Month: November 2018

Diwali time is family + dessert time. We all look forward to meet old and new friends,  relatives ,party and yes, we are plied with sweets of all kinds as well.

We all love sweets! Our body responds most dramatically to sweet flavour. It satisfies, relaxes, makes us happy, and leaves us feeling sated and content.

In fact, did you know, if our diet already contains  small portions of something sweet, we eat in controlled portions, we have fewer cravings, and we stop binge eating. The body feels relaxed and satisfied with less, making it easier to achieve and maintain our fitness goal.

Of course, this does not quite work if you are plying yourself with flour laden, sugar loaded and rich delicacies.

Few tips to enjoy the festivities guilt free:

Do not store excess  sweets at home. Rather share them with your friends.

Take a small serving ,eat it slowly while chewing properly. This helps you control your portions.

Avoid buying your sweets and snacks from stores as they are adulterated, full of artificial colours and flavours.

Don’t get trapped by bold claims of sugar free and diabetic mithai. They cause more harm than good due to chemicals present in them.

Desserts are most effective and tasty when made with superior quality, fresh whole ingredients/whole grain flours, organic seasonal fruits, nuts, seeds and natural  sweeteners. Not only do they satisfy your sweet desires, but there is no compromise on your health either.

Here is a list of desserts you can whip up for your loved ones and they will thank you for not only your efforts but also helping them eat guilt free! It’s just a matter of switching around a few ingredients and making better choices.

Besan Laddoo

Ingredients

1.5 C besan/chickpea flour

½ C sugar

½ C dates puree

½ C home made desi ghee

¼ C mixed Nuts for garnishing

Preparation

1. Heat a pan and add ghee to it. Roast besan until the raw smell goes away. Remove from the heat .
2. Allow the besan to cool for 5 min and mix chopped dates with besan and keep it aside.
3. Roast the chopped mixed nuts on a low flame stirring constantly for few minutes.Let them cool down a bit. Add to the roasted besan.
4. Grind sugar with cardamom.
5. Add to the besan mixture and mix all the ingredients well.
6. Grease your palms with little desi ghee and roll the mixture into laddoos.

Kaju Kathli

Ingredients

1 1/2 C cashewnuts

3/4C sugar

1/3 C water

1/4tsp elaichi powder

1 tsp ghee for greasing

Preparation:

1. Powder the cashews in a grinder until its fine powder.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add water and sugar.
3. Let it boil until sugar is completely dissolved and add cardamom powder.
4. Boil it for one more minute.
5. Turn the heat to low and add cashew powder and stir well.
6. Keep stirring continuously until it forms in the dough.
7. Grease a plate with ghee and transfer the dough to it.
8. Roll the dough with the help of a rolling pin.
9. Cut into diamond shape using a sharp knife.
10. Kaju katli is ready to serve.

 

Sweet Potato Rasmalai

Ingredients

1 Mashed sweet potato

2Tbsp almond flour

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

¼ tsp+1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 fistful chopped pistachios

1 fistful chopped almonds

1C Cashew milk

3tsp Jaggery Powder

Preparation

1. Boil the sweet potato, drain, peel, mash well without any lumps.
2. Add ¼ tsp cardamom powder, starch and almond flour and shape them into balls.
3. Slightly roast from both sides on a tawa and keep aside.
4. Roast the chopped nuts on low flame for few minutes.
5. Heat the cashew milk on low flame,add ½ tsp cardamom powder, jaggery powder and mix well. Add the roasted nuts.
6. When the mixture begins to thicken add the sweet potato dumplings and turn off the heat.
7. Chill before you serve.

Mixed Dry Fruit Laddoo 

Ingredients

100 gm mixed nuts (pista, cashew, almonds)
2 tbsp grated dry coconut
100 gm dates
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp elaichi powder

Preparation

1. Chop the nuts and dates coarsely into small pieces.
2. Add ghee and roast the nuts in a pan on low flame. Once they are golden, add coconut, and continue roasting for few more minutes on low flame. Add the dates and elaichi powder and mix well and keep.
3. Remove from the flame and allow it to semi-cool. Roll the mixture into small balls and store in airtight containers.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients

250 gm grated sweet carrot

1/2 tsp elaichi powder

1 C coconut milk

½ C date puree

Finely sliced almonds/pista for garnish

Preparation

1. Cook carrot in a heavy bottomed pan on low-medium flame for 5 minutes until all the moisture is completely absorbed from carrot.
2. Add coconut milk and cardamom powder.
3. Cook for another 5 minutes until the milk level is reduced.
4. Add dates puree and cook for 5 more minutes or till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
5. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve either hot or cold.

 

 Fig Date Burfi

Ingredients

250gm dried figs

250gm dates

400 gm mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, and cashews)

1 tbsp. desi ghee

Preparation

1. Soak the figs in water over night and then purée them with little water.
2. Deseed the dates and chop fine. Add a little water and purée.
3. Finely chop the mixed nuts.
4. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add puréed figs and dates. Cook on medium heat , stirring continuously till the mixtures thickens.
5. Add chopped nuts and cook till the mixtures becomes heavy and leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Pour in a greased plate and spread evenly. Leave it to cool.
7. When cold, cut square slices, and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy guilt free :)) !!

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