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Smart and Healthy Recipes Using Leftovers

smart and healthy recipesWhen you’re really hungry and are not in the mood to cook or get your hands on fresh food, picking your phone and placing an order seems like a viable solution. But at the same time, if you’re worried that all the processed and junk food might not be good for your health, we’ve got the perfect solution for you! Try these smart and healthy recipes using leftovers from your kitchen! 

Smart and Healthy Recipes You Can Try 

These smart and healthy recipes can be prepared using leftover food which is common such as dal and rice. Let’s take a look:

1. Leftover Rice Chilla 

What you will need:

  • Cooked and mashed rice – 2 cups
  • Whole wheat flour – ¼th cup
  • Gram flour (besan) – ½ cup
  • Curd – 2 tbsp
  • Red chilli powder – 1/4th tsp
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4th tsp
  • Jeera -1/2 tsp
  • Asafoetida (hing) – a pinch
  • Chopped green chilli – 2
  • Small onion chopped – 1
  • Tomato finely chopped – 1
  • Coriander leaves – finely chopped
  • Salt – to taste
  • Oil for greasing tawa

How to prepare: 

  1. Take all the ingredients in a big bowl and pour little water to make a thick, pouring consistency batter.
  2. Now heat the non-stick Tawa and grease it with a little oil.
  3. Pour a ladle full of batter and spread evenly.
  4. Let it cook from one side till it gets crisp. Flip it over and cook the other side.
  5. Your leftover rice chilla is ready! Serve it with green chutney.

Tasty and healthy way to finish off leftover rice, plus it is an ideal recipe for breakfast.

2. Dal Dhokli from Leftover Dal

What  you will need:

  • Leftover toor dal
  • Wheat flour – ½ cup
  • Gram flour (besan) – ¼ cup
  • Red chilli powder – ¾ cup
  • Coriander powder – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  • Carom seeds (ajwain) – ¼ tsp
  • Sesame seeds (white til) – ½ tsp
  • Baking soda – a pinch
  • 2 tsp oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Water to knead dough

Method: 

  1. Take wheat flour, besan in a large mixing bowl, add all other ingredients, combine well and knead the dough by adding water as required.
  2. As the dough turns soft and smooth, take a small ball size dough and roll it to form a thick chapati-like shape.
  3. Once rolled, cut it into diamond shapes of medium size. Keep dhokli aside.
  4. Boil the leftover dal, add a cup of water if the dal is thick.
  5. In the boiling dal, add 10-12 groundnuts, little tamarind pulp or juice, a small piece of jaggery and lastly, add the diamond-shaped dhokli and cover with a lid. Cook it for 10-15 minutes till the cooked dhokli will float over the dal (add diamond-shaped dhokli in dal depending on quantity of dal, adding too many may make dal dhokli too thick in consistency). 
  6. For Tempering: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, add a tsp of mustard seeds, a few curry leaves and pour over the dal dhokli, garnish with coriander leaves.

It’s ready to serve! Dal dhokli in itself is a complete meal, a good combination of carbohydrates and proteins.

Do try the above recipes and share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce 

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Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work

healthy eating at work

Does work keep you so engrossed that you forget to eat your meals on time? Have tight deadlines derailed your eating habits? Health and diet are our last priority while climbing the professional ladder. Is there a way to eat healthy at work? Do smaller meals work? Is it advisable to carry healthy snacks?

While it is a highly debatable topic whether one should eat smaller meals or 3 square meals a day, both have their share of pros and cons. I would advise you to choose the best of both worlds by opting for healthy snacks whenever possible.

Here is a List of a Few Healthy Snacks You Can Eat At Work:

  1. Nuts and Dry Fruits: You can carry a trail mix of Almonds, Walnuts, Cashew Nuts, Pistachios, Figs, Dried Apricot, Dates, Raisins, etc. Fox Nuts [makhana] is considered as a superfood that is loaded with fiber. You can also add some Roasted Grams and a handful of Peanuts to it. Try these protein packed flavored Makhana from the GOQii Health Store.
  2. Energy Bars: Protein Bars, Granola Bars, and Health Bars all provide a good amount of nutrition. The convenience of carrying and eating one during office hours is unparalleled. These bars are a great way to pump up your protein levels as well. Try these Choco Almond Protein Bars from the GOQii Health Store.
  3. Sprouts: help in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. They prevent anaemia and aid digestion, making it a great choice for healthy snacking! Don’t just stick to Mung Sprouts, you can also add variations like Chickpeas, Black Gram, Red Kidney Beans, Soya Beans, etc. The chances of foodborne illnesses greatly diminish with homemade sprouts.
  4. Fruits: are often ignored and are not included in one’s daily diet. Having them as mid meals can do wonders for your health. Grab locally grown or seasonal fruits and welcome all those healthy vitamins and minerals into your body!
  5. Sweet Potato: Another healthy and delicious snack is eating boiled or roasted Sweet Potatoes. Being high in dietary fiber, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it should be consumed more frequently. A dash of Date and Jaggery Chutney will make it super healthy and yummier!
  6. Sweet Corn: Have them boiled, steamed or roasted. Sweet Corn provides flavonoid and carotene which help fight free radicals. Besides this, it is rich in vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin E.
  7. Smoothies: are an excellent way to incorporate fruits and nuts in one go. Whip up 2-3 fruits along with nuts and seeds. You can add some milk or coconut water to make it in a smooth consistency. Try making an Apple, Banana, Grape and Date Smoothie. It is absolutely delicious!
  8. Diet Snacks: The market is flooded with healthy diet food like Diet Puffed Rice, Diet Khakharas, high protein biscuits, etc. But choose wisely because Diet Puffed Rice with liberal amounts of Sev won’t serve the purpose.

While mid-meal snacks are important, you need to take care of the portions you eat. Although carrying nutritious mid-meal snacks require time and effort, having it ready with you helps avoid the other unhealthy alternatives and the guilt that accompanies them.

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy eating and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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Healthy Eating: Protein Tikkis

protein tikkisSome people believe that it is difficult for a vegetarian to meet their daily requirement of protein. Well, if you’re a vegetarian who has been facing this issue, we have a fun recipe for you! Try these special Protein Tikkis. As these Protein Tikkis are made using soya chunks, your daily protein intake is guaranteed. What’s more? They absolutely delicious and healthy as well! Give it a try!

What You Will Need

  • Soya Chunks – 1 cup
  • Chilly Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp
  • Finely Chopped Onion – 1 medium sized
  • Semolina – 2 tbsp
  • Finely Chopped Coriander – ½ cup
  • Chat Powder – ¼ tsp
  • Finely Chopped Carrot – 2 tbsp
  • Salt as per taste
  • Garam masala – ¼ tsp

How to Prepare Protein Tikkis

  1. Soak 1 cup of soya chunks in hot water for an hour.
  2. After an hour, squeeze excess water from the soya chunks and keep them aside.
  3. In a mixer/blender add the soaked soya chunks, 2 tbsp of chilly garlic paste and salt to make a smooth mixture.
  4. Remove it in a big bowl and add onion, carrot, coriander, semolina, chat masala and garam masala. Give this a quick shake and mix well.
  5. Using your palms make flat small tikkis and refrigerate them for 10 minutes.
  6. On a pan, brush some oil and place the tikkis on it. Once golden brown, turn it up and cook well on other side too.
  7. Your hot, tasty protein tikkis are ready to eat with some green chutney

Highlights of the Protein Tikkis

  • Soya bean is known to have higher biological value protein which is well absorbed.
  • It is extremely satiating in a small portion size.
  • You can have it as a side dish or as a main meal with some salad.

Do try these healthy and delicious Protein Tikkis! Which recipe would you like to see us prepare next? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

You can also check out more healthy recipes on our Healthy Reads or you can get these delicious recipes directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

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Are Superfoods Super Good or Super Fad?

superfoodsAnything that sounds fancy won’t necessarily benefit our health. Lately, the word “Superfoods” must have appealed to you all. Well, what exactly are Superfoods? Why do we call them Superfoods? Though there’s no scientific definition, as per the dictionary, the definition of superfoods is “a food considered exceptionally good for one’s health and for boosting the immune system owing to its naturally high content of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, or omega-3 fatty acids”. So basically, superfoods offer a dense concentration of nutrients with small quantities of food. 

Are Superfoods a Fad? 

Superfoods are largely plant based and the high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in them can prevent many chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, ward off inflammation and have huge health benefits. It can be taken by everyone including children. However, there is no specific list of superfoods yet, it includes a wide variety of food and every now and then, there is a new addition to the list. Though Superfoods are coined by marketers, as they are all natural and incorporated just as a supplement to our daily balanced diet, they cannot be considered as a fad. But always and as with everything else, superfoods need to be consumed in moderation. Anything that’s healthy can work against our body if it is taken in large quantities. Do not over do with any one variety of superfoods. It is good to take in varieties for maximum benefits while getting a wide array of vitamins and minerals too. Researching or consulting a nutrition expert or health coach would be ideal before trying any new superfood you come across. 

What Are The Best Ones? 

  • Nuts and Seeds like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. provide proteins, fibers and unsaturated fat
  • Quinoa: is an ancient grain, a very good alternative for animal protein especially for vegetarians and also good source of iron, zinc, vitamin E, and selenium
  • Avocados: are a rich source of monounsaturated fat (Good fat) with 20 different vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients too. They can be made as a healthy spread on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise. 
  • Olives and extra virgin olive oil: Both Olives and Olive oil are very high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants. They are also rich in monounsaturated healthy fats that can protect our heart, prevent cancer and osteoporosis
  • Moringa: Moringa leaves are rich in antioxidants and iron. Apart from these, they have 15 times more potassium than bananas and 7 times more Vitamin C than oranges! They are also packed with many vitamins and minerals and protect cell damage and boost immunity.  
  • Dark Leafy greens: Spinach, Amaranth, beet greens, Dill, Fenugreek, Kale, Mustard, etc. are excellent sources of minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, zinc. They are also rich in Vitamin A, C, K and folate with a lot of fiber
  • Broccoli: Having high calcium and collagen content, broccoli helps in making strong bones. 
  • Seafood especially salmon: provides Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Berries: All type of berries including strawberries, blueberry, black berries, cherries are robust in antioxidants along with vitamins and minerals
  • Beans and Legumes: are loaded with fibers, vitamins, minerals, including B-vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium. 

How to Choose Superfoods? 

If you observe the list of superfoods, most of them are least processed and plant based. Keeping this point in mind, make sure you avoid food that is processed and marketed as superfoods. It is better to look at the food label before you buy and read the label for its nutritional facts, ingredients like sugar content, sodium and other chemicals which can do more harm than good. Choose something that is natural and least processed but remember, just adding superfoods to your diet may not make you healthy. Having them in the right quantity, with a balanced meal, right exercise and healthy lifestyle habits are equally important. 

Certain superfoods may not be suitable to everyone due to allergies, such as allergies towards nuts or seeds. People with any acute or chronic health conditions need to consult their dietitian before they try any new food. Healthy people can always include one or two superfoods daily to enjoy optimum health! 

We hope this article helps you. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads. To get more information on superfoods, how to choose them and what to eat, speak to a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr 

#BeTheForce 

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