A single womans guide to eating healthy

Juggling a job, deadlines and taking are of oneself gets to be a bit like a superhuman antic, there is a lot of “ME” that gets ignored. One major thing that comes to mind is EATING RIGHT!

Takeaways and instant food seems like an answer. While it not only packs in the excess pounds, the food also doesnt have a “feel good” energy. Weekends are days to do laundry, housecleaning, grocery shopping and maybe a trip to the salon.

I have a plan, which serves me well.

Weekends, yes that’s the day I would also do my weekly laundry, and my fruits and Veggies shopping, house cleaning(vacuuming helps) If you are lucky to find a maid who comes in on weekends, then its even better. Else make use of modern day necessities(yes necessities) like Washing machines, vacuum cleaners and the like.

Now the part about eating right.

Pre-preparation helps :

Chappatis/Rotis : I like the use of Safolla functional flour, along with normal whole wheat flour. Add some kasuri methi(available in stores). Add water, turmeric, salt, ginger-garlic, black pepper, and make a dough. Make enough for a week. Refrigerate. Every day when back from work, take a few rolls as required and eat it hot. There is enough fibre in this dough to make up for nutritional needs.

Mixed Dal : Take one table spoon each of Tur dal, Moong Dal and Split moong. Fry some onions, chilly, Ginger- garlic, and tomatoes. Add the dals and pressure cook. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate. Same can be had with the chapattis above.

Curd Rice : My favorite. Yes, cook rice and milk in a pressure cooker.. Mix nestle slim yogurt to the cooled cooked rice. And add the sputtered Mustard seeds, and udad dal mix. Add finely chopped chillies, ginger, and curry leaves and salt to taste. Refrigerate.

Green Moong Gram : day 1. Soak a cupful overnight. Day 2. strain water and keep in a casserole, so as to sprout. Day 2. Soak a new cupful of gram again. Day 3. The sprouted Moong can be taken to work with a dash of lime, some chilly/ginger chopped and added so a zingy salad. This provides a good amount of roughage. And one does’nt tire of the taste.

Sprouted Green Moong Gram: On any weekday from work, just take one cup of this sprout and pressure cook with fried onions, ginger-garlic-tomato, and tamarind. This yummy USSAL type curry is lovely with the Methi rotis.

Khichdi : Easiest to do would be khichdi. This can be made wholesome and is soul food if you are anything like me just Add a cup of rice, cup of mixed dals split green moong, yellow moong dal, tur dal. Fry onions, ginger-garlic, tomatoes and add to this. Can be had to two days in a row, unless boredom sets in.

Grocery veggies/fruits shopping :
Buy fruits such as say 6 oranges, half a kilo of apples, 2-3 pears, one small papaya, one small water melon, grapes and store/refrigerate.

Eat two to three fruits a day. Take t along to work so as to avoid pangs of junk food, this especially happens say at 17:00 hours..(at least to me) Chop the papaya one day and take it to work. Have it for mid morning snack one day.

Trying to do this alone :
Must say its not the easiest trying to do all this. Its always nice to have someone at home who might be a support system. One I think I have taken for granted. My mom-dad, or the maid at home where my folks live. However getting transferred or living on ones own due to career choices, education etc leaves one tending to ignore ones health.

So try the above simple techniques. Most of this is done on weekends. I must say I am eating much better. Feeling much better. And looking much better ..