Should you choose to stay at any of the 100+ PGs or Hostels in India that your-space has to offer, we will ensure that your stay is as homely, healthy, pocket-friendly and convenient as possible. Not only will you have the option to subscribe to the homely, nutritious meals that your space provides, but each floor at each PG comes equipped with a pantry that also has microwaves, induction stoves, kettles and refrigerators that can be used by any of the floor’s residents at no additional cost. 

Here are 25 recipes that will help you stay healthy when living away from home in a coliving setup.

 

Peanut Butter Banana Toast:

– Ingredients: Whole wheat bread, peanut butter, banana slices.

– Instructions: Spread peanut butter on toasted bread and top with banana slices.
Make it healthier: Use whole-grain bread for added fiber or organic single-ingredient peanut butter for a cleaner meal.

Make it tastier: Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top or add some chocolate chips.

Boiled Eggs with Toast:

– Ingredients: Eggs, whole wheat bread, butter, mayo, lettuce, pepper, salt.

– Instructions: Boil eggs until hard-boiled, peel, and serve with pan-toasted bread with some mayo and lettuce.
Make it healthier: Use whole-grain bread for added fiber or organic eggs.

Make it tastier: Add a dash of hot sauce or a sprinkle of paprika.

Greek Yogurt Parfait:

 – Ingredients: Greek yogurt, honey, mixed berries, granola.

 – Instructions: Layer yogurt, honey, berries, and granola in a glass.
Make it healthier: Use plain Greek yogurt for lower sugar content.

Make it tastier: Add a drizzle of real maple syrup.

Chickpea Salad:

– Ingredients: Canned chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper.

– Instructions: Rinse chickpeas, chop veggies, toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Use fresh chickpeas instead of canned for less sodium.

Make it tastier: Toss with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Masoor Dal (Red Lentil) Soup:

– Ingredients: Red lentils, water, onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, spices (turmeric, cumin), salt.

– Instructions: Cook lentils with chopped veggies, spices, and salt until soft.

Make it healthier: Add more veggies like spinach or kale.

Make it tastier: Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

Paneer Stir-Fry:

– Ingredients: Paneer, mixed bell peppers, onion, spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric), oil, salt.

– Instructions: Sauté paneer and veggies with spices until cooked.

Make it healthier: Use less oil for cooking.

Make it tastier: Add a dash of garam masala for extra flavour.

Quinoa Bowl:

– Ingredients: Quinoa, cooked chickpeas, chopped/boiled vegetables, hummus, feta cheese.

– Instructions: Cook quinoa, and top with chickpeas, veggies, hummus, and feta.

Make it healthier: Load up on roasted veggies.

Make it tastier: Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Egg Fried Rice:

– Ingredients: Cooked rice, eggs, mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, bell peppers), soy sauce, oil, salt, pepper.

– Instructions: Scramble eggs, stir-fry veggies, add rice, soy sauce, and season.

Make it healthier: Use brown rice for more fibre.

Make it tastier: Stir in a bit of sesame oil.

Boiled Eggs with Veggies:

– Ingredients: Eggs, cucumber, tomato, carrot (sliced), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Boil eggs, slice veggies, and season with salt and pepper.
Make it healthier: Don’t eat more than 1 yolk per 2 eggs you eat. 

Make it tastier: Add some seasonings like salt, paprika or black pepper to your eggs. 

Veggie Wrap:

– Ingredients: Whole wheat tortilla, hummus, lettuce, cucumber, bell peppers (sliced), onion (sliced), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Spread hummus on the tortilla, add veggies, season with salt and pepper, and roll into a wrap.

Make it healthier: Add some seasonal vegetables like zucchini or kale.

Make it tastier: Add some cheese/ seasoning sauces to tie together the flavours of all vegetables. 

Quinoa Salad:

– Ingredients: Cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, parsley (chopped), lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Mix cooked quinoa with veggies, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some pieces of cottage cheese and some rocket leaves to balance the nutritional profile. 

Make it tastier: Add some vinaigrette dressing or cous cous rice. 

Stir-Fried Tofu with Veggies:

– Ingredients: Tofu (cubed), mixed vegetables (like broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots), soy sauce, garlic (minced), ginger (minced), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Stir-fry tofu and veggies with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Don’t add soy sauce, stick to salt.

Make it tastier: Add some schezuan chilli sauce/ hot garlic sauce. 

Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry:

 – Ingredients: Chicken breast (sliced), mixed vegetables, soy sauce, garlic (minced), ginger (minced), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Stir-fried chicken and veggies with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Use white meat only and fresh vegetables instead of frozen.

Make it tastier: Add some schezuan chilli sauce/ hot garlic sauce. 

Cucumber and Tomato Salad:

– Ingredients: Cucumber, tomato, onion, lemon juice, fresh coriander leaves, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Slice cucumber, tomato, and onion. Toss with lemon juice, coriander, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some microgreens. 

Make it tastier: Add some croutons or Caesar salad dressing. 

Mushroom Stir-Fry:

– Ingredients: Fresh mushrooms (sliced), bell peppers (sliced), garlic (minced), ginger (minced), soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Stir-fry mushrooms and bell peppers with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some other complementary vegetables like carrots beans and zucchini. 

Make it tastier: Eat it with white rice to enjoy a more satisfying meal. 

Egg White Omelette:

– Ingredients: Egg whites, mixed veggies (like bell peppers, onion, and spinach), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Whisk egg whites, add veggies, season with salt and pepper, and cook into an omelette.

Make it healthier: Use free-range eggs and organic butter. 

Make it tastier: Add 1 yolk per 2 eggs for a richer flavour profile.

 Dal (Lentil) Soup:

– Ingredients: Split yellow or green lentils, water, onion, garlic, spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Cook lentils with onion, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper until soft.

Make it healthier: Eat with some sautéed veggies as a side. 

Make it tastier: Eat with naan or rice.

Cauliflower Rice with Veggies:

– Ingredients: Cauliflower mince, mixed vegetables, soy sauce, garlic (minced), ginger (minced), salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Stir-fry cauliflower mince and veggies with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some cottage cheese/lentil stew to add protein. 

Make it tastier: Add a lightly fried sunny side-up egg to the top to enjoy the rice with the flowy yolk. 

Tofu and Spinach Salad:

– Ingredients: Tofu (cubed and pan-fried), fresh spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Assemble tofu, spinach, and tomatoes, drizzle with vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some cooked asparagus or shredded carrots. 

Make it tastier: Add some croutons to add a satisfying crunchy texture. 

Fruit Infused Water:

– Ingredients: Fresh fruits (e.g., lemon slices, berries, cucumber), water.

– Instructions: Add sliced fruits to a pitcher of water and let it infuse for a refreshing drink.

Make it healthier: Add fruits of only the same family – only citrus or only melon or only berries etc. 

Make it tastier: Add some mint or ice to make the water more refreshing. 

Cucumber Mint Raita:

– Ingredients: Cucumber, yoghourt, mint leaves, cumin powder, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Grate cucumber, and mix with yoghourt, mint leaves, cumin powder, salt, and pepper for a cooling side dish
Make it healthier: Use low-fat Greek yogurt to increase the protein content of the meal.

Make it tastier: Garnish with some onion and tomatoes.

Chia Seed Pudding:

– Ingredients: Chia seeds, milk (or almond milk), honey, and mixed berries.

– Instructions: Mix chia seeds with milk and honey, refrigerate overnight. Top with mixed berries before serving.

Make it healthier: Use unsweetened almond milk for fewer calories.

Make it tastier: Top with toasted coconut flakes.

Oatmeal:

– Ingredients: rolled oats, hot water/milk (from a kettle), honey/jaggery (optional), mixed nuts.

– Instructions: Pour hot milk over rolled oats, stir, and let it simmer for a few minutes. Top with honey and nuts.
Make it healthier: Use dates instead of honey. 

Make it tastier: Add some maple syrup and brown sugar to the oatmeal. 

Avocado Toast:

– Ingredients: Whole wheat bread, ripe avocado, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Mash avocado, spread it on toasted bread, and season with salt and pepper.

Make it healthier: Add some seeds on top. 

Make it tastier: add a garlic and herb cream cheese spread to the toast before placing the avocado on it. 

Quick Vegetable Stir-Fry with Quinoa:

– Ingredients: Cooked quinoa, mixed vegetables (e.g., bell peppers, broccoli), soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

– Instructions: Stir-fry veggies with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and seasonings, and serve over cooked quinoa.

Make it healthier: Add at least 3-5 different types of vegetables like carrot 

Make it tastier: Add a lightly fried sunny side-up egg to the top to enjoy the rice with the flowy yolk.

Some things you always want in your mini-fridge include but are not limited to:

1. 2 servings of rice
2. eggs/vegetables
3. Butter/ cooking medium
4. seasonings
5. 2 fruits
6. mayo/sandwich spread/cheese
7. Peanut butter/ other nut butter
8. Yoghurt
9. Carrots/cucumbers
10. Milk/ nut milk
11. Salami/ Cold-cuts for non-vegetarians
12. Tofu/ Cottage Cheese

Some things you always want in your pantry: 

1. Granola bars
2. Protein bars
3. Oatmeal
4. Nuts
5. Bread (the healthiest one you can afford since it tends to be a staple)
6. Rice (the healthiest one you can afford since it tends to be a staple)
7. Quinoa
8. Potatoes
9. Olive oil
10. Enriched Pasta (Feel free to check out newer gluten-free pastas made of lentil flour to maximize the nutrition in your meal)
11. Seasoning and condiments (Salt, Pepper, Cumin, red chilli flakes, turmeric, dried ginger, garam masala, garlic powder, coriander powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, Chinese seasoning, soy sauce, ketchup, hot sauce and more.)
12. You can level up your seasoning and condiment collection by adding exotic flavour enhancers like harissa mayo, chipotle mayo, rock salt, and truffle oil that go well with everything and add some complex flavours to student staples like the home-made wraps and sandwiches recommended above that tend to lose their appeal when consumed repeatedly.

We hope you practice these highly implementable tips and make progress instead of making excuses on your fitness journey!