Breakfast is important

Breakfast ranks lowest in our list of priorities. If we do not have enough time we skip it. Fasting after dinner till the morning, we need energy first thing in the morning. We need calcium, iron, vitamins, protein and fibre in our breakfast. 

Try to include some fruits and vegetable in your breakfast. Fruit and vegetable juice will be good enough.

Breakfast provides essential carbohydrates and restores glucose levels. This keeps our brain functioning properly.

Studies in schools have shown that students who skip breakfast are tardy and skip classes. Children who take a proper breakfast have performed consistently better than those who skip breakfast. They have better concentration and are equipped with problem-solving skills. They demonstrate better memory.

It has been found that those who take a good breakfast regularly are able to control their weight better than those who skip the breakfast. 

The breakfast that we eat, however heavy it is, will be converted into energy and used up during the day time. Whereas unused part of the dinner we take will be stored in the body and will finally be converted into saturated fat, resulting in weight gain.

So the saying goes – Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

Often people skip breakfast due to lack of time. Try to wake up 15 minutes early. You can make a good breakfast in 15 minutes. Take a peanut butter sandwich and a banana and eat on the go. If you skip breakfast you will end up eating a heavier lunch or dinner.

Some breakfast ideas from my blog.

Stir-fried luncheon meat, sandwich, can 
of luncheon meat, a cup of tea, garlic,
 green chili and egg

Toasted fish sandwich

Brown rice porridge 
with avocado topping

Egg sandwich

Healthy oil free spicy egg curry with potato

  Healthy oil free spicy egg curry with potato

Today I am going to make an egg curry without any oil. It is a simple and easy preparation. I am dispensing with the tempering process which is said to raise the aroma of the curry. But this will be a delicious curry.

            

Recipe summary

For

      Healthy oil free spicy egg curry with potato

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

 1.In a medium size pan add potato, 100 grams onion, coarsely chopped, 15 grams green chili, cut into fine pieces,10 curry

 leaves chopped, 9 grams garlic cloves, 5 grams ginger grated,

1/2 teaspoon masala powder, 1/2 teaspoon biryani powder, 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon  cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/4 teaspoon  turmeric powder, finally  1 teaspoon curry powder, boiled eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups of water or thin coconut milk. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Add thick 1/2  cup coconut milk,  1/4 teaspoon  pepper powder, and boil for 3 minutes. Bengal gram powder (optional) Use as a thickening agent for curry. You can use at the end of the curry if it is watery.Taste for seasoning and adjust. squeeze  lime juice to taste before you take to the table. 

                  

3.If you like you can sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon ground powder of dry roast fennel seeds with a few curry leaves and cover  for 2 minutes.  Take off heat.     It will give a nice aroma.      

Spice powders

          

     Healthy oil free spicy egg curry with potato is ready.

                                  

                 Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients
Main

6 eggs hard boiled

100 grams purple washed potato, not peeled and cut into bite size pieces.
Others

100 grams onion, coarsely chopped

15 grams green chili, cut into fine pieces

10 curry leaves, chopped

9 grams garlic cloves, sliced

5 grams ginger grated

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Spices

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon biryani masala powder

1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric  powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cups water
Bengal gram powder (optional) Use as a thickening agent for curry. You can use at the end of the curry if it is watery.

Spice powders

Preparation

Boil the eggs. Remove the shells and set aside.

Boiled eggs

wash and cut the potato into 1 inch pieces

Red skin potato

Prepare the onion, garlic, ginger, chili and curry leaves

Onion garlic ,ginger,chili and curry leaves

Method.

In a medium size pan add potato, onion, green chili, curry leaves, garlic, ginger and water. 

Potato,onion,garlic,ginger,curry leaves and water

Add thin coconut milk. 

Adding thin coconut milk

Add garam masala powder, biryani powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder
finally  curry powder, and boiled eggs and salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Adding biryani ,garam masala ,cumin powder,cinnamon powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder.

Adding curry powder and eggs

Add thick coconut milk,  pepper and boil for 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

Adding thick coconut milk

If you like you can sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon powder of dry roast fennel seeds with a few curry leaves. It will give a nice aroma to the curry.
You can dry roast 1 tea spoon fennel seeds with 5 or 6 curry leaves on slow fire for few minutes without burning it. grind it in a grinder. If you like you can do a little more and keep in a air tight bottle for future use. It can be used at the end of potato curry, chicken curry, mutton curry and egg curry.

The curry is ready. It can be served with rice or bread.

The curry is ready

Healthy oil free spicy egg curry with potato

Tip
You can dry roast 1 tea spoon fennel seeds with 5 or 6 curry leaves on slow fire for few minutes without burning it. grind it in a grinder and 
sprinkle it immediately.Cover the curry and off the fire. If you like you can do a little more and keep in a air tight bottle for future use. It can be used at the end of potato curry, chicken curry, mutton curry and egg curry.

Nutrition data for this recipe
Nutrition content is computed by  adding nutrition values of individual ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking. This is only an approximation. For further information please read my post “Nutrition information for my recipes.”

Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to close it.

Oil free egg curry
Nutrient	Value	Unit
Water	548.7	g
Energy	900.9	kcal
Protein	52.5	g
Total lipid (fat)	59.5	g
Carbohydrate, by difference	42.2	g
Fiber, total dietary	6.7	g
Sugars, total	7.5	g
Calcium, Ca	318.7	mg
Iron, Fe	13.3	mg
Magnesium, Mg	153.7	mg
Phosphorus, P	952.7	mg
Potassium, K	1,526.3	mg
Sodium, Na	1,511.4	mg
Zinc, Zn	6.2	mg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	68.4	mg
Thiamin	0.3	mg
Riboflavin	1.8	mg
Niacin	2.6	mg
Vitamin B-6	1.3	mg
Folate, DFE	233.7	µg
Vitamin B-12	3.2	µg
Vitamin A, RAE	588.1	µg
Vitamin A, IU	2,190.3	IU
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	5.3	mg
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)	7.2	µg
Vitamin D	295.2	IU
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	13.3	µg
Fatty acids, total saturated	32.9	g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	14.6	g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	7.4	g
Cholesterol	1,339.2	mg
Caffeine	0.0	mg
Fatty acids, total trans	0.1	g
Ash	9.5	g
Copper, Cu	0.8	mg
Manganese, Mn	1.8	mg
Selenium, Se	113.8	µg
Folate, total	233.7	µg
Folic acid	0.9	µg
Folate, food	233.7	µg
Retinol	576.0	µg

Constipation

What is constipation?

Constipation means three or less than three regular bowel movements per week. This means that a person has a bowel movement every other day. Having bowel movement on alternate days does not result in serious medical concern. It is not good when one does not have bowel movement for four consecutive days and then has bowel movement on the remaining three days of the week. Strain or pain during bowel movement and passing stool that is hard, dry and too little is also considered constipation, even if there is daily bowel movement.

Causes of constipation

Constipation is caused by consuming junk food that is high in fat and sugar, alcohol, caffeine, dairy products and low in fibre. Lack of exercise and not drinking enough water can also results in constipation. Some medications such as diuretics, antacids (with aluminum and calcium), narcotics, antidepressants, supplements, anticonvulsants, and blood pressure treatments may also contribute to constipation. Failing to or delaying evacuation when you get the urge, will also lead to constipation. Supplements like iron will cause constipation unless taken with a stool softener.

Medical conditions such as piles, thyroids, narrowing of colon and cancer may lead to constipation.

Medical check up
Your doctor may do a blood test to check on the hormone level, 
x-ray with a special drink or colonoscopy to identify any obstruction in the colon.

Immediate solutions
Laxatives if consumed over a long period may cause dependency. Stool softeners like Dulcolax, Ex-Lax, Senna etc. keep the stool soft so that it will be easier to evacuate.

A glycerine suppository may come in handy if you have not passed motion for a few days at a stretch.

Support your feet with a small stool when sitting on a toilet. This will flex your hips and it will be easier to pass motion. You may also try squatting to help the bowel movement.

What should you eat?
1. Oatmeal or other high fibre cereals.
2. Fruits and vegetables such as strawberries,
3. Broccoli, almonds, popcorn, black beans and yogurt

Broccoli

Green leaves

Home remedies
1. Take one tablespoon of olive oil early in the morning or at bed time.
2. Take two tablespoon of aloe gel or 1 cup of aloe juice.
3. Epsom salt 2 teaspoon
4. Prunes and prune juice.

Prunes

5. Dandelion tea made of 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves three times a day.
6. Take juice from half a lemon in the morning on an empty stomach.
7. Take a teaspoon of fennel seeds in the morning. If you soak it overnight it will be better because you can drink the infusion as well.
8. Soak a teaspoon of flax seeds powder in water for about 3 to 4 hours and then drink the infusion before going to bed.

Flax seed

9. One to 2 teaspoon of castor oil on an empty stomach will help the bowel movement. Use this only if other remedies do not work.
10. Add sesame seeds to your breakfast. This will moisturise dry stools.

Conclusion
Most importantly tale plenty of water and fibre. Water keeps the stools moist and therefore easier to evacuate. 

 Exercise regularly. 

Caffeine and alcohol dehydrate. 

Pass motion immediately when you get the urge.