In his first book on eating right, weight loss, surgeon Muffazal Lakdawala has put together what he has been doing for a decade and a half — prescribing the right food. This time, it is not only for his patients. The book is meant for all those who care about being healthy and remaining fit.

The Eat-Right Prescription is not just a collection of low-fat, low-carb and low-sugar recipes. The pages with instructions on preparing healthy foods are interspersed with advice from Muffi, as he calls himself.

So, in the over 300-page-book, he tells us why you should not have fruits immediately after a meal (the acids can hamper digestion and prevent the absorption of certain nutrients) and that white rice is not as bad as is made it out to be. It’s just that the portion must not be more than the vegetables or grilled meat eaten alongside.

And, most importantly, he tells readers that instead of reaching for that imported apple you should opt for local fruits. His go-local philosophy extends to everything, from fruits to vegetables and breads.

The best part about the collection is that most of the recipes seem like a half-an-hour job. No elaborate preparations or marinades. Simply chop, and either blend or roast or pressure-cook and it’s ready. Juices, which he terms as powerhouses of nutrition, are quick and easy to prepare.

Muffi also suggests getting the chopping and boiling done a day before and storing ingredients in airtight containers to save on time in the morning. To that extent, it is ideal for those who live a fast-paced life and have little time for the kitchen.

The book is neatly divided into sections like juices, smoothies, soups, salads, comfort foods etc. It has a whole section dedicated to gluten free super grains -– quinoa, couscous and the good old bulgar wheat (dalia) — all highly nutritious and fibrous.

But for those who have grown up eating home food and have been cooking what their grand moms cooked, there is limited takeaway. Paneer chilla, bulgar wheat (dalia) pulao, bulgar wheat kheer, dahi vadas, bajra khichdi, sambhar or ragi utthapam are all too familiar. And for a variety of muthias, Muffi has simply replaced frying with microwave cooking. While Muffi, who has also performed bariatric surgeries for BJP’s Nitin Gadkari and Venkaiah Naidu, has covered almost the complete range of every day foods, there are some recipes that won’t be palatable even to the keenest health aficionados. Cabbage juice (a blend of raw cabbage, water and salt) and Green Glow (a mix of bitter gourd or karela, carrot and lemon juice) top that list.

Muffi’s patients and family friends including Salma Khan, Salman Khan’s mother, have also contributed their recipes. So along with health if you want to know what the Khan’s mother serves him for dinner then this is the book for you.

comment COMMENT NOW