Five Easy to Cook Healthy Foods

When you're too tired to cook and too rushed to think about it, it's too easy to make bad decisions on what to eat; takeaways and fast food seem an easy option. With a little bit of planning, however, you can cook a quick nutrient dense food that give you more nutrition per minute! Eating healthy doesn't have to take a lot of time. You can prepare a healthy meal just as quickly as an unhealthy one.

Yes, you really can have a meal on the table in thirty minutes, from start to finish. The key to cooking a healthy meal is a little pre-planning. Read through the recipe and make sure you have all the ingredients (or good substitutes) on hand.

Here are the five healthy foods that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less:

Besan Cheela

Besan Cheela (also called chilla, puda, pudla), also referred as vegetarian omelette in some parts of India, is a traditional Indian breakfast and evening snack item which is quite easy to prepare. It takes less than 20 mins to prepare this nutritious low calorie, high protein food. Besan (gram flour) is a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber which also prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

Recipe

Mix besan, finely chopped onion, green chillies, coriander (dhania), red chilli powder and pepper powder in water like dosa batter. Heat a non stick tawa and pour the batter on to it. Pour some oil onto the sides and cook it crisp on both the sides. Serve hot with green chutney.

Lemon Coriander Soup

A fragrant and healthy soup. Fragrant lemon juice and piquant chilies make this clear soup very appetizing. Coriander (dhania) lends its own distinctive flavor and freshness to make this one of a kind soup. While lemon works well with its antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, coriander works as a good anti-diabetic.

Recipe

In a pan, pour some oil and saute onion, spring onions, ginger and garlic till they are translucent. Add vegetable stock, coriander stems, cabbage, carrot cubes, coriander leaves and crushed peppercorn and bring to a boil. Strain the water and bring it to boil again, add salt and lemon juice. Season with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Egg White Omelette

From mixing it in bowl to table, 10 minutes is all it takes! A low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-cholesterol start to the day. Egg whites are fat free and good source of protein. In addition, egg proteins is easily absorbed and digested by the body. It is for this reason that sportsmen and body builders often tend to have egg whites in their diet.

Recipe

Mix egg whites with pepper, green chilies, herbs, diced onion and mushrooms (optional). Rub oil on preferably small frying pan, heat. Pour egg-white mixture in pan, cook until all egg white has solidified.

Oats Upma

What better way to gain the strength and energy to carry you through a hectic morning schedule than with a steaming bowl of freshly cooked oats upma. Oats, via their high fiber content, not only help remove cholesterol from the digestive system but also act as antioxidants and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Recipe

Roast the oats in a pan without oil for about 3 mins and keep it aside. Heat some oil in the pan and add urad dal, chana dal, mustard seeds, green chillies, dry red chillies and fry for some time till the dal turns golden brown. Now add sliced onions, minced ginger and curry leaves. Saute the onions till they are tender, add asafetida and salt. Add water and allow it to boil for some time and then add the roasted oats. Keep stirring till all the water is absorbed and oats are thoroughly cooked and serve hot!

Whole Wheat Pasta

Pasta is a favorite family comfort food – it's quick and easy to cook and always tastes good. But with all those carbs can it be healthy too? You bet! The trick is to use pasta made of whole wheat and by adding more lean protein and vegetables into the mix. Whole wheat is a rich source of fiber which helps women in losing weight and also lowers the risk of Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Recipe

Boil the pasta in salted water till it is done and drain it out. Mix together the oil, vinegar, tulsi, oregano, salt and pepper and keep aside. Take another pan and saute capsicum, garlic, broccoli and carrots till it softens. Pour the cooked vegetables into the pot with the pasta. Pour the vinaigrette (mixture of vinegar, oil and other herbs) over the pasta and vegetables. Toss to distribute vegetables and vinaigrette evenly.

Other than the above there are many others too like whole wheat / multigrain bread Sandwiches, Roasted / Steamed Vegetables, Soups made of tomato / sweet corn, etc. The list goes on, because food is something we all love and relish but time always matters!