Watching Weight: Day Ten

Simple Chicken Curry
I have come to the end of my weight watching series. Not because I won’t be watching and logging my food intake but because it has become repetitive for the purpose of this blog. Also, I have lost about 2 lbs without doing any high intensity exercise and just watching what I eat. I am going to continue doing that and gradually move on to some cardio workouts.
Now for the daily food log:
Breakfast: Cereal - 1/4 cup of raisin bran and 1/2 cup of cheerios with one cup of milk.
Lunch: Khichdi and a bowl of yogurt with a teaspoon of sugar.
Afternoon: A cup of tea with a couple of store bought dhokla.
Dinner: Chicken curry with two rotis and sliced cucumber for salad.
Dessert: A piece of dark Scharffenberger chocolate and a nectarine.

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Simple chicken curry
Serves 2
I do not cook meats often in my kitchen for a few reasons. For one, Tushar and I do not crave meat and are happy to consume lentils and veggies on a regular basis. I also do not like the cleaning up and the disinfecting involved with the knife, chopping board and the sink after handling meat. The only occasion I will make it is for guests who are carnivores or for a large party. Today was an exception. My friend in Atlanta had made a chicken curry when I was staying with her and it was delicious. She had cooked the marinated chicken in a toaster oven for 10 minutes and then added it to the simple curry. Of course I had to try it and of course it didn’t turn out exactly like her. But I was happy with the overall result.
Ingredients:
4—5 chicken tenders, chopped into bite size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped in big chunks
5-6 garlic cloves
1 inch piece of ginger
1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes in a can or 2 large tomatoes pureed
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder (dhana jeera)

For marinade:
1/4 cup thick yogurt
1 tsp chicken tikka masala or garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Combine the marinade ingredients and add the chicken pieces to it. Keep it covered for a few hours in the fridge. *Heat the toaster oven to 350 degrees and put the marinated chicken pieces in a foil lined tray. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, turning over half way through.
In a mini food chopper, combine the onion, ginger and garlic and pulse to form a coarse paste. In a karahi or thick bottom pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and fry the onions till they begin to turn brown and leave oil on the sides. Add the spices and roast for a minute before adding the crushed tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes start releasing the oil. Add water if the curry is too thick. Slide the cooked chicken pieces and bring the curry to a rapid boil before turning it off. Garnish with cilantro and transfer to a serving dish. Sever with rotis and rice.
*Note: If you would rather skip the toaster oven step, just slide the marinated chicken pieces in the curry and boil for ten minutes before turning the heat off. Chicken tends to get rubbery and hard if boiled too long.

Watching Weight: Day Nine and a tag

Eating as usual
I have been eating a little piece of dark chocolate nowadays when snack attack or a sugar craving hits me. It is not as bad as you think. Half a bar is about 250 cal but cal from fat is about 140. It takes me about five days to eat it. At about 30 cal a piece I think it is ok. Here's the food log:
Breakfast: A cup of tea, a hardboiled egg and a glass of 1% milk.
Lunch: A toasted potato sandwich with a bowl of yogurt. A piece of dark chocolate and some toasted, unsalted pistachios.
Afternoon: A cup of tea
Dinner: Matki beans usal with two rotis and a few slices of cucumber.
Dessert: A nectarine.

Exercise: Brisk 30 minutes walking and 10 minutes of stretching at home.

When I used to work at Indian Express, Screen, every year we would have the Screen Awards Show, which was similar to Filmfare awards. We used to talk to the judges and meet the nominees and interview the winners. It was a fun month although hectic month. This month has been similar, what with writing my food log posts everyday and award distribution in the blogosphere, except I am on the receiving end this time. As if in appreciation of my food logging efforts, PJ of Seduce Your Tast Buds passed on the following awards to me. Thank you PJ.

Here are the tags to accept the awards:
1. What is your current obsession? Losing a few lbs, my blog and finishing off The Golden Compass trilogy.
2. What are you wearing today? A tank top and shorts. Its hot here!
3. What’s for dinner today? Matki beans usual with rotis.
4. What’s the last thing you bought? A toy fire truck for my son and some glass containers for storing leftover food.
5. What are you watching right now? Cailou on PBS. I am not actually watching it but it is playing in front of me.

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you? I don’t know PJ much but I like her blog and love her events and roundup page.
7. If you could have a fully furnished house, totally furnished, anywhere in the world, where would you want it? I would probably like a travelling house that I could take to different countries for a couple of years. Of course Tushar and my son have to be there with me.
8. What are your must have pieces for summer? Shorts, tank tops, my suunglasses and my razor. Can’t have stubby legs sticking out of the shorts!
9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour where would it be? Back home to Indore cause it is my mom’s B’day today.
10. Which language do you want to learn? Spanish and Konkani.
11. Who do you want to meet right now? My sister in Pune, India.
12. What is your favorite color? Black cause it hides all the bulges and is slimming.
13. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your closet? My yellow wedding saree that I don’t get to wear often.
14. What is yor favorite magazine? Parents and Babytalk magazine.

15. What is your dream job? A food and travel writer. I’ll settle for an editor at a publishing house.
16. If you had a $100 what would you spend it on? My husband and kid.
17. What inspires you? Books, nature, wanderings of my daydreaming mind, my 3 year old and my 39 year old hubby.
18. Three styling tips that work for you? Comfortable clothing, no body odor and no makeup except lipstick once in a while.
19. Coffee or tea? Unquestionably, TEA.
20. What do you do when you feel depressed? Read, take a walk, have a talk with Tushar.
21. What is meaning of your name? I think it means victory – Jay(a).
22. Which other blogs do you love visiting? It is like asking which child do you love more.
23. Favorite Dessert? My mom’s whole wheat sheera and any chocolate dessert.
24. What do you consider unethical in blogging? Plagiarism, rude comments, anonymous rude comments, insistence on following a blog to enter an event.
Here’s my question?
25. What makes a blog stand apart from other blogs? Or what is it that makes you follow a blog?
I have to tag 10 bloggers for this award and since I have already tagged some of my favorite ones and others already have these I would like to pass on the tags to all the wonderful people who have been following me for the past few months. If you haven’t already got these awards, please feel free to carry these over to your wonderful blogs. I would love to know you more trough these questions.

Watching weight: Day Five

Red Chori Beans Curry
My toe is still sore and I am walking around the neighborhood in my flip flops, getting used to puzzled looks. Yesterday, I walked an extra few minutes and increased calorie burn to about 200. Calorie watch of the day:

1/4 cup of M&Ms = 210 calories

Reason for highlighting M&M:
For the longest time, I would grab a handful at least three four times a day whenever sugar rush hit me. I realized recently that by the end of the day I was eating almost 1/2 cup of these colorful drops of sweetness or about 420 empty calories. If I was running on the treadmill for 40 minutes and burning 400 calories, I was negating that calorie burn by consuming the M&Ms!

Now for the daily food log:
Breakfast: I know it is getting repetitive but what can I say, I like my cereal mix. 1/4 cup of raisin bran and 1/2 cup of Cheerios with a cup of milk.
Lunch: A bowl of Khichdi with some watermelon slices for dessert.
Evening Tea: One cup of tea with 2 teaspoon of sugar.
Dinner: Two rotis with red chori beans curry. A bowl of yogurt with one teaspoon of sugar and a nectarine for after dinner dessert.
Exercise: Brisk walk around the neighborhood for about 30 minutes.

Wishing all my desi brothers and sisters a very happy Independence Day.

Jai Hind!

Red Chori Beans Curry (Red cow peas or Adzuki (azuki) beans curry)

I had never eaten chori till about six months ago when a friend made it for dinner at her house. I fell in love with this petite looking version of red kidney beans or rajma. They are much sweater and as full of protein as rajma. The best part is they cook quicker. Soak them in plenty of water the night before or at least 6-8 hours before cooking.
Also check out RedChillies delicious and nutritious Red Chori with cabbage recipe.
Ingredients:
1 cup of chori beans, soaked in plenty of water overnight
1 medium onion, chopped thin
1 tomato, chopped thin
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp coriander cumin powder
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method:
Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pressure cooker and add the cumin seeds and asafetida. As the seeds start to crackle add the onions and cook till they turn translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste, garam masala and the coriander cumin powder. Roast for a few minutes till the raw smell of the spices turns aromatic.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cover. Once the tomatoes are softened add the chori and salt. Adjust water and put the lid on. Turn off the heat after three whistles. Once the pressure is cool, open the cooker, transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice or rotis.

This red chori curry goes to My Legume Love Affair hosted by Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook.

I am a Virgo and since the curry turns out brownish in color (color of my Zodiac) I am sending this to FIC Zodiac event hosted by Ashwini for Sunshinemom who gave birth to this wonderful event.

Weight Watching: Day Two

Click here for Day One

Batata Ros (Potatoes in onion tomato gravy)
I have to mention that as I start on my weight loss regimen, I have increased my water intake from 8 glasses to 10-12 glasses a day. Also, I do not drink any kind of soda or store bought juice.
Breakfast: One cup of tea and a hardboiled egg.
Lunch: Two rotis with left over methi dal and palak paneer (cottage cheese in spinach gravy). A fresh fig for dessert.
Evening Tea: One cup of tea with a slice of artisan cranberry raisin bread smeared with 1/2tbsp of peanut butter.
Dinner: Two rotis with batata ros and a glass of lassi.
Exercise: Brisk 15 minute walk around the neighborhood, in my flip flops, since I still can't wear my sneakers.

Batata Ros (Potatoes in onion tomato gravy)

Serves: 2 - 3

This is a favorite of Tushar’s because, well, his "mom makes the best batata ros in the world.” (Ros in Konkani means gravy). He called up his mom and wrote down the recipe. It was fairly easy to make. Tushar ate it with some “maida poli” which is nothing but basic crepes made from flour, eggs and milk. Since they don’t fit with my diet plan, I stuck to rotis.

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large tomato, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes/tiangles/ rectangles

For Tadka:
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat 1/2tbsp oil in a pan and add the tadka ingredients, except salt, one by one in the order listed. As the roasting spices begin to give off their aromas, add the onions. Sauté till transparent and add the potatoes. Cover and cook for ten minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes. Cook for another five minutes.
Add salt and water to cover the potatoes. Close the lid and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and the potatoes are done.

Watching weight and a craving

Dal Methi (Lentils with fenugreek leaves)

As relaxing as my vacation in Atlanta was the side effect of uninterrupted reading and gorging on delicious cooked food was bound to result in my gaining two pounds in five days. As some of you know from my earlier post I had put on a few pounds while in India and had managed to shed, well, exactly two pounds before gaining them back. Now, I am up four pounds since I lost two pounds and up six before I went to India. Confused? Let me break it down.

Before India trip: 114 lbs
After India trip: 118 lbs
Lost in two months: 2 lbs
Gained in two month: 2 lbs
Before Atlanta trip: 118 lbs
After Atlanta trip: 120 lbs
Need to lose: 120 lbs – 114 lbs = 6 lbs
Now, I know six pounds may not seem like a lot to blog about but when you are 5ft1” and approaching 36 in a matter of weeks, the scales move slowly and the clothes either hang too lose or too tight for comfort.
It doesn’t help that I have stubbed my little pinky on my foot not once but three times in the last four weeks. That means no closed shoes or sneakers and no gym. Tushar has come to the rescue again and suggested I take up spinning instead of running on the treadmill. I will attempt it tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
This week’s Time magazine cover story is about how it is eating the right foods that help you lose weight and not high intensity exercise. In the event of my not being able to handle the spinning class, I will have to resort to watching what I eat. So, here are some of the rules I am going to try and stick to:

1. No sugar except my two cups of tea in the day.
2. No ice cream or chocolate.
3. No chips or store bought snacks of any kind.
4. Eat three wholesome meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
5. No snacking between meals except on dry, roasted nuts like almonds, pecans and raisins.
6. Try to include all or at least one of these -- daal(lentil) or beans, leafy and root vegetables, fiber (in the form of cereal and salads) and dairy in each meal.
7. Eat at least one fruit for dessert.

To that end I made methi daal yesterday not only because it covered clause 5 but also because I was craving the bitter taste of methi that I have come to love over the years. Also, I had two cubes left over from two months ago in the freezer and needed to finish them off before making my monthly run to the Indian grocery store.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 cubes of frozen methi leaves or a bunch of fresh methi leaves

For tadka:
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine (optional)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
1 tsp asafetida powder

Method:
Combine and wash the daal under cold water two to three times. Soak in some water and keep it aside. Thaw the methi leaves in the microwave or wash and chop the fresh methi leaves.
Heat 1/2tbsp oil in the cooker and add the mustard seeds. As they pop, add the cumin, turmeric, asafetida, red chili powder and garam masala. Roast for a minute before adding the garlic cloves. Turn the heat on med low at this point or the garlic will burn quickly.
Add the tomatoes and let them soften before adding the methi leaves. Cook for a few minutes before adding the dal. Add salt and water before putting the lid on. Cook for two to three whistles before turning the gas off.
Note: I ate two rotis and some cucumber slices with the dal. For dessert I had a nectarine.

This delicious Dal Methi goes to My Legume Love Affair hosted by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.