I am excited to share my first recipe round-up today, "10 Healthy Pakistani Recipes." There is a common misconception that Pakistani food is unhealthy - that it just comprises fatty meats, and is laden with oil. While many commercial restaurants can serve food that is a bit indulgent, there are a lot of classic Pakistani dishes, which are actually quite good for you.

It's not on brand of me to say this but I have been focusing on eating healthier this year. My friends in Cambodia were great role models in terms of helping me develop an exercise routine that works for me, and making sure that I was eating nutrient-rich foods that energized me. The shift has helped a lot in terms of managing my energy levels, as well as physical comfort (e.g. less bloating etc.)

In order to eat healthier, I found that I didn't have to cut out Pakistani food at all. One of the biggest changes I made was switching to more whole grains so I finally learned to make roti with whole wheat durum flour, and scaled back my almost daily reliance on white rice and pasta. The second was to incorporate a lot more nutrient-rich foods, and be more mindful of the amount of protein. Since Saptarshi went pescatarian this year, we were cooking a lot more daal and beans (so many beans!); and different types of vegetables.

I understand that everyone is looking for something different when it comes to a healthy recipe, so I have tried to include a mix here based on varying needs. For some, it might be about weight loss, in which case, it would make sense for you to focus more on lower calorie but higher nutrient foods. For others, it's about having a more balanced meal, so in view of that, complement these recipes with what you think is missing - leafy greens, whole grains or protein. And if fat and cholesterol are a concern, then please, tone down the suggested amount of oil to what you are comfortable with.