Long gone are the days when dieting meant starving yourself. Nowadays it’s all about adopting a healthy lifestyle, one that’s sustainable and doesn’t make you gain 10 pounds as soon as you eat normally again. Believe it or not, there are equally amazing alternatives to French fries, cupcakes, French toast and beef burgers. It really is possible to beat your cheat day mood without actually cheating or eating bland greens only.
Compiled from Afshan Says Rizvi Does, a small business run by a husband-wife duo who are professionally nutritionists and dentists, here are four recipes that you can try at home to satisfy your fried food, sweet tooth or savoury cravings — all within your desired calorie count.
1. Lemon Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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With the dawn of winter, sweet potatoes are the ultimate comfort food and we don’t have to feel bad about eating them anymore. Having the same number of calories as a huge cheesy beef burger, the only difference is that this roasted delicious dish is more fulfilling than fast food. All you need is two medium-sized sweet potatoes, tikka masala, chat masala, chicken broth, a dash of olive oil and extracted lemon juice. You can season it with salt and pepper too as you roast the potato wedges in the oven until they’re golden brown and ready to eat.
Total calories: 300
2. Cucumber Chaska
Have you ever heard of roasted cucumber fries? They’re heavenly! Also, 100gm of French fries (a normal serving) is 350 calories while 100gm of cucumbers is only 15 calories. Apart from that, cucumbers are a great source of vitamins and also aid in fat loss. To make crispy cucumber fries, you have to cut ½ kg cucumbers into slices, and season it with honey, lemon juice, chat masala and biryani masala before you put it in the oven—and don’t deny yourself a dip. To make the perfect dip to go with this, mix chilli sauce, cream and black pepper. Voila!
Total calories: 150
3. Oatmeal Cake
To be honest, if you don’t tell people it’s made of oatmeal and not their usual bakery ones, no one will even know the difference—it’s that good. You need brown sugar, melted butter, two eggs, ¾ cup of flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, one cup of quick-cooking oats, baking soda, water, some chocolate chips and milk. Mix all dry ingredients separately and then add the wet ones and bake like you would a normal cake. Happy sweet tooth day!
Total calories: 120 for an eight-inch oat cake
4. Cap-Slimmer-Cicum Salad
Believe it or not, this one is touted to be a replacement for a paratha roll or shawarma. While a 100gm of capsicum has 112 calories, just a single bite of your standard chicken paratha roll has 115 — now you know your best bet. Take a handful of chopped capsicums, some low-fat mayonnaise, water, lime juice, brown sugar, chilli powder, tomatoes and lettuce. You could also add a hand full of beans or corn to your salad for some crunch. Mix all ingredients and have a healthy day!
Total calories: 190-250 calories (depending on the size of the dressing)
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