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
- I followed Swasthi’s Rajma Recipe using my Instant Pot
- Heat oil and ghee, sauté onions until golden brown (this is crucial for flavor!)
- Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute
- Add tomato paste and spices, cook until oil separates
- Add cooked rajma and water, simmer 15-20 minutes
- Mash few beans for thickness
- Add crushed methi leaves and garnish with coriander
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
- Pressure cook dal with turmeric and vegetables until soft
- Heat oil, add cumin seeds
- Add onions, cook until translucent
- Add ginger, green chilies, and dried red chili
- Add cooked dal-vegetable mixture, simmer 10 minutes
- Garnish with coriander and add lemon juice if desired
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
- I used my Instant Pot and followed this recipe from Cooking with Pree
- 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
- Steam sprouts lightly (optional for easier digestion)
- Mix all vegetables and sprouts
- Add crushed makhana for crunch
- Add lemon juice, spices, herbs
- Mix in yogurt if using
- Serve immediately
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
Instructions
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
- Heat oil in pan
- Add makhana, roast until crispy (5-7 minutes)
- Sprinkle spices while hot
- Cool completely, store in airtight container
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
- Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes
- Add your favorite seasonings if desired
- Let marinate 10 minutes if you added seasonings
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Grains & Bases
Brown Rice Base
The foundation of so many great meals.
Instructions
- Rinse rice until water runs clear
- Cook in 1:2 ratio with water
- Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 45 minutes
- Let stand 10 minutes, fluff with fork
Quinoa Base
Higher protein alternative to rice.
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa until water runs clear
- Cook in 1:2 ratio with water
- Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 15 minutes
- Let stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork
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Leftover Integration
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.
Recipe Notes & Week 3 Learnings
Which recipe are you most excited to try? The rajma masala is definitely worth the effort – let me know how yours turns out!
Week 2 Reflections: The Real Talk About Diet Setbacks
A Note About This Delayed Post
I know it’s been weeks since my last update, and I’ve been putting off writing this reflection. Honestly? I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to share this story. I needed time to process what happened and gain some perspective before I could write about it authentically.
I needed the space between my experience and the sharing.
When Life Happens to Your Perfect Plan
It’s Friday, 5:30 PM, and I’m staring at my meal prep containers that have been sitting untouched for two days. The week that started with such good intentions has completely derailed. Sound familiar?
I had it all planned out. Seven days of perfectly portioned meals, every calorie counted, every gram of protein calculated. But then life happened. Family commitments, unexpected plans and suddenly my beautiful meal prep felt more like a burden than a blessing.
The Slippery Slope
For two whole days, I didn’t touch my planned meals. I told myself it was fine – I’d just eat within my calorie goals and focus on protein. How hard could it be?
Day one went okay. I managed to stay somewhat on track, making decent choices even without my prep.
But day two? That’s when things got interesting. I spent time with family, and we went out for a nice meal. I ate what I wanted and finished with a nice ice-cream. It felt good in the moment – freeing, even.
The Harsh Reality Check
By day three, the scale delivered its verdict: up 3 pounds. Three. Entire. Pounds.
All that progress from the previous weeks? Gone. Just like that.
I won’t lie – I was furious. Frustrated doesn’t even begin to cover it. There was this overwhelming sense of failure, like I had let myself down in the worst possible way.
And then came the most dangerous feeling of all: rebellion. I felt angry at my diet plan. Like it was the enemy. Part of me wanted to challenge it by eating even more, just to prove some ridiculous point. Thankfully, I didn’t act on that impulse, but the feeling was real and intense.
The Heart-to-Heart That Changed Everything
It was during a conversation with my coach that everything clicked into place. I was ready to give up, convinced I was a failure at this whole thing.
But my coach helped me see the bigger picture. He reminded me that this journey – especially the calorie deficit phase – requires commitment and discipline. Not perfection, but consistency.
“Think of it this way,” he said. “Right now, you’re changing your body composition through exercise and nutrition. This phase requires focus because you’re literally rewiring your habits and changing your metabolism. Once you reach your goal and these habits become second nature, you’ll have the freedom to be more flexible.”
The Real Learning
This setback taught me something valuable: the goal isn’t to never have off days. The goal is to not let off days become off weeks or off months.
Those 3 pounds? Mostly water weight from restaurant food and higher sodium. Not the end of the world.
The anger and frustration? Normal responses to feeling like I’d lost control.
The desire to rebel against my own goals? A sign that maybe I needed to build in more flexibility from the start.
Moving Forward
I’m choosing to see this as a learning experience, not a failure. Here’s what I’m taking away:
What I learned:
– Meal prep is helpful, but I need backup plans for busy weeks
– Family time and food enjoyment matter too – I need to plan for them
– My emotions around food are still something I’m working on
– Small setbacks don’t erase previous progress
What I’m changing:
– Building in one flexible meal per week
– Having simple backup options for crazy days
– Focusing on getting back on track quickly rather than being perfect
– Remembering that this is a journey, not a sprint
The Reality Check
Even though I’ve gotten back on track these past few days, I’ll be honest – the weight is coming off more slowly than I’d like. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s how my body responds, maybe it’s a hundred other factors I can’t control.
But here’s what I’ve decided: I’m going to focus on what I can control. How I fuel my body. How my body feels. Staying consistent with my exercise, whatever I can manage that day.
The scale will do what it does. My job is to show up consistently for myself, trust the process, and celebrate the wins that aren’t measured in pounds – like having more energy, sleeping better, and feeling stronger.
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