Weight Loss: 5 Yummy Ways To Sneak Veggies In Your Lunch

Let's admit it, no matter how good or bad your day is faring, a good lunch can cheer any one up. According to Ayurveda, your lunch should ideally be the heaviest meal of the day. Now, it is up to you how you choose to make this meal 'heavy'. You can tuck into all things greasy or make a conscious decision of eating healthy and clean. Most diets around the world lay a lot of emphasis on eating vegetables. Vegetables are full of fibres that help amp up your digestion, protect your heart and also aid weight loss. Fibres help to fill you up, since they take a while to digest and hence, prevent you from overeating. Local, seasonal vegetables are also a good source of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that are essential for a healthy lifestyle.

Here's How You Can Sneak In More Veggies In Your Lunch:

1. Vegetable Pasta

Feel like having pasta for lunch? Do not order! Make it at home and use whole wheat pasta. Add fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, black olives, broccoli, corn, bell peppers and onions and give it a good toss. You can also ditch flour to make pasta and use vegetable to make pasta sheets/strips and noodles. Here's how you can transform these veggies into pasta and enjoy your meal guilt-free. 

(Also Read: 11 Best Vegetarian Pasta Recipes | Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes)

^{Weight Loss: Add fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, black olives, broccoli in your pasta}

2. Grilled Veggies 

It is always a good idea to have grilled veggies for lunch or dinner. Whether you are having dal chawal or chicken steak, you can have these veggies on the sides. Go for a number of different veggies for wide range antioxidants. 

(Also Read: Vegetable Or Vegetable Juice: Which Is Healthier?)

^{Weight loss: It is always a good idea to have grilled veggies for lunch or dinner.}

3. Soups

Soups are an ideal addition to any weight loss diet. You use whole veggies in soups, which is why you do not lose their essential fibres. Juices are high on water content that helps fill you up without toppling the calorie count. Here's a delicious recipe of mixed vegetable soup that is sure to please you. 

(Also Read: Weight Loss: This Cabbage Soup Diet Promises To Help You Lose 10 Pounds In A Week)

^{Weight loss: Soups are an ideal addition to any weight loss diet.}

4. Raita

Summers are here and cooling raitas have found a firm place in our afternoons. Raita is a cooling yogurt-based dish. Instead of regular boondis, you can use delicious and refreshing vegetables like cucumber pineapple or lauki in your raita and make it dense with nutrients.

(Also Read: Summer Diet Tips: Try These 2 Healthy Palak Raita Recipes To Beat The Heat)

^{Weight loss: Raita is a cooling yogurt-based dish.}

5. Vegetable Pulaos

Piping hot pulaos are a treat when paired with any curry or gravy, wouldn't you agree! How about making it rich in fibre by adding to it goodness of fresh veggies? Think carrots, peas, corns, zucchini. Here are a few pulao recipes you may enjoy! 

Vegetable Pulao

Tawa Sabz Pulao

Zucchini Methi Pulao

Corn Pulao

(Also Read: Watch Recipe: Jowar Pulao, A Healthier Version Of Regular Rice-Based Pulao)

^{Weight Loss: Piping hot pulaos are a treat when paired with any curry or gravy}

If you have any more ideas to make your lunch enriched with nutrition, do write to us in the comments section below!
 

(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)