“A healthy outside starts from the inside” ~ Robert Urich. Good health is closely connected with the food we eat. Nature offers us such a wide variety of foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, dry fruits, etc that we can and should remain healthy forever. Do we take the cue and follow its lead though? Maybe, sometimes. Junk food fills our body with trash and slowly tears it down from within, yet we turn to it for comfort and binge eating.

Wouldn’t blending healthy ingredients and great taste with simple hacks and twists be a win-win for everyone? We could enjoy our favourite dishes without compromising on our nutritional needs. Today we’ll see how traditional recipes can be transformed and enjoyed guilt-free.

Quinoa

Quinoa is typically a seed that is consumed like a grain. It is native to South America and has initiated a healthy foods trend around the world due to its nutritional benefits. Quinoa is a plant food that’s high in protein and contains impressive amounts of nine essential amino acids. Its fiber content is decidedly higher than most grains. It is gluten-free and has a low glycemic index. Quinoa, packed with antioxidants, is the go-to grain for weight-watchers since it reduces appetite and boosts metabolism.

Quinoa is available in three varieties; white, black and red. Soaking/boiling it the right way before consumption is crucial to avoid any bitter taste. You can add it to your breakfast or meal bowls, salads, or make quinoa upma with it too.

Quesadilla

Quesadilla is a Mexican dish that has taken the world by storm. It consists of a pan-fried/ baked tortilla, traditionally made with cornflour, which is filled with cheese, meat, vegetables etc. Full quesadilla has a layer of fillings between two tortillas while in half quesadilla the tortilla is folded into half. The brown crispy crust blended with melted soft cheese makes it one of the best comfort foods.

Quesadilla can be easily made at home and spun up differently. Use multigrain flour for the tortillas, kidney beans or sprouts for fillings or slip in fresh cucumber or tomato slices etc to give it a refreshing crunch and taste. Oh yes, do top it all with cheese. We’ve already established that it’s good!

Quiche

Quiche is a French tart that consists of pastry crust filled with cheese, savoury custard, seafood, vegetables and meat. It is popular for its delectable taste and wonderfully sinful indulgence. How can this be nutritious, you may ask? Foodies might froth at their mouths for this but Quiche can be given a healthy twist as well. The health quotient of any recipe boils down to its ingredients and good choices make everyone happy, don’t they?

You can make pastry crust by mixing different flours like wheat, ragi, or corn to make it healthy. Toppings/fillings are entirely your call. Chop loads of vegetables into it, add eggs in any form and play around with spices and flavours. Also, you can reduce the cheese amount by replacing half of it with white sauce and still keep it creamy. Cool, right?

I’m a food and fitness lover, an odd but truly rewarding combination. If you follow my blog you’ll be aware that I love to ‘healthify’ recipes to suit my fitness goals while keeping my tastebuds satiated. Today’s post has inspired me enough to treat myself to some lip-smacking foods soon. What about you?

This post is part of the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge by Blogchatter

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