Making salads a part of your daily diet is easier said than done. The ingredients need to be fresh, one has to be innovative with recipes to beat boredom and above all, one needs to have the time and patience to clean, chop and prepare the salad on a rush day. Alternatively, if you’re staying in Banjara Hills, closer to Road no. 13, pay a visit to Lite Meal. This tiny outlet is run by Shiva and his team that has been working with fitness trainers, dieticians and whipping up custom-made meals for fitness-conscious movie stars. The sprouts and leafy vegetables come from Shiva’s own garden. “I can’t take chances with sprouts and greens. They have to be washed thoroughly, at least twice or thrice a day, and allowed to sprout well and maintained at a suitable temperature. Not adhering to any of the steps will lead to bacterial growth and food contamination,” he explains.
The Lite Meal menu has a good mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian salads. Their salad options go beyond the conventional Caesar Salad, Greek Salad and Hawaiian Salad. The Sproutans section (vegetarian) has salads that are a mix of different sprouts, fruits, nuts and vegetables guaranteeing healthy carbs, proteins and essential fats. For instance, the Sunshine Salad (sunflower sprouts salad with avocado, lettuce, olives and almonds), Salad e pom (apples, bean sprouts, stir fried green beans, lettuce and walnuts) and Eastern Mix (sorrel sprouts, walnuts, avocado and orange). There are many more with baby corns, cashews, pistachios and figs mixed with sprouts in different combinations.
The salad servings seem large since a whole lot of leafy sprouts have been tossed together with nuts, fruits and vegetables. The salad bowls leave you feeling light and energetic. The freshness and cleanliness of the ingredients sets these salads apart. Your order will take a few minutes since you are not given pre-prepared salads (which results in loss of nutrients owing to oxidation) but freshly chopped ingredients.
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For something wholesome, try the omelettes served in small pan-shaped serving plates with a few slices of fresh fruit. Lite Meal will custom-make omelettes to suit requirements. Off the menu, you can try cheese, Spanish, green or the special Lite Meal omelettes. These are delicious to say the least. You could also try Toasted Bread with Salsa or a Pineapple Roll along with the salads.
The non-vegetarian salads are innovative too: Potato Bean Chicken Salad is made with baked potatoes, grilled chicken, bean sprouts and lettuce and the Stir Fried Chicken Salad has grilled chicken served with broccoli or asparagus, onions, tomatoes and sprouts. None of the salads are doused in thick, fattening salad dressings. If the recipe requires mayo, it’s a house-made mayo that doesn’t use egg yolks.
Feel peckish and want a wholesome lunch? Try the platter with brown rice and roti with dal. Organic Chilly Mojitos and Lemonades are also available. A selection of non-organic thirst quenchers and teas are also part of the menu.
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If you’ve enjoyed a filling salad, like us, you may not reach out for a dessert. In case you do, ask for a Fruit Salad bowl or choice of pancakes with an orange spread or Nutella (not organic, of course).
Lite Meal also specialises in preparing calorie specified food, maintaining antioxidants, minerals, proteins, fibre and other essential vitamins levels that suit a person’s Body Mass Index and blood group. For instance, if you’ve been advised to have sprouts rich in antioxidants, they can make it specifically for you. Shiva plans to introduce fresh juices and milkshakes with organic fruits soon.
Lite Meal
USP: Organic food
Address: Road no. 13, Banjara Hills, adjacent to Taj Banjara Service Gate
Ph: 040 23386677
Parking: Available
Meal for two: Rs. 500 to 700