If you are looking to lose weight, you must be aware that you cannot do so without tweaking your diet a bit. If your diet has been packed with processed or junk foods, swapping them with nutritious and filling foods may be a way forward. Protein plays an essential role in sustainable weight loss. Eating protein-rich foods ensure that you are feeling full for a longer period of time. If you feel full, chances of you bingeing on sugary or fattening foods are marginally less. Eating in controlled portions may help in weight loss. Furthermore, protein may help regulate hunger hormone ghrelin that helps prevent cravings. Now, if you are thinking almost all weight-loss-friendly foods are usually expensive or are mostly not available in your grocery store; well, you are not entirely wrong but that does not mean that your kitchen pantry is worthless. If you are willing to explore, you would find many everyday ingredients that may help you load up on protein.
Paneer or cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein that you can add to your diet. Did you know 100 grams of paneer contains 11 grams of protein? Paneer is also incredibly versatile. You can make just about anything with paneer; be it salads, pakoras, subzis or wraps.
Here are 11 delicious ways in which you can add paneer to your high-protein lunch.
1. Paneer Bhurji
Crumbly goodness of paneer tossed in a pool of spices. Paneer bhurji is easy to prepare and always a delight to bite into. This recipe is also vrat-friendly since there is no use of onion or garlic.
(Also Read: 6 Excellent Sources of Vegetarian Protein for Your Daily Diet)
2. Paneer and Salsa Tortilla
Mexican tortilla filled with desi and delicious filling of paneer, cumin seeds, garlic, chilli powder, green chillies and more. This filling and sumptuous treat is sure to be a hit even with the most fussiest of eaters.
(Also Read: 4 Homemade Protein Shakes And Salads For Building Muscles And Weight Loss)
3. Spiced Paneer, Channa and Apple Salad
Teeming with varied textures and flavours, this salad is ideal for those who are looking for a mighty fill of protein and fibre. Made with paneer, boiled chickpeas, apple chunks, this salad is sure to find a room in your heart.
4. Ajwaini Paneer Kofta Curry
This vrat-friendly recipe is not only flavourful, but also light and sattvik in nature. You can team the curry with multigrain rotis or brown rice and enjoy a great meal during your fasting days.
5. Kadai Paneer
This one is restaurant-like paneer sabzi that we all love to order while eating out. With this recipe, you can make this decadent dish in your own kitchen and relish it over a lavish lunch meal with your family. Paneer is cooked in hung curd and a range of flavourful spices.
6. Dum Paneer
Make this sabzi if you are in a mood for some creaminess and richness in your meal. This luscious paneer sabzi is made in onion paste and various spices along with some hung curd. Cream is added in the end to make this dish simply irresistible. If you like the classic dum aloo, you'll surely like dum paneer as well.
7. Pyaz Paneer
Those times when your stomach wants to take it easy or you are short of time to prepare something lavish, this recipe is perfect. It uses just 2 ingredients - paneer and onions – cooked with a handful of spices. It is easy to make and tastes delicious; a perfect protein-rich paneer dish for a lazy afternoon.
8. Spaghetti with Cottage Cheese
Craving Italian? Go for this spaghetti pasta coupled with a tangy tomato sauce and creamy and crunchy cottage cheese balls. The addition of basil leaves and a hint of herb flavour. The whole dish makes for a great refreshing lunch that will let you get away from the regular roti sabzi that you have every day and try this Italian dish at home without having to order in.
Also Read: Indian Cooking Tips: How To Make Gujarati-Style High-Protein Dal Handvo On Gas Stove (Watch Video)
High Protein Diet: This spaghetti with cottage cheese balls is perfect for a different kind of lunch.
9. Kashmiri Paneer
This can be your go-to recipe for all those times when guests are coming over for lunch. Deep fried chunks of paneer are dunked in milk based gravy with loads of khada masalas. This milky, creamy dish can be made in just 20 minutes, so no need to slog it out in the kitchen. In fact you can make this delicious sabzi any time you feel like having something different for lunch.
10. Lettuce Wrapped Cottage Cheese
This one is another unique and different dish when you are not in the mood or ordinary. Again, this is a perfect dish to make for your discerning guests to make a great impression. A rich mixture of cottage cheese couples with yellow and red bell peppers, and peanuts. Wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves, this Thai paneer dish is perfect to spice up balmy afternoons.
11. Paneer Makhani
This classic makahni paneer has soft and succulent and paneer cubes cooked in spicy, tangy tomato gravy. Oodles of butter and milk cream liven up the dish, which can be paired with roti, naan, rice or paratha. This dish is perfect if a boring lunch is not your thing. Paneer Makhani should definitely be in your special lunch menu.
The tasty and decadent paneer on your plate is the tastiest way to add nutrition, not to forget the much needed protein, to your meal to fuel in some energy and pump up your senses. These meals are satiating and will keep your tummy full for a long time.
Try these yummy recipes and let us know which ones you liked the best in the comments section below.