Whoa! Diwali, the festival of lights is around the corner, and we’re sure; you are all-decked up to throw a grand party at your home. Since it is a time for the celebrations; your guests may indulge in the savoury sweets and crispy snack without keeping a count on the calories. However, you would not want these delicacies to take a toll on their health. For this reason, we have gone a whole nine yards to discover the healthy recipes that will put a pretty bow on your Diwali house- party celebrations. Let’s start!
1. Soya hara-bhara kebab-
Soya hara bhara kebabs are not just satiating but make a healthy snack for the vegetarians. These finger-licking kebabs are a healthy alternative to butter-doused restaurant-style kebabs. It can be enjoyed with mint green chutney or a dip of your choice. You can make this delicious starter at home by following these steps-
Ingredients-
- Soya Granules-1 cup
- Chopped Green Chilli-1
- Ginger Paste-1 teaspoon
- Garlic Paste- 1 teaspoon
- Green Peas- 1 cup
- Chopped Spinach- 2 cups
- Chaat Masala-1 teaspoon
- Chickpea Flour or Besan- 2 tablespoons
- Salt -1 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
- Oil-3 tablespoons
How to make-
Take a bowl and soak soya granules in lukewarm water. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add green chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic paste and saute till golden brown. Now, add green peas, salt and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook it for eight-ten minutes or till the peas are cooked well. Add chopped spinach, raw mango powder, chaat masala and sauté them together for 2-3 minutes. In another pan, dry roast the chickpea flour till it becomes golden brown. Strain the soya granules and squeeze them gently to draw the water out. Put these granules and the pre-prepared spinach mixture into a jar and grind them together to make a coarse mixture. Transfer into a bowl and mix with the roasted chickpea flour. Take small portions of the mixture and mold them into flat circles or tikkis and set aside. Preheat a skillet and coat it with the remaining oil. Place the tikkis on the pan in such a manner so that they don’t stick to each other. Cook them on either side for 5-8 minutes or till crispy brown. Serve hot with coriander-mint chutney, ketchup or cheesy dip.
2. Quinoa veggie salad-
Quinoa is every fitness enthusiast’s favourite. This quinoa veggie salad loaded with lentils, pomegranate kernels, chopped veggies, mustard dressing and tangy mausambi juice is surely going to impress your fitness-conscious friends.
Ingredients-
- 4 cups Quinoa (cooked)
- ½ cups lentils- steamed
- 1 cup-pomegranate fruit seeds
- 1cup –cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 cup sweet corn(boiled)
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt (to taste)
- ½ cup –mausambi juice
- ½ cup chopped bell peppers
- Mint and coriander leaves for garnishing
How to make–
Cook quinoa as per the directions given on the packet. Transfer it to a clean bowl and keep it aside to cool. Take a flat pan and heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Now, add boiled sweet corn, lentils, chopped bell peppers and garlic salt. Mix well and sauté them together for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the flame and pour the mixture into the bowl of cooked quinoa. Now, add fresh pomegranate seeds, chopped tomatoes and mausambi juice to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
3. Green coffee mojito-
Green coffee mojito is a refreshing mocktail you can serve those guests, who simply can’t resist cold drinks and juices. It makes a healthy alternative to sugary drinks, and we bet, your guest won’t be able to stop themselves from asking for some more of this beverage.
Ingredients-
- Green coffee beans extract-100 ml
- Cane sugar juice-30
- Juice of 1 whole lime
- Fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup of coarsely crushed ice
- 100 ml of sparkling soda water
How to make-
Pour the sugar cane juice, lemon juice and green coffee extract in a jar altogether. Add fresh mint leaves and bruise them using a muddler. Add crushed ice and top the drink with sparkling soda water. Serve chilled.
4. Creamy apple-cinnamon fruit salad-
Ensuring a healthy diet and proper nutrition is a challenge for most of us. This festive season, treat your loved ones with the healthy and nutritive apple-cinnamon fruit salad. This creamy recipe is not only delicious but contains a plethora of essential vitamins.
Ingredients-
- Red apples -2 cups(diced)
- Green apples-2 cups (diced)
- Fresh cream-2 cups
- Dried cranberries-1 cup
- Walnut kernels-1 cup
- Pomegranate seeds-I cup
- Mint leaves for garnishing
- Cinnamon-1 teaspoon
How to make-
In a clear bowl, add diced apples, cranberries, walnuts and pomegranate seeds. Pour fresh cream and mix all the ingredients well together. Garnish with mint leaves and sprinkle a pinch of Cinnamon to add a tinge of spice to the sweet and healthy salad recipe.
5. Dates and nuts laddoo-
In India, no celebration is complete without sweets. Especially, during Diwali, almost each of us indulges in the sweetness too much. We’re here with a healthy and yummy sweet that can be made at home in a jiffy.
Ingredients-
- Date pulp (as per the required quantity)
- Almond- 8 gms
- Cashew nuts-8 gms
- Pistachio nuts- 8 gms
How to make-
De-seed the dates and put them in a microwave-safe bowl. Slightly heat the dates in a microwave for 10 seconds, so that they become soft and moist. Now, mash the mixture using your fingers into a smooth paste. Mix the nuts together and ground them in a coarse powder. If you want your sweets to be bulkier, you can slice the nuts into bigger pieces instead of grounding them. Add the nuts powder to the dates paste and mix well. Divide the mixture into equal parts and mould them into perfectly round balls. We hope you like these healthy recipes for your at-home Diwali celebrations. This festive season, don’t woo your guests with the oily snacks and sugary sweets. Instead, make these healthy recipes and gift your loved ones with good health. We wish you a healthy, safe and prosperous Diwali. Happy Diwali!
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