3 Delicious Dinner Recipes For Weight Loss

Often times, cutting down on food has been linked with the idea of weight loss. However, over the years, as our knowledge and awareness of nutrition has expanded into incorporating what is seasonal and available locally, we’ve come to be more aware that eating the right kind of food is, in fact, the key to losing weight effectively. Hence, having a balanced meal with the right proportion of nutrients that are essential to the well-being of your physique is necessary. Low calorie meals don’t have to necessarily mean cutting down portion sizes or compromising on satiety. Therefore, we bring you three delicious and easy dinner recipes which are tasty but do not pack on the guilt, making them perfect for those looking to lose weight.

Vegan Vegetable Curry

Image Credits: Taste

This coconut-milk based curry is comforting, nutritious and flavoursome all at once. Rich in nutrients, you can pair the curry with brown rice or multigrain rotis, for the perfect light but filling supper that is quick to make and can be done with any combination of vegetables of your choice. Use whatever you have lying in the fridge – from carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, broccoli, green peas and cauliflower – pretty much all kinds of vegetables work for the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups mixed vegetables, chopped
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped

Method

• Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat and add the diced onion and cook until it becomes translucent, stirring occasionally.
• Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Tip in the spice powders and stir them in to cook for a minute or two, to toast the spices.
• Pour in the coconut milk and stir well. Add the mixed vegetables to the pot and mix well to combine them with the curry sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the cooked chickpeas and let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat them through. Check for seasoning and add salt as needed. Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Also Read:

Want To Lose Inches? Eat These Low Calorie Breakfasts

Spinach-Paneer Bake

This one pot recipe is simple and combines the classic flavour combination of spinach and cheese, except that the cheese has been swapped with fresh paneer. Perfect for those who are on a keto diet or people who wish to skip the carbohydrates during dinner time, this baked vegetarian recipe is going to be one of your go-to dinner recipes for its simplicity and complex flavours.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 bunch spinach, chopped
• 250 grams paneer, cubed
• 1 cup tomato puree
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C while you heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent.
• Add the minced garlic, grated ginger and cumin seeds to the pan. Cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the spice powders before adding the chopped spinach to the pan and cook until wilted.
• Add the paneer cubes, tomato puree, and coconut milk to the pan. Mix everything well and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and transfer the mixture to a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

Chicken Stew

Image Credits: Little Broken

For all your protein needs while trying to lose weight, including this delicious variation of chicken in your diet is much better than eating a boring steak of bland grilled chicken. Ideal to enjoy with dosas, rice or plain old chapatis, this chicken stew is a versatile recipe that can be tweaked according to the taste preferences of your family as well as yourself. Want a kick of spice? Add a chopped fresh red chilli or pinch of smoked paprika for a kick.

Ingredients

• 450 grams boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the diced onions along with the minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the cubed chicken pieces to the pot and cook until they sear on all sides. Add the carrots, zucchin and red bell pepper to the pot. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
• Tip in the diced tomatoes, followed by the water. Crumble in the stock cube and crush the fresh herbs before adding them in as well. Season adequately with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Stir in the chopped spinach and let it wilt in the stew for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot.