Natural Protein Shake Recipe (Smoothie)

This drink is made with mango purée, orange juice and a banana. The banana gives a smooth texture to the drink; cooked mung beans add protein and tie the flavors together.

I've read that eating breakfast is one of the keys to successfully losing weight. Since I've been waking up at the wee hours of the morning to work out for 45 minutes before starting the day, I want to stack the deck in my favor. A protein shake is the perfect choice for me because I'm not very big on breakfast (unless it's crêpes!).

Dal Paratha Recipe (Indian Flat Bread)

Paratha is a whole wheat Indian flat  bread. This version of the chapati bread is fairly easy to form, and is also relatively healthy since it's made with fine milled durum wheat flour (atta). Paratha are often "stuffed", and I flavored this version with cooked spiced masoor dal (orange dal).

For extra flavor, I brushed the bread with a thin layer of melted ghee (clarified butter), making the paratha an incredibly tasty, crispy side dish packed with protein.

Masoor Ki Daal Recipe

Among the Indian  lentil dishes I've learned from my husband's late grandmother, this "dry" daal dish, called "masoor ki daal", is by far the easiest and fastest to prepare for the family. No soaking is needed and it cooks in no time. The only trick to this dish is not to overcook the lentils because they will get mushy very quickly if you don't keep an eye on them.

The coral-colored, skinless lentils are sautéed with ginger garlic paste and chiles. Once masoor dal is cooked, the lentils turn a pretty yellow color. The last step is pairing the lentil dish with homemade roti (Indian flat bread) for a complete, nutritious meal.

Mash Ki Daal (Dry Urad Dal Recipe)

Daddy, my father-in-law, needs his daal ("lentil" in Urdu) fix daily. We usually make the wet, soupy version, which he considers tastier because of baghar (common red chili oil layer). But every now and then, Daddy asks for sukhi mash ki daal. "Sukhi" is in reference to a dry lentil preparation. I used urad dal and cooked the lentils with caramelized onions, fresh chiles, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds.

Urad dal is a great source of protein and iron and it's pretty low in calories. The caramelized onions provide the extra oomph of natural sweetness and are balanced with a little kick from the freshly grated ginger. The result is as tasty, healthier version of an Indian staple. We usually make mash ki daal with freshly homemade roti (Indian flat bread). Daddy often likes to spread a little bit ghee (clarified butter) when my mother-in-law's not watching!

If you have leftover lentils, you can add grilled vegetables the following day. It makes a great salad for a light lunch.

Cold Rice Salad with Papaya

We finally have beautiful sunshine in the Bay Area. We've been waiting for the sun for so long that today, in honor of our quite overdue patron of summer, I prepared a dish that is refreshing, healthy and flavorful.

Specifically, I made a cold rice and papaya salad. I boiled brown rice, and mixed in vegetables, steamed lentils, lime juice, ginger and fresh papaya. The key to good rice salad is to have a homogeneous mixture. All the ingredients should be cut the same size. The other factor for a good salad in general is a flavorful dressing. I met that requirement with a sweet and spicy papaya ginger dressing.

This version is vegetarian, but you could also finish the salad with grilled jumbo shrimp in shells or grilled chicken breasts. Also, I served it in tea cups. For an original presentation, you could serve it in papaya halves. Here comes the sun!