Being on a diet or eating healthy doesn't have to be boring or dull. You can try different things with your food and add flavor to it without adding too many calories. Here are five Indian recipes that are low in calories yet full of flavor, from Baingan Bharta to Moong Dal Chat.
If you've ever tried to "eat healthy" in an Indian home, you know that there will be a fight between counting calories and "homemade food made with love." If you say the term "diet," someone is sure to give you a platter of boiled veggies and call it dinner. But we don't talk about it enough that healthy Indian food doesn't have to taste bad or make you feel bad for liking butter naan.
India's food history is full of low-calorie, high-flavor foods. Spices are the key. Our kitchens have always known how to make even the simplest ingredients taste amazing. That's why we're here with five easy recipes that are great for eating without feeling guilty.
Lauki Chana Dal — 210 Calories per Serving
Lauki Chana Dal (Image credit: Canva)
Protein: 11g
Carbs: 28g
Fat: 6g
If you add soaked chana dal, cumin, garlic, and tomatoes to a pot of simmering bottle gourd, it becomes a fragrant and flavorful curry. Lauki keeps it low in calories and high in fiber, while dal adds plant-based protein. A multigrain roti or a tiny amount of brown rice would go great with it for lunch.
Baingan Bharta — 190 Calories per Serving
Protein: 5g
Carbs: 16g
Fat: 10g
Roasted eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, and a little mustard oil shows that healthy food can taste good. It gets most of its calories from healthy fats and fiber, which keeps you full without making you feel heavy.
Moong Dal Chaat - 250 Calories per Serving
Protein: 14 g
Carbs: 28g
Fat: 8g
Roasted moong dal that is crispy and topped with chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander, lemon juice, and green chutney. This snack is sour, crunchy, and high in protein. It's the perfect evening snack that tastes like street food but is good for you.
Vegetable Masala Khichdi — 280 Calories per Bowl
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 45 g
Fat: 6g
Don't bother with the pale, hospital version. Instead, try khichdi cooked with yellow moong dal, brown rice, turmeric, and a lot of vegetables. It is relaxing and full of tiny minerals and dietary fiber, so it makes you feel good without adding too many calories.
Palak Paneer (Very Light Version) — 270 Calories per Serving
Protein: 18 g
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 16g
The recipe stays light but still tastes great because it uses low-fat paneer and a little bit of ghee. The iron in the spinach and the protein in the paneer make it a wonderful energy source for muscles. It also tastes fantastic with a multigrain flatbread. Palak Paneer (Light Version) — 270 Calories per Serving
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