Upma, as a breakfast item, is filled with vitamins, minerals, zinc, proteins, phosphorus, iron and carbs. This means it's quite a healthy food option that every person of different ages can consider. Upma can keep you feeling full for long hours. Not just that, the nutrients that you get from upma can keep your heart, kidneys, bones and immune system healthy. When you realise that your diet is partially important to keep you healthy, you'll know that learning variations in the same food item will help. As it might not always seem interesting to eat the same kind of upma every single time you make it. Hence, we've got you different upma recipes that you can try making at home.
Easy Upma Recipes:
You can even eat upma for weight loss among other things, so we've listed a few recipes that will help.
1. Oats Upma Recipe:
This oats upma recipe is a healthy and tasty breakfast item that takes just 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
2 cups oats, 3 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, urad dal and turmeric powder, 5-6 curry leaves, 1 dry red chilli cut into pieces, 1 slit green chilli, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup each of finely chopped carrot and green peas, salt to taste and freshly chopped coriander for garnishing.
Method:
Step 1:
In a non-stick pan, heat some oil, and add oats and turmeric powder. Saute till the oats turn golden brown and keep aside.
Step 2:
In another pan, heat the remaining oil, and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add urad dal, curry leaves, red chilli and green chilli and saute for a minute.
Step 3:
Add onion and saute till they turn translucent. Then add carrot and peas and saute for a couple of minutes on medium flame.
Step 4:
Add the sauteed oats, salt and turmeric powder and mix well on medium flame. Stir continuously.
Step 5:
Add half a cup of water, cover and cook on low flame for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Step 6:
Serve oats upma immediately after garnishing with freshly chopped coriander.
For oats, we recommend you try the Saffola Fittify High Protein Steel Cut Oats. These oats are made from 100% natural whole-grain oats and are a great source of high protein and fiber. They're filled with vitamin B1, iron and phosphorus which makes them the perfect option for your daily breakfast that will help you manage weight as well.
Nutritional Benefits of this Dish:
Oats are a great source of dietary fiber that binds cholesterol and refrains it from depositing in your arteries. Oats can help you feel satiated for long hours, thus this recipe for oats upma works well if you're trying to watch your weight. Using olive oil in this recipe instead of any other vegetable oil will help reduce inflammation in your body as it contains omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Bread Upma Recipe:
This bread upma recipe takes just 15 minutes to cook. So if you're someone who has a busy morning, this bread upma recipe is sure to become your new favourite.
Ingredients:
4 slices of bread - cut into small rectangles, 2 tbsp of oil, 1 slit green chilli, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 9-10 curry leaves, 1/4 cup of roasted peanuts, 1 lemon wedge, 1 thinly sliced onion, 1/4 cup of chopped beans, 1/4 cup of chopped carrots, 1/4 cup of green peas, salt to taste.
Method:
Step 1:
Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves, green chilli and onion. Saute for a minute and then add the rest of the vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2:
Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Add bread pieces and mix for 2-3 minutes until lightly crisp.
Step 3:
Take the bread upma off the flame, add roasted peanuts and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately!
Nutritional Value of this Dish:
Calories - 336, protein - 7.3g, carbohydrates - 42.6g, fibre - 1.8g, fat - 15.7g (1).
3. Suji/Rava Upma Recipe:
This rava upma recipe is a delicious one that takes only 15 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook.
Ingredients:
1 cup rava, 2 tablespoons ghee or oil, 1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 10 to 12 cashews, ⅓ cup finely chopped onions, 1 teaspoon each of chopped green chilli and finely chopped ginger, 1 sprig of curry leaves, 2.5 cups water, salt to taste and finely chopped coriander for garnishing.
Method:
Step 1:
Heat a pan, add rava and roast it while stirring continuously till the suji grains become fragrant and start to look crisp. Keep aside.
Step 2:
In another pan, heat ghee or oil, and add mustard seeds, Once they crackle, add cumin seeds, chana dal and urad dal and saute till they turn lightly golden. Add cashews immediately and once they turn golden, add onion and saute till they cook well.
Step 3:
Add green chilli, ginger and curry leaves, and saute for a few seconds.
Step 4:
Add water and salt to taste, and let it boil on medium to high flame.
Step 5:
Once the water is boiling, turn the flame to low, and add suji/rava in 4-5 batches.
Step 6:
Mix and stir the mixture till the rava starts to absorb water and cook.
Step 7:
Cover the pan with a lid and let the suji upma steam for 2-3 minutes.
Step 8:
Serve on a plate, garnish with fresh coriander and enjoy it with coconut chutney or a squeeze of lime juice.
Nutritional Value of this Dish:
Calories - 360, fat - 13g, saturated fat - 1g, sodium -523mg, potassium - 175mg, carbohydrates - 52g, fibre - 5g, protein - 9g
4. Dalia Upma Recipe:
Dalia upma is not something that a lot of people must have tried, but this 30-minute easy upma recipe is sure to win your heart.
Ingredients:
1 cup dalia (broken wheat), 1 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup each of green peas, finely chopped carrot and green beans,1 tablespoon each of peanuts and cashews, 1-2 chopped green chilli, 1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon cooking oil, 1.5 cups of water and salt to taste.
Method:
Step 1:
Dry roast dalia over low flame for 3-5 minutes in a pan. Once done, set it aside.
Step 2:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat, add mustard seeds, and cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Step 3:
Add peanuts and cashews and fry for 10 seconds.
Step 4:
Add onion and green chilli and saute till the onion turns light brown.
Step 5:
Add vegetables and saute for 3-5 minutes.
Step 6:
Add roasted dalia to the sauteed vegetables, season with salt and spices and stir well.
Step 7:
Add water, mix well and close the pressure cooker. Let the upma cook for 2 whistles on medium heat.
Step 8:
Let the steam of the pressure cooker release on its own completely and then open the pressure cooker.
Step 9:
Serve the dalia upma in a bowl with a drizzle of lemon juice and mint chutney.
Nutritional Value of this Dish:
Calories - 249kcal, carbohydrates - 37g, protein - 7g, fat - 10g, saturated fat - 1g, polyunsaturated fat - 3g, monounsaturated fat - 6g, trans fat - 0.03g, sodium - 140mg, potassium - 337mg, fibre - 10g (2).
5. Upma Recipe for Weight Loss:
You can make upma for weight loss, provided you swap some ingredients to the ones that work better when it comes to weight management. This easy upma recipe will help.
Ingredients:1/2 cup each of jowar, bajra and nachni, a handful of cashews and raisins, 2 tablespoons shredded coconut, 1 tablespoon oil, 4-5 curry leaves, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1 inch finely chopped ginger, 2 tablespoons of boiled green peas and salt to taste.
Method:
Step 1:
Soak the millet in water overnight and boil the next morning until done.
Step 2:
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let the mustard seeds crackle.
Step 3:
Add chopped onion and ginger and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4:
Add the boiled jowar, bajra and nachni, give it a quick toss and add shredded coconut and some cashews and raisins to the mixture.
Step 5:
Add water and allow it to simmer over low-medium flame.
Step 6:
Add coconut and season with salt.
Step 7:
Cover with a lid and let the mixture cook on slow-medium flame.
Step 8:
Now add boiled green peas and garnish with remaining shredded coconut, green chilli, cashews and curry leaves.
Nutritional Benefits of this Dish:
Ragi is a great source of dietary fibre which helps promote digestive health and aids in the feeling of satiation for long hours. This easy upma recipe is rich in calcium and vitamin D, both of which are important for maintaining strong bones. Nachni upma can also help neutralise free radicals in your body and strengthen your immune system.
Conclusion:
Upma is an extremely nutritious breakfast item, as mentioned above with proteins, vitamins, minerals, iron, carbs and phosphorus to keep your health in check. It's the kind of recipe that will keep your tummy full for a longer duration. So you can try some new variations of upma like suji upma, dalia upma, etc.
FAQs on Upma Recipes:
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What are the benefits of upma in breakfast?
Upma should be your go-to breakfast if you are trying to slim down or keep your health in check overall. A bowl full of upma will give you healthy fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is low in cholesterol and calories too which makes it quite a healthy meal to keep your diet balanced.
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Which upma is good for diabetes?
Oats upma is the best for diabetics as it keeps your blood sugar level low. The fibre you get from oats in this food item will also make for a filling choice for people with diabetes. You can try the above-mentioned recipe for oats upma to kickstart your day with a healthy meal.
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Is upma high in protein?
A basic suji upma recipe with every serving will give you 8 grams of protein, 45 grams of carbs and 3.7 grams of fats. The protein content changes according to the kind of ingredients you use to make upma. For example, a bread upma recipe will have a different protein value as compared to dalia upma or oats upma.
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Is upma suitable for weight loss?
Upma most definitely works well for weight loss. So if you're someone who's trying to lose weight, you should consume upma as a breakfast item with lots of veggies and less oil.
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Is upma heavy to digest?
Upma tends to digest gradually and helps you feel satiated for long hours. This in turn helps you indulge less in overeating. That's the reason it is recommended to consider upma as a healthy breakfast option to start your day right with a bowl of fibre, vitamins and healthy fats.
