Healthy Lunch Recipes

        Many people in the world can’t enjoy their food without the added Rice/Noodles/Pasta/Bread or any other carbohydrates mixed food. That’s the whole satisfaction they get eating out of eating rice,pizza etc.When we are looking for weight loss ,detox,healthy living ,one needs to focus much on complex carbohydrate,protein rich, fiber rich diets over simple carbohydrate rich diet. 

Here we go with few of the vegetarian recipes which I personally eat and I suggest to my clients:
These 2 recipes of the day can be eaten as main course, especially good for diabetics, who are looking towards a better glycemic control and weight loss. One can make slight changes in the proportions adjust salt and spices to ones taste.

A)MIXED SPROUTS WITH RICE:

This is the combination of 5 types of grains sprouted.

1. Finger millets- Ragi(Eleusine coracana)-sprouted
2. Great millet - Jowar(Sorghum vulgare)-sprouted
3. Pearl millet(Pennisetum glaucum)-sprouted
4. Green gram -Moong(Vigne radiata)-sprouted
5. Chick peas(Cicer arietinum)
6. Brown rice(Oryza sativa)

Quantity: one can reduce or increase the quantity according to the requirement of people.

• Brown rice -1 small cup
• Chick pea-1/4 cup
• Green gram-1/4 cup
• Ragi -1/4 cup
• Jowar1/4 cup
• Pearl millet-1/4cup
• Salt and lime juice for taste
• Coriander leaves or celery leaves for garnishing.

        Prepare the sprouts by soaking above ingredients (except rice and chickpeas) day before the preparation and make them into sprouts. The jowar requires more time to get sprouted compared to other grains. Keep the chickpeas soaked overnight.
Wash the rice and keep it on stove with 2 and half cup of water. When the rice and water has come to the boiling stage, add all the above sprouts and chickpeas and let it boil and simmer, add salt into this mixture. Once almost the cooking is done add salt, lemon juice according to the taste and close the lid.
This particular recipe is rich in protein, vit. B, Vit. C and complex carbohydrates, fiber etc. This whole thing is cooked without oil.If one wants to add some spices, add 1-2 green chilies while boiling the rice or sprinkle pepper after adding salt and  lemon juice.

B)BROKEN WHEAT WITH VEGETABLES:

        Broken wheat upma/porridge is served as breakfast in India. With few changes and added vegetables it can be eaten as a main menu for lunch or dinner. This particular recipe goes well with diabetics and obesity individuals. Gluten sensitive people can add Quinova/oats/any other millets instead of broken wheat.

INGREDIENTS:

a) Broken wheat(1/4 cup)

b) Vegetables(1 cup)- more quantities of the vegetables and less quantity of the wheat(1:4 ratio)

Varieties of the vegetables cut into small pieces separately -  ridge gourd, snake gourd,bottle gourd,beans,carrots,beetroots,cauliflower,cabbage,peas, spinach,tomato etc.

c) Oil for seasoning, salt for taste, green or red chilli (if required).

PREPARATION:

        Heat the oil for seasoning with mustard (seasoning is optional-if required can make the recipe oil free). Add vegetables like carrot, beans, cabbage(veggies which takes more time to boil) and add less than half cup of water and keep lid while cooking. After a while add ridge gourd, cauliflower (vegetable which takes less time to boil ), tomato and green leafy vegetables at last. You don’t need to add too much of water to boil as veggies and leafy vegetables have water in it. After a while add wheat and let it boil in simmer.if required add some water into it.
You can make this with just 2-3 varieties of vegetables with in the following combination:

• Tomato paste +bottle gourd( grated)
• Tomato paste +pumpkin/snake gourd
• Tomato paste +ridge gourd/leafy vegetables
• Tomat Paste + beetroot etc

         The taste is enhanced with tomato paste (boiled and made to paste). Add vegetables and tomato paste together, after a while add broken wheat and boil.
Serve the broken wheat vegetable upma along with chutnies or can be eaten as it is with salt and pepper.