Low Fat Dinner Recipes That Are Easy To Make

In recent times, obesity has become a common issue among people of all ages. One of the most important factor for this is consumption of high fat foods. Fat is a component that lends taste to the food we eat, and it is necessary to consume fats in a moderate proportion. It is said that fats get processed in the body to provide us energy, necessary in our everyday activities. So, avoiding fat intake completely is also not advisable. It is recommended that taking up a low fat diet would provide us with essential fat intake, and also avoid the accumulation of excess fat in the body.

One should follow a low fat diet in every meal of the day, especially dinner. It is said that dinner should be a light meal and at the same time healthy. Consuming high quantity of fats during dinner may lead to storage of unwanted fats in the body as we do not indulge in any kind of physical exercises after dinner.

A healthy dinner should include a lot of vegetables, fibrous foods and fruits. Many people think that low fat dishes would taste very bland. But, now there are various ways to prepare mouth-watering dishes which have low fat content.

While cooking a low fat dinner, ingredients containing fat should either be added in less quantities or it should be substituted with something healthier. Instead of oil, low-fat sour cream can be used for cooking. It can also be substituted with jam or fruit for marinating chicken or fish. One should also avoid fried food stuffs and prefer food prepared by boiling, baking or steaming. Butter can be replaced by omega-3, low fat margarine or spices, to make a dish that is low in fat.

Let us look at some low fat dinner recipes that are easy to make and yummy to taste.

Low-Fat Spicy Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green or red chilies
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
• 12 ounces fresh basil leaves
• Basil sprigs

Preparation

Cut the chicken breasts and onions into ¼ inch thick slices. Peel the ginger and cut them into small pieces and chop the green or red chilies into long and thin slices. Take a bowl and mix brown sugar and soy sauce. Add chicken slices to it and let it marinate for 5-7 minutes. Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and when it turns hot, put in the marinated chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes in low heat (stir frequently) and when the chicken turns slightly brown, take it out and keep aside. In the same pan, fry onions in the remaining marinade for 3-4 minutes, and add garlic, ginger and chilies. Stir for a minute and put the cooked chicken into it. Cover the pan and let it cook well. Top it with basil leaves and basil sprigs.

Low fat Rice-Kidney Bean Dish

Ingredients

• 400 grams kidney beans
• 200 grams uncooked rice
• 1 green pepper
• 4 tablespoons tomato puree
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt- as per taste
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1-2 green or red chilies

Preparation

Wash the kidney beans, and drain the liquid in a container and keep it aside. Chop onion, garlic, pepper and chilies into small pieces. In a large cooking pan, heat olive oil and add these ingredients into it. Put in cumin powder and salt, and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes in low heat. Add rice and beans into it and mix all the ingredients. Add the liquid of the kidney beans, along with water, as required for the rice to cook fully. Cover the sauce pan and let it cook for 50-55 minutes on low heat. Before taking it from the heat, check whether all the water is drained. Transfer it into a bowl and serve hot.

Controlling the intake of fat is necessary, because consuming foods that are high in fats can lead to ailments of the heart and arteries. A dinner comprising dishes made of low fat, is a method of maintaining a healthy body in a delicious way.