Low Cal Triangle Paratha

Nothing beats a cosy breakfast, when you sit in the kitchen and hot parathas are served to you on your plate. My mom would knead the dough in oil and then to form layers inside the paratha she would again apply oil and would then fry the parathas in oil. Heavenly.

The best way to enjoy these parathas were with mango pickle. Nothing beats a breakfast of triangle paratha, mango pickle and a hot cup of tea.

But a weight loss diet does not allow that much oil. 1 paratha has enough oil to make 1 full vegetable dish.

I had tried the less oil version and they used to come out hard or the layers won't form properly.

Then few days back I read on wiseshe.com that if we knead the dough in curd the parathas will turn out soft. I tried and viola, soft layered triangle parathas. Yumm and heavenly without much oil.

Check them out here : http://www.wiseshe.com/2010/05/how-to-make-soft-chapatiparatha-without.html

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup wheat flour.

2. Curd

3. 1 tsp oil for 3 to 4 parathas or As many as you can make.

4. Salt to taste

Procedure

1. Wheat flour and salt is mixed together and the dough is kneaded in the same way
as we knead the roti dough.

The trick here is to add little curd and then knead, then again add little curd. Keep doing till you get a ball of dough which is soft and non sticky. Its better to add little curd and knead rather than adding lots of curd at one go. Softer the dough the better it is.

2. Always take out 1 tsp of oil in a katori and keep aside. This will give you a proper measure of how much oil has gone in how many parathas.

3. Now, take a small ball of dough in your hand and roll in a round.

4. Drop 5 - 6 drops of oil all over the round and spread.



5. Fold the round and drop 2 drops of oil and spread.




6. Now fold again to make a triangle.



7. Nicely dust the triangle with the flour. Now roll the triangle.



8. Now grill on a pan. Make sure not to over cook. Flip when one side is cooked lightly.



Take little oil. I just dip the spoon in the oil and then take it out. There is no oil in the spoon but the spoon is coated with oil. I use this back of the spoon and run on both side.

If you are not comfortable doing this. Then just drop few drops of oil on both sides of the paratha and spread.

9. Cook the paratha well.

10. You can break the paratha to see the layers.




I can make 3 - 4 paratha with 1 tsp of oil which is good for 2 of us.

Soft, tasty and yum.

Enjoy

Utterly Not Butterly Delicious Dhal Makhni

I always associate dhal makhni with lots of cream and butter. Thats what most recipes suggested and the version in restaurants projected. Creamy dhal makhni with lots of ghee, butter and cream tasted heavenly with Naan and rice. Yum!!.

I used to make dhal makhni just the same way, lots of cream, butter and ghee. The more butter and cream you add the better it is. I would happily pour a packet of cream and butter.

While on weight loss, I visited my DH's aunt. They being Punjabi served us dhal makhni. I was hesitating to eat it, so she said "you can eat it dear its made in just 2 spoons of oil". OMG!!! I was shocked. I never thought something that tasty could be made from less oil.

The dhal makhni she made was amazingly smooth and damn tasty. She being from Amritsar got it exactly right. I asked her for the recipe, tried at home and it was a hit. This is how I make it. I make it in good amount so that I can freeze some. Usually as in all Punjabi house holds we eat it on weekends.

Ingredients :

1. 2 cups Whole urad dhal/maa ki dhal. Its black in color.

2. 1/2 cup Rajma.

3. 4 Medium size Onions, finely chopped.

4. 1 whole pod garlic, peeled and chopped.

5. 1 inch Ginger, chopped very finely. You can grate it too.

6. 1 tsp cumin seed

7. 2 tsp ghee.

8. 1 tea cup milk.

9. 3 tsp curd.

10. 2 tsp roasted cumin powder.

11. 2 tsp garam masala.



For Tadka

1. 1 medium size tomato finely chopped.

2. 1 green chili slashed length wise.

3. 1 inch ginger, cut into fine long strips.



Gram Masala -

Cumin Seeds - 100 Gm
Whole Black pepper- 50Gm
MOTI ILAICHI OR Big Cardamom 50Gm
CHOTI ILAICHI OR small Cardamom 10-15 No
Cloves 10-15 Gm
Cinnamon 10-15 Gm

Roast above till they emit a nice aroma and then grind into a powder. In our household we use homemade garam masala.

Procedure.

1. Soak dhal and rajma together over night.

2. In a pressure cooker, add dhal-rajma, onions, garlic and ginger. Fill with enough water. For 2 and a half cup you need 4 cups water. This dhal is cooked for a long time so remember if you use less water it will get burnt.



3. Now you need to pressure cook it on medium heat for at least 20 whistles. Then once the pressure comes down check if the lentils are cooked properly, if not, again pressure cook for more time (as per how hard the beans are). You can add some more water if you think the water is less. The aim is to have nicely cooked dhal and rajma.



4. Once the dhal is cooked, check if water is required and boil on medium flame with open lid (you will not cover it now). With the serving spoon just pressure the dhaal and stir. You need not make a paste out of it, but just press it slightly.

5. Now prepare the tadka. In a separate pan, add ghee, when it becomes hot, add cumin when they splutter add ginger and chillies, saute for a minute and then add tomato. Cook till tomato turns all mushy like a puree.




6. Now, in the pressure cooker it self, add the tadka and let it boil. If you think the water is less add the water. More you boil this dhal more thicker it gets, so you need to add water. Add roasted cumin powder and garam masala. Boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasional and slightly keep pressing the dhal.


7. In a cup, add milk and curd together and mix well. There should not be any lumps. Now slowly add into dhal. Put little amount and then stir well, then put little more and stir well. Don't put the whole milk at one go, it will curdle. Add little amount stir, then again repeat the procedure.





8. Add salt to taste.

9. Let the dhal simmer for 10 - 15 minutes more so the taste seeps in. More you cook thicker and creamy in texture it gets. The dhal is actually cook, we are simmering it to enhance the taste. You need to stir it in between by slightly pressing it.

10. End result will be a creamy mixture that melts in your mouth.
Enjoy!!!

Multigrain Roti

Lots of people ask me how to make multigrain roti. So here is the rocking heroine of weight loss.

Ingredients :

1. Bajra Flour - 2 fist.

2. Jawar flour - 2 fist.

3. Makkai flour - 2 fist.

4. Quaker Oats - 2 fist.

5. Wheat germ - 2 fist.

6. Wheat barn - 2 first.

7. Wheat flour - 2 fist.

8. Sattu - 2 fist

9. Warm water.

Add the ingredients you have and leave the ones you don't have.



Procedure

1. Mix all the flours together nicely.

2. Start by mixing little warm water in the flour and start by binding the flour. You need to keep adding little water so that the flour binds into a ball. Then you need to keep kneading it. The dough should be smooth. Ideally to make a smooth dough 1/3rd water is needed (1 cup water for 3 cups flour). But the best way is to add little water and keep kneading. The dough will not be like wheat dough which will hold itself tightly. This will break a little due to bajra and jowar flour.



3. Take a dough ball and roll into a round shape. You will need to dust the dough ball with wheat flour.



4. Put the rolled roti on a hot griddle and cook on both side. When you see bubbles on one side flip and cook.



5. Then transfer to heat and cook well on both sides.



6. Apply little ghee and enjoy.

Creamy Spinach Paneer

One thing that is quiet frequent in my fridge is spinach and paneer. When the hunger strikes a bowl of this dish satisfy me. This goes well on bread toast, with roti or with veggie platter and tastes amazing not to mention healthy. Its a super quick and super tasty recipe.

Ingredients :

1. 2 Medium Size onions finely chopped (feel free to use more).

2. 4 bunch spinach, blanched and roughly blended. We are not looking at a smooth paste. What we want is the grainy paste. I always blanch and cook the spinach. (feel free to use more spinach). Put the spinach leaves in hot boiling water for 1 minutes and then immediately transfer to cold water. Then take the spinach out and grind it thick.

3. 5- 6 Garlic, finally chopped.

4. 2 tsp oil.

5. 1 tsp cream (optional).

6. Crumbled paneer, 100 gms.

6. Salt to taste.

Procedure:

1. In a pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and then add garlic. Saute it for few seconds and then add onion pieces.



2. Saute the onion till it turns pink.

3. Add in spinach mix well and then add in paneer. Add in salt and mix well.

4. For those who get evaporated milk in mini packets, can then add that to the above spinach else you can either add cream or 1 big spoon milk. This is to give the spinach creamy taste.



5. Do not add additional water to this mixture. The consistency of this dish should be thick.

How do I eat it : This can either be my meal or snack. When I am snacking I have it with veggie platter. In this pic, there is saute vegetable in garlic and oregano, spinach -paneer and sweet potato nests. If I want to have it as a meal all I will do is replace sweet potato nest with roti.



Who says veggie platter cannot be your snack, it can be. Its way way healthier than a packet of chips. Give it a try, who knows you might end up liking it.

Enjoy this with Multigrain Roti - Read Here

Bon Apetite!!!

Brown Fried Rice

One good thing that happened with weight loss was the change in my attitude towards food. I have started greatly appreciating lightly cooked whole some meal.

One such meal is brown fried rice. The veggies are cooked in less oil, they are crisp that is they are not over cooked and they retain their natural flavor. Moreover no strong spices are involved in this dish. I find it really satisfying not to forget tasty also.

Ingredients :

I try to put as much veggies as possible. So please feel free top add what you like to add other than what is mentioned below.

1. 2 fist brown rice : Cook as per the instruction on the packet. I wash it and keep it to boil with sufficient amount of water. I do not drain the starch in this rice. I cook it the normal way by covering the pot with the lid.

2. Garlic - 5-6.

3. 1 medium size onion, chopped.

4. 1 medium size capsicum, chopped.

5. 1 small carrot, chopped.

6. Cabbage, finely shredded. I handful.

7. Spinach - I use frozen spinach here but you can use the fresh one. Just blanch it and make a puree. Make sure the puree is thick and not very watery. We just require a very little amount here. 1/4 bunch of spinach is fine enough.

8. Sweet corn - 1 handful.

9. Paneer - 1 handful.

10. Black pepper - 1/4 tsp. We just require sprinkle it all over the rice.

11. Salt to taste.

12. Oregano - 1/2 tsp (optional)

13. 1 tsp olive/vegetable oil.



Procedure

1. Heat the oil in the pan.

2. Add in garlic. Just saute it for few second, make sure not to burn it.

3. Add in the onions. Saute till they become brown.

4. Add in capsicum, carrot, corns, cabbage. Now saute till they are half cooked.

5. Add the paneer and spinach. Keep cooking till the veggies are cooked and crisp. It take 4 -5 minutes. You need to saute the vegetables on high flame.



6. Add in the rice and mix well.

7. Add the salt, pepper and oregano and mix well.



8. Serve in a plate and eat with a small spoon.





The idea here is to have lots of saute vegetable with moderate amount of rice.

Enjoy!!

Do You Know - Brown rice has the bran intact and it has more fiber than white rice. One cup of brown rice has 3 1/2 grams of fiber while the same amount of white rice has less than one gram of fiber. We all need from 25 to 38 grams of fiber in our diet everyday.

Brown rice also contains nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and zinc. White rice has reduced levels of these nutrients. [source: http://nutrition.about.com]

The Happy Weight Loss Family

We all have heard this so many times, educate a woman educate the whole family. A woman always has the capability to change the outlook of the family. One step that you take towards healthy lifestyle, your family and your kids take a leap forward in terms of healthy life.

In a health magazine, once I read about an overweight woman who lost lot of weight. She said that when she was fat, she always used to ask her kids to buy packet of chips. Chips were a constant feature in her life and her kids life. When she shifted to healthy eating so did her kids.

I have seen it myself. There was once a time when my husband stood at 96 kgs and I at 86 kgs. I had a pantry full of fried snacks and instant pasta and noodles. We would chomp off a large pizza together accompanied by large servings of garlic bread and cold drink.

Movie at home will be watched only with 2 large bags of butter pop corns (I had all the flavored packets, 1 box had 6 packets and I at a time used to have 6 boxes at least).

My freezer always had a bag of french fries (what if guests come, there should be something to serve them but month after month it was us who finished those big bags), outside frozen quick meals and outside frozen parathas (made of white flour), pizza dough.

Pizza dough was a constant feature in my freezer. We always used to stock up of the dough and mozzarella. So, whenever we wanted to have something different (which was most of the days in the week), all we had to do was pile sauce on pizza dough, some cut veggies and lots of cheese and in it will go in the oven. Me and my husband use to have 2 medium size home made pizza each.

So, what happened when I changed my outlook towards food. My freezer now has paneer, corns, spinach,peas and beans, home made rajma and daal makhni. You will not find any pop corn bags in my house neither will you find loads of friend snacks nor any frozen outside quick meals and pizza dough.

Both me and my husband have started moving towards more whole grain diet which includes lots of veggies. A young life which will step into our house will follow our way of living. When our relatives look at us they try to make changes themselves, thats the beauty of healthy life, people always appreciate it and they tend to adopt it.

So, here is one member of IL who did it. She not only made a difference in her lifestyle but she made a difference in the lifestyle of her whole family. What an example she is.

She is Radha. Good show girl, you showed us that if one person in the family changes her outlook towards life the whole family follow suit. Remember, how I keep telling you people that if you give up outside food the weight will drop, she sets a good example of giving up outside food and benefiting from it. Read her story and see how she made the difference.

Dear Shiva,

I am silent reader of your blogs. I was 52kgs when I got married 5 years back, but somehow it jumped to 58 kgs in 5 years. I was trying to loose it but was never regular. I gained few more kgs(5!!) as I was an medication last year for my TTC journey. Life was quite hectic and sad last year as I was trying juggle between work and TTC. I read your blog in Jan 2010(Fat chic goes slim) and I made up my mind that I am going to loose weight and not going to concentrate on anything else.

I started in Jan 2010 and till date I have lost 8 kgs and in the verge of losing last 3 kgs. My DH got impressed seeing my weight loss journey and set up a Gym for me at home. I have a trainer who comes home and trains us(DH is my weight loss buddy, weight watcher everything) in weekends. I have forgotten my TTC journey and left it to my gynec and god.

As I was working only on weight loss ,not only I lost weight but there are other great benefits I got. As I was in hectic TTC journey romance was missing between me and DH and now we are like 'just married' for last few months. My acne in the face is cleared and my skin looks more healthy.

Yesterday I attended a function and met few people who were our neighbors 10 years back. They are seeing me after 8 years I think , they said wow, you have not changed in 10 years, you look the same. DH was thrilled when he heard this comment. It would have been different comment if they would have seen me 6 months back!!

My MIL is a sweet heart and she kept saying me and DH about weight loss, which we never bothered to listen. To make my food yummy she started making Jawar dosa, Soyabean idli, Lapsi khichdi etc., so that we don't feel deprived of food as we are dieting. We used to eat out on all weekends religiously and order all high calorie desserts before. But as I started my weight loss in Jan 2010 and dh is my buddy, we stopped eating out and my DH lost 4 kgs just because we stopped eating out.He lost few more when he started exercising. One point to mention is our credit card bill reduced considerably else Evey week we will have an entry from Domino's,Pizza hut or any food joint!!

My FIL was seeing me and DH and MIL(she is always health conscious, never gives up her Yoga, Yoga for an hour is compulsory for her) and started his weight loss journey. All this while he was saying he can't sleep if there is no rice in night and will hungry in the middle of the night, but for last 2 months he is just eating 2 Roti's with subzi and glass of butter milk for dinner. He has lost 4-5 kgs so far. He is 65 years and he has changed his habit (eating rice in night for 64 long years) and started his weight loss journey. My MIL says this is the 8th wonder of the world as she never knew her hubby will give up rice and believe me she was trying for it for almost 20 years!!

Now its all only healthy food at home, we do break it once in a while but go on light food for next couple of days.

I started my posting my diet in weight loss buddy and Alpa gave her comments and helped me a lot. It was difficult for first 5 kgs after that its reducing constantly :). Last but not least we have a cook at home and now she is trained to make healthy food which is less spicy less oily and she comes up with her own healthy recipes!!

We are 'Happy weight loss' family now.

I am now guiding my SIL who is trying to loose her pregnancy weight. I owe a lot to you for writing the blog and helping me start my weight loss journey.

I really appreciate the efforts of Radha's MIL. Classic example of one woman standing up to help the other. Both women brought the family on track to healthy eating. Radha and her MIL both deserve a standing ovation. Both of you are great examples. Kudos to both of you.

All you have to do is stand up for yourself and your family will stand up too.

All you have to do is take a step forward and your family will walk forward with you.

So get up and make the difference now.

This article was also published on Indus ladies forum where I have a similar blog.

Sabudana Vadas

2 days back I was watching the movie Kaatha. It was those nostalgic 1980 movies starring Nasrudin Shah, Dipti Naval and Farukh Sheikh. It had the mumbai I so much love watching, the chals, the people. In one of the scenes, Dipti Naval makes hot sabudana vadas.

Oh my god, its been years literally years since I had those. In fact I never made them in my house fearing the amount of calories they have because they are fried in the oil.

But then, the movie and the nostalgic time brought in the carving and I was dying to have them.

So this is how I made them and they came out to be awesome.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup sago seeds. Washed and drained, just leave little bit of water for the sago seeds to soak. Leave them over night.

2. 2 medium size potatoes.

3. Handful peanuts, roasted and crushed.

4. 1 tsp sugar.

5. Green chillies finely chopped.

6. Coriander leaves finely chopped.

Procedure.

1. Mix the above ingredients in a nice mixture and make flat patties.



2. In a sandwich maker, put 1 drop oil in all 4 sections. Put the above patties and then apply 1 drop oil on each patty. Spread that 1 drop oil nicely on the patty. Now, close the toaster shut for 5 minutes. Then turn the patty around and then again leave it for 5 minutes.





3. The patties should be crisp and brown.



The first batch took longer time to prepare but the second batch was done quickly.

To be honest it does take time to make sabudana vada like this but its worth the time. The taste is exactly the same and only 2 drop oil per vada (can you beat that).

Bon Apetite!!

Weight Loss and The Outside Food

Few days back I went for a lunch at my friend's place. There were group of people. The usual reaction when people come to know that I lost 20 kgs (which I don't tell but my friends do) is that I will be asked about the diet I follow and how can they start with loosing weight. I tell them start by giving up outside food, eat whatever you want to eat at home and limit the outside intake. I never fail to get this reaction "oh no, thats difficult." OR "I seriously cannot give that up".

Now here is the fun part, the same people are ready

1.To follow a specific diet which will ask them to avoid a certain food group.

2. To follow a diet which will ask them to stop eating after a time in a day.

3. To spend money on a dietitian who will tell them the same thing plus would restrict them further.

But these people are simply not ready to give up outside food and start eating home made healthy food.

One super intelligent soul in that group asked me "why are you calling restaurant food bad. Me and my colleague eat thali every day for lunch at this restro and its like homemade thali. You should give it a try. Its like home made and healthy". It took me a minute to give him the answer, how could a person call a meal laden with oil healthy???.

So, lets see why restaurant food is a big No while dieting.

1. 1 tsp of oil has 40 calories, its a general knowledge. Try frying onions in 1 or 2 tsp of oil and then try frying them in 2 table spoon of oil. It takes a longer time to cook with less oil because oil gets hot and cook food, a less oil will cook food slower than more oil. No one in the restaurant has time to cook your veggies slow.

2. Oil is evident in all the gravies that you eat. The proof is in front of your eyes.

3. If you think ordering a whole wheat tandoori roti is of any good then think again. Its a little better than ordering a butter naan but it is laden with calories.

A) The portion size is more than the roties that you cook at home, its thicker.

B) One friend of mine was famous for her chapathies. They were soft and would melt in the mouth. Her way of kneading the dough was to use lots and lots of oil. Once the dough was kneaded she would again spill 1 cup of oil on it and work on the dough till the oil vanished. When I ate those chapathies I could never say that so much oil was involved in kneading the dough. The gluten of the dough is always developed with fat. The more you work on the dough with fat the more softer the outcome will be. The yum naans and the tandoori roti are such soft and delicious outcomes.

4) Its general knowledge again that burgers, french fries, pizza are laden with calories.
Now here are the few questions that might pop up in your mind

Are you in your senses Shiva?? I need a break from home made food. It gets dull and boring and I am human I get tempted.

No one is asking you to sacrifice it for life. The initial period is to break the addiction. If you are in the habit of eating the outside food on weekly basis Or 2 times a week, a complete No will get you out of the habit.

Give it up for few days and you yourself will see the difference in weight. The weighing scale will speak for the weight. Once your habit is broken you can introduce it again in your lifestyle but you yourself will be cautious.

In past it was a must for me to eat 2 -3 times in a week. Sometimes too tired from office to cook, sometimes craving for that kind of food, sometimes bored, sometimes depressed, sometimes sad, sometimes happy and want celebrate. You name it and there will be an excuse. Now, its not a big deal. Its twice in a month. I just tick in my calender when I eat out so I keep a track.

Homemade food is boring

No it is not. It is as interesting as you can make it.

Ok, but I just need to eat out.

Then be smart. You cannot have everything in life. You yourself know you need to give up few things to lose weight. So make a choice do you want to lose weight OR do you want to keep eating out and make no difference to your weight.

If eating out opt for

A) Idlies, uttampam, dhokla, khandavi. These cannot be much adulterated with oil.

B) Subway sandwiches again are a good option, just stay clear from mayo and cheese with the sandwiches.

C) If you are a non- vegetarian asked for grilled stuff.

D) Steamed rice with stir fried vegetables.

I break down at the sight of food.

Then you should not be that weak. My mouth used to literally start watering with the smell in the restaurants and by the time food came I used to be so hungry. Where food was concerned I had no will power. I used to hate myself so much for being so weak.

But you are weak only for the few occasions after that you are absolutely strong. I clearly remember mine.

A) The very first one when I had started my weight loss. My husband is a big samosa fan and so am I. So he ordered samosa and insisted that I take a bite. The smell was killing me from inside. I told him I'll just go and look at few things in the mall. He was upset that I am leaving him all alone while he eats but I requested him. I just walked and did window shopping till he joined me. That incident is etched in my mind. Do you know why??? because I was almost about to break, it took me all my power to say no to one bite and walk away. once I walked away I was fine.

B) The second one was that of my cousin and DH having burgers one after the other while I sat drinking coffee (I had told about this earlier). Why is this etched in my mind?? because that day I sat there without taking a bite and I did not walk away. I realized that I do have a will power. It might sound stupid to you but to me that day was a revelation. Burgers used to be my biggest weakness and I sat through 4 of them being eaten by two family members.

C) When I was n Delhi my sister, my BIL and my DH used to have a blast with Nizam's kathi kebabs at least twice in a week. Those kebabs smelled heavenly and looked deliciously gorgeous. We would all go in a car and they would enjoy the kebabs sitting in the car. I sat through them, with all that tempting smell. Why is this etched in my mind??? because this is my biggest thrill. I was the strongest here. All three of them would go for 2 kathi kebabs each. And I kept saying NO. They tempted me no end but I stood my ground.

My sister said "how can you say No to these, I can never satisfy myself with 1, I need 2 of these". Though she is not over weight I pointed out to the double chin that was coming up, she was shocked and kept looking in the mirror. By the time I was about to leave her place she told me "How could I ever eat 2 of those, even half is so filling".

To me this is my tried and tested secret. My cousin is down by 5 kgs only by giving up outside food, my BIL has lost lot of weight by doing the same, my DH does nothing in terms of exercise but he has lost so much weight why?? because in our house outside food is banned. We also do not keep the phone numbers for home delivery.

So you see it works. It worked on me and it worked on people I know.

If you want to lose weight at any cost then why not save some money and eat at home.

We all get tempted and we all fail but the real winner is who stands her ground in spite of failing and in spite of being tempted. We all want to run and we all fall but the real winner is who stands up in spite of falling.

We all stand in a crowd that says YES and wants us to say YES but a real winner is who says NO in a group of people who say Yes.

One fantastic response that I got from a reader

Hi Shiva,

Until now, I have read all the blogs of Weight Loss posted here. Since then, I have become your fan. I too want to loose 10 kgs. and you inspired me here so much.

About outside food, let me tell you my experience about restaurants. One evening me and my friend went to one restaurant and as usual it was full, so we were asked to go upstairs in a/c room. As we have to pass the small kitchen area, I saw one guy putting 500 gms of butter in one paneer dish. That dish was meant for 2 people. It was a horrible scene for my eyes and I left the restaurant at that moment with my friend.

Sweet Potato Nests

Once I got a low carb diet book. The book did nothing much to my weight but introduced me to a beauty called sweet potato (also known as Shakarkand).



According to me sweet potato was supposed to be eaten during fasts (or vrats), in fact they used to be a constant feature during navratri.

Well, according to the book sweet potato has a complex carbohydrate structure. It made sense to me, when I ate it, it will gave me an extremely full feeling in my stomach.

This finally became a small mini meal for me. If I am not in a mood to do much, all I do is pop a medium size sweet potato in a microwave for 5 minutes and then sprinkle salt and black pepper on it, depending on my mood I either have it with curd or with lemon. I am happy as hell for next 2 - 3 hours.

Usually, during evening when my DH comes home me and him both have an urge for a snack along with our coffee. I came up with this version of crisps. These nests are crunchy and chew and the best part is my DH likes them (hurray!!!).

This is a good complex carbohydrate snack which is far better than biscuits and other refined stuff.

Ingredients

1. 1 medium or large size sweet potato. peeled and grated.

2. salt to taste.

3. black pepper to taste

4. Finely chopped green chillies.

feel free to add other spices of your choice.

Procedure

1. In the grated sweet potato add salt, pepper and chillies.

2. In a sandwich toaster drop 1 drop of oil in all the section.

3. No spread the grated sweet potato mixture.


4. Again drop 1 drop of oil on all the grated stuff.

We need this small amount of oil to make them crisp and to bring in the fried texture.

5. Close the toaster for 5 minutes (do check in between). When they are nicely brown from one side flip and let them get brown on the other side.




6. Squeeze a lemon on top of the nests.




The taste is sweet and crisp with a lemony touch to it.

I have not tried this on a non stick pan, I guess the outcomes will be more or less the same.

Bon Appetit.

The Yum Mum

Another queen who conquered the weight loss kingdom.

This article is from a forum where I write and Parvathi is one of the members.

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I was a chubby kid from birth and never thought being fat and chubby is bad.hahaha. I used to gorge on food and also snacks without realizing if snacks were the real time food.hahahhaa. A very voracious eater that is what I was.

During my first pregnancy i was will u believe me 90Kgs..........an elephant hahahhaa during my seemandham ( The 7th month godhbarai ceremony) i was so huge and gigantic. Then after delivery also hardly did i do any exercise but gorged on all the ghee laden rice that amma used to give. Then weight was static at 77. It remained the same for 4 years even after my second delivery.

It was when my elder daughter got admitted in school that i felt so embarrassed by the way i look....i decided to go in for exercise.
I cut down rice, oil less subzis, and really watchful about every morsel i ate. Sometimes i have cried because exercise is the thing i most hated.

Then i read your tip that even if not exercising strenuously just walk but do not leave exercise. Very strict diet and cycling for 45 mins gave me the most awaited result. From 77kg in august 2009....i came to 62kg in December 2009. And i am happy to share that now i maintain the target of 60kg - 62 kg with my diet. Though now i have charted a diet plan for me..i see to it that we cannot overeat once we have made our mindset.
The only thing that i have to control however is my snacks habit.

But truly losing weight is the best exam i have passed in my life.
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The diet and exercise that worked for her.

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The inspiration to do exercise came only from you dear.Your post "Where is the start" inspired me again to go in for exercise regime.
I would just like to share with you about my diet plan.

Morning i used to drink 2-3 glasses of water.
A very small glass of coffee without sugar. Just half a glass.
A bowl of cornflakes with 3/4th cup of milk.

This used to temporarily satisfy my hunger. Then i used to take one fruit mostly green apple/apple/ papaya.( quarter piece).

Lunch used to be salads- cucumber, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, peanuts, olives,pomegranate seeds all very finely chopped with very little salt and pepper. I used to take a bowl of salad first.

Then without oil chappati -2 and subzi without oil or with less oil. Generally used to prepare subzi's in nonstick kadai.
If not eating chappati used to have oats khicdi or broken wheat khicdi with lots of veggies in it.

I completely avoided rice and now also take rice only on weekends.

Evening- It was tea with less sugar and 2 biscuits.

Night - Early dinner- Soup and Fruits.
If very hungry used to take 1 bowl of subzi.

I sacrificed papads, pickles, full fat curd and switched to low fat milk and low fat buttermilk.

Exercise very regularly 45 mins cycling when watching t.v. Earlier children used to bug me when i used to do exercise but then used to do it with 10 mins break as kids are very small - one is 4 years old and the other is 2 years old.

Now the intake is very limited. I want to eat this same food till i am alive other than doc telling me to go to bland food in old age.My parents are highly diabetic and hence doc seriously advised me if i dont lose weight i may be prone to a large no. of ailments in young age itself. So even that got registered in my mind. Now whatever i eat i never exceed the quantity as before and i enjoy snacks and other eatables, sweets also but in very very minimum quantity.

But as you have stated enjoy exercise and weight loss as if we crib then it will surely feel like a burden. I prefer to enjoy my weight loss trip with all others sharing their lovely journey with me and making it more enjoyable.

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Ask yourself this question "If she can do it why can't I??". Don't rest in peace till you get an answer and don't accept any other answer but the one that says "I can do it too".

Lentil Pancakes - The lovely round beauties.

I have hit the jack pot with this. Lately I have been struggling to get my DH's carb consumption down. He always wants to eat and never wants to exercise on top of it he wants tasty food (there is no way to tame this creature).

Offering him lentil soup and then struggling to make him gulp was becoming a task in itself.

So once while making the preparation of lentil soup I decided to make pancakes out of it. Now, I have heard of adai but I had all the lentil soup ingredients ready and so decided to make a batter out of it.

DH loves it and now its our regular dinner. Moreover, I keep 2 of them ready in the fridge so that i can enjoy it over evening tea.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup dhal(yellow mung dhal/green split mug dhal/channa dhal) - I don't mix them. I make one at a time so that there is variety in taste. Soak it either over night Or for 2 -3 hours. Yellow mung dhal is good to grind in 1 hour.

2. 1 carrot crated.

3. 1 cucumber grated

3. 1/2 bottle gourd grated.

4. 5 garlic cloves.

5. 1 inch ginger.

6. 2 green chillies (optional).

7. 1 tsp cumin seeds/.

8. Salt to taste.

9. 2 tbsp curd.

Please feel free to add more veggies.

Procedure

1. Grind dhal, garlic, ginger, chillies, curd and salt together and make a smooth paste.

2. Add to the batter grated carrot, cucumber and bottle gourd. Add cumin seeds as well.

3. Add water to make the consistency flowing. It should not be very thick nor very thin. It should be good enough to spread.



4. Take a non stick pan and pour little oil. I just use few drops all over the pan.

5. Spread the batter and cover with a lid. Covering for 2 minutes is important so that the pancake gets steamed.





6. When the pancake is firm enough to flip, flip it and brown the other side. Do not cover this time.




7. Serve with chutney

A) Channa dhal pancake with mango chutney



B) Green split mung dhal pancake with hummus and mirchi tekcha.



C) Yellow moong dhal pancake with coriander chutney.



8. Enjoy.

These lovely round beauties are protein packed with lots of grated veggies. They are good source of fiber too.