Health Bhi, Taste Bhi: 19 Recipes That Are As Delicious As They Are Healthy

If there’s one thing quarantine has taught me, it’s that if I can learn cooking and enjoy it, anybody can. I was one of those people who didn’t even know how to make a cup of tea for myself (Zomato zindabad) and now being in the kitchen is one of the most relaxing feelings for me. There’s something special about deciding what to eat, cooking it with love and nourishing your body. I first started with some easy microwave recipes but now I can cook just about anything. While I have been baking a lot and consuming copious amounts of sugar and flour, I have also been experimenting with a lot of healthy recipes to maintain a balance. So from salads to meats and baked vegetables, here are some of the best dishes that are not just healthy but delicious too. So guilt-free munching, here we come!

Healthy Recipes For Breakfast

 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because your body has stayed hungry for a long time and needs its nutrition. While many mornings you may only have time to grab a bite on the go, this work from home life is actually a great time to indulge in yourself and spend time trying some healthy breakfast recipes.

Banana And Oatmeal Pancakes For A Yum-Tum Breakfast

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Who doesn’t love some classic pancakes but let’s make them nutritious? These are gluten-free and free of added sugar. This healthy food recipe is a great one for a lazy, cosy Sunday brekkie.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup ripe bananas mashed (about three small bananas)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil/ melted butter
• I tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey/ maple syrup
• 1 cup oat flour (grind oats for this)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a bowl, stir together mashed bananas, coconut oil (or butter), lemon juice and honey (or maple syrup).
2. Beat in the eggs.
3. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together: whisk the oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet batter. Stir all the ingredients together until combined. Leave the batter for five minutes and add a dash of milk if it’s too thick.
5. Lightly grease a non-stick pan and pour ¼ cup of batter into it. Let the pancake cook for about three minutes until bubbles begin to form around the edges. 
6. Flip the pancake and cook until both sides are golden brown.
7. Serve with peanut butter, almond butter, maple syrup or honey.

Also Read: Easy Breakfast Recipes

Fresh Orange Mango Banana Smoothie Recipe For Breakfast

 

One of the easiest breakfasts recipes to make, a smoothie requires absolutely no prep time. This is one of those healthy breakfast recipes that is sweet, laden with protein and beyond yummy. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup mango pulp
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 banana
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yoghurt
• Ice cubes

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Top off the drink with berries of your choice or chia seeds or coconut chips or additional mango cubes.
3. The key is to use extra ripe fruits so that you don’t have to add sweeteners but in case you do, honey works well.
4. You can use regular yoghurt if you don’t have Greek yoghurt available but it won’t be as protein-packed. 

Also Read: Easy Pav Bhaji Recipes

Berry Acai Bowl Recipe To Try

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The acai fruit is a superfood and along with all the other ingredients mixed together, this one is a breakfast for champions. Originally from Brazil, this has garnered a lot of global attention because of its many health benefits. Healthy food recipes that’ll make you feel like you’re vacationing? Yes, please!

Ingredients

• Pure Unsweetened Acai Puree
• Frozen Berries Of Your Choice- Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries
• Frozen Banana
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup plain yoghurt
• Granola
• Mixed Seeds- Sunflower seeds, Chia seeds, Pumpkin seeds
• Chopped Nuts- Almonds, Walnuts, Pishtaco
• Freshly Sliced Fruit

Directions

1. Add the acai puree mixture along with ice cubes and blend it well.
2. Add the frozen banana and frozen berry mixture to the bender as well. 
3. Add milk and yoghurt to the mixture but make sure it’s not too liquidy. You want the consistency to be semi-solid.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
5. Garnish it with granola, seeds, chopped nuts, freshly sliced fruits, more berries. 

Also Read: Christmas Cookie Recipes

Baked Oatmeal Protein Bowl For Breakfast

 

If you want to do some breakfast meal prep, this baked oatmeal bowl is great. It can be refrigerated for about a week without going bad. Healthy recipes for an energising start to the day are great if you want to stay fit. 

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups milk
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup/ honey
• ¼ cup mashed banana
• 3 cups oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups mixed berries
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 177 C or 350 F and grease a 9×9 inch loaf pan or a 11X7 inch loaf pan and keep on the lower rack.
2. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Top it with nuts, or stir them into the oatmeal. 
3. Bake for 35 minutes or until the centre appears almost set. 
4. Cool for five minutes before serving. You can even cut these into pieces and serve with yoghurt. 

Veg Dinner Recipes

Vegetable Dalia Recipe For A Healthy Start To The Day

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How can we not include healthy Indian food recipes in this list? Vegetable dalia is great for weight loss if that’s something you’re looking at. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup dalia
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 1 cup yellow/ red/ green capsicum
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup green peas
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil/ coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon mint
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Chopped cilantro
• 2 cups of water

Directions

1. Wash the dalia two-three times and drain the water.
2. Saute the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic in oil for a few seconds.
3. Add the chopped vegetables, dalia, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and water to the pressure cooker. Stir well.
4. Shut the lid and let it cook under high pressure. It takes about 3 to 4 whistles. 
5. Release pressure and unlock the lid to open. 
6. Garnish with mint leaves, cilantro and lemon juice.

Delicious And Nutritious Recipes For Lunch

Trying out healthy food recipes for lunch is a great way to stay in shape if you’re not being able to take out time to workout. We’ve got a whole list of these for you, from salads to grilled wraps, these are great for a sit-down lunch or one on the go. So whatever you’re craving, one of these healthy food recipes for lunch is sure to satisfy you.

Grains And Greens Salad With Pesto To Make For Lunch

Salads are a great source of protein and healthy carbohydrates but they don’t always have to be bland and flavourless. This is one of those extra healthy recipes for lunch that is extremely tasty too. The best part? Fill your stomach with it because the greens and grains are superb for your body and skin.

Ingredients

• 1 small chopped broccoli
• 1 cup of chopped spinach
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup cooked chickpeas
• ½ cup pesto dressing
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup ricotta cheese

Directions

1. Whip the ricotta cheese and set aside.
2. Boil the chickpeas and keep.
3. Plate with the chopped greens in a bowl, top with sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, chickpeas. Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and drizzle pesto on top. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice for added flavour and moisture. 

Moong Dal Khichdi Recipe To Cook

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If you’re one of those people who loves to eat dal and likes to have a hearty Indian lunch then this healthy Indian food recipe is for you. This is easily digestible and also good for all kinds of stomach ailments. 

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup of rice
• ⅓ cup moong dal
• 3 ½ cups water
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash the moong dal and rice together in a bowl, two-three times.
2. Drain and put into a pressure cooker.
3. Add water, turmeric powder, ghee and salt.
4. Close the lid and cook on high flame for the first whistle and medium flame for the next two whistles.
5. Turn off the flame and wait for the steam to evaporate. Add the ghee and mix well.

Herbed Grilled Chicken Breast To Eat During Lunch

For meat lovers, lunch is the ideal meal to eat your protein so that you have the energy for the rest of the day. If you want to have healthy food at home, this recipe is easy to make and requires little prep time. 

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mustard sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken in all the ingredients and keep in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins. You can keep it for up to 4 hours to really let the flavours seep in. 
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high. If you’re making it in the oven, preheat the oven at 200 C. Lightly grease the baking pan so that the meat doesn’t stick. Bake for 22-26 minutes. 
3. Rest them for five minutes before you slice them up to serve. 
4. Serve with a side of the green salad mentioned above or any salad of your choice or have it just as is.

Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl For A Yum And Healthy Meal

A Buddha bowl is basically just a bowl of ridiculously healthy ingredients thrown in together for a wholesome and flavourful meal. It’s a great option for a healthy food recipe for lunch to try out. 

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil/ melted coconut oil/avocado oil
• ½ sliced medium onion
• 1 chopped broccoli
• 2 big handfuls of kale
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• ¼ cup tahini sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup/ honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2-4 tablespoons hot water (if required to thin)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 204 C or 400 F and arrange the sweet potatoes and onions on a bare baking sheet. Drizzle oil all over the veggies making sure they’re well coated.
2. Bake for 8-10 minutes and then add the kale with more oil and salt and pepper and bake for another 4-5 minutes.
3. Make the sauce by adding tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice and whisk it to combine. Add hot water till the sauce is runny.
4. To serve: slice the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, add the vegetables and cooked chickpeas and tahini sauce. 

Egg And Hummus Wrap For A Lunch On-The-Go

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If you’re looking to pack some lunch where you can’t heat it, then a wrap is a great option. This is a very easy food recipe and is good for weight loss. 

Ingredients

• 1 whole-grain tortilla/ wheat flour roti
• 1-2 tablespoons of hummus
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup egg white
• ⅛ cup chopped yellow/red pepper
• ⅛ cup chopped onions
• 2-3 mushrooms sliced
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1 tablespoon feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Saute onions and mushrooms in a lightly greased pan until light brown. Add spinach, bell peppers and wait till the spinach has wilted.
2. Add the egg and egg white to the veggies until they are cooked through. Sprinkle some ground pepper and salt.
3. Warm the tortilla or roti and spread a layer of hummus, throw in the scrambled egg, top it with sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Sprinkle some salt and pepper if need be.

Snack Time But Keep It Healthy

 

If you’re one of those people who loves snacking, then these healthy evening snack recipes are going to come in handy. Not fried and not loaded with fats, these act as great munchies throughout the day. 

Roasted Chickpeas To Munch On

 

Chickpeas are a really healthy snack to munch on so whenever you’re craving something spicy and crunchy, this is one of the easiest Indian food recipes to experiment with.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 1 ½ cups of rinsed and drained chickpeas

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 175 C or 350 F.
2. Whisk the oil, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Add the chickpeas and toss to coat. 
3. Spread on a baking tray in a single layer. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until nicely browned and slightly crispy.

Creamy Garlic Hummus Recipe To Snack On

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Another chickpea recipe, hummus is a staple and can be used in multiple ways. When snacking, it can be used as a dip for carrots or cucumbers and is the perfect summer staple. This is one of those healthy recipes that will never go out of style.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and more for serving
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• Dash of ground paprika/ chilli powder for serving

Directions

1. Add tahini paste and lemon juice to a food processor and blend well for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom and then process for 30 seconds more.
2. Add olive oil, minced garlic, cumin and salt to the tahini and lemon paste and process for 30 seconds or until well blended. 
3. Rinse and drain the boiled chickpeas and add half to the food processor and blend for a minute. Scrape the bottom and then add the remaining chickpeas and blend for another 1-2 minutes, until thick and smooth.
4. If the hummus is too thick or has some tiny bits of chickpeas, with the food processor turned on, add 2-3 tablespoons of water until you reach the desired consistency.

Healthy Sweet And Salty Chocolate Bars For That Sugar Craving

 

We’ve all been there where we want nothing other than something sweet to satisfy our craving. Well, even sweets can be a healthy evening snack option. Just make sure you don’t eat too many at one go if you’re trying to be healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ cup salted butter
• ⅓ cup raw honey
• 4 ounces dark chocolate
• 1 ¾ cups rolled oats
• 1 cup nuts, coconut or seeds
• 1 cup of dried fruit
• Rock salt to taste

Directions

1. Pulse 1 cup oats, your filling and your fruit (nuts/ coconut/ seeds/ dried fruit).
2. Put all the oats (ground as well as whole for texture) in a large bowl.
3. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
4. In a saucepan, melt the peanut butter, butter and honey over low heat. 
5. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. 
6. Add the mixture with the oats, nuts and dried fruits. You’ve to work a bit fast so that the mixture doesn’t get too sticky on you.
7. Sprince the prepared pan with rock salt and press the mixture into it. Chill for 2-3 hours to harden. When solid, cut into bars and eat. Store the rest in the fridge or freezer.

Perfect Paleo Granola Recipe

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Granola is nutty, crunchy, sweet, satisfying, nutrient-rich and quick so it’s one of those healthy recipes that can be eaten during breakfast or as a snack later in the day.

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut flakes
• 2 cups slivered almonds
• 1 cup walnuts
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• 1 ½ cup ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons coconut or cane sugar
• ¼ teaspoons sea salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil/ olive oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup/ honey
• ¼ cup dried fruits (blueberries/ raspberries- optional)
• ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F or 162 C and position a rack in the middle.
2. Combine the coconut, nuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, cinnamon, coconut sugar and salt in a bowl.
3. Warm the coconut oil and maple syrup in a saucepan over low heat and pour in the dry ingredients.
4. Spread the mixture on to a large baking sheet and bake for 20 mins. Remove from the oven and add the dried fruits and roasted sunflower seeds and stir.
5. Increase the heat to 340 F or 171 C and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until deep golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
7. Store in an airtight container and have as is, with an acai bowl, with milk or however you want!

Dinner Recipes For The #FitFam

 

I don’t know about you but dinner is the most confusing meal for me. I never know what to eat so I keep a few healthy recipes with me to keep going back to. I like to keep my dinner light and nutritious but also filling so that I don’t feel like snacking late at night. So here are some healthy dinner recipes that you can try.

Yummy Grilled Fish With South-East Asian Dressing

 

Fish is another amazing source of low fat and high-quality protein. It’s laden with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 and is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. One of the most ideal healthy dinner recipes, yes!

Ingredients

• 200 gm fish fillet
• 10 ml sesame oil 
• 10 ml of fish sauce
• 2 gm sugar
• For dressing:
• 30 ml of rice vinegar
• 20 gm sugar
• 3 gm raw garlic
• 5 gm freshly chopped red chilli
• 30 gm freshly chopped coriander leaves

Directions

1. Marinate the fish with sesame oil, fish sauce and sugar for 15- 20 minutes. 
2. Grill the fish until cooked through.
3. Boil the rice vinegar, salt, sugar and raw garlic for a few minutes to prepare the dressing.
4. Take off the heat and add fresh red chilli and chopped coriander.
5. Serve the fish with the dressing poured over it.

Vegetable Soup Recipe For Dinner Time

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Soup is a go-to for me for dinner time because it gives me the warm comfort I need at the end of a hectic day. It’s a very easy food recipe and is nutritious as well. So win-win!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 ½ cups chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 cup peas
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• ½ cup of corn
• 2 medium diced tomatoes
• 5 cups stock or broth
• ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a pan. Add the onions, carrots, tomato paste and cook till they’ve softened and onions are translucent. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
2. Add garlic, black pepper, salt and cook while stirring for a minute.
3. Put the tomatoes and the water they’ve left along with the stock/broth and the cabbage. Bring this to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes till all the vegetables are soft. 
4. Add the peas and corn and cook until they are tender. 
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar/ lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar if required.

Herbed Baked Veggies Recipe

 

Baked veggies are filling and a great healthy food recipe for dinner. The best part is that you just need to follow the basic recipe and tweak it according to the vegetables you have available.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (oregano, rosemary and thyme)
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup cut onion
• 1 red/yellow bell pepper cut into chunks
• ½ cup chopped mushrooms
• Medium zucchini cut into ½ inch slices
• ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F or 232 C. 
2. Line a 9×3 baking dish with foil.
3. Combine the olive oil, seasoning, salt and pepper and garlic and mix until blended.
4. Add onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and zucchini to the oil and seasoning mixture.
5. Toss veggies around until well-coated.
6. Place on the prepared baking dish and roast for 30 minutes. 
7. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. 
8. Bake again till cheese starts melting, usually takes about 5 minutes.

Super Healthy Pasta You’ve Got To Try

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We all love pasta, don’t we?! But pasta is packed with refined flour and isn’t the healthiest dish out there. But to satisfy your Italian cravings, we’ve got some healthy food recipes that could be used as a replacement. So get ready for some guilt-free hogging!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 medium tomatoes
• ½ cup parmesan cheese plus more for serving
• Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, chilli flakes)
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons cold water

Directions

1. Trim and spiralise the zucchini, you can use a spiralizer or a kitchen peeler and cut the noodles extra long so that they’re the spaghetti length.
2. Add olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes to a deep saucepan and cook on medium flame. Toss the noodles with tongs and cook until al dente (wilted but still have a crunch). This should take 5-7 minutes. Do not overcook as zucchini has a lot of water and will become mushy quickly. 
3. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme and parmesan cheese. Cook for a minute and transfer to a serving platter. Leave the liquid in the pan.
4. Bring the liquid to a simmer and add cornstarch and cold water into the simmering liquid. 
5. Whisk it all together until the liquid thickens. Ideally would take about a minute.
6. Add salt to the sauce if need be and pour over the zucchini noodles. Finish off with more parmesan cheese.

Chutney Glazed Lentils With Shrimp

 

For sea-food lovers, a yummy plate of shrimps along with lentils is all the protein you’ll ever need. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 6 cups water
• ½ mango chutney
• ½ tsp curry powder
• 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 31-35 /1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

1. Combine the lentils and water. Heat to simmering on high flame. Simmer for 25 mins until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. In a bowl, mix mango chutney, curry powder and pepper and add the shrimp and coat well. Put them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on high for 2 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.
3. Drain the lentils, add the shrimp, zucchini, cilantro and salt and toss well.

 

So, who said healthy dishes have to be boring? If you don’t want too much work, you can also try easy dishes using 3 ingredients. Give these a try and you’ll fall in love with them.

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