A kidney patient NOT on dialysis always struggles to keep the blood parameters under control. Blood glucose, blood pressure, phosphate, potassium, sodium, and GFR all go up and down frequently. So being a patient you are always in doubt about what to eat and what to avoid. This blog is all about giving you more and more options to plan your Indian breakfast/snack efficiently.
Key points to remember before planning the breakfast & Snack for kidney patients NOT on dialysis–
- Good nutritional status is essential to fight the disease. Come out of the fear of eating. It is easy to issue a list of foods – “not to take” for kidney patients. But it is very difficult to follow in the long run. Lack of food choices often demotivates patients from eating a meal, leading to weight loss and muscle loss.
- Plan your meals efficiently based on your current health conditions and blood reports. So, consult a nutritionist for better-personalised planning.
- Bring variety to your diet to make the meal interesting. Follow the table 1 below.
- Do not be afraid of adding “protein” to your meal. You can add dal, milk, milk products, egg, fish, chicken, etc in a measured quantity daily. Know your protein requirement and consume accordingly.
Table 1: Frequency of grain to be used for making various recipes
| 3-4 times a week | 1-2 times in a week | 2-3 times a month
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Here are 30 Indian breakfast/snack options with a basic recipe guide for kidney patients NOT on dialysis. Please note, that recipes and frequency of use of grains might alter based on the health condition of the patients.
Breakfast/Snack can be taken 3-4 times in a week
1. Rava Upma :
Ingredients –
- Rava/Suji/Semolina
- Finely chopped carrot, onion –
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Mustard seed, cumin seed, and green chili for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Dry roast the rava and peanuts
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Wash carrot & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables, and green peas with excess water again
- Boil the veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies and soaked and washed rava
- Mix well
- Add water and let it cook for a few minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
2. Suji Halwa
Ingredient
- Suji/ Rava/ Semolina
- Sugar/ Jaggery
- Cow’s milk (Toned)
- Elichi
- Ghee
Process
- Dry roast the rava
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee and add eliche
- Add soaked and washed rava and milk
- Mix well
- Add sugar/jaggery
- Allow to cook for a few minutes
- Serve hot or cold
3. Rava Cheela
Ingredient
- Rava/ Suji/ Semolina
- Curd (set at home with toned cow’s milk)
- Finely chopped onion, carrot and coriander
- Turmeric, jeera powder, and a pinch of salt
Process
- Dry roast the rava
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Add curd with rava and mix well
- Keep the mixture aside for 30 minutes
- Finely Chop onion, carrot, and coriander finely and wash repeatedly with excess water
- Boil the chopped veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Add turmeric, jeera powder, pinch of salt, boiled veggies to the mixture
- Mix well and form a batter with neither too thick nor too thin consistency
- Heat the pan, brush the oil
- Pour 2 ladles of the mixture onto a heated pan
- Spread it well
- Allow to cook one side for a few minutes
- Flip it to cook the other side
- Serve hot
4. Rava Pancake
Ingredient
- Rava/ suji/semolina
- Oil
- Milk
- A pinch of salt
- Honey – 1tsp (use as per your blood sugar level)
Process
- Dry roast the rava
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Discard the water
- Add a pinch of salt and a little oil with rava
- Mix it well
- Add milk
- Mix well and form a batter with neither too thick nor too thin consistency
- Keep it aside for 30 minutes
- Heat the pan, brush the oil
- Pour 2 ladles of the mixture onto a heated pan
- Spread it well
- Allow to cook one side for a few minutes
- Flip it to cook the other side
- Serve hot
- Pour a little honey on top for a better taste
5. Poha
Ingredients –
- Poha
- Finely chopped carrot, onion –
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Green chilli for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Dry roast peanuts
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Wash poha repeatedly with excess water
- Wash carrot & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables with excess water again
- Boil the chopped veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add green chili as seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies and washed poha
- Mix well
- Sprinkle some water and let it cook for a few minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
6. Poha/ Murmura/ Khoi Porridge
Ingredients
- Poha or, Murmura, or khoi
- Curd (home set from toned cow’s milk) / Milk (toned cow’s milk)
- Sugar/Jaggery
Recipe
- Wash poha repeatedly with excess water
- Drain the water
- If using murmura or khoi, then no need of washing
- Add curd/milk
- Add 1 tsp of sugar/ jaggery
- Milx well and serve
7. Roasted Poha/ Murmura/ Khoi
Ingredients
- Poha or, Murmura, or khoi
- Green chili
- Oil/Ghee
- Peanut
Recipe
- Soak peanuts for 3-4 hrs
- Discard the water and wash well
- If using poha, wash it well repeatedly with excess water and drain the water
- Boil the peanuts and drain the water
- Heat oil/ghee
- Add green chilli
- Add boiled peanut
- Mix well and cook for a few minutes
- Add washed poha or mumura or khoi
- Mix well and roast it for a few minutes
- Let the mixture cool down and get crispy before serving
8. Buckwheat upma
Ingredients –
- Buckwheat/ Kuttu
- Finely chopped carrot, onion, beans –
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Cumin seed, green chili, ginger paste for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Wash buckwheat and peanut separately 3-4 times with excess water and drain the water
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Wash carrot, beans & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot, beans & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables, and green peas with excess water again
- Boil the veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies and soaked and washed buckwheat
- Mix well
- Add water and let it cook for 30 minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
9. Buckwheat Porridge
Ingredient
- Buckwheat/ Kuttu
- Sugar/ Jaggery
- Cow’s milk (Toned)
- Elichi
- Ghee
Process
- Wash buckwheat 3-4 times with excess water and drain the water
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee and add elaichi
- Add soaked and washed buckwheat and milk
- Mix well
- Allow to cook for 30 minutes
- Add sugar/jaggery
- Serve hot or cold
10. Buckwheat Cheela
Ingredient
- Buckwheat flour/ Kuttu ka atta
- Curd (set at home with toned cow’s milk)
- Finely chopped onion, carrot and coriander
- Ginger paste
- Turmeric, jeera powder, and a pinch of salt
Process
- Mix curd with Buckwheat flour well
- Add a little water for better consistency
- Keep the mixture aside for 10 minutes
- Finely Chop onion, carrot, and coriander finely and wash repeatedly with excess water
- Boil the chopped veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Add ginger paste, turmeric, jeera powder, pinch of salt, boiled veggies to the mixture
- Mix well and form a batter with neither too thick nor too thin consistency
- Heat the pan, brush the oil
- Pour 2 ladles of the mixture onto a heated pan
- Spread it well
- Allow to cook one side for a few minutes
- Flip it to cook the other side
- Serve hot
Breakfast/Snack can be taken 1-2 times in a week
11. Semai Upma
Ingredients –
- Semai
- Finely chopped carrot, onion, beans
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Cumin seed, green chili, ginger paste for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Wash peanut 3-4 times with excess water and drain the water
- Soak it for 3-4 hrs.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Wash the semai and boil it for a few minutes
- Drain the water and wash with cold water and further drain the water
- Wash carrot, beans & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot, beans & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables, and green peas with excess water again
- Boil the veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies soaked peanut and boiled semai
- Mix well
- Cook for a few minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
12. Semai Porridge
Ingredient
- Semai
- Sugar/ Jaggery
- Cow’s milk (Toned)
- Elichi
- Ghee
Process
- Wash semai 3-4 times with excess water and drain the water
- Boil semai for a few minutes
- Drain the hot water
- Wash it well with cool water repeatedly with excess water
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee and add elaichi
- Add soaked and washed semai and milk
- Mix well
- Allow to cook for 30 minutes
- Add sugar/jaggery
- Serve hot or cold
13. Oats Upma :
Ingredients –
- Oats
- Finely chopped carrot, onion –
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Ginger paste, cumin seed, and green chili for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Dry roast oats and peanuts
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Wash carrot, beans & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot, beans & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables, and green peas with excess water again
- Boil the veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies and soaked and washed oats
- Mix well
- Add water and let it cook for a few minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
14. Oats Porridge
Ingredient
- Oats
- Sugar/ Jaggery
- Cow’s milk (Toned)
- Elichi
- Ghee
Process
- Dry roast the oats
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee and add eliche
- Add soaked and washed oats and milk
- Mix well
- Add sugar/jaggery
- Allow to cook for a few minutes
- Serve hot or cold
15. Oats Cheela
Ingredient
- Oats
- Curd (set at home with toned cow’s milk)
- Finely chopped onion, carrot and coriander
- Turmeric, jeera powder, and a pinch of salt
Process
- Soak oats for 30 mins
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Add curd with oats and mix well
- Keep the mixture aside for 30 minutes
- Finely Chop onion, carrot, and coriander finely and wash repeatedly with excess water
- Boil the chopped veggies with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Add turmeric, jeera powder, pinch of salt, boiled veggies to the mixture
- Mix well and form a batter with neither too thick nor too thin consistency
- Heat the pan, brush the oil
- Pour 2 ladles of the mixture onto a heated pan
- Spread it well
- Allow cooking on one side for a few minutes
- Flip it to cook the other side
- Serve hot
16. Oats Pancake
Ingredient
- Oats
- Milk
- Cinnamon
- Banana (small)
- Honey – 1tsp (use as per your blood sugar level)
Process
- Soak oats for 30 minutes.
- Wash it well repeatedly with excess water
- Discard the water
- Add oats, milk, cinnamon, and a small mashed banana
- Mix it well to form a batter with neither too thick nor too thin consistency
- Heat the pan, brush the oil
- Pour 2 ladles of the mixture onto a heated pan
- Spread it well
- Allow to cook one side for a few minutes
- Flip it to cook the other side
- Serve hot
- Pour a little honey on top for a better taste
17. Quinoa Upma
Ingredients –
- Quinoa
- Finely chopped carrot, onion –
- Green peas
- Peanuts
- Cooking oil
- Ginger paste, cumin seed, and green chili for seasoning
- Salt (a pinch – based on current health reports)
Process –
- Soak quinoa for 3-4 hrs
- Wash it repeatedly with excess water
- Pressure cook quinoa with excess water and discard the water
- Wash carrot, beans & onion with excess water
- Chop carrot, beans & onion finely
- Wash chopped vegetables, and green peas with excess water again
- Boil the veggies and peanuts with excess water for 10 mins
- Discard the water.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add seasoning
- Add boiled chopped veggies, boiled quinoa and peanuts
- Mix well
- Let it cook for a few minutes
- Add pinch of salt for taste
- Add 1tsp of ghee on top if needed for better taste
18. Sandwich
Ingredients –
- White bread
- Finely chopped and boiled carrots, beans, onion
- Grated paneer (Optional)
- Butter
- Pepper
Recipe –
- Mix paneer and chopped & boiled vegetables, black pepper
- Mix well
- Put butter on bread
- Spread the paneer, veggie mix
- Toast the sandwich well
- Serve hot
19. Boiled Corn
Ingredients –
- Corn
- Paneer
- Capsicum
- Onion
- Black pepper
Recipe –
- Wash and boil corn with excess water
- Drain the water
- Chop calcium, and onion and wash well repeatedly
- Grate paneer
- Stir fry chopped calcium, onion, paneer and corn
- Add black pepper
20. Pasta/ Noodle
Ingredients –
- Pasta/ Noodle
- Finely chopped vegetables
- Scrambled egg (optional)
- Cooking oil
- Black pepper
Recipe –
- Boil pasta/ noodles with excess water
- Drain the water
- Wash with cold water and keep it aside
- Heat oil and add finely chopped & boiled veggies
- Add black pepper
- Add boiled & drained pasta/noodles
- Mix everything and add scrambled egg
- Serve hot
21. Idli/ Dosa
Ingredients –
- Rice or, Jowar or, Buckwheat
- Urad dal (1 part)
- Methi (1 teaspoon)
- Poha/ cooked rice (1-2 handfuls)
Recipe –
- Pick your grain
- Soak 3 parts of any grain and 1 part of urad dal separately for 4-5 hrs
- Mix the soaked grain and dal, add methi, salt, and cooked rice/ poha to it
- Blend the entire mixture well
- Leave it to get fermented for another 5 hrs.
- Once fermentation takes place, assume the dosa batter is ready
- Heat the pan and moist it with some water
- Stir the batter
For Dosa:
- Pour a ladle of batter on the pan, and spread it well
- Let it cook for 2 minutes
- Add a little ghee on top
- Wrap it and serve hot.
For Idli :
- Take an idli pan and grease it with ghee/oil
- Pour 1 ladle of batter to each idli counter
- Steam for 3-4 minutes
- Take out the idli and serve hot
For Uttapam:
- Heat the pan and moist it with water
- Pour 1 ladle of batter on the pan
- Spread it nicely
- Add some chopped vegetables on top
- Allow to cook for 2 minutes
- Serve hot
To make the breakfast complete accompany with –
- Sambaar (mixture of dal and vegetables) for Dosa and Idli
- Peanut Chutney (little)
Breakfast/Snack can be taken 2-3 times a month
22. Stuffed Paratha
Ingredients –
- Wheat Flour/ Jowar Flour
- Vegetable Stuffing or, paneer stuffing
Recipe –
Making the filling –
- Wash vegetables (potato/ radish/cauliflower/ carrot/beetroot etc)
- Finely chop the vegetables
- Wash it again
- Boil the chopped vegetables with excess water
- Discard the extra water
- Wash it again
- Put oil in a pan
- Add ginger paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric, boiled vegetables
- Cook it well to make the stuffing
Making the paratha –
- Choose your filling and prepare the filling
- Make the dough
- Put the filling inside the small ball of dough
- Roll it carefully
- Fry it with ghee
- Serve hot
23. Ragi Drink
Ingredients –
- Ragi flour
- Curd
- Jeera powder
Recipe –
- Take ragi flour and dissolve it in water
- Boil water in a pot
- Add the ragi water to the boiling water
- Boil for a few minutes and stir continuously to avoid the lumps
- Let it cool down
- Add curd and jeera powder
- Mix it well.
- Serve in a glass
Bottomline
Saying NO to foods or handing over a list of foods to avoid is easy. However one must understand the challenge of planning a menu and keeping variety for kidney patients. Follow the recipe guide of the 23 Indian breakfast and snack options for kidney patients NOT on dialysis. All the best.
