The start to a healthy appetite is to have a hearty appetite. And nothing beats a nourishing home-cooked meal that gives you all the nutrients your body needs. Here are six lip-smacking dishes that you can easily cook and store in a Thermos® Food Jar or Lunch Tote for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.
Stir-frying is a quick and healthy cooking technique that preserves nutrients without loading on the oil. This method of cooking allows your food to remain fresh and on top of that, lets you cook in bulk. The dish’s two main ingredients – shrimp and asparagus – are protein-rich, low in calories, and contain vitamins that help fight radical damage and keeps your nerves and red blood cells healthy. Just the asparagus itself has an anti-aging property that helps our brains fight cognitive decline, and also aids our body rid excess salts. Click here for the recipe!
2. Cold Soba Salad with Dried Shiitake Dressing
Image credit: Food&Wine
Hungry and looking for a quick instant-noodle fix? Don’t. Instead, opt for a healthier alternative – soba. The buckwheat noodles not only boast a good source of nutrients like protein, fiber and iron, it is gluten-free and has far less calories than pasta or instant noodles. What’s more, the shredded carrots in this dish also help reduce cholesterol, improve your vision, and the health of your skin. Check out this recipe from Food&Wine.
3. Korean Sushi Rolls with Walnut-Edamame Crumble
Image credit: Food&Wine
Walnut and edamame in a sushi? Yes, you read it right. Inspired by a dish served in a temple in South Korea, Chef David Chang created this sushi dish that interestingly, can be served warm. And there are even more reasons to love this dish: edamame can help us reduce insulin resistance, kidney damage, and bad cholesterol (but increase the good ones). Walnuts are not only a good snack, it also helps with weight control (by increasing satiety) and improves reproductive health in men. Find out more from this recipe.
4. Thai Shrimp and Chicken Soup
The good thing about this dish is that it requires practically no preparation time in your cooking time. In addition, the power ingredients, such as fish sauce, is a low-sodium solution, which means it’s a healthier choice to get your savoury fix (because salt makes everything taste better, right?). And a total of just 262 calories? It’s perfect for those watching their weight. Here's how to cook it.
Image credit: EatingWell
Vegetarian dishes may not necessarily be the healthiest, but this one is. The tikka masala recipe boasts ingredients that are high in calcium and low in calories, letting you enjoy a delicious and flavourful meal without the guilt. Pair the crisp tofu pieces and vegetables with brown rice and you’ll get all the good carbs and fiber you need. Check out the recipe from EatingWell.
6. Sweet Corn and Chicken Soup
If you are craving for something soupy and nutritious, opt for an appetising bowl of Sweet Corn and Chicken Soup. Chicken stock helps fight infections such as colds and flu, and is recommended for those experiencing pain and inflammation in the joints (it helps to stimulate the growth of new collagen and repair damage). Sweet corn is often mistaken as having more calories and sugar, but in fact, it has the same amount of calories as an apple with significantly less sugar! Check out the recipe over here.
