A Guide on Preparing Low Calorie Recipes Using Olive Oil

There is increasing amount of emphasis on preparing low calorie recipes. More people are becoming health conscious and realize how important it is to choose healthier cooking oils and reduce their calorie intake. The increased use of olive pomace oil is also an effort in this direction.
Here are 3 healthy recipes that contain low calories and make perfect options for your family and guests.

1. Carrot Methi Subzi

This low-calorie recipe goes beyond and is also an excellent dish for those suffering from diabetes. You can prepare it using the following ingredients:

• Carrots
• Fenugreek or methi leaves
• Cumin seeds or jeera
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Green chillies
• Onions
• Garlic
• Haldi or turmeric powder
• Dhania or coriander powder

Heat olive pomace oil in a non-stick pan and add the jeera. Once the jeera starts crackling, add onions and cook on medium heat for up to a minute. Add the garlic and green chillies, mix, and sauté on medium heat for just half a minute. Add the methi leaves, dhania powder, and haldi to mix and then cook on medium heat for up to a minute. Keep stirring and then add carrots, water, and salt. Keep stirring and cooking for up to 7 minutes.

2. Dahi Chana 
Dahi chana is both nutritious and gratifying. It is one of those healthy recipes that will give you the sensation of being full and will leave you feeling energized for hours. You can prepare it using the following recipes:

•  Soaked brown chick peas or kala chana
• Jeera or cumin seeds
• Tejpatta or bayleaves
• Rai or mustard seeds
• Hing or asafetida
• Dry kashmiri red chillies
• Chilli powder
• Ginger-green chilli paste
• Dahi or curd
• Haldi or turmeric powder
• Dhania or coriander leaves
• Bengal gram flour or besan
• Salt
• Olive oil

The preparation method is simple. Start by heating the olive oil in a pressure cooker and add the rai, jeera, tejpatta, asafetida, and chillies. Once the seeds start crackling, add the ginger-chilli paste, kala chana, haldi, salt, chilli powder, and water. Let it cook in the pressure cooker for a few minutes to let the chana cook. Mix the gram flour and dahi and add to the pressure cooker’s ingredients. Let it boil and then simmer for up to 5 minutes and the recipe will be ready.

3. Kadhai Tofu
Kadhai tofu shouldn't need to have high calories. You can enjoy this delicious recipe in this low-calorie version using the following ingredients:

•  Ginger-garlic paste
• Turmeric powder
• Olive oil
• Garam masala
• Fresh tomato puree
• Onions
• Chilli powder
• Capsicum
• Coriander cumin seeds powder
• Methi
• Salt
• Sugar
• Tofu
• Low-fat cream
• Dhania

Cut the tofu into thick strips. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and add the ginger and garlic paste. Add onions to sauté until the onions are light brown. Add the haldi powder, chilli powder, dhania-jeera powder, fenugreek leaves, and garam masala to cook for a couple of minutes. Then add tomato puree and water and let it simmer for up to 10 minutes before adding tofu, capsicum, salt, cream, sugar, and a little more water. Let it then cook for 5 minutes before this low-calorie recipe is ready. The dhania can be used to garnish the recipe.

These 3 recipes are easy for anyone to prepare. Make sure to use olive oil because it is a healthy oil for cooking compared to almost any other alternative.

Read More