and travelling to London seemed a bit much. So to find out that I had won again came as a huge surprise! Have you read The Secret Diary of a Bengali Newlywed. If not, check it out here.