Deliciously nutritious meals

Healthy eating need not be bland. If you know the tips and tricks of smart cooking, you can instantly add zing to your healthy food. Try these simple easy-to-make recipes and eat nutritious meals all-week long.

Pumpkin Ravioli
A healthy take on pasta that’s not only quick to make but delicious as well.
Ingredients
• 250g pumpkin cut into chunks
• 2 teaspoons of mixed herbs (parsley/oregano)
• Salt and pepper as per taste
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2-3 whole wheat lasagna sheets
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Place the pumpkin on a greased baking tray, roast at 180C for 10 minutes.
Turn from time to time till soft.
Cool, mash and season with herbs, salt and pepper, and add crushed garlic. Mix well and keep aside.
Take the lasagna sheets, place the pumpkin mixture in the centre and join corners like a triangle, use beaten eggs to brush the sides and secure the sheets from opening up.
Cook in a steamer for 15 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.
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Avocado Lime Soup
Creamy and velvety avocado soup with a dash of lime has wellness and taste written all over.
Ingredients
• 2 ripe avocados
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cream (low fat)
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder or cayenne pepper
• 6 lemon slices (small for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
Preparation
Peel and stone avocado.
Reserve wedge for garnishing, brush it with some lemon juice and wrap and chill.
Chop the remaining avocado and purée it with the stock in a blender.
Mix with lemon juice, cream and seasoning, chilli powder, to taste.
Cover and chill the soup for 2 hours.
Do not keep the soup longer as it will darken.
Finely slice the reserved avocado.
Serve the soup warm, garnished with lemon slices, avocado slices and chopped chives.
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Quick Zucchini Salad
A colourful and comforting salad that’s made in a jiffy which you can munch to your heart’s content.
Ingredients
• 1 zucchini cut into cubes and seasoned with salt to taste
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 celery sticks (cut in small pieces)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon honey
Preparation
Take a mixing bowl and add zucchini, tomatoes, and celery sticks.
Toss with dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and honey.
Mix well and serve chilled.
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Aloo Banana Chaat
Aloo chaat with a healthy twist of sweet potatoes and bananas is just the right dish for you when you crave something tangy.
Ingredients
• 2 large sized potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 1 large sized sweet potato, boiled and peeled
• 1 large banana
• 1 and half tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 inch piece ginger cut into juliennes
Preparation
Cut potatoes and sweet potatoes into 1 inch sized cubes.
Peel and cut banana into 1 inch sized pieces.
In a mixing bowl, add potatoes, sweet potato and bananas.
Add lemon juice, tamarind pulp, green chillies, chaat masala, salt and coriander leaves and toss lightly.
Serve garnished with ginger juliennes.

Oneza Tabish is a food blogger, consultant, and columnist based in Oman. She is also the owner of Oman’s popular Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman.’