Bariatric or metabolic surgery is a boon for those who are battling obesity. It is one of the most effective methods to not only improve patients’ self esteem but also reduce obesity-related health risks. It boosts overall quality of life and offers many psychosocial benefits.
The surgery leads to a decrease in total calorie intake and weight loss. However, the months and years that follow the surgery can be very precarious; and if patients are not careful, they can cause weight gain or injury to the stomach.
To help patients meet their nutritional needs and to stave off weight gain post surgery, bariatric nutritionist Marian Lakdawala and bariatric surgeon Dr Aparna Govil Bhaskar have compiled a cook book titled Vegitarian Bariatric Recipes.
“After bariatric surgery, the food intake is especially restricted in the first year. In addition, intolerance to foods with strong flavours including meat, egg and fish is high in the beginning. Lack of intake, food intolerance coupled with vegetarianism makes it difficult to meet the protein requirements”, Lakdawala.
This book is the first of its kind in India and it includes recipes for every phase after the surgery to help vegetarian patients by making their post-bariatric surgery journey comfortable, healthier, and enjoyable.
“Many people feel that bariatric surgery takes away the joy from food, however, there was never a bigger misconception. Infact, people who have bariatric surgery for weight loss can use this opportunity to be even more creative with food.
This cookbook is our endeavour to help patients with bariatric surgery and sprinkle some more joy into their daily diet. Well, not only people who have had bariatric surgery, but anyone who is looking for healthy recipes can benefit from this book,” says Dr Govil Bhaskar.
Here’s a recipe for Bajra and Moong Khichi, which is a high protein, gluten-free dish that meets all your macronutrient needs.
Bajra Moong Khichda
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Bajra (pearl millet) whole
- 2 tbsp Moong (mung beans)
- 10 g Tomatoes chopped
- 5 g Coriander leaves chopped
- 10 g Capsicum chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp Ghee
- 2 g Turmeric powder
- 1 pinch Asafoetida
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp green chillies chopped
Instructions
- Soak bajra and moong dal for half an hour.
- Grind bajra to a paste.
- Heat the ghee in a cooker and add asafoetida, ginger garlic paste and chillies as per taste to it and stir it for a minute.
- To this add chopped capsicum, bajra and moong dal and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now add tomatoes and salt to it. To this mixture add 75 ml water and pressure cook it for approximately 15 minutes.
- Let it cool down and then serve it in a bowl with kadhi or curd.
