A Better Day: McGetts Factor and free children’s meditations with celebrities

Each weekday, our editors are sharing their quick tips, workouts, recipes and observations to help us make the most of our time at home. We hope it makes your day a little bit brighter. #stayhome

Let’s start with some good news…

This may be the cutest thing you see all day… The toddlers of Ladybird Nursery and Early Learning Centre in Jumeirah Village Circle have been beavering away creating ‘Rainbows of Hope’ at home to show support and thanks to all the healthcare workers and those facing challenging times as a result of COVID-19. It’s hoped the rainbows will inject some hope and positivity into the daily lives of others here in the UAE. It’s definitely giving us a reason to smile right now.

Do this for a healthy body

Borrow your kid’s skipping rope and work up a sweat to this 10-minute beginner’s jump rope workout by Brandon Epstein that’ll get your heart rate racing in no time.

Do this for a healthy mind

Start your day with a grateful heart using this gentle guided meditation by the author of You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay. Set to beautiful classical music, the video sets in a feeling of calm to last the whole day.

Delicious deliveries to your door

Delta Hotels by Marriott, Jumeirah Beach, is offering take-away iftar throughout Ramdan. Priced at AED180 for 2 people and AED320 for 4 people, the menus offer a choice of classic Arabic and International dishes to please all family members. Enjoy the likes of juicy lamb ouzi with madfoon rice and chicken tajine, followed by a selection of baklawa and Arabic macaroons. Orders must be placed 24rs in advance by calling +971 50 189 6214.

What to watch

Continuing our Empire magazine movie marathon, we’re popping enough kernels for a sharing bowl of popcorn and settling down to watch number 47 on the list, Interstellar (2014). A modern classic, space travel has never looked so realistic on the big screen. Michael Caine plays a NASA physicist trying to move the Earth’s population to a new home through a wormhole across the galaxy.

What to listen to

Honest answers to the question ‘how are you?’ provides Terrible, Thanks For Asking host Norah McInerney with funny, real and heartbreaking anecdotes that’ll make you laugh and cry, while taking your mind off these strange times we’re living in

Home help

If you’re in need of some kitchenwear to keep up with your home cooking efforts during Ramdan, or want to get your Eid gifts in the bag sooner rather than later, then take a look at the newly-launched Jashanmal Home website. You can browse and buy everything from coffee machines to self-help books, and there’s a number of tempting offers on this month.

Isolators we love

First we had Tom Hardy reading bedtime stories on CBeebies and now we’ve got Chris Hemsworth offering calming meditations for kids. The Avengers star is using his down-time to focus his energy on delivering free children’s meditations during the pandemic via his Centr app. The recordings are aimed at kids aged four to nine, but his dulcet tones are already a hit with stressed-out mums around the world – good on ya, mate!

Join the party

McGettigan’s battle of the bands, The McGetts Factor, has gone live every Wednesday from 8-9pm, so you can tune in and vote for your favourite act via the Facebook page. With Dhs10,000 in cash and a paid residency up for grabs, the hopeful musicians will be pulling out all the stops. Plus, if you think you’ve got the talent to win, you can send your entry to mike@mcgettigans.com.

Cook like a pro

It’s a moreish fried zucchini tztaziki today, which comes courtesy of Nammos Dubai.

Ingredients:
a. 1 whole zucchini chopped into sticks, rectangle blocks or circles

Tempura Flour Mix:
1. 100g cornflour
2. 75g all-purpose flour
3. 250ml cold sparkling water
4. 20g chopped parsley
5. 20g chopped mint
6. Salt & black pepper to taste

Tztaziki:
1. 50g fresh yogurt
2. 10g finely chopped garlic or garlic paste
3. 1pc small cucumber
4. 10g mint
5. Drizzle of olive oil
6. Salt & black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Prepare the tztaziki by whisking the yogurt and adding the garlic, some olive oil and mint
2. Remove the seeds from the cucumber
3. Grate the remaining cucumber
4. Squeeze the juices from the grated cucumber and save the juice
5. Add the cucumber to the yogurt and mix
6. Add the cucumber juice to the yogurt mix to achieve your desired consistency
7. Season with salt and black pepper
8. Store in the fridge
9. Prepare your tempura mix by combining both the flours in a bowl
10. Add the chopped parsley and mint to the flour mix
11. Pour in the cold sparkling water and whisk until smooth
Season with salt & black pepper
12. Add in the zucchini to the tempura mix and deep fry
13. When the zucchini rises to the top of the oil and the batter is crispy it is cooked
14. Drain any excess oil, season and serve with the tztaziki

Please feel free to share your own frivolous yearnings via editor@hotmedia.me

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