Healthy & Balanced Diet Recipes: 25 Delicious Ideas
In our quest to stay fit and get that perfect shape, most of us end up going on a crash diet, or a fad diet. This ends up doing more harm than good in the long run.
The smartest and simplest thing you can do to be healthy and fit is to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet means consuming food from all food groups in the right quantities. One food group cannot provide everything that the human body needs for good health. It is important to include all the right nutrients in your diet to reap the benefits.
25 Delicious Diet Recipes You Should Try:
The term diet mostly brings up images of boring and bland food, but there can always be a balance of taste and health. Here are 25 delicious low fat recipes that will make a healthy breakfast or a light lunch option for you:
1. Chickpea Crostini Recipe:
Cooking time: 30 min
Serves: 10
Ingredients:
- 1 large loaf
- 100 grams of chick peas
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Method of Preparation:
- Cut the bread into 10 slices and grill till it turns light brown in color.
- In a saucepan, add the chickpeas, carrots, onions, celery, parsley, thyme, salt and chicken broth.
- Cook for 10 minutes till the vegetables turn tender.
- Strain the vegetables and keep them aside.
- Grind this mixture by adding a few drops of olive oil to make a smooth paste.
- Spread a thick layer of this paste on the bread, and season it with oregano and olive oil.
2. Fruit Salsa:
Preparation time: 20 min
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- 1 peeled and diced mango
- 1 peeled and diced peaches
- 2 kiwis cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/4th teaspoon of salt
- 1/3rd teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of finely-chopped mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon of finely-chopped fresh cilantro
Method of Preparation:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and adjust flavors to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate it for 3 hours.
- You can also substitute papaya with peaches or mango.
3. Strawberry Granita:
Preparation time: 15 min
Serves: 5
Ingredients:
- Half kg of strawberries
- 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of water
- 1 teaspoon of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar
Method of Preparation:
- Toss the sliced strawberries with sugar and leave it aside for four hours.
- This will make the strawberries juicy.
- Puree the strawberry with some water and add lime juice.
- Pour this mixture in a deep dish and cover it tightly with a plastic.
- Freeze it for approximately 45 minutes or until it turns icy at the edge of the dish.
- After one hour, whisk the mixture to distribute the frozen portions evenly.
- Cover and freeze again for 1 hour.
- When the granita is ready, scrape it to form icy flakes.
- When served, the granita should look like a pile of dry red crystals.
- If the granita is too solid, store it in the refrigerator for half an hour until you can scrape it with a fork.
- Garnish it with mint leaves.
4. Fresh Corn Salad:
Preparation time: 15 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of sweet corn
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup of chopped onions
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
- ½ cup of basil
- Chilli pepper to taste.
Method of Preparation:
- Boil the corn kernels for 30 minutes and leave it aside.
- In a bowl, combine corn kernels, red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Leave it aside for 1 hour and then toss it before serving.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
5. Cucumber Salad:
Preparation time: 15 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1/3rd cup of diced red bell pepper
- 1/3rd cup of diced yellow pepper
- ¼ cup of red onion
- ½ teaspoon of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper each
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of chopped parsley
Method of Preparation:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss well.
- Refrigerate for 4 hours and serve.
6. Stuffed Capsicum:
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized red and yellow bell peppers
- ½ pound of lean chicken.
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup of minced onion
- 1 medium shredded carrot
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- ½ of cooked long grain rice
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup of shredded cheese
- 1 tablespoon oil
Method of Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut off the top of each pepper and de-seed the peppers.
- In a saucepan, cook bell peppers in boiling water for five minutes.
- In a large frying pan, add a tablespoon of oil and add onion, garlic, carrot and chicken until they turn tender.
- Then, add tomatoes, rice, brown sugar, basil, salt and pepper.
- Cover and reduce the heat to cook it evenly.
- Remove from the heat and leave it aside.
- Place the bell peppers in a baking dish and stuff the mixture into the peppers.
- Top it with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
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