10 Healthy Iftar Meals to Keep You Energized This Ramadan

1. In a pot, sauté onions and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add lentils, carrots, and spices, stirring for a minute.
3. Pour in the broth and let it simmer for 20 minutes until soft.
4. Blend until smooth, garnish with parsley, and serve warm.

2. Grilled Chicken with Quinoa Salad

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cucumber, diced
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Marinate the chicken with olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper.
2. Grill for 6–8 minutes per side until fully cooked.
3. Toss quinoa with cucumber, tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
4. Slice the grilled chicken and serve over the quinoa salad.

3. Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 4 bell peppers, tops removed
• 1 cup cooked rice
• ½ pound ground beef or turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté the onion and ground meat until browned. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, and pepper.
2. Mix with cooked rice and stuff the mixture into the bell peppers.
3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes until peppers are tender.

4. Baked Salmon with Steamed Vegetables

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Season salmon with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes.
3. Steam vegetables until tender and serve alongside the salmon.

5. Chickpea and Spinach Stew

1. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, and spices, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in spinach and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Serve warm with whole-wheat bread.

• 1 pound lamb chunks
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 cups beef broth

1. Sear the lamb in a pan until browned.
2. Transfer to a slow cooker with onion, garlic, spices, and broth. Cook for 4–6 hours.
3. Cook brown rice separately and serve with the tender lamb.

7. Vegetable Stir-Fry with Tofu

• 1 block firm tofu, cubed
• 1 cup bell peppers, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

1. In a pan, heat sesame oil and sauté tofu until golden.
2. Add vegetables, ginger, and soy sauce. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.
3. Serve hot with brown rice or whole-wheat noodles.

8. Chicken and Lentil Pilaf

• 1 cup basmati rice
• ½ cup lentils
• 2 chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 3 cups chicken broth

1. Sauté onions until golden, then add rice, lentils, and spices.
2. Pour in broth and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in shredded chicken and serve warm.

9. Eggplant and Chickpea Curry

1. Sauté onions and garlic, then add eggplant and spices.
2. Stir in chickpeas and tomatoes, simmering for 15 minutes.
3. Serve with whole-wheat flatbread or brown rice.

10. Sweet Potato and Lentil Patties

• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• ½ cup cooked lentils
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Mix all ingredients into a thick dough.
2. Shape into small patties and pan-fry in olive oil until golden.
3. Serve with yogurt or a green salad.

Conclusion