Those who want to lose weight, or maintain their fitness, tend to stay away from carbohydrates completely. You’ll gain weight if you eat this nutrient, they say. This is far from truth. If you have an active lifestyle and have an exercise routine in place, you need carbohydrates. The nutrient boosts energy in your body. And if you don’t consume this, your body will automatically consume the protein stored in your muscles, which ideally shouldn’t be happening. The best thing to do is eat low-carb foods. Here are five super healthy, low-carb recipes to get you started.
Berry and kale smoothie
Both berries and kale boost metabolism in your body, and are known as two of the healthiest food items. Blend the two together with some fat-free yogurt and a bit of butter. This latter two will provide a rich yet relatively lightweight consistency. You can have this fat-free snack item any time of the day; and it won’t take you much time to finish it. You can also add nuts and honey to add protein and enhance the texture and flavor of the smoothie.
Spaghetti in tomato sauce
Tomatoes are packed with antioxidants, which every nutritionist recommends. Well-seasoned spaghetti with some red sauce is an exciting dish to have, especially for the weight watchers. Make a homemade tomato sauce with some extra virgin olive oil; boil some tomatoes, peel and churn them into a puree, followed by cooking it in some olive oil. You can also throw in some fresh vegetables and crumbled cheese on top to make your spaghetti dish healthier. This healthy low-carb recipe is ideal for lunch and dinner.
Toast and banana
Whole-wheat bread is packed with carbs. Here’s how you can create a low-carb snack item. Just spread some peanut butter on a toasted bread slice. For the toppings, add freshly-cut banana, honey, crushed almonds and raisins. This healthy low-carb recipe is ideal for breakfast as well as an evening snack.
Croutons soup/salad
Croutons add a great crunch to your green salads. Cut veggies like onion, tomato, rocket lettuce and cucumber. Add a drizzle of olive oil to it. Season it with salt, pepper and vinegar or lemon juice. Add your crunchy croutons, before serving. For the soup, just add a few toasted croutons to your healthy soup with a dash of cream and spices, and there you have a scrumptious soup. No wonder, this is a meal in itself.
Garlic spinach
This is the simplest of all low-carb dishes. Heat olive oil in a pan, add crushed garlic and toss it. Now, add the chopped spinach leaves. Make sure to clean it properly. Next goes in the salt and pepper. Stir-fry the greens for 2 minutes, and switch off the flame. Before serving, add a pinch of toasted sesame seeds on top of the cooked spinach for a nice texture. Have this nutritious dish with a slice of freshly baked bread, and enjoy the low-carb plate of greens to the hilt!
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.