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In a world filled with tempting fast food, it is hard to stay on a dietary track consistently, especially when it comes to kids who are active in sports and on a strict regimen. If your kid, like the Dangal girls, are dedicating their lives to a sport of their choice, then being on a healthy diet matters, and you know it. While homemade alternatives are far healthier, they can sometimes be calorie-dense, especially for kachoris and samosas. And yet, these are treats that most Indian kids love.
Therefore, it is ideal to limit such homemade treats for special occasions and festivals and focus on finding taste and satisfaction in daily healthy diet foods for kids. Now, children may not always feel like adhering to their diets but taking a simple, creative approach to food preparation can solve the issue.
Focus on dishes whose ingredients can be prepared in advance and only need to be cooked or packed for tiffin. They will help save working professionals and busy parents time on hectic days. With delicious and nutritious healthy diet foods in mind, here are 5 creative and easy recipes to whip up in no time.
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5 Fun And Creative Recipes Featuring Healthy Diet Foods
1. Broccoli and Cheese Egg Casserole
Broccoli and cheese egg casserole shines through the dreary deluge of vegetation into delicious land. Enveloped in cheese and egg, along with broccoli, vegetables like peas and carrots can easily be added to the dish without inviting your kid’s dislike. All you need for the dish are eggs, milk, diced onion, chopped broccoli florets, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, paprika, and cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray your baking dish with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix all your ingredients, with the milk and eggs being whisked first. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or till the eggs are cooked well. Let the dish stand and cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Low in calories, and delicious, yet full of vitamins and minerals, this dish is ideal for those weekend night dinners.
2. Breakfast Naan Pizza
This delicious recipe will get your kids eating their eggs and veggies in no time while satisfying their pizza cravings. For this recipe, you will need whole-wheat naans, diced onions, capsicums, carrots, or jalapenos, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, homemade pesto or marinara sauce, lemon zest, eggs, salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian herbs. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and coat your baking tray with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, pesto or marinara sauce, lemon zest, and half your spices and seasonings. Spread the mixture evenly over the naan, leaving a little dip in the middle. Scatter the diced vegetables all over the naan, along with the grated parmesan cheese. Crack an egg in the dip in the middle and bake the naan for 8 to 10 minutes, or till it is golden, the egg is set, and the cheese has melted. Garnish with the rest of the seasonings and serve hot and fresh.
3. Dark Chocolate Overnight Oats
Dark chocolate overnight oats are the perfect nutritious and diet food for a craving or a filling, luscious breakfast that will sail you through the day, till a late lunch at the very least. All you need is oats, chia seeds, unsweetened cocoa powder, non-dairy milk of choice, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, honey or pure date palm syrup, and chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips. Combine the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and then divide into jars or cups. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, for a chilled, creamy, and nutritious breakfast.
4. Vegan Chickpea Curry
Vegan chickpea curry is the perfect solution for lactose-intolerants who yearn for a protein-rich, creamy yet dairy-free chickpea preparation. All you need for this preparation are cooking oil of choice, chopped onions, diced bell peppers, sliced zucchini, cleaned chickpeas, coconut milk, curry powder, vegetable broth, and baby spinach. Heat oil in a skillet and cook onion, bell peppers, and zucchini, till the vegetables have started to brown, for 5 minutes or so. Add the chickpeas, vegetable broth, curry powder, and coconut milk to a simmer. Cook on medium and let it simmer till the vegetables are tender, for another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the spinach last, before turning off the heat. Serve with some brown rice for a filling, delicious, yet healthy meal.
5. Tandoori Chicken Salad
This refreshing, crunchy, and nutrient-rich tandoori chicken salad is full of veggies and Indian flavor. For this dish, you need to prepare the chicken first, by marinating it in some yogurt, garam masala, grated ginger, minced garlic, turmeric powder, salt, minced green chili, and olive or sesame oil. Heat a little oil in a large nonstick skillet, add chicken and the marinade, and stir until the chicken is well-cooked yet juicy and the pan juices crackling. Assemble shredded iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, finely chopped scallion, and cilantro leaves in a bowl and toss well. Place the chicken in the salad and pour the pan juices all over it. Squeeze some lemon juice all over it and serve fresh.
Conclusion
Every day is a different battle, some easier, others harder. But that does not mean your taste buds should be deprived of some satisfaction while nourishing your body. Do your meal planning on weekends to have good and wholesome meals to return home after their sports practice. Give these 5 easy recipes featuring delicious and nutritious diet foods a try, your palate and tummy will thank you later.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
