4 Healthy Iftar Ideas

We’ve already talked about Suhur and how important it is to fuel our bodies with healthy and nutritious food right before we begin our fast to give ourselves good quality fuel for the rest of the day.

It is as important to stick to a nourishing Iftar diet in order for us to replenish our bodies after a long fast. When our Iftar plate is full of fresh and healthy food we leave the table feeling light and comfortable rather than completely stuffed and that’s exactly what we should be aiming for to get the most health benefits during the month of Ramadan.

In this blog post we will share with you 4 light, yummy and healthy Iftar ideas and recipes that will make you feel great after leaving the dinner table.

Vegetarian Green Goodness Superbowl & Green Juice

This is a vegan recipe and it definitely has absolutely everything to nourish the body and replenish the nutrients after a fast.

There is no strict rule of how you put together your Iftar Superbowl. It’s very simply. Put together your favourite elements and combine them together in one big bowl.

Here is our version. The bowl elements include, Fresh Salad, Steamed Vegetables, Couscous Salad, Black Beans, Grilled Chickpeas and Olives and Hummus.

INGREDIENTS:

• Green Salad: Cucumber, Reddish, Lettuce 
• 1/2 Cup Couscous
• 1 Fresh Tomato
• Parsley
• 1 cup Vegetable Stock
• Butter or Coconut Oil
• Half an avocado
• Canned Black Beans
• Hummus
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Brussel sporouts
• Green Olives
• Chickpeas
• Salt
• Pepper
• Organo
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS:

Fresh Salad: Slice cucumber and reddish and combine the slices with iceberg lettuce leaves. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

Steamed Vegetables: Add broccoli and cauliflower florets as well as Brussel sprouts to a steamer and steam for 15-20 mins. Season with salt and pepper.

Couscous Salad: Bring 1 cup the vegetable stock to a boil in a pot. Add a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil, and season with salt. Take the pot off the heat, cover with a lid, and let the couscous steam for 3-5 minutes. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, add chopped tomatoes, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Black beans: Wash canned black beans, add them to a small bowl. Season them with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Grilled Chickpeas and Olives: Heat up a grill pan with a table spoon of butter or coconut oil, add chickpeas and green olives to a pan, season with salt, pepper and oregano. Soute the ingredients for 3-5 mins.

Hummus: You can make your own hummus or simply use a store bought one. Add a drizzle of olive oil when serving.

Combine all of the elements to a medium/large bowl and enjoy!

To maximise the health benefits of the Iftar Superbowl add a glass of green juice!

Salmon Lemonato

 Including protein and good fats in your diet is an essential part of sustaining and nourishing your body.

Seafood is one of the best sources of protein because it's usually low in fat. Fish, such as salmon, is a little higher in fat, but it is the healthy type that is actually good for your heart.

Salmon contains omega-3 fatty acids that provide you with many health benefits - from improving eye health and helping fight inflammation to improving bone,  joint, skin health as well as your sleep.

That’s why Salmon Lemonato will make a perfect Iftar meal!

 Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbspn olive oil
• 3 lemons
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 160 C with fan assist. Place Salmon in a shallow glass dish that’s been sprayed with vegetable oil, drizzle olive oil over salmon.

Crush the garlic,  top it over salmon and squeeze the lemons over salmon. Sprinkle with oregano, pepper and salt.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy on its own or with a side of fresh salad.

Sesame Fish, Rice and Green Beans

Try this delicious sesame fish recipe when you are in the mood for a quick, light and delicious protein fix for Iftar.

 Ingredients:

• 2 Snapper fillets or any other white fish
• 2 tbspn olive oil
• 2 tbspn rice vinegar
• 2 tbspn light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 20g sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

Directions:

Spray a grill pan with vegetable oil spray to prevent fish from sticking. Place Snapper fillets in the pan.

Whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and garlic until well blended and pour the mixture over fish.

Sprinkle sesame seeds over fish. Grill at medium heat for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

When the fish is done in the same pan add green beans (frozen or fresh), season with salt and pepper and sauté until fully cooked and soft to touch.

Serve with a side of salad or rice and enjoy!

Leek Stew

 You can never go wrong with a heart warming stew especially this time of year. This recipe has been a staple in our family for many years. 

Ingredients:

• 1 x Leek Plant
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Garlic
• 1 x Can of Red Kidney Beans
• 1 x Can of Chopped Tomatoes 
• 2 x Table Spoons of Tomato Paste
• 1/2 Cup of Rice
• Herbs (salt, pepper, paprika, organo)
• 2 x Lemons

Directions:

You can cook the stew either in a multi-cooker or on a stove top. 

Pre-heat it and sauté your roughly chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until golden brown and translucent.

Add your tomato paste (cook it for a minute), chopped tomatoes, rice, herbs and juice of 2 lemons - mix until nicely incorporated.

Add your roughly chopped leeks and top it all up with boiling water and cook medium/high heat for about 30 mins. 

The final step would be adding your red kidney beans (chickpeas, black beans or any other type of beans - whatever you have in your pantry). Mix it well and you have a wonderful, home-cooked, healthy Iftar meal!

When you try out any of our recipes, don’t forget to snap a picture and tag us on Instagram @fitgenerationapparel.