Ayurvedic Mung Dal Basmati Rice Khichadi

I recently bought a book on Ayurvedic cooking to eat as clean as possible. The book, explains how the different food items and preparations are suited for each body type. So I decided to try this recipe, but I have to say that I took some liberty to add salt to taste and reduced the number of cardamom pods it recommended. Here is the link to the book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1883725054/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I like this because it is a one pot dish that cooks in approximately half an hour. It is versatile, in the sense that you can add whatever combination of veggies/ greens you wish. I had made a variation of this with collard greens and broccoli once. Just keep the carbs and fat contained and you should be fine.

Ingredients:
1 cup mung dal uncooked
1/2 cup basmati rice uncooked
4 Cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cloves
4 pods Cardamom
Salt to taste approximately 2 tsps
2/3 cup Mixed vegetables (frozen)
3 cups Cauliflower florets (fresh or frozen)
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
1 tsp ghee

Method:
1. In a pan, dry roast mung dal and basmati rice until the mung dal starts giving out aroma

2. Add 3 cups of water to the roasted rice + dal and cook until they are halfway done.

3. Add frozen mixed vegetables, spices and salt and cook until vegetables are halfway done.

4. Now add cauliflower and cook until all ingredients are properly done.
5. Add water as necessary to get a thick porridge like consistency. I typically add approximately 4 cups of water overall.

 5. Once done, add ghee and turmeric for fragrant, piping hot khichadi. Serve hot with pickle or chutney or yogurt or eat as is.

Serving size: 1 cup cooked
Number of servings: 8
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 146
Carbs: 15 gm
Fat 1 gm
Protein: 8 gm
Fiber: 6 gm

Variation on the Chaat-like Salad - with Mung Bean Sprouts

Continuing my experiments with quick fixes for an afternoon snack at work (Translation: I had left over lettuce and pico from yesterday sitting in my office fridge)... Today, I decided to swap out Greek yogurt for good old sprouted mung beans. Local Indian stores now seem to carry sprouts in easy to use packs. You can make your own mung bean sprouts by soaking dry beans with skin overnight in sufficient water, draining off the water and keeping them covered for a few hours. You should see little baby sprouts shooting off the bean. Keep them long enough to grow but not too long, otherwise, they will start fermenting and then its just plain gross...I got a pack of sprouted mung beans from the local Indian store recently (picture below) and stuck it in my lunch bag for today to munch on. Although I can munch on mung bean sprouts by themselves (yes, without even adding salt or any other condiment - that's how much I love them), I had to salvage the salad ingredients in the fridge. While sprouts aren't as protein dense as Greek yogurt, they do provide a more 'chaat' - like feel to the salad while still being lower calorie.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lettuce of your choice - chopped
1/4 cup store bought pico de gallo
1/4 cup sprouted mung beans
1 tsp Pickle masala (dry powder)
2 tbsp Haldiram fine sev

Method:

Take the mung bean sprouts and stick them in the micro wave in a covered dish for about a minute and a half to soften and cook lightly. Once they are soft, arrange all of the above ingredients in the same order and enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Serving size = 1
Calories 98
Protein 4 gms
Carbs 15 gms
Fat 2 gm

'Chaat' like Salad with Greek yogurt

In my quest to glamorize plain non fat Greek yogurt, I have been trying several things to make it more palatable and 'exciting'. If you like the  texture and flavor of plain Greek yogurt, good for you. If not, this dish maybe worth a try. It's super simple to assemble, can be carried to work or anywhere for a quick 'snack'.

Ingredients:
1 cup lettuce of your choice - chopped
1/2 cup store bought pico de gallo
1 Fage non-fat plain Greek yogurt 100 calorie pack
1 tsp Pickle masala (dry powder)
1 tbsp Haldiram fine sev

Method:
Arrange all of the items in the above order and enjoy!

I recently bought this item from the local Indian store. It has all the dry ingredients for a pickle, ground into a coarse powder. I have been using this to give my soups, salads and broth some flavor and spice.

 Nutritional Information:
Serving size = 1
Calories 145
Protein 20 gms
Carbs 14 gms
Fat 1 gm

Green Papaya Dry Curry with Coconut

Yes. I arranged the green chillies and curry leaves to give eyes and mustache to my dish... Got to let the silly streak out once in a while :)

This recipe is super light, high in fiber, fat and low in calories.

 Ingredients:
1 Small shredded raw green papaya which is approximately 2 cups of shredded material
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
2 tsp olive or coconut oil
Green chillies to taste ( I used 3 and it was mild)
1/4 tsp turmeric
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
A pinch Asafotida

Method:
1. Skin the raw papaya and cut in half lengthwise
2. Remove any seeds and cut the papaya lengthwise so they fit in a food processor
3. Run it through food processor with shredder option
4. Grate fresh coconut
5. In a bowl, mix coconut, shredded papaya, salt and turmeric well
6. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, mustard, slit green chillies, curry leaves and  and asafotida
7. when the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the papaya mixture, mix well and cover
8. Let it cook on low / medium flame for about 10 minutes

Enjoy as is or with non fat plain Greek yogurt to increase protein content. Eat the yogurt separately or make raita for a cole slaw like texture.

 Serving size: 1/2 cup dry curry. Number of servings: 6
Calories: 50
Protein: 1 gms
Fiber: 1 gms
Fat: 2 gms
I added Fage non fat Greek yogurt (100 calorie pack) to one serving to make a satisfying, high protein (18 grams) lunch.

Skinny Bagara Baingan

Born and brought up in Hyderabad, I love the taste of this spicy eggplant curry. However, it is pretty rich in calories with peanuts, coconut and generous amounts of oil. Determined to make a skinny version of it without sacrificing the flavor, I made a few tweaks to the traditional recipe, included a few ingredients such as PB2 and lite coconut milk to make a pretty low calorie version. A single serving of 2 eggplants and 1/4 cup of gravy is only 79 calories and has 6 gm of protein, thanks to the PB2.

Ingredients:
14 Small Indian eggplants
2 teaspoons Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
1 cup Thai kitchen lite coconut Milk
6 tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter
3 tablespoons Garam masala (or other bagara baingan masala)
1 Medium Onion diced
2 Medium Tomatoes diced
3 tablespoons Amchur (dry mango powder)
Salt and Chilli powder to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Non stick cooking spray

 Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prepare eggplants by trimming the stems and making 2 slits in each eggplant
3. Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray and  arrange eggplants in a single layer
4. Spray again and stick in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes. Once done, the eggplants should be tender to the fork.

5. Meanwhile, heat a skillet and add 2 tsps of coconut oil
6. Add ginger garlic paste, onions and tomatoes one by one allowing time for each ingredient to cook
7. In a separate bowl, add PB2, coconut milk, garam masala and amchur and mix so that there aren't any lumps
8. Add this mix to the skillet, add salt and chilli powder to taste and let simmer

9. Once the gravy looks think enough, add the baked eggplants and let the flavors combine
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy with hot rice or rotis

I had it with a hot roti and a bowl of Greek yogurt.

Serving size: 2 eggplants and 1/4 cup gravy. Total number of servings per recipe: 7
Calories: 79
Protein: 6 gms
Fiber: 11 gms
Fat: 3 gms

A note about PB2: If you are not familiar with this ingredient, it is basically the residue of peanut oil. It has the goodness of protein and fiber of peanuts without the fat. It is available at general grocery stores by peanut butter. It looks like this:

Healthy Breakfast Parfait with Greek Yogurt

Sometimes, it is difficult to get breakfast going with mornings being super busy. So, when I have time, I prepare this healthy breakfast and leave it in the fridge to either pack a single portion in the morning or grab a bite when I am craving something sweet in the afternoon. Usually sustains me for a week. Last night I prepared this while watching Oscars.



Ingredients:
1 tub (32 oz.) dannon light and fit greek yogurt (vanilla flavor)
1 cups raspberries
1 tsp sugar
1 banana
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
6 slices Sara lee 45 calories multigrain bread
1 can sliced peaches in light syrup

 Method:
1. Prep raspberries 1 - 2hrs ahead of time. Wash and drain raspberries and sprinkle one tsp of sugar over them. coat them with sugar and gently mash them with the spoon to make the juices flow.
2. Toast the bread slices, trim edges and cut each slice into 4 squares.
3. Arrange as follows:

•  One layer of 3 slices of toast
• half of the raspberry mixture
• half tub of greek yogurt
• sliced strawberries
• another layer of 3 slices of toast
• remaining half of raspberry mixture
• sliced banana
• remaining half a tub of greek yogurt

4. Decorate the top with sliced peaches and blueberries or your favorite fruit.

Makes 16 servings of 1/2 cup each
Nutritional info per serving:
Calories: 73
Protein: 6 gms
Carbs: 12 gms
Sugars: 7 gms
Fiber: 2 gms

Tofu in Red Curry Sauce and Light Coconut Milk

Time for some comfort Thai food on a cold day.

Ingreditents:
1 package Nasoya extra firm cubed tofu (drained)
1 can safeway light coconut milk
2 tbsp Thai kitchen red curry paste
1/2 medium yellow onion (diced)
1 cup frozen broccoli florets
2 tsp olive oil
salt and crushed red pepper to taste
cilantro and basil for garnish

Method:
1. Drain liquid from tofu package and lay the cubes out on a paper towel to slightly dry
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and when hot, saute onions.
3. When onions are translucent, add broccoli
4. Add salt and cook until broccoli is tender
5. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tbsp of Thai kitched red curry paste into 1 can of light coconut milk
6. When broccoli is semi cooked pour the coconut milk mixture into the pan and bring to a boil
7. Lower the flame, add tofu cubes, crushed red pepper, cilantro and basil and  simmer for about 5 minutes

Enjoy on hot rice or cooked cracked wheat or noodles.

Serving size: 1/3 cup. Number of servings ~6
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 113
Protein : 7gm

Scrambled Eggs in a Mug - Single Serving

I made it this morning to see if having eggs in the morning will help me with the 3 p.m. slump. However, before I took it to work , I wanted to see what they tasted like. So instead of my protein smoothie, I tried this recipe this morning for breakfast. I liked it - quick and easy and if I can get the egg mixture to work and store in the fridge, it will probably make a good 3 p.m. snack.

Ingredients:
coffee mug
non stick spray
1 egg
1 egg white (3 tbsp liquid egg whites)
1/8 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup baby spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Spray the coffee mug with the non stick spray
2. Prepare egg mixture by combining egg, egg whites, salt and pepper
3. Layer spinach at the bottom of the cup, pour egg mixture and top with cheese
4. microwave or one minute
5. remove from microwave and gently stir to mix in cooked and uncooked portions of egg and to blend spinach and cheese
6. Microwave for 1 more minute.
7. Let cool and enjoy while warm

131 calories, 15 gms of protein

Dressed Down - High Protein French Toast in Slow Cooker

I am a sucker for bread puddings and anything related to warm gooey bread. So I found this recipe on Skinny Ms. website and customized it to increase protein and reduce fat.


Ingredients

9 slices of Sara Lee 45 calorie multi grain bread
1 egg
3 egg whites
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (20 gms of protein per scoop) (you can use 5 table spoons of honey for a lower protein version)
3 cups of thinly diced apples - no skin (you can use any kind... I used red delicious)
1.5 cups skim milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon divided into 1/2
1 tsp vanilla extract
Non stick cooking spray


Method:
1. Cut each bread slice into half diagonally to get 18 triangles
2. Prepare egg mixture by combining egg, egg whites, vanilla, milk, 1 scoop of protein powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3. Prepare apples by combining diced apples with lemon juice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 scoop of protein powder
4. Coat the inside of the slow cooker with non stick spray and assemble as follows in three layers: one layer of bread (6 triangles), one third of apple mixture). Repeat three times and then pour in the egg mixture.
5. cook on high for 2 hrs or on low for 4 hrs.
6. Add optional toppings such as maple syrup, agave or nuts as you please.

Serving size = 2 triangles or one slice of bread. Makes 9 servings.
Nutrition per serving (optional toppings will add calories - the info below is without toppings)
Calories: 134
Carbs: 21 gms
Fat: 1 gm
Protein: 11 gms
Fiber: 4 gms
Sugar: 10 gms

Dressed Down Black Bean Soup

Serving size 1 cup
Number of servings 4
Calories per serving: 150 (without toppings)
Protein per serving: 8 gm
Fiber per serving: 6 gm
Fat per serving: 2 gm

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (I used simple truth organic black beans)
2 cups fat free vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
Half of a medium yellow onion - diced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes pureed
2 tsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Adobo seasoning to taste
2 green onions chopped

Method:
1. Heat oil in a skillet and saute onions till translucent
2. Add salt so that onions sweat
3. Once onions are translucent, add tomato puree and saute
4. Add broth, water, beans, bay leaf, cumin, cayenne pepper, adobo seasoning and let simmer for about 5 minutes
5. Adjust salt to taste and add chopped green onion.

Serve piping hot with any of the following toppings: corn salsa, regular salsa,  shredded parmesan cheese, mexican four cheese blend or a dollop of sour cream.