Category: Food

How to Survive Ramadan By Not Feeling Hungry

Many people dread Ramadan — especially in the US since we don’t get to work half days — because working when you are hungry is challenging and can sometimes give you a literal headache. Every year, I research foods and try to find the right combination of types of food to eat right before fasting each day (around 4 AM). This year, 2018, I believe I’ve come up with a good list. Based on the USDA’s Dietary Reference Intake calculator, I should consume each day

  • 38 grams of fiber
  • 69 grams of protein

Since we normally eat twice in Ramadan, once in the early morning before beginning your fast and once at night when breaking your fast, we can split these daily values (DV) up, e.g. in half, so that my target for breakfast in the morning would be

  • 19 grams of fiber
  • 36 grams of protein

Fiber gets processed slowly in your stomach which makes you feel full longer. Protein is an essential source of energy.

So here’s my list:

One cup of oatmeal

I like the Simply Balanced Organic to-go cups of oatmeal available at Target. These cups cost $1.49 each and are super convenient to prepare in the morning. Just add water, microwave for 50 seconds, stir, eat, then throw away the cup. There are 3 flavors:

Cranberry

Continue reading How to Survive Ramadan By Not Feeling Hungry

How to Lose Weight By Eating Foods with Low Energy Density

There’s a very simple formula for losing weight. The total number of calories you consume from eating must just be less than the total number of calories you burn living and exercise. However, the problem with this is you need to eat enough to feel full so you don’t eat too much. Therefore, there are two key things to focus on when deciding what to eat:

  • foods that have a low energy density (low on the energy density index)
  • foods that make you feel full longer (high on the satiety index)

To understand energy (calorie) density, look at the picture below. Both desserts have the same amount of energy (calories) but the one on the left is heavier and contains more mass (grams) which would make you feel full longer.

Continue reading How to Lose Weight By Eating Foods with Low Energy Density

Delicious Egg Panini Sandwich

‘The other day I had an egg panini sandwich at a corner bakery (the place is actually called “Corner Bakery”).

The sandwich was so good, I just had to learn how to make it. Turns out it’s not hard at all and the results are delicious. Also, it turns out that eggs are super nutritious and high in satiety so you feel full longer. In other words, it’s great for helping you lose weight.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eggs-weight-loss-food

Check out other healthy foods for weight loss.

Here’s the recipe: Continue reading Delicious Egg Panini Sandwich

Easiest Way to Make Good Steak

Instructions

  1. Buy steak meat (ribeye, new york,etc) (e.g. from Costco)
  2. Measure the thickness of the meat, e.g. 1.25 inches thick
  3. Preheat an indoor grill to the max temperature. I have the Hamilton Beach 25361 Electric Indoor Searing Grill. Choose the “sear” setting which is the max temperature.
  4. Pat both sides of steak with paper towel to dry it as much as possible
  5. Smear 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter on both sides of meat
  6. Put salt and pepper on both sides of meat (don’t be afraid to put more than you think – the thicker the meat, the more the salt and pepper)
  7. Insert a cooking temperature probe through the side of the steak until the tip is at the center of the thickest part of the meat. My probe has a silicone cord so it can withstand high temperatures.
  8. For a medium done steak, the internal temperature should be 135 degrees.
  9. When preheating is done (green light turns on), put the meat on the grill, close lid, and grill for 7 minutes.
  10. After 7 minutes, turn over on grill.
  11. When the internal temperature reaches the desired temperature, e.g. 135 degree, the probe will beep. Turn off the grill, move the steak to a plate, cover it, and let it rest for 2 minutes. During these 2 minutes, the internal temperature will rise a few degrees, which is expected, and the steak will be juicier.
  12. After 2 minutes, eat and enjoy

Tasty Lentil Soup Diet (using a Slow Cooker)

After eating lentil soup 4 -7 days a week for dinner, I have found that I’ve been able to easily lose weight without feeling deprived. The easiest and most lost term way to lose weight is by changing your diet, not exercising. Exercising is better for toning and strength and takes a lot of time. In order to effectively lose weight by changing your diet, the following conditions must be met:

  • you must enjoy the food you eat so you don’t feel deprived of eating food you like
  • you must feel full when you eat low-calorie food
  • the food must easy to prepare and cook
  • the food must be affordable

Fortunately, lentils will make you feel full, are very easy to prepare, and if prepared right, can taste very good, and are super cheap. Unlike other legumes like red beans, lentils do not need to be presoaked. I try to eat healthy during the week and use the weekends to eat whatever I want. For me, current food consumption for a typical weekday is

  • Breakfast (at home)
    • blueberry granola cereal with almond milk
    • bread with butter and chocolate sprinkles
  • Lunch (outside)
    • pretty much whatever I feel like eating (burrito, pizza, kababs, sandwiches, chicken tikka masala, etc)
  • Dinner (at home)
    • the lentil soup described below

Continue reading Tasty Lentil Soup Diet (using a Slow Cooker)

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