Healthy eating is catching up attention these days but the myth associated with it that health-diets are tasteless makes it more of a punishment than consciousness for the people.
Healthy food too can be palatable and full of variations too.
1. Oats
A common name among people struggling to lose or control weight, which has earned a bad name as far as taste, is considered. Instead of eating it in a monotonous way by adding milk to it, we can make it more colourful and interesting by adding loads of vegetables and call it “oats poha”. This way it makes it healthier as vegetables are a rich source of fiber and add bulk making it more filling. A dash of lemon and spices enhance the taste and are good for digestion too.
2. Green leafy vegetables
Making people eat leafy vegetables is a big challenge. Just giving a small face-lift by adding spinach and amaranth to the flour to make chapattis or in dosa batter to make dosas out of them does the trick. Small dumplings that are steamed can be a delicious snack. These dumplings are easily eaten by kids too.
3. Pulses and legumes
We are so used to hearing “Oh no daal-rice, not again?” so a better way to present the same age old pulses can be by sprouting them and making delicious and spicy salads out of them. Sprouts can be camouflaged inside stuffed parathas.
4. Fruits
Fruits that are detested by kids can be given a beautiful twist by making smoothies. Smoothies are relished by all age groups and are quite filling too. They can be made more interesting by adding some nuts or curds at times. Mixed fruit salads are more palatable too.
5. Cereals
The lesser known cereals like maize and millets also fall under the healthy foods category and have hence earned a bad name for themselves. Ragi idly, corn chaat, dosas made of multigrain flour work wonders on our health and satiate our taste buds too.
6. Gourds
Pointed gourds, bitter gourds, pumpkins and so many other vegetables falling under the “gourd family” can be reason enough for people to lose their appetite. Next time when we try to include them in our meals we can think of making them interesting by using them for pancakes, cookies, or just a chilled soup. Their pulps can be used to make some interesting desserts too.
So, by just being a little innovative we can try variations and make even the most underestimated food item a treat. Good health is a way of life and requires persistent effort to achieve it. This journey becomes more enjoyable if we make whole-hearted efforts to work towards achieving the results. Sometimes even a small step can work wonders. Hence, we should stay positive and keep enhancing our innovative skills.