I’m very fortunate to have exceptionally health conscious parents. My mother, who is an extraordinary cook has nourished her army of hungry athletes while sticking to our Punjabi cuisine. Most people will say, Indian food and athletes?! Not a good mix. Unfortunately the scientifically advanced Indian diet has been diluted and polluted with processed grains, butter, oil, sugar and salt. With the depth of nutritional knowledge we have at our fingertips with Ayurveda, eating Indian could be uber healthy.
One of my favorite dishes packed with muscle-building protein is Chole (chickpeas simmered in onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and red chilli powder).
These legumes offer 39 grams of protein per 1 cup while maintaining a super low amount of saturated fats. They also provide substantial dietary fiber, copper, folate and magnesium. Yay fiber!
Our recipe is low on salt using green chilies to enrich taste instead. We use coconut oil for cooking not butter. What about ghee? Yes, less than 1 tablespoon is used for the whole batch. Chole is served with raw onions that have a cooling effect and helps promote proper digestion. Often Ayurveda recommends avoiding onion (and garlic) with meals and is mostly used for medicinal properties. However, I do enjoy the cooling effect of raw onions especially after a workout.
