We’ve talked about Can Salad replace Indian Food ? Like in the West, salads are a key accompaniment to any Indian meal. A good appetizer, salads are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

But unlike the West, where fatty dressings of cheese, mayonnaise, alcohol, vinegars, sugars, etc, bring flavour to the bowl, the speciality of Indian salads is that we use low calorie dressings made up of ingredients which are easily available. Lemon, ginger-garlic, coriander, onion, curry leaves, mustard seeds, low fat curd, mint leaves, green chillies, tomatoes, sesame seeds, etc are just a few flavours that add that extra zing to the salad.

Eating a green salad before meals is great for weight loss, as it is fiber-rich and considered negative energy food. (which means a salad contains less calories than it needs for its own digestion.) Some low calorie Indian salads are made up of green vegetables, sprouts, mixed fruit, cracked wheat, etc. They can be eaten as a main course along with soup or buttermilk, or they can accompany a larger meal.

It is always healthier to eat fresh, seasonal produce in a salad. Seasonal fruits and vegetables not only taste better, but also have more nutrients as they have been given time to ripe. Here are some interesting Indian Salad Recipes to try today.

Vegetable Yoghurt Salad

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, chopped

¼ cucumber, chopped

1 spring onion, chopped

½ raddish, chopped

1 cup yoghurt

Pinch of salt

1 dry red chilli, chopped

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Calorie 178 kcal (100 g serving)

Fat 5 g, Carb 23 g, Protein 8 g, Fiber 6 g

ABC (Apple, Broccoli, Cucumber) Salad

Ingredients

1 apple, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

A fistful of boiled lima beans

½ cup broccoli florets, boiled for 1-2 minutes

2 tbsps spring onion whites and greens, chopped

A few orange segments

Chopped coriander

1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tbsp honey or any sweetener of your choice

A few toasted walnuts

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, toss well and serve.

Calories 178 kcal (100 g serving)

Fats 7 g, Carbs 35 g, Protein 8 g, Fiber 11 g

3 P (Peas, Paneer and Peanut) Salad

Ingredients

1 apple, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

A fistful of boiled fresh green peas

1 carrot, grated

¼ cup paneer cubes, sauteed in a teaspoon of oil for 2-3 minutes

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tbsp honey

1½ tbsps coarsely-ground roasted peanuts

Method

Bring the ingredients together in a bow, toss well and serve.

Calories 250 kcal (100 g serving)

Fat 12 g, Carbs 27 g, Protein 10 g, Fiber 13 g

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Written by Pooja Wadhwa

“Eat healthy to stay healthy” is nutritional counsellor Pooja Wadhwa’s motto, and she hopes to nurture the same belief in HealthifyMe users. A post-graduate in Dietetics and Food Service Management from IGNOU and member of the Delhi Dietetics Association, Pooja is a gold medallist diploma holder in Yoga and Naturopathy. Having worked with multi-speciality hospitals like Max and Fortis Healthcare, she has also conducted counselling sessions at health camps organized by Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN). Having first-hand experience of the benefits of adapting a healthier lifestyle – she cured her mother’s bone mineral deficiencies and her own seasonal ailments through dietary changes – she believes that determination, effort and flexibility can make any positive change possible. A healthier diet, and consequently healthier mind, helped Pooja focus on her aspirations and goals. She reckons HealthifyMe users who follow her advice will have the same experience.