When we hear the words low-fat cooking and eating, many of us visualize food that is unsightly and even more flavorless to eat. Yet, this cannot be further from the truth. There are a number of culinary delights that we can whip up with almost half the calories for many dishes, even as we get a great tasting meal that will keep us fit and help us lose weight in case we are looking for weight-loss recipes.
Low-fat cooking brings in a number of ingredients and cooking techniques that will go easy on your metabolism. This will also help your metabolism respond faster and in a much better manner. Also, with the help of low-fat cooking, you do not merely lose weight or maintain your fitness level, but you also eliminate the risk of falling prey to bad cholesterol, which can lead to a number of long-term health issues, ranging from heart disease to cholesterol issues and much more. So, take a look at these dinner ideas, which you can prepare easily while ensuring health and taste in one neat package!
Roasted chicken and pasta: You can try whole wheat pasta that will be light on the stomach. Drizzle olive oil over the al dente cooked pasta and then bring in the roasted chicken with a dash of hot sauce and some vinegar dressing. You can also combine this dish with some roasted vegetables, which can be put in the oven along with the chicken. Remember to brush the chicken and the vegetables lightly with some canola or extra virgin olive oil so that you replace the heavy butter with a healthier version.
Greek yogurt dressing with kebabs: You can get your fix of meat with crunchy and lightly sauted kebabs. Pile on some Greek yogurt over them instead of a heavy duty dressing so that they are light on your stomach and metabolism. This is one of the best low-fat recipes that you can have most nights of the week.
Baked nachos with homemade salsa: Blanch some tomatoes and add some roasted seasonal vegetables with plenty of freshly squeezed lemon juice, finely chopped coriander, and green chilies. Add a dollop of this to the baked tortilla nachos for a crunchy meal. You can also pair this with some fresh lettuce salad, tossed with salt and pepper.
Lemon-grilled chicken: Bring in some freshly squeezed lemon juice as well as some lemon zest and combine it with black olives for this easy-to-make, yet delicious low-fat meal. You can roast the chicken with these ingredients so that it gets a mellow taste, which will be very satisfying yet light. Add some mashed potatoes, if you have not had too many carbs in the entire day. This will make it a wholesome and healthy meal.
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.