One quick scroll through Shilpa Shetty’s Instagram and YouTube feed will inspire you to pull your socks up and kickstart your fitness and wellness journey. Apart from her effective workout sessions, the actress also frequently shares her favourite salad recipes that can be easily replicated at home, on her YouTube channel.
If you’re on a weight loss journey and looking for some protein-packed, delicious salad recipes, look no further. Here are three super quick concoctions straight from Shetty’s kitchen.
Vegan Thai Salad
For this healthy vegan salad, all you’ll need is sauteed tofu and a good mix of vegetables. Thanks to the presence of peanut butter, greens and tofu, this salad is packed with protein, fibre and vitamins to keep you satiated for a long time.
Ingredients
150 grams Tofu
1 tablespoon Rice Powder
Sea salt, Black Pepper (as per taste)
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 Spring Onions
1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
Chopped Garlic
Baby Spinach
1 deseeded Red Chilli
½ cup diced Capsicums and Carrots
¼ cup Green Peas
For the salad dressing
1 tablespoon Peanut Butter, unsalted, unsweetened
½ teaspoon Ginger Paste
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Soya Sauce
½ teaspoon Rice Vinegar
½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
Black Pepper and Sea Salt (as per taste)
1 tablespoon Coriander leaves, chopped
4-5 leaves of Lettuce
Method
- Place the tofu pieces in a bowl and dust them with some rice powder, pepper and salt, and mix till every piece is coated well.
- Heat a pan, add some sesame oil and shallow fry the tofu bites until they are golden brown. Place the tofu pieces on a paper towel and dab them with it so that the excess oil is absorbed.
- In the same pan, take some more sesame oil and add in the chopped spring onions. Then, stir in the ginger paste, chopped garlic and red chilli and cook it down for a few minutes.
- Add in all the veggies and stir fry them, and finish off with a bit of baby spinach.
- Once everything is nicely cooked, take the pan off the heat and keep it aside.
- In a bowl, take some unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter, ginger paste, maple syrup, tamari sauce or soya sauce and whisk it all together.
- Then, pour in the coconut milk and mix well. Add in the rice vinegar, lemon juice, some chilli, pepper and salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Finish off with a bit of chopped coriander and your salad dressing is done!
- Next, begin assembling the gorgeous salad with a few roughly chopped Romaine lettuce leaves. Add in the stir fried veggies and tofu and mix well.
- Drizzle your salad dressing and some toasted sesame seeds onto the mixture and voila!
Beetroot and Rocket Salad
The hero ingredient in this recipe is beetroot, which is great for combatting digestion issues. Similar to the peanut salad, you don’t need to cook much here, except caramelising some walnuts in coconut sugar. This healthy and quick salad is also high in fibre and vitamins, and is ideal if you’re looking for a boost of energy during a hectic work day.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Coconut Sugar
4-5 Walnuts
20 gms Rocket Leaves
1 boiled Beetroot
2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
½ Balsamic Vinegar
10 gms Goat Cheese
Pepper and Salt (as per taste)
Method
- Start with adding some coconut sugar to a hot pan and letting it caramelise and melt.
- Throw in some walnuts and stir until they’re fully coated in the delicious caramel, and then take it off the flame.
- In a bowl, take some chilled rocket leaves and roughly tear them up with your hands.
- Add in the diced boiled beetroot, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and toss the salad together.
- Scrunch some black pepper, sea salt and mix it in.
- Next, add some roughly crumbled goat cheese and the caramelised walnuts and toss it all together one more time. Serve the colourful salad on a plate and enjoy!
Fruit & Nut Chia Salad
The best part about this fruity salad is that it can be both a nutritious, pick-me-up evening snack and something to satiate your sweet tooth. If you struggle with finding kiwis and figs, switch them with any other two seasonal fruits that you love and enjoy this salad as a chilled dessert. Additionally, chia seeds are loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids, fibre, proteins and antioxidants, and also help in stabilising high blood pressure.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Jaggery Powder
Handful of half cut Almonds & Pistachios
1 cup chilled Milk
3 tablespoons Chia Seeds
2 tablespoons Honey
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
Papayas, Kiwis, fresh Figs, Pomegranate Seeds (as per taste)
Method
- First, start preparing your nut brittle for that delicious, crunchy texture in your salad. Heat a non-stick pan and add jaggery powder and some water to it.
- Allow the mixture to caramelise before throwing in the chopped nuts. Once the nuts are nicely coated, turn off the stove and let the mixture rest.
- Take some chilled coconut milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla essence and cinnamon powder, and mix it all in a bowl.
- Let this mixture soak overnight in the fridge to get the best out of those nutrient-packed chia seeds.
- Then, start assembling your salad dessert in a mason jar in scrumptious layers. First, add some chopped papaya and top it off with the chia seed mixture.
- For the next layer, drop in the cut kiwis and another glug of the coconut chia liquid.
- Repeat the same steps with fresh fig pieces and bananas and finish off with your last layer of the chia mixture.
- Garnish this quasi-dessert with a few pomegranate seeds and the crunchy, caramelised nut brittle, and you’re good to go!
