A Delicious Alternative: 5 Recipes for Better Nutrition

Eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to be unpalatable and bland. Rather, healthy meals should be delicious, colorful, and full of savory nutrients. Meals composed of fruits and vegetables can serve as healthy substitutes for the fatty comfort food that most people crave. In this article, we give you five recipes to achieve tasty alternatives that can replace your regular meals. These meals are easy to make and the recipes contain staple vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices that you can easily find in a grocery store.

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1. Colorful Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients (Serves: 2)

½ cup capsicum, deseeded and chopped

1 small red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

1 medium red tomato, chopped

1¼ cup whole wheat pasta of your choice, cooked as per package instructions

¼ cup sweet corn kernels

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon cottage cheese, grated

¼ cup carrot, peeled and grated

½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan and cook the onion until it is pink in color.
• Stir in tomatoes and garlic and cook the vegetables for about two minutes.
• Stir in corn kernels, capsicum and cook it for about a minute.
• Add carrot, salt, and black pepper to the vegetable and stir it well.
• Add the cooked pasta to the pan and cook everything covered for about
•  two minutes.
• Add basil leaves and give the pasta a nice stir.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

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Nutritional information (per serve): 277 calories, Total fat 5.4g (Saturated Fat 0.6g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.4g), Cholesterol 0.6mg, Sodium 344.8mg, Potassium 555.5mg, Total Carbohydrate 49.4g (Dietary Fiber 6.9g, Sugars 6.3g), Protein 9.1g.

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2. Chicken Cabbage Cups

Ingredients (Serves: 4)

1 small capsicum, deseeded and chopped

½ cup cucumber, chopped

1½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon black pepper powder

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

½ small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

½ cup carrot, peeled and chopped

4 whole cabbage leaves

½ cup skinless and boneless chicken, cut into small cubes

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

1 small red tomato, chopped

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan and cook chicken in it until it is completely translucent.
• Add a pinch of salt and black pepper powder each to the chicken and cook it some more until the chicken turns light brown.
• Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook them along with the chicken
•  until the onion is slightly pink.
• Turn off the heat and keep it aside.
• Place the cabbage leaves individually on a platter.
• Arrange carrot, cucumber, tomato, and capsicum into the cabbage cups.
• Now put the cooked chicken into the cabbage cups.
• Whisk lemon juice with the remaining salt and black pepper powder and drizzle it lightly over the cabbage cups.
• Serve and enjoy!

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Nutritional information (per serve): 39 calories, Total fat 0.9g (Saturated Fat 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g), Cholesterol 8.1mg, Sodium 182.8mg, Potassium 153.3mg, Total Carbohydrate 5.1g (Dietary Fiber 1.2g, Sugars 2.3g), Protein 3.7g.

3. Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Meal Bowl

Ingredients (Serves: 2)

½ cup boneless and skinless chicken, small cubes

¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

½ small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

¼ cup green beans, thinly sliced

¼ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

1 small tomato, finely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ cup sweet corn kernels

Directions

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan and sauté chicken in it until it is no longer pink in color.
• Remove the chicken to a separate bowl and keep it aside.
• Add onion to the same pan and cook it until it turns translucent.
• Stir in garlic and tomatoes in the pan and cook it for about a minute.
• Add sweet corn, green beans, red bell pepper, and cook everything covered for about two minutes.
• Season the vegetable mixture with salt and black pepper and mix it well.
• Add the cooked chicken to the vegetable mixture and stir it all well for about a minute.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

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Nutritional information (per serve): 73 calories, Total fat 1.8g (Saturated Fat 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat 1g), Cholesterol 16.3mg, Sodium 341.2mg, Potassium 159.6mg, Total Carbohydrate 8.5g (Dietary Fiber 1.6g, Sugars 3g), Protein 7.2g.

4. Cucumber and Mango Salad

Ingredients (Serves 6)

3 large cucumbers, wash, leave the skin on, cut 2-inch slices, quartered

(chunks)

2 large ripe mangos, cut into chunks

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

½ red bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced

½ yellow bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced

½ orange bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced

Directions

• Combine cucumbers, mangos, and peppers into a large bowl. 
• Toss basil into a salad. 
• Blend the oil and vinegar and season to taste with light salt and pepper. 
• Pour over cucumbers and mangoes and gently stir in.
• Can be eaten cold or at room temperature.

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5. Vermicelli Sesame Oriental Vegetable Wraps

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 green onion, chopped

4 oz. vermicelli or capellini, broken into thirds

4 10-inch flour tortillas

3/4 tsp minced ginger root

¼ cup sliced carrots

2 tbsp light mayonnaise

4 tsp soya sauce

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp sesame oil

1½ tsp honey

1 tsp minced garlic

1/3 cup chopped red or green peppers

1/2 cup halved snow peas

1/3 cup sliced baby corn cobs

Directions

• In a food processor, combine mayonnaise, soya sauce, water, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger. Process until smooth and set aside.
• Boil or steam carrots and snow peas until tender-crisp; rinse with cold water, drain, and put into a bowl. Add baby corn, peppers, cilantro, and green onion.
• In a large pot of boiling water, cook vermicelli until tender but firm.
• Drain and add to the bowl.
• Add sauce; toss all ingredients until well mixed.
• Divide pasta mixture between tortillas. 
• Fold each tortilla into a packet by folding the bottom edge over the filling, then sides, then top, to enclose the filling completely.

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