Being a vegetarian, adding quality protein to your diet can be challenging. Mixing it with a low carb meal which provides maximum nutrients is a whole new game all together. In this recipe, we’ve explained how to cut down carbs and add more protein to your dinner meal. Everthing in this recipe is cooked in one skillet, but in stages, to ensure each element keeps it’s integrity in the finished meal.
Composition of an ideal dinner plate
- 1/2 dinner plate should consist of veggies
- Veggies are high in fibre and loaded with vitamins and minerals
- 3 types / categories of veggies
| Leafy and gourd 10-30 calories per serving | Low starch 50-150 calories per serving | Starchy veggies More than 150 calories per serving |
| Spinach | Carrot | Potato |
| Bathua | Cauliflower | Sweet potato |
| Bottle gourd | Tomato | Yam |
| Mustard leaves | French berries | Corn |
| Cucumber | Beetroot | Pumpkin |
- Your dinner must contain high quality protein
- Low fat paneer, legumes, soy beans, lentils etc are good examples
- Third ingredient your dinner must have is complex carbs
- Oats daliya, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth etc are great examples of complex carbs
Ingredients
- 80 g homemade tofu / low fat paneer
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1 capsicum
- 1 tomato
- Some cauliflower
- 3/4 tsp rice flour
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt and spices as per table
- Water as required
Instructions
- Marinate the tofu
- In a small bowl, combine rice flour, black pepper and red chilli
- Also in the same bowl, add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, amchur powder, oregon and salt
- Add 3/4 tsp olive oil, water and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- Mix everything well
- Add the marination to tofu
- Mix gently but thorougly with hands
- Soak the quinoa in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Add three times the quantity of water to the pan
- When the water starts to boil, add the quinoa
- Reduce heat, cover and let it cook for 15-18 minutes
Final preparation
- Chop the veggies into small pieces
- Add tomaotes to a mixer and make puree
- In a pan, add 3/4 tsp olive oil
- Transfer marinated tofu to the pan, add little water
- Cover and let it cook for 5-6 minutes
- Serve it on a plate / bowl
- Add water, cover and let it cook for some more time
- In the same pan, add the tomato puree
- Now add veggies to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Don’t over cook the veggies, they should retain some crunch
- Once done, transfer to the side of tofu
- Serve the cooked quinoa on one side, sprinkle some lemon juice on top
- Serve it warm for dinner
Nutritional facts
- Calorie : 364
- Carbs : 43 g
- Protein : 25 g
- Fat : 11 g