Give in to your craving for Indian food with this nutritious recipe!

Spiced lentils with spinach and rhubarb, oh my! Here's Indian food with a very healthy twist!

I absolutely love Indian food. Palak paneer, butter chicken, aloo gobi, bhindi baji...you name it, I love it! However, it's a cuisine that I treat myself to only once in while. It always becomes a heavy meal with rich ingredients complimented (or loaded, I should say) with rice and naam bread.

Here's a healthy alternative that still has all the flavours of India but with the sweet, nutritious twist of rhubarb and the iron-rich addition of spinach:

Indian-Spiced Lentils with Spinach and Rhubarb from the Vegetarian Times.

At only 250 calories per serving, it's a hearty dish that you can enjoy guilt-free! (Serves 6)

Recipe and image courtesy of the Vegetarian Times

Love your food for the right reasons with 6 great tips for a satisfying relationship with your food!

We all know that changing your lifestyle (especially when it comes to food) can be a difficult journey. However, we want to help make that transition to a healthier, happier you, as easy as possible - starting with your relationship with food! Read on for 6 Tips for a Satisfying Relationship with Food.

6 Tips for a Satisfying Relationship with Food

1. Add PGX to Your Meal Routine: Take PGX before your meal to help you feel fuller faster (and more satisfied!), which will result in you eating less calories.
2. Eat High Volume, Low Calorie Foods: If you do have foods on the menu that are higher in calories, try to eat these later in the meal. That way, when you get to those food items, you will be eating more slowly and feeling more satisfied with less food.
3. Stick to Foods That Make You Feel Satisfied: No, unfortunately, we're not talking about foods that one indulges in, however satisfying that may be; we're referring to foods that will leave you satisfied with less.
   Here are a few of our favs: low-fat salads; high-fibre soups; legumes; non-starchy vegetables; and boiled whole grains like barley, quinoa, and oatmeal.
4. Avoid Problem Foods: Steer clear of foods that you know cause you problems. Addicted to chocolate? Try not to keep it in your house.
   Side Note: Fortunately, if you're taking PGX, unhealthy food cravings are greatly diminished!
5. Drink Water! When you're tummy starts grumbling, before you reach for that snack, try drinking some water. You may think you're hungry but you may just be thirsty; your body sends the same signal to your brain regardless of whether it's dehydrated or hungry.
6. Eat Slowly: Until your body has had the time to digest and absorb the food you're eating, it won't know that it's full. Eating your meal at a slower pace helps prevent overeating and allows you to enjoy and savour your food!

Did you find these tips helpful? Let us know what works for you in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

And don't forget, for a limited time, buy PGX Daily as participating locations and receive a FREE Bonus pack of PGX Daily Singles!

Webber Naturals expert, Dr. Quinn Hand, dishes on protein sources for vegetarians!

Welcome to Part III: What about protein supplements or protein bars?

Protein supplements can go a long way to achieving adequacy. For vegans, look for a supplement that is a combination of proteins like soy, brown rice and pea. This mixture will ensure you consume a complete protein. Lacto-ovo vegetarians may want to consider whey protein isolate, which is a great source of complete protein and also offers benefits such as immune system balancing, greater absorption, antioxidant support and the ability to increase growth hormone (important for building and maintaining muscle and body tissues).

Protein bars can definitely be a great choice, particularly for those on the go, or athletes needing to fuel before training. But, when it comes to protein bars, you will need to ensure there are no animal by-products such as gelatin. You also need to look for bars that follow a few simple rules in order to avoid unwanted products, important for maintaining health.

1. Protein:  the bar should have at least 15 grams of protein and no more than 24 grams of net carbs (net carbs = total carb-fiber).  Even “healthy” bars often contain high amounts of “natural sugars” like honey, cane sugar or agave, which can still affect blood sugar stability.
2. Avoid bars that are more like chocolate bars – marshmallow, nugget or chocolate coatings are hints that your bar may be hiding unwanted, blood sugar perturbing products
3. Avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame potassium.  Not only is there concern mounting regarding cancer risk, but these still can mess with how our body perceives sweetness and lead to increased appetite.

My final word on protein

All too often I see patients who are vegetarians living on pizza, pasta and French fries. But, I also see those who are eating tofu, lentils, beans, whole grains and nuts, but still struggle to meet adequacy. My biggest encouragement is to learn about your protein requirements, don’t underestimate them, learn how to combine foods and consider a protein supplement to ensure you are getting this fundamental building block into your daily diet. Here is a helpful chart to understand the amount of protein in various servings of plant-based protein sources:

Common Plant-based Protein Sources – Quantity, Calories, Grams of Protein

Food	Quantity	Calories	Protein Content (g)
NUTS
Slivered Almonds	¼ cup	200	6.5
Chopped Walnuts	¼ cup	200	7.5
Chopped Hazelnut	¼ cup	200	3.5
Peanuts	¼ cup	200	8.5
Pistachio	¼ cup	200	5
Chopped Pecan	¼	200	2.5
GRAINS
Whole dry barley	175g (~3/4 cup)	620	22
Whole oats	175g (~3/4 cup)	670	28
Whole grain wheat	175g (~3/4 cup)	575	22
Brown rice	175g (~3/4 cup)	650	14
White rice	175g (~3/4 cup)	640	12.5
Corn flour	175g (~3/4 cup)	630	12
BEANS/LENTILS (includes Soy)
Lentils (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	600	50
Kidney beans (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	530	35
White beans (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	570	35
Chickpeas (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	640	35
Tofu (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	130	14
DAIRY/EGGS
Egg	1 whole	75	6
Milk (2%)	1 cup	120	8
Feta cheese	28g	75	4
Cheddar cheese	28g	115	7
OTHER
Spirulina (seaweed)	175g (~3/4 cup)	45	10