Week 3 Recipes

Week 3 Recipes

Week 3 was all about building on the success of Week 2 while introducing some of my favorite comfort foods – rajma and south indian upma!

I also had some leftover sweet potato and channa salad from Week 2 that I incorporated into this week’s meal plan.

My daily breakdown goal remained:
– Breakfast: 300-350 calories, 15-20g protein
– Lunch: 400-450 calories, 25-30g protein
– Dinner: 350-400 calories, 20-25g protein
– Snacks: 300-350 calories, 20-25g protein

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Main Dishes

Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry) (5 servings)

Ingredients

  • 400g cooked rajma (from 150g dry kidney beans)
  • 150g onions, chopped
  • 1 small can tomato paste (No salt added)
  • 15ml oil and ghee together
  • ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 tsps cumin seeds
  • 1.5 tsp cumin powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 2g turmeric, 2g red chili powder
  • 300ml water
  • Dried methi leaves (crushed and added at end)
  • Salt, fresh coriander

Instructions

  1. I followed Swasthi’s Rajma Recipe using my Instant Pot
  2. Heat oil and ghee, sauté onions until golden brown (this is crucial for flavor!)
  3. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute
  4. Add tomato paste and spices, cook until oil separates
  5. Add cooked rajma and water, simmer 15-20 minutes
  6. Mash few beans for thickness
  7. Add crushed methi leaves and garnish with coriander
Prep tip: Soak rajma overnight, pressure cook until very soft before making curry
Pairs with: Brown rice, chapati, or quinoa

Protein per serving (250g): 18 grams

Mixed Vegetable Dal (4 servings)

This one-pot wonder became my go-to when I wanted something comforting and nutritious. I love how the vegetables cook right in the dal, making it so flavorful. Fair warning – I like my food spicy, so adjust the chilies to your taste!

Ingredients

  • 120g mixed dal (moong + toor)
  • 200g mixed vegetables (bottle gourd, beans, carrots) – cooked in dal
  • 80g onions, chopped
  • 6-7 green chilies (I prefer it spicy – reduce for less heat!)
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, chopped
  • 15ml oil
  • 5g cumin seeds, 2g turmeric
  • 500ml water
  • Salt, coriander
  • Lemon juice (optional, at the end)

Instructions

  1. Pressure cook dal with turmeric and vegetables until soft
  2. Heat oil, add cumin seeds
  3. Add onions, cook until translucent
  4. Add ginger, green chilies, and dried red chili
  5. Add cooked dal-vegetable mixture, simmer 10 minutes
  6. Garnish with coriander and add lemon juice if desired
Spice level: Medium-hot (reduce chilies for milder version)
Pairs with: Rice, quinoa, or chapati

Protein per serving (300g): 14 grams

Broken Wheat Upma with Vegetables (4 servings)

A lighter, healthier version of traditional upma that’s still incredibly satisfying. The vegetables cook right in, making it a complete meal. Perfect for dinner when you want something filling but not heavy.

Ingredients

  • 100g broken wheat (dalia)
  • 250g mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, peas, bell peppers) – cooked in upma
  • 60g onions, chopped
  • 10g ginger, chopped
  • 2-3 green chilies
  • 12ml oil
  • 5g mustard seeds, 5g urad dal, curry leaves
  • 500ml hot water
  • Salt, lemon juice, coriander

Instructions

  1. I used my Instant Pot and followed this recipe from Cooking with Pree

    2. Snacks & Sides

    Sprouted Bean & Makhana Chaat (2 servings)

    This became my favorite afternoon snack! The combination of textures is amazing – soft sprouts, crunchy makhana, fresh vegetables. So satisfying and refreshing.

    Ingredients

    • 160g sprouted green moong
    • 40g roasted makhana, crushed
    • 60g cucumber, diced
    • 60g tomatoes, diced
    • 40g red onion, diced
    • 15ml lemon juice
    • 2g chaat masala, 1g black salt
    • Fresh mint and coriander
    • Optional: 50g Greek yogurt

    Instructions

    1. Steam sprouts lightly (optional for easier digestion)
    2. Mix all vegetables and sprouts
    3. Add crushed makhana for crunch
    4. Add lemon juice, spices, herbs
    5. Mix in yogurt if using
    6. Serve immediately
    Texture tip: Add makhana just before eating to keep it crunchy

    Protein per serving (200g without yogurt): 8 grams

    Protein per serving (250g with yogurt): 12 grams

Spiced Roasted Makhana (6 servings)

My healthy alternative to chips! These kept me satisfied between meals and added great crunch to salads.

Ingredients

  • 150g makhana
  • 5ml oil
  • 2g chaat masala, 1g black pepper, 1g turmeric
  • Pinch of black salt

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in pan
  2. Add makhana, roast until crispy (5-7 minutes)
  3. Sprinkle spices while hot
  4. Cool completely, store in airtight container
Storage: Keeps fresh for 1 week in airtight container

Protein per serving (25g): 3 grams

Raw Tofu Cubes (Protein Snack) (3 servings)

Simple but effective! I actually started enjoying these plain, but you can season them however you like.

Ingredients

  • 270g extra-firm tofu, cubed
  • Optional seasonings: soy sauce, lime juice, spices of choice

Instructions

  1. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes
  2. Add your favorite seasonings if desired
  3. Let marinate 10 minutes if you added seasonings
Storage: Best eaten fresh, can be stored 2 days

Protein per serving (90g): 9 grams

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Grains & Bases

Brown Rice Base

The foundation of so many great meals.

Instructions

  1. Rinse rice until water runs clear
  2. Cook in 1:2 ratio with water
  3. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 45 minutes
  4. Let stand 10 minutes, fluff with fork

Protein per 1/3 cup cooked (85g): 2 grams

Quinoa Base

Higher protein alternative to rice.

Instructions

  1. Rinse quinoa until water runs clear
  2. Cook in 1:2 ratio with water
  3. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 15 minutes
  4. Let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork

Protein per 1/4 cup cooked (65g): 3 grams

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Leftover Integration
Week 3 Bonus: I had some delicious leftover sweet potato and channa salad from Week 2 that was still fresh and tasty! Rather than let it go to waste, I incorporated it into this week’s meal plan. It paired beautifully with the new rajma dishes and added variety to my lunches.

Sweet Potato & Channa Salad (From Week 2)

This leftover gem from Week 2 was still perfect! The flavors had actually improved after a few days. I used it as a light lunch option and it paired wonderfully with my new rajma masala.

Storage note: This salad keeps well for 4-5 days refrigerated

Protein per serving: 8 grams

Recipe Notes & Week 3 Learnings

Spice Levels: I love spicy food, so adjust the green chilies in the dal recipe to match your heat preference!
Meal Prep Efficiency: Making large batches of rajma and dal at the beginning of the week saved so much time on busy days.
Leftover Magic:That Week 2 sweet potato salad came in handy for this week, as I have a few boxes in the freezer.
Texture Variety: Mixing crunchy makhana with soft sprouts in the chaat creates the perfect satisfying snack.
Instant Pot Win: Using the Instant Pot for brown rice made meal prep so much easier and more consistent.

Which recipe are you most excited to try? The rajma masala is definitely worth the effort – let me know how yours turns out!

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