low fat dinner ideas
Low Fat Dinner Ideas
Has the physician asked you to go on a low fat diet? This article will guide you with some dinner options and recipes which will keep you healthy without losing any of the taste.
In recent times, obesity has become a common issue among people of all ages. One of the most important factors for this is consumption of high fat foods. Fat is a component that lends taste to the food we eat, and it is necessary to consume it in a moderate proportion. It is said that this nutrient gets processed in the body to provide energy, necessary in our everyday activities. So, avoiding its intake completely is also not advisable. It is recommended that taking up a low fat diet would provide us with essential intake, and also avoid the accumulation of excess in the body.
A healthy meal should include a lot of vegetables, fibrous foods, and fruits. Many people think that low fat dishes would taste very bland. But, now there are various ways to prepare mouth-watering dishes which are healthy. While cooking, ingredients containing fat should either be added in less quantities or it should be substituted with something healthier. Instead of oil, low-fat sour cream can be used for cooking. It can also be substituted with jam or fruit for marinating chicken or fish. One should also avoid fried food stuffs and prefer food prepared by boiling, baking, or steaming. Butter can be replaced by omega-3, low fat margarine or spices.
Low-Fat Spicy Chicken
Ingredients
- Basil leaves, 12 ounces
- Chicken breasts, 4 ounces (boneless, skinless)
- Onions, 2 (medium-sized)
- Garlic, 2 cloves
- Green or red chilies, 2
- Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
- Brown sugar, 3 teaspoons
- Olive oil, 2 teaspoons
- Ginger, 2 teaspoons
- Basil sprigs
- Cut the chicken breasts and onions into ¼ inch thick slices.
- Peel the ginger and cut them into small pieces, and chop the green or red chilies into long and thin slices.
- Take a bowl and mix brown sugar and soy sauce. Add the chicken slices to it and let it marinate for 5-7 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and when it turns hot, put in the marinated chicken.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes in low heat (stir frequently) and when the chicken turns slightly brown, take it out and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, fry onions in the remaining marinade for 3-4 minutes, and add garlic, ginger, and chilies.
- Stir for a minute and put the cooked chicken into it.
- Cover the pan and let it cook well. Top it with basil leaves and basil sprigs.
- Kidney beans, 400 grams
- Uncooked rice, 200 grams
- Tomato puree, 4 tablespoons
- Green pepper, 1
- Onion, 1 (large)
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
- Garlic, 2 cloves
- Green or red chilies, 1-2
- Cumin powder, 1 teaspoon
- salt- as per taste
- Wash the kidney beans, and drain the liquid in a container and keep it aside.
- Chop onion, garlic, pepper, and chilies into small pieces. In a large cooking pan, heat olive oil and add these ingredients into it.
- Put in cumin powder and salt, and fry for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- Add rice and beans into it and mix all the ingredients.
- Add the liquid of the kidney beans, along with water, as required for the rice to cook fully.
- Cover the sauce pan and let it cook for 50-55 minutes on low heat.
- Before taking it from the heat, check whether all the water is drained. Transfer it into a bowl and serve hot.