Lentils or masoor dal are used in various forms of cooking in India. Soups, snacks and side dishes are a few variations. The lentil has a dark grey covering which is de-husked to get the red dal. Whole lentil with the outer cover is much healthy option.
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A major source of protein, lentils provide essential amino-acids- the building blocks of our body. Pulses should make an essential part of meal for the growing children and pregnant women.Soluble fiber in beans help lower the cholesterol and thus protect against high blood pressure and heart diseases. Low glycemic index of pulses regulate the blood sugar levels and stabilize the metabolism. Fibers in legumes gives the feeling of satiation for a longer time, keeping a check on obesity.
A recipe of lentils which can be served with bread or plain rice.
Ingredients :
· 2 tbsp. of lentil
· 1 onion
· 1 tomato
· 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
· 1 tsp coriander powder
· 1/2 tsp turmeric
· 1 green chilly
· a pinch of asafoetida
· salt as required
· 1 tbsp oil
· 1/2 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
· water 1 cup
Method :
Wash the lentils and soak it for 15 minutes. Slice onion and tomato. Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds. Add sliced onion, tomato and ginger-garlic paste, fry the ingredients for 5 minutes. Mix in rest of the ingredients and let it simmer for 20 minutes or till done. Use pressure cooker to are lentils keto speed up the cooking. Garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve the lentil dish with hot chapattis or plain rice.
Note :
·- Add grated carrots or spinach to increase the nutritive value of the recipe.
·- Leftover dal can be mixed with wheat flour to get wholesome chapattis the next day.
·- Increase the quantity of water to make it a nourishing soup.
·- Use the whole lentil with skin for healthy meal.
A quick reference or handy guide can be helpful, when you have made a decision to eat right.
A reference could be a grocery list of low fat foods, a chart or a meal plan.
I use a chart called Michi's Ladder with five tiers. It is a grocery list of low fat foods, a list of carbohydrate foods and a list of protein foods that you can choose from.
This list is just a guideline, but it allows you to decide from a variety of food. This list is also separates all of the foods that listed into five groups called tiers.
If you only ate from tiers 1 and 2, you would have a near-perfect diet.
Hear are a few items from tier 1 and 2
Good fat foods
More about Fats
Avoid saturated and trans fats in red meats, full-fat dairy foods, and processed foods. Learn to read labels.
Avocados, raw nuts, flaxseeds, and olive oil are great sources of essential fatty acids. Just keep portions very small. Fat is extremely dense and has more than twice the calories per gram as protein and carbs.
What you eat has a direct effect on every thing from the way your body works to your mood to the amount of fat your body burns or stores.
There are fats that you want to avoid and are located on tier 5 of Michi's Ladder. Here are a few.
Bad Fats
Here is a great tip that I tell my class that is sure to speed up your metabolism. It is only two rules long. It only works if you are eating foods from the top two tiers of Michi's ladder.