Salads are accessories to your main course. They bring in the taste, the life and the zing to the palatte and you swear by your salads, even if it simply be a combination of the most commonly found, onions and tomatoes, sprinkled with a pinch of salt and coriander. No matter what the combination, salads are yummy and a must on the dinner table whatever be the occasion. They make our meals complete and when they are experimented with different varieties; our taste buds have so much to simply smile!
Here, for the salad lover we have such special recepies that will leave you asking for more. These are simple to try and easy to prepare. Salads are a good means to healthy diet even for the calorie-conscious. They are nutritious as well as delicious.
Here is a colorful array of nutrients in a variety of salads for healthy meals-
This is the most easiest to prepare and is nutritious nevertheless. With the most easily available ingredients, and with minimum time in your hands, get a quick healthy munch and not put on weight either!
Ingredients: 4 cucumbers, 3 Onions, 3 tomatoes, 1/2 lettuce, 2 tsp lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, 1 tsp vinegar, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, coriander for garnish.
To prepare: Finely chop all the ingredients and mix them well. After you have mixed, add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste and mix it again. And now, add coriander to garnish the salad. Remember, coriander is the garnish, without which the traditional salad would not give the right taste. Serve at room temperature and serve fresh. The taste of this salad when refrigerated, is below average than when it is freshly prepared.
Variation: As a variation from the traditional recipe, you can add tomatoes, cucumber and spring onion - all finely chopped into 2 cups of yoghurt and mix well. Also, add finely chopped green chillies and coriander to garnish. Add salt to taste. Remember, to first blend the curd well, before adding the ingredients.
Sprouts and lentils are very easy to find, have high-nutrient density and have a healthy protein/fat ratio. Moreover, sprouting moong dal, increases the vitamin, mineral and protein content and decreases the calories and carbohydrate contents. One can have the Sprentils salad daily as morning breakfast or evening snacks and this is especially good for the weight-conscious.
Ingredients: 2 cups freshly sprouted Moong, 2 onions, 3 tomatoes, salt and red chili powder to taste, chaat masala, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/4th tsp. roasted cumin (Jeera) powder, finely chopped coriander leaves.
To prepare: Make sure to soak moong overnight, so that they sprout well until morning and then mix freshly sprouted moong with finely chopped onions and tomatoes. Add lemon juice, chaat masala, a little of red chilli powder and salt to taste and mix well. After the mixture is ready, garnish with coriander and serve at room temperature. Other sprouted lentils can also be used in place of moong.
The presence of cream, makes this salad, extremely yummy and nutritious. It can be eaten either along with the main course or even as a starter dish. It is very simple, easy and quick to prepare and everything is easily available in any Indian household. It can really add life to a simple meal, and must be tried by all food lovers!
Ingredients: 4 potatoes, 1/2 cup boiled green peas, 1/2 cup cream (malai), 3 chopped green chillies, mustard powder, chaat masala and salt to taste, coriander leaves for the garnish, 1 tsp sour curd (or lime juice).
To prepare: Boil the potatoes and the green peas (take care not to over boil the potatoes). Cut potatoes into cubes and mix them well with peas and green chillies. Then add the spices to the mixture, and after the batter has been mixed well, add a tsp of curd or lime juice and lastly add the cream.
Now for the fruits lover, here’s an exciting recipe with a dash of a variety of different fruits prepared in a sumptuous way that will enthuse your taste buds. Moreover, the health benefits of having fruits are immense and well known. These help eliminate the toxins and nitrogenous wastes from the body and their high potassium content is beneficial in maintaining a normal blood pressure. Moreover, fruits are an excellent source of fiber, in fact the list of their benefits is goes on and on and on.
Ingredients: 3 Bananas, 1 Apple, 2 Oranges, 1 Ripe Mango, 1 Bunch Green Grapes, 1/4th cup Pomegranate seeds, pear, pineapple, kiwi, few canned cherries, 1 Guava, sugar to taste, 1 tsp lemon juice, cumin seeds roasted and crushed, black pepper, Salt and chaat masala.
To prepare: Peel and cut all fruits and pour lemon juice immediately so as to avoid fruits from turning brown. In a little water add sugar and half melt it on heat. Mix melted sugar to the fruits. Mix all the spices in a separate bowl and then pour it over the fruits and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.
Paneer, also known as the Indian Cheese, is one of the most well known and versatile dairy products that can be used in almost any form and blends well, be it with a main course menu or as a sidedish. Also, paneer is nutritious and a good source of calcium and protein and helps in reducing the risk of cancer. Also, it is beneficial in preventing stomach disorders and keeping your bones in good shape. Again, the list of the benefits it provides, is endless.
Ingredients: 2 cups paneer cut into slices, 2 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, 2 onions – all diced, a pinch of mustard powder, 1 tsp lime juice, salt to taste, coriander to garnish.
To prepare: Dry roast paneer in a frying pan until it is light brown and set aside. In another bowl, take diced tomatoes, cucumber and onions and mix in the spices. Add the dry roasted paneer to this mixture and garnish with fresh coriander. This again, is a quick-to-make salad recipe, and is nevertheless, tasty.
Now that you know how healthy and interesting paneer can be, try and mix it with some sweet corn kernels, and you would be left licking your fingers and asking for more. Corn, especially sweet corn (American corn as it is locally known in India), is often prescribed for those who suffer from heart diseases and cancer, due to its many health benefits. It is a good source of folate and helps protect against age-related mascular degeneration and helps fight free radicals in the retina. It is high in iron and potassium and is also good for maintaining blood sugar levels.
Ingredients: 200 gms Paneer, 2 cups steamed sweet corn kernels, 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp curry powder, tomato ketchup to taste, one and half cups mayonnaise, 2 bunches of lettuce, salt to taste.
To prepare: Heat olive oil in a small fry pan, and add garlic and fry till dark brown. Then add curry powder, and after frying for a few seconds, add tomato ketchup. Once, the red color appears and the mixture seems cooked, remove it from fire. Let it cool for some time and then add mayonnaise. Cut paneer into 1 cm cubes and shred lettuce. In a bowl, combine paneer and corn kernels. Add the prepared dressing. Then toss in the lettuce and serve at once.
Try these recipes and let your feedback flow in……
