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Healthy Eating: Quinoa Chickpea Salad

quinoa chickpea saladHow many times have we eaten a light meal consisting of a salad or a fruit only to feel hungry later and end up eating some junk? Ideally, a salad is a meal by itself. It can fit anywhere between your lunch and dinner. If salads have not been giving you the satiety you need, try this power-packed Quinoa Chickpea Salad to fill your tummy with high fiber and protein content but still make you feel light. 

What You Will Need 

  • Quinoa – ⅓ Cup (soaked for 30-60 mins) 
  • Chickpeas – ½ cup boiled 
  • Garlic – 1 tsp chopped 
  • Capsicum – ¼ cup chopped 
  • Onion – ¼ cup chopped 
  • Cucumber – 1 
  • Tomato – 1 
  • Green Chilly – 1 tsp chopped 
  • Coriander – 4 tbsp
  • Ghee – 1 tsp 
  • Jeera – ¼ tsp 
  • Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp 
  • A pinch of Hing 
  • Water – ½ cup 
  • Lemon Juice – 1 tsp 
  • Salt to taste 

How To Prepare

  1. In a pan, add  1 tsp ghee and jeera. As the jeera starts crackling, add hing & sauté garlic for a while. 
  2. Now add water. Let the water boil. Add salt, turmeric powder  & quinoa (washed & drained). Cover it for 10 minutes and stir 1-2 times in between. Your quinoa generally gets cooked in 10 minutes, turn off the stove and let it cool to room temperature.
  3. In a big bowl, add cooked quinoa, boiled chickpeas and rest of the ingredients. Give everything a good mix
  4. Your healthy and filling Quinoa Chickpea Salad is ready! 

Tips For The Quinoa Chickpea Salad Recipe 

  • Don’t forget to scrub the quinoa grain a little before rinsing as it helps in removing the natural coating of saponins which can make it taste bitter or soapy
  • You can add a little cheese or paneer as well over your salad to make it more tasty and increase the protein content 
  • Try this recipe especially when you have leftover boiled chickpeas 

If you try this delicious Quinoa Chickpea Salad recipe, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family so they can benefit from it.

You can find more healthy recipes here. Alternatively, you can also get customized meal plans and more healthy recipes tailored to your health goals from a GOQii Coach. Just subscribe to Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Healthy Eating: Fruit and Chia Salad With Nuts

healthy eatingIs preparing evening snacks a challenge for you? If you haven’t figured out what you’ll be eating today, this Fruit and Chia Salad with Nuts is perfect! This healthy recipe is filling and it will satisfy your sweet tooth as well. It can also be served as a cold dessert to beat the heat!

Ingredients:

  • Apple/Banana/Ripe Mango – 1 medium size chopped
  • Strawberries – 5-6
  • Kiwi – 1 medium size chopped
  • Chia seeds – 1 tbsp
  • Almond milk/ Coconut milk/ Low-fat milk – ½ cup (100 ml)
  • Honey – 1 tsp
  • Walnuts (4 halves), almonds (5), Pista (5), Cashews (4)
  • Cinnamon powder

Method:

  1. Chop all the nuts roughly
  2. Heat a pan and roast the chopped nuts for 3-4 minutes on low to medium flame to make them brittle and crunchy
  3. Take 100ml low-fat milk/ coconut milk/ almond milk, add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, pinch of cinnamon powder and 1 tsp of honey in it
  4. Allow this mixture to stay in refrigerator overnight or for 8-10 hours to allow the chia seeds to swell up
  5. Take a mason jar or a glass and start layering
  6. Add chopped mangoes to base and add milk + chia seeds mixture on it to cover the mangoes
  7. To this, add the chopped kiwi and again add milk + chia seeds mixture on it
  8. Top this with chopped strawberries and again some milk + chia seeds mixture
  9. Add the roasted nuts on top

Please Note: If you’re allergic to nuts, replace them with seeds.

Highlights of the Fruit and Chia Salad Recipe 

  • Chia seeds are very rich in omega 3 fatty acids and fiber which makes this snack very filling
  • You can add seasonal fruits of your own choice and get all the seasonal nutrients
  • This will give a variation to your normal fruit intake

Did you like this fruit and chia salad with nuts recipe? Have you already tried it out? Share a pic on social media or the GOQii Arena and tag us! You can find more healthy recipes here.

To get more advice on recipes, nutrition and diet tips from an expert, subscribe to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Two Thumbs Up For Summer Salads!

summer saladsSummer is here and as the weather is only going to get hotter, it’ll take a lot more effort to stay hydrated especially if you’re spending long hours outside. Continuous exposure to high temperature and humidity without any rest and fluids can lead to lack of energy, dizziness headache, weakness and sometimes severe cramps and fluid retention. Instead of eating heavy and hot food, you need something light – like some good summer salads!

But before we go over how you can make your summer salads, let’s explore the ingredients we can use!

What Can You Eat During Summer? 

During this time of the year, our body needs more raw and cooling foods to help nourish and hydrate our cells. Apart from being chilled and high in water content, they also provide fiber for easy digestion and help eliminate toxins from the body.

Do you know that there are hydrating foods that provide about 20–25% of our daily water intake and it’s important to consume these during summer. Some of them include:

  • Fruits: Watermelon, tomatoes (containing lycopene phytonutrient that will help protect skin from ultraviolet rays), grape fruit, pears, blueberries, pineapple (the bromelain in it has many health benefits especially in reducing cough) and cucumber.
  • Leafy Greens: Spinach (Vitamin A and C) for liver detoxification with high watery lettuce, celery is brilliant.
  • Carrots: They are high in water content as well as the beta carotene phytonutrient. It also makes the salad plate more colorful.
  • Fresh Herbs: Parsley, mint, cilantro, coriander and basil are fabulous for reducing headaches, toothaches, calming the nerves and sore throats.
  • Spices: Cinnamon, raw garlic and raw ginger will help in keeping cholesterol levels under check. Being anti-inflammatory in nature, they help you fight against high BP, cancer and diabetes. Pepper goes awesome with salad curbing acidity!
  • Healthy Fatty Acids & Proteins: Nuts like almonds (vitamin E and fiber), walnuts and flaxseeds provide that much needed omega 3 fatty acid boost. You may also add peanuts, cashews, pistachios and seeds like sesame, sunflower, chia(topmost hydrator) for variations.
  • Olive Oil: It is rich in MUFA (Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids) and can be added to the salad (the best form is the cold pressed virgin oil good for thyroid which also has phytonutrients). Canola, walnuts, avocado and walnut oil are wise picks for salad dressing too.
  • Lean Proteins: Quinoa, beans, chicken, legumes, chickpeas, paneer, lentils (folic acid rich providing vitamins and both soluble and insoluble fiber) should be added for muscle growth and repair.
  • Do not forget to sprinkle lime to keep it alkaline!

Summer Salads You Can Try 

Now that you are aware of which ingredients you can use, let’s go over on how you can use them.

1. Breakfast: Add some of the fruits mentioned above and mix them with yogurt. For breakfast, this is a great combination of carbs and proteins. If you are planning a long day out, you can combine your oatmeal with fruits like apple, pear and blueberry along with some nuts.

2. Morning snack: Apple/high watery fruit salad mixed with cinnamon, raisins and sprouts.

3. Lunch: Mix fresh fruits (carbs), vegetables (fiber), sprouts (proteins), beans and lentils.

You can also try using watermelon, tomato, onion, cheese mixed with salt, vinegar oil chilled with lettuce leaves and black pepper. You can also add kale and cabbage for a calorie dense meal.

Another alternative is adding watermelon, cucumber, bell peppers, spinach, avocado, lime and quinoa. Apart from complete proteins, this dish will also provide calcium and vitamins.

The best blend of salad for lunch would be vegetables, good carbs, lean proteins (beans, chicken, shrimp, tofu, cottage cheese) and healthy fats, adding in red onions will keep it anti–inflammatory and antioxidant-rich.

4. Dinner: Mix Quinoa, beans, lentils and chicken with red bell pepper and veggies. Sprinkle lime and add in herbs according to your taste. You may also add spices to make it interesting.

The salads will not only provide water, but will also keep you full for a longer period of time, helping you keep your weight in check. You can get creative with your salads too. Try designing a different recipe for every meal. I would say grab your salad bowl and create your fun, nutritious and delicious summer salad to re-energize yourself.

We hope this article on summer salads helps you beat the heat! Read more articles on how to stay healthy during summer here. You can also ask an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Healthy Summer Salads to Keep You Cool

Healthy Summer Salads to Keep You Cool

The scorching sun is shining brighter than ever! The resulting heat wave can have an impact on our health and appetite. During summers, it is important to watch what we eat. To balance the heat, we have listed a few scrumptious summer salads to help you stay cool!

1. Watermelon Feta Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 big bowl of Watermelon cubes
  • ½ cup crumbled Feta Cheese or Paneer.
  • 1 medium bowl Cucumber cubes
  • Handful of Mint leaves
  • 1 tsp Honey and Olive oil
  • A pinch of rock salt
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice

Method:

  • For the dressing combine Honey, Lemon juice, Olive oil and rock salt
  • In a large bowl, take the Watermelon and Cucumber cubes
  • Add the finely chopped Mint leaves to it along with the dressing
  • Garnish with Feta Cheese or Paneer
  • Serve chilled

Healthy Benefits: High water content of Watermelons makes it an ideal fruit during summer. Feta Cheese is comparatively low on calories and is loaded with calcium.

2. Hung Curd Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Hung Curd
  • 1 cup Chickpeas
  • ½ cup each of Tomato, Cucumber, Onions and Bell Pepper.
  • Juice of a Lemon
  • Handful of Coriander and Mint leaves.

Method:

  • For the dressing, mix the Hung Curd, Lemon Juice, Rock Salt and Pepper
  • In a bowl, take Chickpeas, add finely chopped Tomatoes, Cucumber, Onions and Bell Pepper
  • Add the Hung Curd dressing and garnish with Coriander and Mint leaves

Healthy Benefits: Curd is an excellent probiotic. It helps in keeping stomach ailments away during summers. Chickpeas provide the much needed proteins and the veggies add a dash of freshness.

3. Mint Paneer Salad

Ingredients:

  • 200 gm Paneer
  • 1 cup thick Curd
  • Chopped Cucumber, Tomatoes and Onions
  • 1 cup Lettuce leaves and Salad leaves
  • Lemon juice and Lemon rind
  • 1 cup Bread Croutons [non fried-tossed on non-stick pan]
  • Handful Mint leaves
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Tandoori masala [store bought]

Method:

  • For the dressing, whisk half of the curd with mint leaves
  • Add Lemon juice and Lemon rind to it along with Salt and Pepper
  • Marinate the Paneer cubes in thick curd along with Tandoori masala
  • Shallow fry on a non stick pan till golden brown
  • In a large serving bowl, add roughly chopped Lettuce and Salad leaves
  • Add chopped Tomatoes, Onions and Cucumber followed by the Mint dressing and mix to coat well
  • Adjust the seasoning if required. Add the Bread Croutons and Paneer cubes.

Healthy Benefits: This is a perfect summer pot meal to cool you down. It has a good amount of fiber and proteins. The mint leaves aid digestion and take care of skin allergies during this harsh weather.

Hope you enjoy these summer salads! To make them more interesting, try adding these refreshing, low calorie summer drinks to your meal. If you’re looking for more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads.

You can also get these recipes from a GOQii Coach, along with meal plans tailored to your needs. All you need to do is subscribe for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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