With the temperature hitting the roof, it's no doubt turning out to be a dreadful summer. Times like these, it becomes all the more important to mind one's diet and eat light. That's because heavy meals consisting of excessive spices and fats can cause trouble, leading to indigestion or acidity. While you don't really have to starve yourself in the attempt to eat light, you only need to make some smart changes in your everyday diet. When it comes to dinner, it will actually do you good if you follow the common rule of 'no carbs'.
Carbs help in providing energy to your body, which is needed to keep you going through the day. But come nighttime, and you can actually give it a skip and instead include ingredients that are good sources of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. It's really all about changing our habit. Because we are so used to having rice, chapati or breads with our food that we commonly perceive it's impossible to do without carbs. In reality, when you give it a little time, you will actually learn to plan your meals without even thinking of carbs.
To help get you started, here are some ideas:
Refreshing salads
No, we are not talking about a quick toss up of cucumber and tomatoes. Salads can be turned into a complete meal by adding in a whole bunch of seasonal ingredients - leafy greens, herbs, crunchy veggies, nuts, smoked meat, fish chunks and more.
(Also read: 5 Vitamin C Rich Foods To Add To Your Diet)
Baked or grilled fish
Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna. You can take a piece and either bake or grill it, and team it with a side of greens. For some indulgence, pour a flavourful sauce on top. You can actually use different varieties of fish that are easily available in the market.
(Also read: 7 Interesting Ways To Add Yoghurt To Your Summer Diet)
Stir fried greens
This is of course a no brainer. Get hold of a bunch of your favourite veggies and saute them with herbs and spices and indulge!
Tikki chaat
Tikkis are easy to make and delightful flavourful too. Team it with a salad or better still, make a relishing dahi chaat for a light meal. You can include a range of veggies like beetroot, spinach, carrot, beans, cauliflower, raw banana, etc.
Burrata cheese
For those who love cheese, you can indulge a little by adding burrata in your weekly diet plan.
One pot meal
This could be a meat casserole, veggie pie (minus the crust), soup with greens, poke bowls, shakshuka and the like.
Chicken dinner
If you are a non vegetarian, then make yourself a scrumptious chicken steak or a roast chicken with brown sauce. You can even try chicken tikkas and kebabs and have it with hummus.
Rustle up a nutritious meal and beat the heat by eating right.
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