The post (Healthy) Fat Bombs! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

Another issue that the Lockdown has brought with is unavailablity of certain things. There might be a few days that you will not find fruits or vegetables to include in your daily diet. So how does one eat healthy during such a time!

Well, by using the things you already have at home of course!

Here are our four recipe ideas and their nutritional values that you can make using the things you already have in your pantry!

Chicken and Rice

It literally could not get simpler than this meal! Most people have things like rice, flour and the basic staples lying at home even during this lockdown phase.

We used boiled white rice that was already there in the fridge. That accompanied with chicken breast, made in such a way that it could be kept and had easily for 3-4 days.

Add some boiled spinach to that and you have an amazingly balanced dish on your hands. With fiber, carbs, protein filled to the brim on the dish, you cannot go wrong with it!

Omelette

Apart from all the basic staples, eggs are definitely always available in any and every grocery store, even if it during the Lockdown itself. The great things about eggs is the fact that they are extremely versatile!

Omelette is merely one thing that you can make using eggs. Even in this you can have different variations. Like you can make an omelette with the whole egg, or if you want a healthier option, make an all egg white omelette. Add a couple of chopped onions to it, which is another thing ALWAYS available in our Indian household without fail, and you have an amazing and healthy dish on hand.

This dish has an amazing protein content and is fairly high in dietary fiber too! Another plus? It is absolutely delicious too!

Oats Cheela

The Besan cheela is definitely something that most Indian households have been making since time immemorial. It has also been a major part of most of our childhoods.

This however is a twist on the classic cheela made with another ingredient present, nowadays, in most of your kitchens; oats!

The combination of the steel cut oats and the egg whites gives this dish a wonderfully soft yet a crisp texture, which a true delight to indulge in!

The Oats cheela contains a good amount of proteins, fiber and carbs alongwith essential vitamins and minerals that helps keep your immune system working well. Season it with your favourite seasonings, and you are done! Definitely cannot say no to this one!

Khichdi

The ultimate Indian comfort food, if there was one, then it os definitely the khichdi without fail! This amazing amalgamation of rice and dal is wonderfully healthy, easy to make and uses the most basic and minimal ingredients.

Usually, split moong dal and rice are used to make the khichdi, both of which are ALWAYS in our pantries without fail.

Did you know that a mere serving of Dal Khichdi gives 320 calories. Out of this, carbohydrates comprise 232 calories, proteins account for 50 calories and remaining calories come from fat which is 38 calories.

These four amazing recipes, though some of the simplest happen to be extremely delicious and nutritious apart from being made with ingredients always readily available. So what more could one ask for during this Lockdown? Eat healthy, stay home and stay safe everyone!

The post Eating healthy during the #Lockdown without fruits and veggies! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

The post Go-to Healthy Brownie Recipe first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

The post Fluffy Egg Whites + 2 Sunny Side up Eggs! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

1.     Peanut Butter and Banana Blondies:

Combination of bananas and peanut butter are a match made in dessert heaven

Ingredients:

·        3 medium bananas, mashed

·        ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar

·        2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·        1 large egg or two medium

·        ¾ atta

·        ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·        2 teaspoons baking powder

·        ½ cup reduced fat milk (can be replaced with plant-based milk too)

·        2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

·        Oil for greasing

Method:

1.     Preheat oven to 180°C

2.     In a bowl, mash the bananas and add brown sugar, vanilla extract and egg to it

3.     Mix all these ingredients to combine

4.     Add the atta, cocoa powder, baking powder and stir until just combined

5.     Stir in milk

6.     Melt the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl for 15 secs

7.     Grease a baking dish with oil and pour brownie batter

8.     Now pour melted peanut butter on top and with the help of a toothpick, swirl it around the batter

9.     Bake for 25 minutes or until knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

10.  Let the brownie cool down before you decide to cut it.

2.     Cashew and Chocolate Truffle:

Cashew and Chocolate, Yes please!

Ingredients:

·        200 gms dark chocolate, chopped

·        ½ cup milk ( can use milk based also)

·        1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

·        ¾ cup whole unsalted cashews or almonds

·        ¼ teaspoon salt salt

Method:

·       Keep the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and pour over the boiling milk over it.

·       Stir in the maple syrup in the milk mixture and cool before placing it in the freezer until it has become firm

·       Preheat oven and bake cashews till they are brown for 8-10 minutes.

·       IN a food processor chop cashews and salt together and set aside when they are finely chopped.

·       Take the chocolate mixture out and roll them into tiny balls.

·       Roll the chocolate balls in the cashew mixture and set aside on a baking sheet

·       Cover and chill until service

3.     Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cookies:

The brilliance of a carrot cake in the wonderful form of a cookie!

Ingredients:

·     1¾  cup (100g) gluten free oats 

·     ¾ cup (68g) peeled and grated carrots

·     1 ½ tsp baking powder

·     1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

·     ⅛ tsp salt

·     2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled

·     1 large egg, room temperature

·     1 tsp vanilla extract

·     ½ cup maple syrup

Method:

·     In one bowl mix all the dry ingredients together

·     In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients together

·     Stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then stir in the carrots.

·     Now chill the dough for atleast an hour

·     Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius

·     Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scoop out the dough onto the paper

·     Bake for 15-20 minutes

·     Cool before the time for service on a cooling rack

Happy eating y’all and have a wonderful New Year guys!  

The post 3 Guilt-Free Desserts to Try this New Year’s first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

Fret not though, because here we have our top 3 Xmas delicacies that have been made in a healthier manner so as to make sure that the post-indulgence guilt does not weigh you down.

1. Gingerbread Cookies:

Image source: pillsbury

Ingredients:

• 1 cup atta/whole wheat flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 heaped teaspoon of allspice powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil (kept in room temperature)
• 1 large egg, room temperature or 1/2 tsp baking soda + milk, to make the consistency better
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60mL) molasses or brown sugar or you can add your choice of sweetener
• For the icing (optional)
• 10 tsp stevia
• 2 tbsp nonfat milk

Method:

• Whisk the dry and wet ingredients together, in separate bowls.
• Now stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
• Keep stirring/mixing until the mixture forms a dough.
• Now wrap this dough in a plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 180 degree
• Take out the cookie dough and roll it out while it is between the plastic sheet. Make sure that you roll it till it is atleast 1/6^thof an inch thick
• Cut out shapes using your gingerbread man cookie mould. When there is dough remaining, roll it out again and cut out more cookies.
• Bake for not more than 15 minutes and take them out to cool.
• Once cool, mix the ingredients for the icing in a bowl and then pipe it over the cookies

2. Lemon Garlic herb roast potato:

Image source: onegreenplanet

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes 500 grams
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon mixed herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

For the lemon herb mix:

• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Zest of 1/2 a Lemon
• 1 teaspoon minced mixed herbs
• Salt/Pepper, to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius
• Make slits in the potatoes but be careful to not cut all the way through
• Now mix the potatoes and all the other ingredients together in a large bowl (except for the ingredients for the lemon herb mix)
• Line your baking tray with a sheet and place the potatoes with the cut side up onto the tray.
• Roast the potatoes for 20 – 30 minutes
• Take them out of the oven and brush them with the combined lemon herb mix and pop them back in the oven.
• Take them out once they are cooked all the way through and drizzle them with the remaining lemon herb mix and serve hot!

3. Pumpkin and lentil stew

Image source: tastespace

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 tbsp. finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. Ground  cardamom
• 1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
• 1 cup lentils of your choice, picked over
• 6 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 cups of spinach
• 1 tbsp. cider vinegar

Method:

• Cook the onions and ginger on medium heat in a cooker till they turn golden.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the vinegar and pressure cook for 12 minutes on medium heat.
• Once done, stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend if you want a smooth consistency

Comfort food is the name of the game during the holidays, and when comfort food is made healthy, well, nothing is better is there?

The post Top 3 Xmas Delicacies made Healthier first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.

Nowadays smoothies are practically made with a lot of things and without including milk or yogurt. That is precisely what we are concentrating on right now! A lot of people in this day and age have a lot of health issues and food allergies and intolerances. This list is essentially compiled to let everyone out there who has lactose intolerance not miss out on some delicious and healthy smoothies! One of our friends, who is a nutritionist in AIIMS, Delhi has tried out these recipes and is brilliantly impressed with all of them.

1. Peaches and Cream Smoothie

Who does not like the flavour of peach? Peaches and creams is an amazingly classic combo and this smoothie definitely does justice to it!

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 ½ cup peaches (frozen peaches would be better)
• 2 tbsp vanilla essence
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1-2 cups of ice (depends on how thick you want the smoothie to be)

Put all these ingredients in a blender and just blend!

2. Green Protein Smoothie!

The luscious green colour of this wonderfully rich and healthy smoothie is the stuff dreams are made of.

• 2cups spinach
• 1frozen banana
• 1cup unsweetened almond milk (add 1/4 cup at a time more if the smoothie seems too thick)
• 1tablespoon organic chia seeds
• 2tablespoons hemp seeds
• 2tablespoons any nut butter
• 2 Medjool dates

Again, all you need is a blender. Just chuck everything into a high powered blender and blend to your heart’s content! This is definitely a personal favorite of our friend, the nutritionist in AIIMS, Delhi!

3. Oatmeal Strawberry Banana Smoothie:

This is the perfect breakfast smoothie! Full of the goodness of banana and oats, plus the amazing flavour of strawberry! How delectable does that sound?

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 1 banana (frozen would be better since it would ensure a thicker smoothie)
• 1 cup Ice

Just Blend! Plain and simple!

4. Date and Cashew Shake:

We absolutely love cashew, and we love how cashew makes everything taste creamier and richer than it really is! Using cashews in smoothies gives us the same result! Amazing creaminess without cream! Go forth and indulge!

• 2/3 cups soaked cashews
• 6 medjool dates soaked
• ¾ cup water
• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt

Add and Blend! YAAS!

      5.  Choco Almond Smoothie:

What can be better than Chocolate and Almonds together? A choco almond smoothie that’s what!

• 1/2 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup pitted dates, packed
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup silken tofu, soy or any other non-dairy milk (almond, rice, coconut, hemp)
• A dozen ice cubes

Same drill people! Just Blend!

Hope you guys had fun making these smoothies and are ready to enjoy what amazing benefits these smoothies have to offer!! Cheers to a new and healthy you!

The post Healthy Smoothie Recipes for people with Lactose-intolerance! first appeared on Fit Foodies Mantra.