Consistently maintaining a healthy diet is not easy, but there are always neat tricks to make it better. If you’re tired of your usual plain protein salads or rice dishes, try cooking up these easy, delicious and healthy 3-course meal dishes that’ll fit perfectly in your Thermos® Lunch Tote’s three container tubs.
Low-Calorie Diet
Looking to lose a few pounds but worried about the constant feeling of hunger and being unsatisfied? We feel you! Here’s our first 3-course meal that’s packed with high-energy and low-calorie ingredients that will keep your body functioning properly without the hunger pangs.
Beans are your best friend when it comes to diet plans and regulating weight. The fibre and starches in beans help to curb food cravings, are low on calories and high in protein. This recipe is also extremely simple and flavourful as compared to the otherwise boring plain rice. You can choose the beans you like best, or have a variety to address different health benefits.
Salmon with Green Beans and Tomatoes
Photo credit: goodhousekeeping.com
White meat from salmon and cod, for example, are highly nutritious. They come packed with Omega-3 and cook quickly, making it a smart ingredient choice that’ll fit your busy schedule. Add a side of green beans and tomatoes for your daily intake of fibre to complete the dish. Yum!
Photo credit: minimalistbaker.com
Japan’s high life expectancy is credited to the nation’s healthy diet, like miso. Miso is a fermented food and a probiotic, meaning that it contains live, active culture of bacteria that works to better your gut health. Topped with a healthy chunk of soy-based tofu and fibre-rich seaweed, this humble soup makes you feel good on the inside and look good on the outside.
Vegetarian Diet
Eliminating meat from your diet helps the environment and can benefit your overall health too. However, having a vegetarian diet means that you’ll need to include protein-rich food like nuts, beans and legumes as a substitute for meat. Here’s a 3-course menu you can try!
A staple that does not lack in its flavour is garlic butter rice. It’s a great way to jazz things up without anything too fancy. You can even use vegetable stock to cook your rice which will add more flavour to your meal!
Ensuring that you consume as many different varieties of vegetables provides your body with the necessary nutrients needed to fuel your day. This recipe uses 6 different vegetables of broccoli, red pepper, baby corn, bamboo shoot, carrot and purple yam, but you can always add more whenever you feel like it.
Photo credit: cookieandkate.com
Lentils are part of the legumes family and are an excellent source of protein and soluble fibre. If you’re new to the whole vegetarian diet, lentils would be a good starting point to incorporate legumes in your diet as they are less likely to cause gas.
High-Protein Diet
When it comes to a diet that helps to build muscle, high-protein count makes up the main deciding factor when choosing the right ingredients. Chicken breast and white rice are both the most common carbohydrate and protein combo, which is what we’re sticking with - but with a delicious twist.
Photo credit: ontysplate.com
With seasoned white rice, you don’t have to follow the exact said recipe. Be your own boss and season the rice with herbs and spices you like. There’s garlic powder, cayenne for spice, olive oil for a creamier texture, spiced salt and more. Also, white rice comes with essential carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen stores which can fuel your gym session.
Spinach and Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breast
Photo credit: foodnetwork.com
Chicken breast is a staple diet when it comes to building up your body. It’s packed with protein and cooks without any hassle, but the taste can get old fast. This recipe is a great way to change things up with an equally healthy stuffing of spinach (rich in calcium) and mushroom (rich in antioxidants) to make the dish more enjoyable and healthier!
Carrot, white radish and radish are a good source of fibre, calcium and potassium. It’s a simple dish that doesn’t require much preparation or cooking time at all. You can also opt to leave the pork ribs out and use lean meat instead if you’re on a really strict diet.