World Healthy Eating Tour - 2-Week Indian-Inspired Meal Plan

In this article:

• It can be hard to find easy, healthy meals for weight loss. But it is possible.
• This meal plan has 7 days’ worth of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. They total about 1,200 calories. You can add snacks if you need more calories.
• Be sure to ask your doctor before using any new meal plan.
• The Lark digital coach is available 24/7 on your smartphone with more tips for healthy weight loss.

‍

Healthy eating for weight loss can be simple, and can taste good too. Here is a 7-day meal plan to try. Most of the meals take only a few minutes to put together.

‍

Each day shows about 1,200 calories. The menus get about 30-35% of their calories from carbohydrates. You can always use swaps from our Healthy Swaps List. Also, if you need to, you can add snacks from this Snack List. 

‍

Here are a few tips for success.

• Incorporate more whole grains by  using brown rice instead of white rice and whole grain chapati, naan, and roti instead of breads made with white flour. 
• It is easy to find healthy protein when you eat Indian food. Lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and mung beans are common plant-based sources. Fish and chicken are great choices as well.
• Dry curries and curries with tomato-based sauces are lower in calories and fat than creamy curries and curries with coconut, ghee, or butter. 
• Tandoori style, boiled, steamed, and baked foods are usually healthier choices than fried or doughy foods.
• Raita can be high in fat, but lower-fat versions made with low-fat or nonfat yogurt can still be delicious.
• Paneer is another good source of calcium and protein. The serving size is 1 ounce, or about ¼ cup.
• Some Indian recipes can be time consuming to make. It can help to make bigger batches of some dishes, such as soups and stews, and freeze leftovers. 

‍

Here are some more tips.

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for at least 64 ounces.
• Each meal has about 30-45 grams of nutritious carbohydrates. That is a moderately low amount, which can help with weight loss and health.
• Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new meal plan, and ask what might be the best approach for your own needs.

• Include some physical activity, as long as your healthcare provider supports it. A good goal for most people is at least 150 minutes per week.

‍

World Healthy Eating Tour: Indian-Inspired Meal Plan 

Week 1

Week 2

How Lark Can Help

If you’re looking for help with how to lower A1c, your healthcare provider might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. Lark can help by supporting healthy behaviors. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

‍

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

‍

Recipes

‍

Low-Fat Raita

Raita is a staple in parts of India. It has calcium and protein, but can also be high in fat. It can be lower in fat if you use low-fat or fat-free yogurt instead of whole milk yogurt and sour cream. 

‍

The recipe is easy. Just start with yogurt, and add whichever ingredients you like. The first version shows Cucumber Tomato Raita, but suggested variations are listed below. 

‍

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 ½ cups of low-fat or fat-free yogurt
• 1 large English cucumber, or 4 Persian cucumbers, or 1 peeled cucumber
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• Optional: ½ small red onion, chopped
• Optional: ⅓ cup of minced cilantro or mint, or dash of cumin, cayenne, garam masala any other spices

‍

Directions:

1. Peel the cucumber if it has a thick skin, as regular cucumbers often do. Dice the cucumber. 
2. Mix the ingredients in a bowl. 
3. Chill and serve.

‍

Suggested Variations:

Root vegetable or winter squash raita: Instead of cucumber and tomato, use 2 cups of shredded pumpkin, beetroot, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot, or other root vegetable, cooked in a pan (or mashed and cooked).

Fruit raita: Omit the cucumber, onion, and tomato. Mix the spices and yogurt and serve over sliced pear, mango, guava, or other fruit.

Pulse raita: Add ½ cup of grated carrot and 1 cup of cooked pulses, such as mung beans or lentils, to the mixture. Omit the cucumber.

‍

Spiced Brown Rice

Brown rice is a healthier alternative to white rice. This recipe is easy to make and it has healthy fats, dietary fiber, protein, and tons of flavor. The fruit is optional. It can give the rice a sweeter flavor to balance the savory flavors from onion, garlic, and spices.

‍

You can use any greens instead of spinach. If you want to add other vegetables that take longer to cook, add them when you add the rice. You can use peanuts or another type of nut instead of cashews. 

‍

Makes 8 servings

‍

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• ½ cup of chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons of curry powder
• ½ teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 cup of uncooked brown rice
• (Optional) 1 cup of cut fruit, such as apple, plum, or oranges
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of chopped spinach leaves
• ½ cup (2 to 3 ounces) of cashew halves or pieces

‍

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil in a medium pot or saucepan.
2. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, and garam masala. Cook for another 2 minutes. Stir halfway through.
3. Add the brown rice and fruit, using. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. 
4. Add the water and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cashews.

‍