Losing weight or maintaining a fit body does not need to be a journey ridden with starvation and too many trips to the gym. While your exercise and diet are two necessary sides of the same coin when it comes to fitness, these can be planned in a way that you do not miss out on taste and fun, even as you pound away on the treadmill or create many healthy meals. The words ‘low-fat cooking’ do not need to invoke fear because you can easily make delicious meals with less than half the calories so that you get fit in no time at all.
Salads and snacks are some of the most important elements of a diet that are churned out with the help of low-fat cooking. This is due to the fact that one should have short and frequent meals in order to lose weight. In keeping with this principle, it is important to have light meals because anything heavy will eliminate the frequency of the meals. This will once again make your metabolism sluggish. Here are a few salad and snack recipes to keep you going even as you find your culinary fit with low-fat cooking.
Strawberries and poppy seeds with baby spinach: This is one yummy salad that is perfect for summer evenings. You can lightly roast the poppy seeds and sprinkle some salt and pepper over the greens. Then, add the freshly chopped strawberries for that succulent taste. You can also bring in arugula and watercress for a crunchy taste.
Chickpeas salad: One of the best parts about low-fat cooking is that you get to identify a number of ingredients that you would have ignored in the past. With a metabolism-boosting ingredient like chickpeas, you will realize that you have a perfect partner in crime when you have those snack cravings. This ingredient is a rather filling one, which has a great dose of nutrition without adding needless calories to your system. You can boil and store a batch in your refrigerator for use throughout the week. Just stir fry some with peppers and lemon juice, or create a quick salad with some greens and plenty of vinegar for a yummy meal at any time of the day.
Avocado salad: You can get some fresh avocados for this recipe. Combine with turkey slices and a dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice along with salt and pepper for a yummy salad. You can also put in some croutons if you want a small dose of carbs. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil so that your metabolism does not have much to deal with, thanks to this low-fat cooking recipe.
Lime and shrimp salad: The ready-to-cook shrimps can be used for this salad along with some lime juice. Drizzle salt and pepper or even use some soy sauce if you are hungry for some Oriental fare! You can also add some cilantro or dill for a lighter salad.
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.