Recently one of my relatives was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a surgery for it. Doctors recommended a high protein diet post-surgery for few days. As she is a vegetarian, she was confused about the good protein vegetarian sources. I spoke to her and cleared her misconception that only non-veg foods are a good source of proteins and gave her a list of high protein vegetarian foods.

Actually, when it comes to many essential vitamins and minerals, people think that vegetarians need extra supplementation as the food lacks it. But the truth is that except few vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B, iron and zinc, the vegetarian diet has everything in it.  But it’s important to know what to eat and what not. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal foods, so its deficiency is common in Vegetarians or vegans.

Now there is a difference between going vegan and just being a vegetarian. Going vegan means leaving milk and milk products too. So, in that case, another mineral which you need from fruits and vegetables is calcium. Make sure you include vegetables like Broccoli, band and lentils, dry fruits like almonds and green leafy vegetables. It’s important that you eat a wholesome diet and keep it well balanced with enough fruits and vegetables

It is a myth that vegetarians can’t get enough nutrients. #Food Click To Tweet

Another very important point to keep in mind is how you make sure that your body absorbs all the proteins from your diet. You cannot expect just food to help you. A healthy lifestyle is important to assimilate all the nutrients. Make sure you exercise regularly and also get a good night sleep.

Healthy chana dal vada recipe – 

Now I am sharing a recipe which is made purely of a lentil and is a good source of proteins.

Healthy chana dal vada recipe – Chana dal is also called brown chickpeas that have been polished. Its high in fiber, and as it has a low glycaemic index, it’s good for people with diabetes. It’s also a good source of zinc, calcium, and proteins. My daughters love this recipe and it makes me happy too as it is rich in proteins. So, you can give this in your kid’s snack box too.

Recipe – 

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Healthy chana dal vada recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Chana dal vada is a protein-rich snack recipe. These are easy to make, healthy, yummy and nutritious too.
Ingredients
  • Channa dal or Bengal gram dal – 1 cup, soaked for 4-5 hours in the water
  • Onions – 1 medium (chopped)
  • Green chilies – few (according to taste)
  • Asafoetida or Hing – a pinch
  • Ginger - 2-inch piece
  • Garlic – 5-6 cloves
  • Coriander leaves – chopped, few
  • Salt – according to taste
  • Cinnamon stick – 1(small)
  • Oil – for deep-frying
Instructions
  1. First of all, soak the dal in enough water for at least 4-5 hours.
  2. Now, drain the water and add the soaked dal, ginger, garlic, green chillies, cinnamon stick in the grinder and grind to a smooth mixture using very little water.
  3. Take it out in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients to it. Mix it well.
  4. Next step is to start frying. Heat oil to deep-fry the vadas.
  5. First, divide the mixture into equal portions and flatten out on the palm of your hand to give them round shape.
  6. Fry them on low to medium heat. Cook nicely from both the sides.
  7. Fry them till they turn golden brown. Drain the vadas and remove them onto a paper towel.
  8. Crispy channa dal vada is ready. Serve hot with chutney of your choice. Enjoy!
  9. Preparation time – 6 hours (including soaking time)
  10. Cooking time – 10 minutes
Notes
Soak the dal for atleast 4-5 hours or you can soak it overnight for best results. Serve it with any chutney of your choice and it tastes best when hot.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 Calories: 200 (depending on size of vada)

This chana dal vada recipe tastes best with homemade tomato chutney. I have a detailed recipe for tomato chutney here. 

To see all my healthy recipes and nutrition-related posts, you can see the Nutrition section of our blog.

 

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