What are Carbs?

Carbs (short for carbohydrates) are one of the main types of nutrients your body uses for energy. They are found in foods like bread, rice, pasta, fruits, vegetables, and sweets.

In Simple Terms:

• Carbs are like fuel for your body, especially for your brain and muscles.
• When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into sugar (glucose) to give you energy.

Why carbs are bad?

Carbs are essential for energy, as they break down into sugar (glucose) to fuel the body. However, like with anything, excess can be harmful. When we consume more carbs than our body needs, especially from sources like sugary foods or refined grains, the extra glucose is stored as fat. This can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, and other health issues such as high triglycerides, which affect heart health. The key is to balance carb intake, choosing healthier, complex carbs, and not over-consuming.

Which food has most carbs?

Here are few foods which we consume on regular basis and has more carbs:

• Potatoes
• Rice
• Wheat
• Bananas
• Lentils
• Millets

For a complete no carbs diet its good that we avoid Potatoes, Rice and Wheat

What can we eat then?

Well a lots and lots of greens. Add as much greens as you can in your diet.

As vibrant as this plate looks, the more colourful your life will become once you start adding all the greens available in the market.

Also make sure you are boiling your veggies before you consume them

Now lets list down few dishes which can be prepared easily without carbs.

Recipes

1. Besan Chilla

A simple Indian dish just like your roti but with high protein.

Ingredients:

1. Besan
2. Oil/Ghee
3. Curd
4. Semolina
5. Lots of veggies of your choice(My preference: Onion, tomato, Coriander, Capsicum, Carrot)
6. Panner(Optional)
   
   

Preparation:

To make Besan Chilla, mix 1 cup of besan (gram flour) with water to form a smooth batter, add semolina and curd. Add 1 finely chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, and salt to taste. You can also add spices like turmeric, red chili powder, and cumin seeds for flavor. Heat a non-stick pan and lightly grease it. Pour a ladle of the batter onto the pan, spreading it into a thin circle. Cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve hot with green chutney or yogurt.

2. Salads

You can prepare any salads of your choice. Cut all the vegetables available in your kitchen, Steam them in a steamer, once they are properly steamed add them in a bowl season them with salad seasoning like salt, pepper, sauces, olive oils, lemon, coriander, basil leaves etc. For a twist you can also add cheese, paneer, tofu, Rajma’s, Chickpeas

3. Avocado and Cucumber Salad

• Ingredients: Avocado, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cilantro.
• Method: Cube the avocado and cucumber. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper for a refreshing, carb-free salad.

4. Moong Dal Chilla

1. Soak the Moong Dal: Rinse the moong dal thoroughly and soak it in water for about 2-3 hours.
2. Prepare the Batter: After soaking, drain the water and blend the moong dal in a blender, adding a little water to make a smooth batter (similar to pancake batter consistency). Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin seeds, and grated ginger to the batter. Stir well.
3. Add Veggies: Mix in the chopped onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves.
4. Cook the Chillas: Heat a non-stick pan or tawa. Grease it lightly with oil. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the pan, spreading it into a thin circle. Cook on medium heat until the edges turn golden and crispy, then flip it and cook the other side for a couple of minutes.
5. Serve: Serve hot with green chutney or yogurt.

Enjoy your nutritious and protein-packed Moong Dal Chilla!

5. Cutlet’s of your choice

1. Boil the Vegetables: Steam or boil the mixed vegetables until they are soft. Once done, drain any excess water and mash the vegetables lightly.
2. Prepare the Mixture: In a bowl, combine the mashed vegetables, crumbled paneer, ground flaxseed (or chia seeds), grated ginger, green chili, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything well until it binds together. You can also add a little water if needed to form a dough-like consistency.
3. Shape the Cutlets: Divide the mixture into small portions and shape them into round or oval cutlets.
4. Shallow Fry: Heat a non-stick pan and add a little oil. Place the cutlets on the pan and cook them on medium heat until they turn golden and crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
5. Serve: Serve the vegetable cutlets hot with a low-carb dip or chutney of your choice.

Optional: If you prefer, you can coat the cutlets with ground almonds or flaxseed meal instead of breadcrumbs to keep them low-carb.

These cutlets are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, making them perfect for a nutritious, low-carb diet.

6. Moong Sprout Chat

1. In a bowl, combine the sprouted moong beans, chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and coriander.
2. Add chopped green chili, chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top, mix well, and serve immediately.

7. Keto Pani – Puri

1. Prepare the keto puris by using a low-carb flour (like almond flour or flaxseed meal) and bake them until crispy.
2. Fill each puri with the mashed cauliflower and chopped vegetables.
3. Add cumin powder, red chili powder, salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
4. Pour some sugar-free tamarind chutney on top.
5. Serve the puris with chilled water (pani), seasoned with cumin powder and other spices to taste.

Stay tuned for more updates on this journey!