QUINOA CURD RICE (QUINOA WITH SEASONED YOGURT)

Nothing special, just a simple lunch that I prepared for me  when hubby had a business lunch and the little ones were at the daycare.  Seasoned curd rice is my ultimate comfort food and sometimes I make this barley, wheat rava, quinoa etc. Love this anytime of the day with just pickle.

Ingredients:
1. Quinoa, 1 cup, washed and cooked according to package instructions.
2. Yogurt/curd, 1-1/2 cup.
3. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Green chilies, 2, slit into two.
6. Diced ginger, 1/2 tablespoon.
7. Salt as per taste.
8. Asafetida (hing), a pinch.

Preparation:
Mix the cooked quinoa, yogurt, and salt. If needed a little water can be added to get the desired consistency. In a small pan, add a tablespoon of oil and let the mustard seeds splutter once the oil is hot. Add the cumin seeds now and fry a few seconds and then add the ginger, green chilies, and hing, fry for a few seconds (with caution as the chilies and ginger may splutter) and turn off the stove. Pour the hot seasonings over the curd rice and mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with pickle.

COLLECTION OF DIABETIC-FRIENDLY AND LOW CARB BREAKFAST RECIPES WITH CARBOHYDRATE MEAL PLAN

This post is close to me as I have been working on it for the last couple of months.  I have been compiling diabetic tips and recipes for my family and friends on request.  There have also been readers enquiring about more suggestions and tips to avoid low blood sugars, (mostly ladies with gestational diabetes and I have been sending them a small meal plan and ideas to keep their blood sugars under control during pregnancy. I have been compiling these articles over the years.

This was a basic meal plan, which my nutritionist presented to me, when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was carrying my twins.  She worked on a carbohydrate meal plan to suit my eating habits and blood sugars . I built it gradually to suit our Indian meals. Here are some pointers before we go on to the meal plan and the list. At first, it was difficult for me and very confusing to calculate the carbohydrates, protein, and fats with every meal but eventually I got used to it and these days with every meal I can calculate quickly and plan my meals accordingly. This comes in handy all the time and helps with overall health. With every food products, check the labels for fats, sugars, sodium, carbohydrates etc. to take control of what you eat.

1. At one point any white products did not go well with my blood sugars and I started using whole grains like brown rice, oats,  wheat, ragi (red millet), quinoa etc. It is always better to check the blood sugars 2 hours after having anything different and also on a regular basis to keep a tab on what kinds of foods affect your blood sugars.
2. Use of artificial sweeteners:  I try using natural sweeteners like palm sugar, monk fruit, maple syrup etc. while making sweets, so that I don't get deprive or start craving for certain desserts. Agave nectar does not raise my blood sugars, so I have been using it regularly but it did raise my father's blood sugar when he tried it for first time.  Like before it is important to check the sugars with these kinds of sweeteners like agave nectar, palm sugar etc. These are the ones with high fructose content.
3. Including vegetables and one source of protein always worked well with my blood sugars.
4. Fruits and vegetables: With diabetes, each person's blood sugars react differently with certain kinds of fruits and vegetables, so once you are diagnosed with diabetes, check for the fruits and vegetables which affects your blood sugars and avoid them or have them in moderation. For me usually potatoes, mangoes, and pineapple raise my sugars, so I have been avoiding them.

General idea about how a diabetic-friendly meal plan works:

 
This meal plan is to give a general idea about carbohydrate meal planning works.  These menu ideas and suggestions given here are on how to plan for a low carbohydrate diet based on low-carb and diabetic friendly recipes.  Please note that it is always important to consult a dietician before starting a diet or exercise regimen where they will provide with a custom-made meal and work-out plan based on your sugar and cholesterol levels.  The meal plan also varies accordingly if any diabetic medications or cholesterol-lowering medications are used.

 

Here 1 carbohydrate serving group is around 15 grams of carbohydrate and is also referred as 1 carb     serving.  Similarly 1 protein serving equals 6 grams of protein and 1 fat serving equals 3 grams of fat.  It is always important to include at least 1 serving of protein with every meal and snack for diabetics in order to feel full and thus reducing the overall intake of more carbohydrate servings.  A person without diabetes or has preexisting diabetes can usually have 2-3 servings of carbohydrate along with 1-2 servings of protein and 1 serving of fat with every meal.  Usually 1 serving i.e. 3 grams of fat is the ideal amount of fat that should be included in one's diet and preferably from “good fat”sources like nuts, avocados, etc.

 

Exchange list for some Indian foods: 

I am also sharing the exchange list for typical Indian foods, which was provided by a dietician.  This list is based on 1 serving of carbohydrate and protein in some of our regular Indian foods. 

 

Carbohydrate

Non-starchy vegetable side dishes                  ½ cup (equals one serving of carb or 15 grams of carbohydrates)

Naan                                                                ¼ of 8 inch by 2 inch

Whole wheat naan                                          6 inch round

Rice                                                                 1/3 cup

(Please note that both white rice and brown rice have the same amount of carbohydrate except that brown rice is rich in fiber, which makes us feel full with lesser quantities)

Cooked cracked wheat                                   1/2 cup

Oatmeal                                                           1 cup

Sambar with vegetables                                  ½ cup

Idli                                                                  3 inch round

Dosa                                                                9 inch round

Plain cooked toor or channa dhal                   ½ cup

Plain cooked mung dhal                                 ½ cup

Plain cooked chickpeas or any other beans     ½ cup

 

Protein

Plain cooked toor or channa dhal                   ½ cup (Equals one serving of protein or 6 grams of protein)

Plain cooked mung dhal                                 ½ cup

Plain cooked chickpeas or any other beans     ½ cup

 

BREAKFAST MENU PLAN AND MENU IDEAS:  (Adding vegetables and protein to every meal reduces the carbohydrate intake thus reducing the overall blood sugar spikes.  This idea is incorporated here by adding as much as veggies in the main dish and side dishes along with 1-2 servings of protein.  This also makes us feel full without the excess carbs.

 

2-3 carbohydrate groups

(to choose from)

Starch

Fruit

Milk

1-2 Protein group

1 Fat group

 

Breakfast Menu Ideas:  The breakfast ideas listed here fall into the less than 40 grams of carbs, more than 6 grams of protein, and less than 3 grams of fat category.  These can be modified according to individual needs and taste.  H ere I have mostly included only ragi, oats, and whole wheat as these grains do not raise the sugars that much since they are made with complex carbohydrates.  These can be substituted with rice if needed.  The idea here is taking small portions or small meals at regular intervals so as to control the blood sugar spikes that is followed by a heavy meal.  Taking in between snacks that are rich in protein is also one way to stay full without feeling deprieved.

 

1 cup of oats pongal or wheat pongal along with vegetable sambar or any dhal with veggies, 1 small glass of juice or milk (also added to beverages like tea or coffee)

 2-3 idlis or 2 dosas along with any side dishes rich in vegetables and protein followed by a glass of milk or juice or a fruit (optional).

 
3-4 small-size puris along with ½ cup of any low-carb sides.  If potatoes are included, reduce the side dish quantity to ¼ th cup.

 1 cup of vegetable upma with chutney 1 small glass of juice or milk (also added to beverages like tea or coffee).

 2 adais with 1 cup of aviyal with preferred morning beverages.

 
1 cup of ragi or cracked wheat puttu along with a small banana.
 
2 slices of whole wheat of multigrain bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and sugar-free jam along with a glass of milk or juice or a cup of fruit or ½ banana.

2 slices of whole wheat or multigrain bread with an omelet (vegetables and cheese also can also be added to the eggs and only egg whites or a combination of whole eggs and egg whites can be used).

1 cup of oatmeal topped with 1 tablespoon of chopped nuts, and ½ cup of fruits or juice).

1 cup of low-sugar cereal topped with ½ cup of fruits with ½ cup of milk.

 

DIABETIC-FRIENDLY AND LOW CARB BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Here are a list of breakfast recipes from my blog to plan based on the carbohydrate meal plan presented above.

Wheat rava/cracked wheat puttu

Ragi puttu

Vendhaya/ fenugreek dosai

Sweet wheat rava adai

Spicy oats porrdige/soup

Ragi/red millet and greens adai

Wheat rava/cracked wheat vegetable idli

Oats keerai pongal

Oats uppu urundais/kozukattais

Oats vegetable masala upma

Wheat paripoorana pongal / thalitha pongal

Wheat rava/cracked wheat vegetable upma

Wheat idli

Instant wheat idli

Cracked wheat usili

Godumai inipu dosai/ sweet wheat crepes

Wheat rava kesari

Low carb savory pancakes uthappam style

Oats and cracked wheat rava idli

Pesarattu / moong dhal dosa

Ragi idli

Cracked wheat rava pongal

Brown rice uppu urundai

Oats Pongal

Tofu scramble for breakfast

Spinach and cheese eggwhites omelet

KIDS AND TODDLER RECIPES: MACARONI AND CHEESE

I started preparing mac and cheese from scratch ever since I read an article at Yahoo parenting about the use of banned food colors added in readymade mac and cheese, even in the popular organic brand. Since then I have been reading all the food labels diligently, especially with kids foods.  I have also be been cooking healthy foods for them along with serving healthy snacks. Luckily my kids are not into anything that is too sweet and they like fruits better.  Some of the snacks that I serve my kids are boiled eggs, boiled peanuts, sundals, fruits (apple slices served with peanut butter) etc. When it comes to chicken nuggets, I chose the ones that has whole wheat breading, and where the chicken is organic, baked, and white meat (We love the taste of EarthBound baked chicken nuggets.

Here goes the recipe for my son's favorite dinner :)

Ingredients:
1. Elbow pasta, 1 cup. (I have used whole wheat pasta here).
2. Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, peas etc., cut into bite-size pieces,  boiled or steamed, 1/2 cup.
3. Mild cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup.
4. All purpose flour, 1 tablespoon. (I have used Trader Joe's white whole wheat flour here).
5. Milk, 2% or whole, 2/3 cup.
6. Butter or oil, 1 tablespoon.
7. Any seasoning mixture like Italian etc., a pinch. I have used Kirkland's no salt organic seasoning mixture.

Preparation:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain, and keep aside. Meanwhile, heat a pan with a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter is melted add the flour and keep frying under low flame until the flour turns into a very light brown color. Add the milk now and keep stirring until there are no lumps and the sauce starts to thicken a little bit. Add the cheese, seasoning, salt and mix everything until the cheese is melted. Once the cheese is melted, add the cooked pasta and vegetables, mix everything well, and cook for a minute and switch off the stove.

Note:
The sauce tends to thicken a little once cooled, so if you are planning to heat it up and serve it later, make the sauce a little runny.

Variations:
1. You can also add sautéed onions and spice it up a little bit if serving this pasta for big kids.
2. Small pieces of cooked chicken or seafood like tuna fish can also be added in the end.
3. If serving for toddlers over a month to a year, just mix the pasta with some butter and a little bit of cheese and serve, which also makes this a perfect finger food.

SALMON PUTTU/ SCRAMBLED SALMON

Ingredients:
1. Salmon, 2 big slices  or 2 cans of salmons.
2. Onions, medium, 3, diced finely.
3. Green chilies, 2, slit into 2.
4. Chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
6. Fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Curry leaves, a handful.
8. Chopped cilantro for garnishing.
9. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Cook the salmon with just enough water to cover them along with the turmeric.  Once the fish is cooled, drain the water, and shred them finely. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds. Add the diced onions and curry and sauté for a few minutes until they are translucent. Now add the green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, and salt and keep sautéing until the spices lose their raw smell.  Add the salmon now, mix everything well, and cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes until the salmon absorbs all the flavors and the dish turns dry. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice and any spicy gravy.

BAINGAN BHARTA

I tasted this dish only after moving to US at a local Indian restaurant and this dish has been one of our favorite eggplants (brinjal) dishes ever since.  This particular recipe is from one of my friends, who gave me the idea of roasting the eggplants in the oven instead of the usual open flame method. She also suggested that I use Japanese eggplants instead of the regular brinjals that we use.  These eggplants don't have that much bitterness and also are perfect for these kinds of dishes. This time my daughter and son were very much interested while I was taking the picture. My son made his dinosaurs stand near by the dish, and my baby girl brought out her whole kitchen set. We came on a deal that it is Krithikha's turn this time and Aryaa gets his turn next time :)

Ingredients:
1. Japanese eggplants, medium size, 2. If regular eggplants are used, 5-6.
2. Onion, medium size, 2, diced finely.
3. Tomatoes, medium size, 2, chopped into small pieces.
4. Green chilies, 2, slit into two.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
6. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
7. Chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Garam masala powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
10. Salt as per taste.
11. Cooked green peas, 1/2 cup.
12. Curry leaves and chopped cilantro for garnishing.
13. Cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Wash the eggplants and wipe it off clean with a towel. Rub a little oil on the surface and cut them into two. Bake the eggplants for 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes until the color changes and the insides look soft. Transfer them to a big bowl and cover them with a plastic wrap tightly and let it sit for 15 minutes. This way the moisture is trapped inside and the skin of the eggplants also comes off easily. Remove the skin of the eggplants and mash the pulp and keep it aside.

Meanwhile heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the cumin seeds and let it splutter once the oil is hot. Add the diced onions and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent. Then add the slit green chilies, chopped tomatoes, and ginger-garlic paste and keep sautéing for a few more minutes until everything is well blended. Add the turmeric powder, chili powder, salt and cook for one more minute. Now add the mashed eggplant and green peas, mix everything well, and cook on a low flame with some more oil if required, on a low flame. Once the curry starts to thicken, add the garam masla, curry leaves, and cilantro and switch off the stove. Serve hot with any kind of rotis or rice.

WHEAT RAVA/ CRACKED WHEAT PUTTU

This is one of my grandma's signature dishes. She usually makes this with regular rava and sugar. I have made a different version with wheat rava and Splenda. This is a common evening snack for us or packed up for breakfast during my school days.  These days I make this sugar-free version for weekend breakfast for something different and healthy.

Ingredients

Wheat rava, 1 cup
Any sugar-free sweetener like Splenda, ¼ cup or more according to taste. Even palm sugar can be added here
Salt, a pinch
Cardamom powder, ¼ teaspoon
Grated coconut, 1-2 tablespoons (optional)
Ghee and cashews for garnishing, 1 teaspoon, (optional)
Hot water for mixing

 Preparation

Add the wheat rava to a bowl and add some salt and mix it well. Start adding the water little by little and keep mixing the rava until the rava absorbs some moisture. The consistency for the raw puttu batter should not be too wet.  It should still be free flowing. Let it soak for 10 minutes and steam the batter in a puttu maker or idli molds. I poured the mixture onto to a damp cloth and then spread on idli molds and steamed it for 12-15 minutes. Once the puttu is cooked, add the sweetener, cardamom powder, and grated coconut and mix everything well. Serve puttu by itself or with banana slices for a complete meal.

BROWN RICE MUSHROOM BRIYANI

Ingredients:
1. Brown rice, 1 cup, washed, and soaked for half an hour.
2. Mushrooms, 1 cup, sliced thinly. I have used baby portabella mushrooms here.
3. Onions, large, 1, diced finely.
4. Tomatoes, 2, chopped into small pieces.
5. Green chilies, 2, slit into two.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
7. Chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Briyani masala powder, 1 tablespoon. Alternatively whole spices like 2 small cinnamon sticks, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, 1 star anise, and 2 bay leaves can be used. The whole spices need to the fried in a tablespoon of oil before adding in the onions and starting on the dish.
9. Salt as per taste.
10. Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.


Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the diced onions and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, curry leaves, and ginger-garlic paste and keep sautéing until everything is well blended.  Add the chili powder, biryani masala, and salt and mix everything well. Add the sliced mushrooms now, mix everything well, and cook under low-to-medium flame until the mushrooms are cooked.  If cooking the rice in the same pot or pan, add 2 cups of water and cook closed under low-to-medium flame until the rice is cooked. If cooking in a electric rice cooker, add 2 cups of water and set in the cooking mode (or brown rice mode). In case of pressure cooker, add 2 cups of water and cook for 2 whistles for 10 minutes.

KIDS AND TODDLER RECIPES : CARROT AND PEAS RICE

This is a rice dish, which I cook for my kids very often, especially on days when get tired of the dhal or rasam rice for lunch :) This dish is ideal for kids more than a old due to the spices added. We add fennel either in powder form or as seasoning in almost all the dishes (my grandma's style cooking ), so I have started introducing fennel and garlic in my kids dishes since they turned one and luckily they love these kids of spices just like me :)

Ingredients:
1. Cooked rice, 1 cup.
2. Carrots, medium size, 2, grated or chopped into very small bite-size pieces.
3. Fresh peas, a handful, cooked and mashed up if preferred.
4. Onion, small, 1, diced finely.
5. Garlic, 1 clove, crushed (or) ginger-garlic paste, 1/6 teaspoon.
6. Pepper powder, a pinch or less. For older kids, a pinch of chili powder can be added if you are introducing your kids to spicy foods.
7. Fennel powder, a pinch.
8. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
9. Salt as per taste.
10. Curry leaves, 2-3 for flavor. This can be removed from the rice before rice.
11. Mustard seeds, 1/6th teaspoon, (optional). This can be skipped if serving this rice for toddlers.

Preparation:
Cook the rice separately, mash it if preferred,  and let it cool. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once the oil turns hot. Now add the diced onions and sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent.  Now the ginger-garlic paste and the powders along with salt and sauté for a few minutes under low flame until the powders lose their raw smell. Add the carrots and peas  along with half a cup of water, mix everything, and cook closed under low flame for 10-12 minutes until the carrots are done and the dish turns a little dry. Mix this with rice and little bit of ghee if preferred and serve.

Variation: A small piece of cinnamon and cardamom can also be added while seasoning and removed before mixing in the rice.

WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA PIZZA

We have been trying to reduce or cut down carbs totally during dinner for sometime now. This is a big challenge for me and I go into the carb-craving zone in one day, so I have been alternating with low-carb and no-carb dinner every evening. Some evenings, we just have a bowl of salad with legumes or beans or soup etc. Some days its is something with wheat rava upma with vegetables, wheat dosa, chapathis etc. The wheat tortilla that I have used here is low-carb tortilla and it has only 10 grams of carbohydrates per tortilla. The same pizza can be tried on any kinds of  rotis or naans too.  This was a winner in our house, my kids loved it. For the kids I did not add any veggies, since they like only cheese pizza. 

Ingredients:
1. Whole wheat tortilla, 2. Even rotis or chapathis, naans, bread can be used here.
2. Marinara sauce or pasta sauce, 1/2 cup.
3. Vegetables like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms etc. thinly sliced. Chicken or any other protein can also be included.
4. Shredded mozzarella cheese., combination of cheeses like 3 or 5 cheese blends.. I have use weight watchers' cheese here.

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray oil or rub oil on the baking pan and place the tortillas on the pan. Spread the sauce evenly on the tortilla and arrange the sliced vegetables on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the pizza and bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes until the cheese starts to bubble and turns light brown.