Being a hardcore foodie has its own perks and drawbacks. The perks mostly revolve around self-satisfaction and hunger but the drawbacks revolve around one main component: health. 
Eating the wrong kind of food in excessive amounts can affect your cholesterol levels, your heart and your weight. The first thing that a person with an obese build is advised is to work out and exercise, while that is exactly that one should do, one should also look after their food and calorie intake. 
Now, looking after the food intake DOES NOT mean that you stop eating food completely, but it means to control your diet by consuming low calorie food that can in turn help control the weight and give your body a healthier look. Here’s a list of low calorie traditional and desi dishes that you can easily make at home to start your journey towards a healthier lifestyle:

BHINDI 
Bhindi, also known as Ladyfinger or Okra is a green vegetable, that is fried and then cooked in spices of your own choosing and can be paired with brown bread or rice. This is a traditional Indian sub-continent dish, which has forever been known to be consumed by people who eat healthy.

LAUKI PALAK
A combination of bottle gourd and spinach cooked in delicious traditional spices and paired with brown bread could be the perfect dish for a healthy lunch or dinner. This dish is loaded with fiber and iron. Spinach being the healthiest green vegetable reduces the chances of cancer and asthma and manages diabetes. Follow this recipe to make this spicy and nutritious dish.

                            
DEGHI ROAST
Dinner parties have been known to serve food with extra calories, you can change that by hosting a dinner with healthy food and make a whole chicken using the traditional spices and methods to make this delicious Deghi Roast, which is also very famously known as Nawabi Chargha. Follow our recipe to impress your guests with this spicy yet healthy Deghi Roast.
                            
GARDEN SALAD CUPS
Even while maintaining a healthy diet, there’s a need of an appetizer before you get to the main course, especially if you’re hosting a dinner party. Presented in little cabbage cups, this delightful and extremely nutritious appetizer will lighten up your dinner table and mood, make you look forward to the main course. Follow our recipe to make these green salad cups.

                             
ACHAARI DAAL
If you think your diet has been boring and flavorless and that you’re close to giving up on it, wait.
We have a tasty, filling dish for you that will keep your diet and appetite on track. This delicious Achaari daal, is a step up from normal daal and is full of tangy pickled flavors. Follow our recipe and spice up your next dinner by making this finger licking Achaari Daal.
                          
DAAL BHARAY KARELAY
Daal bharay karelay also known as lentil stuffed bitter gourd, is a variation dish similar to qeema bharay karelay. It is scrumptious and delicious. Bitter gourd is a difficult vegetable to work with not everyone can eat it or are successful in cleaning the bitter taste from it. This dish is especially made for vegans. It can be served with raita, flavored cumin yogurt and brown bread. Follow our recipe to make this delicious side-dish.
                       
HUMMUS
This tasty and healthy dish is of Middle Eastern origin, and is made from blended chickpeas, tahini paste, olive oil and lemon juice. This dish goes as far as back as 13th century, and is widely popular across cultures. Serve with pita bread, tortilla chips, or your favorite crunchy snack for a quick and easy appetizer that's just as nutritious as it is delicious. Follow our recipe to keep up with you nutritious diet:
                   
PALAK DAAL
Spinach being the healthiest of vegetables,  has been known to prevent a number of disease and also boosts up the iron and fiber and also improves the bone health. Adding it to your diet can only refine your body, combine it with daal (lentils) to make a whole new dish out of it, and cook it in spices of your own choosing. Pair it up with brown rice or bread. Follow our recipe to make this finger licking palak daal and add it to your lunch table.
                          
HARISSA CHICKEN ROAST
Chicken drumsticks marinated in ground spices and fried in cooking oil. This dish can bring happiness to every dinner table, because of its hearty flavor. It can be served best with mint or tamarind chutney and paired with brown rice or bread. Follow our recipe to make this mouth-watering Harissa chicken roast and spice up your taste buds.
                                
CHANA CHAAT
Being on a diet does not mean you can’t have mid-day snacks, of course you can, as long as those snacks are low in calories and high in nutrition. Chana chaat is the perfect snack option. Known mostly as street food, this delicous dish is made from chickpeas cooked in a tangy and spicy sauce, and topped with crispy papri, lending it a wonderful texture. Follow our recipe to make Chana chaat at home.
                             

Add these dishes in your daily eating routine start your journey towards a healthier life style and make sure to go easy on the cheat meals.
 

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• Areeba Sohail

Being a Pakistani, food has always been my comforter, be it me getting happy over a happy meal or my father asking me to go to school just to get sweets in return. Food is not just about eating, its a sentiment that connects people with each other. I started writing for Food Tribune because of my love for food.