Your Healthy Kitchen
Welcome to the new ‘Your Healthy Kitchen’ we’ve been busy working with local people at the heart of our communities to bring you delicious traditional Indian food with all the flavour you know and love, but with a healthy twist. The recipes are easy to follow and have been developed to be cost effective.
Whether you want delicious curries, snacks or light lunches there’s sure to be a recipe for you. Our NHS dietitian has devised a series of fantastic recipes which are altogether healthier for you and your family.
You can view the full range of recipe videos below. You can also download our recipe booklet to refer to when cooking.
Download the NEW recipe booklet!
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Our recipes:
Playlist
We’d like to share some top tips that can be used regularly to help you maintain healthy, balanced meals.
We’ve worked with people at the heart of our communities across Leicester to bring you some healthy tweaks to traditional recipes.
Here are some ideas for quick and easy lunches which are healthy and nutritious.
Paneer is a popular vegetarian option, here we show a simple and quick tasty recipe.
- 70g grated paneer
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons of different chopped vegetables of your choice, including: onions, broccoli, peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, frozen sweetcorn, cauliflower, frozen peas
- Heat the non-stick pan.
- Add the paneer with a variety of
vegetables (at least 2–3 different
coloured vegetables). - Then add the spices to the pan and
cook on a medium heat. - Cook for 4–5 minutes making
Traditionally pawa is made using sugar to add sweetness. In this recipe to provide sweetness in a healthy way we’ve suggested using sultanas (this gives a boost of fibre
and nutrients). You
could also try adding
pomegranates instead.
- 50g pawa (rice flakes) 80g sprouted mung beans
- 40g finely chopped onions
- 40g finely chopped/grated carrots
- 40g sweetcorn (frozen)
- ½ teaspoon crushed green chillies
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon green sultanas (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dry roasted peanuts (optional)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4–5 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Using a sieve rinse the pawa in cold water, stir gently and set aside.
- In a non-stick pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds.
- Once the seeds begin to sizzle add all the vegetables, green chillies, sprouted moong beans and turmeric and stir. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the pawa, (sultanas and roasted peanuts optional) and stir gently. Cover and allow to cook for 2–3 minutes until the pawa puffs up. 5 Turn off the heat and add fresh coriander and lemon juice.
These savoury indian cakes are easy to make and are great as a light meal.
- 220g coarse rice flour
- 1 tablespoon chickpea flour 40g natural low-fat yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed green chillies
- 2 tablespoons of vegetables all chopped finely: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, red peppers
- 1 tablespoon of fresh fenugreek/ methi leaves
- 2 tablespoons frozen vegetables: sweetcorn, peas
- spray oil
- 1–2 pinches of bicarbonate of soda (optional)
- In a large mixing bowl add the rice and chickpea flour with the yoghurt and mix well. Add a small amount of water but keep the mixture thick. Cover and leave to stand for 15–20 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies with a variety of vegetables, at least 2–3 different coloured vegetables and mix. Keep the mixture thick but add some water if needed.
- Prepare the steamer and use 1 spray of oil for the individual moulds.
- Add the bicarbonate of soda to the mixture (optional).
- Pour a spoonful of mixture into each mould, be careful not to over fill.
- Close the lid and steam on a medium heat for 10–12 minutes. Check the idli is cooked by inserting a toothpick or knife into the centre of an idli if it comes out clean it is ready. Leave for a further few minutes if needed.
Traditionally these pancakes are made with flour and spices and no vegetables. We’ve updated the recipe to boost the health benefits by adding a variety of vegetables.
- 80g chickpea flour
- 20g juwar (sorgam) flour
- 20g rice flour
- 20g fine semolina/sorgi (optional)
- 20g oats – optional (roasted and grinded up)
- 40g low fat natural yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon each of crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies (but add according to taste)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ ajwain seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon of coriander or fenugreek/methi leaves
- Pinch of bicarbonate of soda (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional as a topping)
- 2 tablespoons of vegetables (chopped small): spring onions, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage
- 2 tablespoons of grated vegetables: carrots, courgette
- Combine all the flours into a large bowl along with the natural yoghurt and lemon juice and mix.
- Add a small amount of water to make a thick batter.
- Stir in at least 2–3 different coloured vegetables and mix well. You may need to add 2–3 tablespoons of water to the batter if it’s too thick. (Needs to drip off a spoon).
- Add bicarbonate of soda into the mixture (this is optional, but it will make lighter pancakes).
- Next add all the spices and herbs and give the batter a final mix.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan (medium heat). Pour a spoonful of the mixture into the centre of the pan and spread out using the back of the spoon, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top (optional).
- Leave to cook for 1–2 minutes, once you see bubbles forming on the surface, slowly flip it over with a spatula.
- Cook for a further 1–2 minutes, until it is cooked through and is lightly golden brown.
- You can enjoy them on its own or with a chutney or natural low-fat yoghurt.
If you regularly enjoy eating snacks, why not consider some healthier alternatives?
Traditional snacks can often be unhealthily high in fat and salt.
Eating regularly is important to help regulate your appetite, if you don’t eat for long periods of time, you might become overly hungry.
It is best to plan in your healthy snacks,
ideally no more than twice a day.
Jess our NHS dietitian from Leicester creates a mouthwatering chicken curry with a healthy twist
Jess our NHS dietitian cooks up a delicious family meal for four, made just that little bit healthier.
Jess, our dietitian shows you how to make a delicious mung curry with a healthy twist. Use lemons for extra flavour and mung beans that give your diet a protein boost.
Our dietitian Jess show you how to prepare chapatis with no oil or butter but still get that same fluffy texture you enjoy.
The ideal snack for when you’re on the go, or watching a movie at home, this crunch Roasted Chevdo is baked, not fried, but is quicker to make and healthier too! For more recipes.
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