Eating out has become really tough if you are following a healthy
diet. Choosing what’s good for you and not is really frustrating when it comes
to North Indian food. While dining out with your family or friends you don’t enjoy
the quality time you need to. Your main priority at that moment is to have fun,
enjoy with your loved ones rather than being grumpy about your diet which isn’t
a bad thing, but it should be to a point where your closed ones don’t feel bad
about your behaviour.
By simply changing a few eating habits and not giving up on
your favourite meals you can make a big difference to your diet while eating
out. It doesn’t matter if you are following a calorie surplus/deficit diet,
there are a few points you need to keep in mind while dining out first.
- Portion: If a specific cuisine is slightly better or healthier than the other it doesn’t mean you need to overeat it. Know the importance of portion size. Eat half or share your meal with others.
- Salads: Always have a bowl of salads with your food. It can help you feel fuller, eat less with other health benefits.
- Avoid aerated drinks: Drink more water or simple lime water and avoid those aerated drinks, mocktails, cocktails, juices etc.
- No Desserts: Just say “NO” to desserts. Avoid them at any costs. Unless you are with a stubborn group, just have a “SMALL” bite it won’t be the end of the world for you.
- Restaurant: The most important thing is to choose the place where you dine. Now, that doesn’t mean you need to always dine at the most expensive restaurants in your city. A street side Dhaba is more hygienic at times as compared to the expensive one. Be smart, choose wisely.
So here's listing below a few basic North Indian cuisines you
can substitute with a much better option.
1. Dal Makhani
The traditional dal makhani is must in every North Indian veg
thali. Creamy, buttery and the smooth texture dal is something really hard to
resist.
Swap with: Dal Fry/Tadka is a much better
option as compared to dal makhani. It’s
much lower in calories and doesn’t have that extra buttery texture. And a good
simple bowl of Dal is definitely a better option as compared to the latter.
2. Chole Bhature
Chickpeas- black or white are a really healthy option to
include in your diet. But, the ones you get at the restaurants are mostly the unhealthiest
ones. Overcooked, extra spicy and it loses all its nutritional value. Bhature
on the other hand the less said the better. The healthiest option you will ever
come across.
Swap with: Chole Rice and Rajma Rice
Chole with rice is a slightly better option than chole with Bhature,
as it balances it to a certain extent. You can avoid chole and
go for Rajma rice. Yes, it’s overcooked too but much better than
Chole.
3. Butter Chicken
One of the most favourite non-vegetarian Mughlai Cuisine.
The savoury dish has a rich history which is simply irreplaceable.
Swap with: Grilled Chicken, Chicken/Mutton Stew and Paya
(Winter Spl)
Stew is basically your boiled chicken cooked in minimal
spice is a low in calorie dish as compared to Butter Chicken. Paya or the Bone
Broth is a winter special dish served in most part of North India, basically a
soup bowl with spices and trotters of lamb/goat. It’s a really healthy dish you
should be binging this season.
4. Paneer
Before anyone gets mad, you don't need to avoid paneer completely just few paneer cuisines.It’s almost impossible especially if you’re a vegetarian to
avoid paneer while eating out. If you look at any menu you see a wide range of
delectable range of exotic paneer cuisines. From Shahi Paneer, Kadhai Paneer,
Labadar Paneer, Adraki Paneer and many more. These are the most unhealthiest food you need to avoid right away.
Swap with: Paneer Tikka, Palak Paneer and Sarso Ka
Saag(Winter Spl)
Looking for something dry go for Paneer Tikka. Marinated
with minimal spice and grilled with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. Palak
Paneer is the much better option than the other paneer gravies. Mostly served a
bit dry the flavours are well balanced and it doesn’t have that extra layer of
cream or oily texture. The best alternative you can get this winter is Sarson Ka
Saag. Made with varied mixed leafy greens, it’s the best option for winters. Just
avoid the extra butter; it’s a much healthier option.
5. Indian Breads
Kulchas, Naans, Tandooris, Roomalis and various Paranthas,
North India has a wide range of breads to choose from. The base of all the
breads is maida, which is not healthy at all.
Swap with: Tawa Roti, Makke Ki Roti or Rice
Go for a simple Tawa Roti with no extra butter just plain
rotis. You can also opt for Makke Ki Roti a winter spl. Or just go with simple plain steamed rice,
just keep the portion in check.
It's not a rocket science as you can see. Just a few adjustments here and there and you are ready to have a good time.
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