How to cook Red parboiled rice (Rosematta/ Oorpel ari)

How to cook Red parboiled rice (Rosematta/ Oorpel ari)

Parboiled rice (rosematta/oorpel ari) is the type of rice that is commonly made in Mangalore/Udupi, Kerala, and some parts of Tamil Nadu. It is fondly known as ‘bullet rice’ in my house as each grain of rice is double the size of the regular white rice. Parboiled rice is partially precooked in its husk, which helps to retain the nutrients that would otherwise be lost during polishing. It is believed to be good for the gut health and impact blood sugar less than brown/ white rice.

Here’s a simple way of cooking parboiled rice in the cooker (pot in cooker and draining method):

Method:

1. Soak about a cup of parboiled rice in water for about 15 minutes. Wash it well in several rinses of water, till the water turns clear.
2. Drain and put the rise in a pot that fits into the pressure cooker. Add about 4-5 cups of water into the pot.
3. Put some water into the pressure cooker and place the pot inside the cooker.
4. Close the lid and let it cook for at least 6-7 whistles.
5. When the pressure drops open the pressure cooker, add another two cups of hot water to the pot and stir.
6. Then close the pot with a lid and tilt the pot to drain the water(use a kitchen cloth to hold the pot). You can even use clips to keep the lid on the pot.
7. Once the water is drained, open the pot and fluff. Serve hot with curries.

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Which is the BEST day to check your weight?

How Weekends may be the Key Factor in making you Lose or Gain weight

Do you get depressed at seeing your weight fluctuate every day? Don't panic-it's just a pretty normal phenomenon.
Researchers have now found out that the body goes through a weight cycle. This weight loss cycle or weekly weight rhythms is somewhat similar to the REM cycles (Rapid Eye Movement) during sleep. Researchers from Cornell University along with VTT Research Centre of Finland looked into what a seven-day-a week human cycle has on their weights.
They found a definite pattern in weight gain and weight loss according to the day of the week .Not surprisingly, the most weight gain among the participants was seen on Sunday and Monday. After that the weight tapered down to the lowest being on Fridays!
This only goes to prove that weight fluctuations through the week is a normal phenomenon among everyone and there is no need to panic.
Which is the BEST day to check your weight?
For weight watchers this is a also a good point to keep in mind and instead of checking weight every single day, to just check on one particular day of the week. The best day would be Friday-so keep Fridays as your weight check days.

Lifestyle changes may help women with Gestational Diabetes

Diet and Lifestyle changes for Gestational Diabetics 

Women who have Gestational Diabetes (diabetes that occurs during their pregnancy) have been known to be at risk for diabetes later in their life. Now a new study done at 22 Kaiser Permanente mediclinics on gestational diabetics post pregnancy suggests that with proper lifestyle changes and a good weight management program they may just be able to prevent diabetes from occurring later on.
If you have or had Gestational Diabetes, it is important for you to follow a strict diet and physical activity routine not just during pregnancy but also after delivery.
With Indians known to be more at risk for diabetes and the unhealthy eating patterns that urban Indian tend to follow diabetes could be knocking at your door even before you expect. Don't wait for your that to happen and then look for a diet and lifestyle change. Get healthy now and you could just prevent diabetes from happening to you.
Here's are 3 simple steps to a new healthy you (Both during and post-pregnancy)
1)Eat right-don't overeat, you don't really need to eat for two. You just need to eat the right foods in the right amount.
2)Be active: Unless your doctor has put you on bed rest, there is no reason why you cannot be active. The least you can do is walk everyday.
3)Drink lots of fluids: The last thing you want is to be constipated. Both pregnancy and lactation requires increased fluid intake and what drink can be better than water.

Check out our Women's Health Packages that can be tailor-made keeping you, your health problems and you eating habits in mind: Women's Health Packages at myindiandietitian.com

How to lose 1 pound (half a kg) of body weight every week by eating a Healthy Indian Diet

Are you planning on turning a new leaf this New Year? Are you looking forward to discovering the new Healthy You? If you've tried it every year and given up at the end of January-then trust me, there's NOTHING wrong with you! It's just that you haven't found the right way to get healthy. This year, take the right steps, do the right things and make this the "Year Of the New You".

Here are 9 simple steps to start off:

1. Get up and move: Choose and start a physical activity or fitness program that you enjoy. It could be as simple as a brisk walk, a jog, aerobics, gym workout or a sport. Ideally something that keeps you on your toes for at least an hour every day. 'Sitting is the new smoking' these days-so keep moving! Your new mantra should be 'Calories in and Calories out'-burn out the calories that you eat!
2. Detox or declutter your kitchen pantry: Remove all the chips, bhujias, ghatias, sweets,cakes, chocolates and all the unhealthy foods from your fridge and pantry. It's going to be out with the old and in with the new foods this year! If there are no tempting foods in your reach, you will end up not eating them.
3. Stock up with 'real food': Once you have all the high-calories and ready to eat processed foods out of the house, buy lots of fruits, vegetables and ingredients that you need to make dishes from scratch.
4. Always include a vegetable and a protein source: Make sure you eat at least one vegetable (more is better) at every meal and add some protein to add satiety. Protein foods keep you full for a longer period of time and the vegetable will reduce the amount of grain/cereal you have. Examples: Upma with vegetables and curd, poha with vegetables and curd, sambar with vegetables. If you can't add a vegetable-then add a fruit.
5. Avoid sugary drinks and sweets: A little bit of halwa, a little bit of chocolate, a little bit of ice cream, a little bit of soft drink makes you pack on the pounds! 
6. Buy a water bottle: Yes, that's right-a water bottle. Most of us forget to drink water through the day. Buy a big 1 litre water bottle (BPA free) and fill it up. Take it with you and you'll never have to buy packaged water or soft drinks when you feel thirsty. Make sure you drink two bottles of water by the end of the day.
7. Set timings for your meals: Don't eat whenever you feel hungry-set regular meal timings. This helps in getting into a regular meal pattern and also does away with hunger attacks. This will reduce cravings and binge eating.
8. Eat dinner two hours before bedtime: Eating too close to bedtime is a definite no-no! It not only interferes with your sleep pattern, but also makes you sluggish and susceptible to heart burn (acid reflux) in the night.
9. Get eight hours of sleep: Researchers have now found a link between a lack of sleep and obesity. This is one simple thing which will go a long way in your journey of a new healthy you.

Once you have mastered these seven steps, then you can take the next most important step-find the right diet plan which has been tailor made for YOU. Check out this article- How To Choose the Right Indian Diet Plan for a Healthy Weight loss?

Also check out my website and pick a package that is suitable for you: My Indian Dietitian

How to Choose the Right Indian Diet Plan for Healthy Weight Loss?

Have you made your New Year's resolution to lose weight and are looking for the right Indian Diet plan for healthy weight loss? Then here is the checklist of what you should look for before signing up for it.

1. Do they plan Indian Diet Plans for Healthy weight loss? This is most important especially if you are living outside India. If you sign up without finding this out you will be stuck with a fantastic diet plan or package but which is of no use for you since the foods are all Western! Let's face it-we may live abroad, love the Western lifestyle and the amenities that is offered there, but at the end of the day, we still want to eat our 'desi khaana". Akhir dil hain Hindustani!! 
2. Is there a real dietitian or are you expected to interact with a computer? No really-think about it!! Why pay for a computer generated diet chart?
3. Check the credentials of the person: With every Tom,Dick and Harry giving out diet advice these days, you need to be careful about who you sign up with. Look for a qualified dietitian who has worked at least a couple of years in a hospital. Most dietitians who have worked in a hospital know the dangers of crash dieting and are vary about prescribing the same to clients.
4. Do they recommend fad diets? Some websites push fad diets (fruit diet, juice diet, GM diet,Cabbage diet ) to show immediate results. But remember-these results don't last. Not only that, there is a danger of nutritional deficiencies and severe hair loss after sometime. Do you really want that? Or would do you want something that helps you keep the weight off forever? It's your choice-but it's your body that will pay for what you choose!
5. Are the Indian Diets planned for you or are they chosen from previously printed plans? Diets need to be planned, not printed off the internet. It's like going to the doctor and getting a check-up and by google. Would you really do that? You want something that is specific to you-one size does not fit all in the case of diets!! So don't be fooled by websites who take money to dole out pre-planned diet charts.
6. Will the weight loss Indian diet be planned according to your eating habits? Again what's the point of eating something which you are not used to eating? For example-if you are a South Indian and the diet planned is a typically North Indian diet. It's just not right for you. 
7. Will there be follow-ups? You need to have your diet reviewed basically to see how you are doing on it and if any changes are required.

If this is exactly what you want, then do get intouch with me to schedule an appointment as the first step to a new, heathy, YOU!!

 Click to go to choose the right Indian Diet Plan for Healthy weight loss: My Indian Dietitian

It's Time To Spring Clean Your Diet!!

With spring just around the corner, people are getting ready to welcome the warmer months by clearing the junk, dust and dirt accumulated over the past few months and storing away the woollies for the next winter. This year along with spring cleaning your house, how about cleaning your diet too?

Spring cleaning the diet follows the same principles as that of cleaning your house-throw out the junk and stock up on the good stuff. Here are some tips to help you to start with:

Things to throw out/stop

Bhujias, sev, chivda/farsaan

Chips, French fries and other fried stuff which are the regular snacks on cold winter evenings.

Butter/ghee and the 5-10 liter oil bottles which was being liberally used on almost everything from dals to rotis,

Egg puffs, aloo buns, vegetable puffs/patties

Parathas, poories,pakodas/bajjis, samosas,vadas, butter chicken,

All those ‘garam-garam’ halwas-carrot,mung dal, sooji, kaju and such.

Alcohol that was used as an excuse to “warm the cockles of the heart”!

With warm weather, the thought of oily, heavy food can make people sick in the stomach. Warmer weather calls for lighter cooking methods, more salads, fruits, buttermilk/chaas, and yogurts/curd.

Here’s a Simple diet for Spring/Summer:

Early morning: Hot water or Tea

Breakfast:Idlis + chutney and papaya

Mid-morning: Masala chaas/buttermilk

Lunch: Brown rice/semi-polished rice

Dal palak + cauliflower peassabzi

Yogurt+Cucumber salad

Evening: Tea/ coffee with fruit chaat

Dinner:Phulkas with capsicum sabzi

Masoor dal,

Carrot raita

Mango

Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated with at least 10-12 glasses of water every day.

Healthy Monsoon Munchies

Published in Citizen matters on 9th July 2013: Enjoy the rains with these Healthy Monsoon Munchies

Grilled Sabzi/ Curry Sandwiches 

While you are tempted to eat some hot snacks during the rains, why not make the snack a bit more healthy? Here are some tips: click here to read more.

7 Foods Good for Summer

With hot days and rainy nights, check what’s on your plate. And there is a place for leftover rice too! 

Published in Citizen Matters on 24th May 2013: 7 right foods for the Summer!

How to keep your family fit and healthy

Citizen Matters: Published 29th Jan 2013
How to keep your family fit and healthy

No-oil Microwave Gobi sabzi (Cauliflower dry curry)

No-oil Microwave Gobi/Cauliflower ka sabzi

 The Microwave version of the Gobi/Cauliflower sabzi was inspired by my mother-in-law who uses the microwave daily for her cooking (and not just for reheating stuff). The "No-oil" part was my experiment in making the dish healthier! The resulting "No-oil, Microwave Gobi/Cauliflower ka sabzi" is not only easy to make but also turned out pretty good. You could even try the same recipe with broccoli(or any other vegetable) in lieu of the cauliflower.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower: 1 (washed and cut into tiny florets)
• Red chilli powder: 1-2tsp (or according to your spice tolerance)
• Turmeric powder: 1/4th tsp
• Cumin powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 3tbsp (finely chopped)
• Lime juice: 1 tsp 

Method:

1. Put the cauliflower florets in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 5 mins.
2. Then sprinkle some salt on it and mix-well.
3. Microwave again for 2-3 mins. Mix well. Repeat this procedure every 2-3 mins, till the cauliflower is almost cooked.Test for salt(add more if needed).
4. Sprinkle the red chilly powder, turmeric and the cumin powder and mix well. Microwave again (mixing every 2-3 minutes) till the cauliflower gets cooked.
5. Add the lime juice and mix well.
6. Garnish with the cilantro leaves.
7. Serve the "No-oil, Microwave Gobi/Cauliflower ka sabzi" with phulkas or as a side with rice and dal.

No-oil, Microwave Cauliflower sabzi

For personalized diet consultations please check out the packages on : www.myindiandietitian.com