Who says a healthy diet implies compromising on taste? Of course there is a way to combine a clean diet with fun delicacies, or so suggests Dr Namita Jain’s new book ‘Low Fat, Low Guilt’. The recipe and lifestyle book offers a bunch of low calorie recipes of soups, salads, wraps, toasts, rice dishes, pastas and dips.
Here are a few!
Thai Papaya Salad
1. Prepare the dressing by mixing together all dressing ingredients in a bowl. Whisk lightly. Set aside. Peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and remove all the seeds. Using the largest holes on your grater, grate the papaya. Place in a large bowl.
2. Add the sliced tomato, spring onion, green beans, chilli, bean sprouts, and most of the basil. Add the dressing, tossing to combine. Add the peanuts.
3. Toss again. Taste the salad to correct seasoning. For extra sweetness, add a little more palm sugar. If not salty enough, add a little more light soya sauce. If too sweet or salty, add more lemon juice. If you prefer it spicier, add more fresh-cut chilli or dried crushed chilli. To serve, scoop the salad into individual bowls or onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining basil leaves plus fresh coriander. Serve immediately.
Servings: 2-3
Preparation time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Tangy Spanish Paella
1. Place a large flat pan or a wide wok on a high flame. Heat the olive oil. When hot enough, sauté the onions and tomatoes in the olive oil.
2. Once the onions and tomatoes have reduced, add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly – about 6-7 minutes. Add salt pepper, chillies, rosemary, thyme and cumin powder.
3. Add the squid and cook, stirring often. Add the sliced red and yellow peppers. Now add the rice, stirring to coat with the chicken mixture. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock, and add the saffron to it.
4. Now, pour the stock into the paella pan and simmer, uncovered. While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil a non stick pan and sauté the prawns for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
5. Put in the fish pieces, and cook on 4 3 2 1 Ingredients: Preparation: Hearty, wholesome one-dish Gujarati meal- true soul food! both sides, for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
6. Once the rice is almost cooked and about a cupful of liquid remains, gently add the fish and the prawns, and mix without breaking the fish pieces.
7. Drain the peas and sprinkle over the top. Cover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with parsley leaves and serve hot.
Servings: 8
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Warm Mushroom Pate
1. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into tiny pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and sweat the onion until it is soft but not brown.
3. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking slowly for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour and stir till well mixed.
4. Now add the milk, and stir till the mixture is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the green chilli. Stir in the chopped parsley. Serve warm on whole-wheat toast.
Servings: 2-4
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
(Dr Namita Jain is a wellness specialist at Bombay hospital. She was the nutrition partner for the Miss India pageant 2012, and a celebrity nutritionist on the Food Food TV channel. She has authored 11 best-selling health and fitness books, and has been a columnist for several leading newspapers and magazines. Dr Jain has received both international and national awards in the field of health and wellness, such as ‘The Department of International Women’s Excellence Award’ and the ‘Savvy Excellence Award’.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)