Tag Archives: online dietician india

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Palak Chutney(Spicy spinach chutney)

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If ‘Green smoothies’ (with raw palak)or ‘Spinach juice’ isn’t your cup of tea, then you can try out this spicy palak chutney which is a great way of adding green leafy vegetables to your diet.

Spinach is loaded with nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins ( A, C, E, K , as well as vitamins B2, B6 , folate) and minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, calcium and potassium.

The original recipe uses tendli/tondli(ivy gourd) leaves,but since that isn’t available everywhere, had to substitute with palak. The resulting Palak Chutney was quite close to the ‘tondekai/tondli chutney’ that I remember. Here are the ingredients for the Palak Chutney:

Ingredients for Palak Chutney:

  • Palak(baby)/Baby spinach-2 cups chopped
  • Garlic-5 cloves(crushed)
  • Ginger-1″ piece
  • Cilantro/coriander leaves-1 cup
  • Green chillies-6-7nos(or according to taste)
  • Roasted channa dal-2 tbsp
  • Roasted groundnut-2tbsp
  • Hung yogurt/curd-3tbsp
  • Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-1tsp

    Method:
    1)Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
    2)Add the chopped baby spinach and saute till they are cooked.Let it cool.
    4)In a mixer grinder-add the channa dal,groundnuts,cilantro,ginger,salt and the cooked palak.
    5)Make a fine paste.
    6)Pour the palak chutney into a bowl. Add the lime juice, yogurt and mix well. Test for salt.

    Palak chutney tastes great even without the addition of the yogurt/curd at the end(add a little tamarind). I just love the creaminess that the yogurt adds to the palak chutney.
    Serve the palak chutney with idlis/dosas, as a spread for sandwiches,a dip or as a side with your meal.


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Sabut Masoor ki dal (Whole Pink Lentil Soup)

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In a move to popularize the use and intake, 2016 was declared by the United Nations as the ‘Year of the Pulses’. The aim of this was “to heighten public awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security and nutrition”.

Dals, pulses/legumes are a staple in the Indian diet for years, but it has not a popular food item internationally. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO): “In a balanced and diverse diet, the nutritious seeds can be consumed every day alongside fruit, vegetables, herbs, cereals and other fresh foods. Pulses provide an affordable alternative to animal protein. Additionally, they are rich in dietary fibre, vitamin B complex, and minerals, such as calcium, zinc, and iron.Food and nutrition education can promote the consumption of pulses.Food and nutrition education programs are crucial for teaching adequate pulse consumption in order to maximize the absorption of nutrients: For example, matching pulses with cereals to obtain a complete protein, consuming them with vitamin C (e.g. ascorbic acid) in order to increase iron absorption and avoiding to eat them with tea or coffee which, in contrast, would limit it “. Researchers have shown that eating whole pulses and lentils can lower cholesterol levels.

Ingredients for Sabut Masoor ki dal:

  • Whole pink lentil (sabut masoor): 1 cup (washed and soaked for an hour)
  • Onion: 2 medium (diced)
  • Tomatoes: 3 nos.
  • Ginger: 1 ‘ piece
  • Garlic: 3-4 nos.
  • Green chili: 1-2 (as per your heat tolerance)
  • Coriander/cilantro leaves: 3-4 tbsp chopped
  • Garam masala: 1 tsp
  • Chole Masala: 3 tsp (or as per your taste)
  • Oil: 2tsp
  • Jeera/cumin seeds: 2 tsp
  • Bay leaf: 1no.
  • turmeric: 1tsp
  • Hing/asafoetida: a pinch
  • Salt: to taste

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, when it is hot add the jeera/cumin seeds, bay leaf, turmeric powder and hing.
  2. Add the onions and fry till they start turning brown. In the meanwhile, puree the tomatoes with the ginger,garlic and green chilies.
  3. When the onions start to brown, add the puree, the garam masala, chole masala, salt and stir till the oil leaves the sides.
  4. Drain the soaked sabut masoor and add them to the masala. Mix well, then add two cups of water.
  5. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and let it cook for one whistle. Switch off.
  6. Let the pressure drop, then open the lid, check for spices, salt. If it’s too thick you can add a little water and simmer for a few minutes.
  7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice or rotis.

To make a soup– Follow the same method but add a cup of seasonal mixed vegetables (green beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc) and chopped spinach when you add the sabut masoor/pink lentils (Step 4). Then close and pressure cook for one whistle. When you open the cooker, add water to make it into a soup consistency  and let it simmer. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leave  and add a dash of lime. Serve hot. Makes a very filling soup.


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Lima Beans curry (Double beans masala)

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Lima Beans/ double beans (or butter beans) are rich in folate, thiamin as well as vitamin B6. It is also a good source of fibre, iron, manganese, potassium and magnesium.

This is a recipe using the same recipe that you would normally use for making chole (chickpeas in a tomato gravy) or rajma. You could also add cooked double beans to different sabzi’s to add a different flavour to the sabzi while also increasing the protein content of the dish. I don’t precook the double/lima beans but cook it with the gravy.

Ingredients for Lima Beans Curry:

  • Lima/Double beans: 1 cup (if using dried, then soak overnight)
  • Onion: 2 medium (diced)
  • Tomatoes: 3 nos.
  • Ginger: 1 ‘ piece
  • Garlic: 3-4 nos.
  • Green chili: 1-2 (as per your heat tolerance)
  • Coriander/cilantro leaves: 3-4 tbsp chopped
  • Garam masala: 1 tsp
  • Chole Masala: 3 tsp (or as per your taste)
  • Oil: 2tsp
  • Jeera/cumin seeds: 2 tsp
  • Bay leaf: 1no.
  • turmeric: 1tsp
  • Hing/asafoetida: a pinch
  • Salt: to taste

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, when it is hot add the jeera/cumin seeds, bay leaf, turmeric powder and hing.
  2. Add the onions and fry till they start turning brown. In the meanwhile, puree the tomatoes with the ginger,garlic and green chilies.
  3. When the onions start to brown, add the puree, the garam masala, chole masala, salt and stir till the oil leaves the sides.
  4. Drain the soaked lima/ double beans and add them to the masala. Mix well, then add two cups of water.
  5. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and let it cook for one whistle. Switch off.
  6. Let the pressure drop, then open the lid, check for spices, salt. If it’s too thick you can add a little water and simmer for a few minutes.
  7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice or rotis.

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Green Beans and Moong Dal sabzi

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This is a simple and quick dish. Upkari is a traditional Mangalorean stir-fry wherein chopped vegetables are added to the seasoning and cooked and freshly grated coconut added at the end. Adding some moong dal to  this recipe is a great way to increase the protein content of a dish. Moong dal cooks very quickly and also adds a great flavour to this dish. This dish is called “Beans Poriyal with Moong Dal” in Tamil Nadu. You could substitute the moong dal with sprouted whole green moong or any other cooked whole pulse (kabuli channa, lobia,etc) or even cooked channa dal.

French/ Green beans are loaded with antioxidants and flavanoids. A great source of fibre, protein, vitamins A,B(including folate and Vit.B 12), and minerals like iron, calcium, manganese and potassium.

Ingredients for Beans and Moong dal sabzi

  •    Green (French) Beans: 500 grams (cut into small pieces)
  •    Moong dal: 1/2 cup (wash and soak in water)
  •    Turmeric powder: a pinch
  •    Grated coconut :3-4 tbsp
  •    Green chilli – 2 slit
  •    Salt: to taste

For tempering:

  •   Oil -2 tsp 
  •    Mustard seeds -3/4 tsp
  •    Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
  •    Red chilli – 1
  •    Asafoetida/Hing – a pinch

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,urad dal when it splutters, add , hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves and green chilies.
  2.  Add chopped beans, saute for about 5 mins, then add salt and 1/4 cup of water.
  3. Keep the flame low and cover and cook for 10 mins.
  4.  Drain the moong dal and add to the green beans. Stir well and cover and cook for another 10 mins.
  5. Check if the beans are cooked, add some water if required .Try not to over cook the moong dal- it should still hold its shape and not be mashed up.
  6. Add grated coconut, mix well and switch off the flame.
  7. Serve it as an accompaniment with rice and dal or phulkas.

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Moong Dal Payasa (Moong ki kheer- Split Mung pudding in coconut milk)

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Another favorite from the family Mangalorean recipe box-the moong dal payasa is made for special occasions and festival feasts. Since I’ve been on a mission to try out (and publish on this blog) traditional Mangalorean recipes, this was undoubtedly the first thing that came to my mind as the sweet dish for this years Ganesh Chaturthi feast at home.
This is a protein- packed dessert and definitely a better sweet option for festivals than high- carb sweets like jelabis. Portion sizes should still be controlled.
Ingredients for Moong Dal Payasa:
  • Moong Dal: 1 cup
  • Jaggery: 1 1/2 cups (you could substitute with sugar,but jaggery gives the actual traditional taste)
  • Milk: 1 cup
  • Water:1 cup
  • Coconut milk: 1 cup
  • Salt:1/4th tsp
  • Saffron/Cardamom powder: a pinch (soak saffron in a little warm milk)
  • Cashews, raisins: a few(fried in a little ghee)
  • Ghee: 3tsp
Method:
  1. Roast the moong dal in a teaspoon of ghee till you get a pleasant aroma (do not let it brown).
  2. Add the milk and the water and bring it to a boil. Then simmer till the moong dal is well cooked, stirring occasionally.
  3. Once the dal is cooked add the jaggery, the saffron milk/ cardamom powder.
  4. Add the coconut milk and stir for a minute. Switch off.
  5. Serve moong dal payasa/kheer hot or a little warm garnished with the fried cahews, raisins and the remaining ghee.

NOTE: Do not add the jaggery/sugar at the beginning or else the dal will not cook (I learnt this the hard way the first time I made this!)


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Pineapple Rasam (Pineapple Mulligatawny Soup)

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Pineapple is rich in fibre ,vitamin C and manganese.  Bromelain is an enzyme that is found in pineapple that can be helpful in healing tissues, reducing inflammation, and treating cancer because it helps restore the immune system. 

There are so many versions of the famous “Mulligatawny Soup” (the literal Tamil translation being just “pepper water” ) that I decided to add my own version-a pineapple  flavoured mulligatawny soup. The addition of the pineapple makes this soup a perfect soup for summer or winter.
Ingredients for Pineapple Rasam:

  • Pineapple: 1 cup (chopped)
  • Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
  • Garlic:2 cloves(crushed)
  • Ginger:1/2 ” piece(finely chopped)
  • Pepper: 1-2 teaspoon(freshly ground)
  • Turmeric: a pinch
  • Curry powder or Sambar/rasam powder:1/2 to 1 teaspoon
  • Green chillies:1-2(slit lengthwise)
  • Water/vegetable broth/dal water: 2 cups
  • Oil: 1 teaspoon
  • Salt: to taste
  • Jaggery (gur): 1 teaspoon(optional)

For tempering:

  • Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
  • Zeera/Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
  • Peppercorns:3-4 nos.
  • Curry leaves:2-3 nos.
  • Hing/Asafoetida: a pinch (optional)

Method:

  1. Puree half the quantity of the pineapple into a fine paste and keep aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and peppercorns.
  3. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves,turmeric and the asafoetida/hing(optional).
  4. Add the chopped ginger and the crushed garlic and stir-fry till slightly brown.
  5. Then,add the chopped onions,green chillies and salt and saute till the onions are golden brown.
  6. Add the pineapple puree along with the rest of the chopped pineapple pieces,curry or sambar/rasam powder,sugar/jaggery(optional) and stir continuously for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
  7. Add about 2 cups of water/vegetable broth (or you could also use the water after boiling dal) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  8. Serve hot with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

Question: What is your favorite “summer” soup?


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Beetroot Mocktail/ juice

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This is a great drink for athletes ,sports persons and for those who exercise regularly as beetroot is loaded with nitrates . Nitrates when consumed are converted to nitric oxide which helps in opening the blood vessels and allows more blood and thereby oxygen to be delivered to the muscles. Beetroot juice which is naturally rich in nitrates, is believed to enhance exercise endurance among athletes. People living in high altitude areas will also benefit by drinking this juice as it increases oxygen supply to the body.  Besides this, beetroot  juice has also shown to reduce blood pressure.

Ingredients for Beetroot Mocktail:

  • Beetroot:1 small
  • Carrot: 1/2
  • Lime juice : 2-3 tablespoon
  • Apple: 1

Method:

  1. Blend all the ingredients together in a juicer.
  2. Serve chilled.

Note: The carotenes of beetroot will turn your urine and stools pink in colour which is normal.

Other Beetroot recipes:

  1. Beetroot Salad: Click here for recipe
  2. Beetroot Upkari(a simple Mangalorean style stir-fry): Click for recipe here
  3. Beetroot leaves dal: Click here for Recipe

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Hearty Vegetable Soup

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This is a hearty soup filled with lots of vegetables. The flavour and protein content of the soup is enhanced by the addition of moong/mung dal

  • Moong dal: 1/2 cup (wash in water, drain)
  • Celery- 1 cup chopped
  • Cauliflower- 1 cup (broken into bite sized)
  • Green beans- 1 cup (chop into about 1″)
  • Cabbage-2 cups shredded
  • Zucchini- 1 medium diced (about 2 cups)
  • Turnip- 1 medium (diced)
  • Onion- 2 medium (diced)
  • Tomato- 2 medium (diced)
  • Ginger: 1 ” piece (julienned)
  • Garlic-4 cloves finely chopped
  • Green chili: 2-3 slit
  • Palak/Spinach- 1 cup
  • Oil- 2 tsp
  • Cumin/Jeera seeds- 1tsp
  • Cloves-2 nos.
  • Cinnamon-1/2″
  • Bay leaves- 1 no.
  • Peppercorns- 3-4nos.
  • Coriander/cilantro leaves- 2 tbsp for garnish (chopped)
  • Moong/bean sprouts: 3-4 tbsp (optional)
  • salt- to taste
  • Pepper- 1/2- 1 tsp

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pot, when it’s hot add the bay leaves, jeera, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns.
  2. Add the slit green chilies, ginger, diced onions and garlic. Stir fry till the onions turn translucent.
  3. Add the moong dal and saute for a minute, then add all the vegetables and stir fry for about 5 mins.
  4. Add about 6 cups of water, pepper, salt to taste and let it simmer for a good 25-30 mins (stir in between)
  5. Garnish with chopped coriander and sprouts, serve hot.

 


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How To Stay Fit While on Vacation/Work Travel

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‘The World is a book, and those who don’t travel read only one page’

To travel is to live-so whether you travel for work or for a vacation, enjoy every minute of it. Everyone deserves to take a break and come back refreshed. But weight watchers rarely are able to enjoy a vacation for the fear of putting on some extra ‘holiday/travel pounds’! Here are some tips for those who want to stay in shape even while on a vacation:
Diet: While it is very difficult (sometimes impossible) to stick to a rigid diet plan while on a holiday, weight watchers can still enjoy a variety by ‘eating smart’:
Avoid tucking into unnecessary fried foods like chips, fries, namkeens-these not only add on unwanted calories, but also make you feel sluggish and lethargic (the last thing you want while on vacation)
Eat a wholesome breakfast-anything from cereals and milk, oats, idli, sandwiches along with fresh fruits. Keep the Belgium waffles, chocolate doughnuts and muffins for the occasional indulgence. Eating a hearty breakfast and then stepping out to explore the place will keep you going till lunchtime.
Be adventurous-try out the local cuisine. You don’t have to stick to the tried and tested menus. Holidays are all about exploring and what could be better than exploring the local cuisine. Besides they can be a lot healthier than the fast-food joints that you would otherwise end up at.
Stick to portion sizes– You just need to know when to stop. Don’t eat till you feel stuffed and not able to move. Avoid eating at the buffets on a daily basis.
Keep yourself hydrated-with natures ‘zero-calorie’ drink, WATER! Avoid the sodas/aereated drinks and ice-cream sodas. Choose fresh fruit juices or tender coconut water instead.
Check out the local markets-If you don’t want to shell out exorbitant rates for fruits and salads at the hotels/restaurants, then check out the local markets for seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Exercise: Most hotels are equipped with a gym so make sure to pack your exercise shoes and some workout clothes. If working out in a gym is not your idea of a holiday, then you can still burn the extra calories by:
Walking/jogging– explore the nearby areas by going on a walk/jog in the morning or late evening.
Swimming: Cool off by taking a splash in the pool/lake or ocean.
Try out adventure sports-like rock-climbing, snorkeling, deep sea diving, water skiing, surfing, white water rafting. These are not only fun, but will also make sure that you are keeping yourself active.
Cycle/hike– instead of taking a tour bus or renting a car on all days, chalk out places that are close to where you stay and you can rent a cycle or go on a hike and get a feel of the place.
Dance: Check out the local hot night spots and have a ball dancing the night away.
Don’t stress out too much if you aren’t able to follow any of the tips-after all the whole idea of the vacation is to unwind, as Cliff Richards’ classic oldie ‘Summer Holiday’ goes:
“We’re all going on a summer holiday,
no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
no more worries for me or you,

for a week or two”
You can always get back to your diet and fitness routine once you get back home!


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Foods that can stain your teeth

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So you’ve tried every teeth whitening product and still don’t have those pearly white teeth? Don’t blame the product-it may be time to watch what you are eating!
Yes, that’s right; your diet can both help and wreak havoc on your teeth. Here’s a list of foods (and drinks) that you should try and avoid for your teeth, especially after you’ve tried a teeth whitening product:
Tea: Your daily cups of hot chai could be staining your teeth. This is due to the presence of tannins in tea.
Wine: Both red and white wines can stain the teeth due to its high acid content and also due to the tannins present in them.
Energy drinks, sports drinks, colas/aerated drinks: the acid content in these tend to erode the teeth enamel while the color added to the drinks stain teeth.
Dark colored fruits, berries: the natural color pigments in these fruits can latch on to the teeth enamel thus staining them.
Tomato based curries/sauces, soy sauce: again the natural color pigments present in these are strong enough to stain teeth.
Spices like turmeric, saffron and other masalas.
An easy rule of thumb to remember which foods can stain the teeth is that if the food can stain your clothes then they are more than likely to stain your teeth too!
Since completely avoiding all these foods is impossible, here are some tips to reduce the staining effect of these foods:
1. Eat these foods with other foods especially crunchy foods like carrots, celery, apples, and cucumbers. These tend to scrub the teeth while being chewed.
2. Sip drinks from a straw-thus minimizing contact with teeth.
3. Rinse your mouth after each snack, meal and drink. Brushing teeth after a meal if possible is a much better option.
4. Floss your teeth at least once a day to remove all food particles stuck in between teeth.
Take care of your teeth, after all like the saying goes, “Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond”!!