Festive seasons are that time of year during which our health goals tend to take a back seat. Many times, given all the culinary temptations on offer everywhere, even getting back on track after the festival season seems not just difficult but impossible. To stay on the right track we need to maintain at least a few healthy habits during this period which can be achieved by sticking with simple, healthy recipes. Here’s where raw recipe options for traditional festive dishes are the perfect answer and replacement which will go a long way in ensuring that one does not feel deprived during the festive season!
When asked if any ingredient we need to include this Diwali to boost overall well being and ways to incorporate, Dr Subash Markande, Senior Ayurveda Physician, CGH Earth Wellness has the best answer. He says, "Drinking hot /warm water with food helps a lot. Consume boiled water as per individual requirement. Consuming water boiled with coriander seeds or cumin seeds will be useful to support the digestion. Consume sweets in the early part of the meal, followed by sour and salt items, backed up by foods with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. If you feel heavy after meals, skip the next meal, support your digestion by loading it again. If you have low appetite ensure that you have well cooked and light foods on the onset of proper appetite."
Dr Subash continues, "Maintain the gap in between the meals properly. Consume Buttermilk processed with ginger, cumin, rock salt in the lunch that improves the gut health. Avoid sweets and milk products in the dinner. Do not mix milk and products with vegetables or non veg. Avoid non-veg as it is the festive season; let the animals be in peace in the festival. Chew a small piece of ginger with rock salt or a pinch of jeera it helps to avoid acid reflux."
He further adds, "Overdoing anything is not good, so maintain a balance in food proportions also heavy foods is less quantity and light foods in better quantity, appetizers in between to balance. Do not adapt to any major changes in your lifestyle like skipping the exercise or walking or staying awake in the nights since it is festive season and family get together. Maintain the balance in the relations of your Life. This festive season lets enjoy life with modesty, we have had enough and we will have enough to be contented".
Living by that motto, here are 8 healthy dessert options from Prakriti Shakti you should try.
Date Square
Date square is a dessert that is fit for all seasons. Here is a delicious recipe you should definitely try.
- 10 nos ( 70 gm) Date
- 50 ml Orange juice
- 10 Pistachio
- 40 gm Almond
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp Orange zest
Method
- Soak the dates in orange juice and cinnamon powder for 2 hours
- Coarsely blend the nuts in a jar and mix the soaked dates and orange zest and pulse the two times and make in to thick dough
- Shape in to a square mould and serve
Anjeer Burfi
We all love barfis during Diwali. What if we make it tastier and healthier? This anjeer barfi is just that!
Ingredients
- 100 gmDry fig sliced
- 100 gmSoft dates chopped
- 50 gmPistachio chopped
- 2 gmCardamom powder
- 10 gmHoney
Method
- In blender, add sliced fig and pulse it two to three times
- Add chopped soft dates, cardamom powder and pulse the mixture again
- Take out the mix and knead well with hand
- Shape the mix into squares in a pan and glaze it with honey
- Cut and serve in desired size and garnish with pistachio slice
Brownie Bite
Like chocolate but scared of extra calories? This healthy chocolate bites recipe is just what you need!
Ingredients
- 50 gm Cocoa nibs
- 15 gm Almond
- 30 gm Walnuts
- 50 gm Dates
- 0.005 gm Vanilla
- Salt
Method
- Powder the cocoa nibs in a blender
- Add walnut and vanilla salt and pulse again
- Add dates and blend well, don’t blend too much it will release the walnut oil
- Remove from blender in to bowl
- And make small dumplings and roll over little cocoa nibs and serve
Carrot Cake
Move over gajar ka halwa and get yourself a bite of this carrot cake for the best experience.
Ingredients
- 200 gm Grated carrot
- 100 gm Raisins chopped
- 25 gm Dates chopped
- 60 gm Dehydrated coconut
- 2 gm Cardamom powder
Blend all ingredients together and mould in to square shape and keep.
For topping cream
- 50 gmCashewnuts
- 40 gm Banana
- 01 gm Vanilla
Blend the cashew nuts banana and vanilla in to fine paste and spread over the carrot cake.
Pumpkin Energy Bites
Fall season calls for experiments with pumpkin. Here is a healthy pumpkin recipe for you to make.
Ingredients
- 200 gmPitted soft dates chopped
- 200 gm Pumpkin grated
- 120 gmDried grated coconut Walnut choppedVanilla bean powder
- Nutmeg powder
- 1 gm Salt
Method
- Reserve 20 gm grated dry coconut
- Blend the rest to obtain dough consistency
- Form the dough to small balls
- Coat the ball the reserved dry coconut and serve
Apricot Bites
Apricots are sweet, tasty and perfect to make a variety of desserts. This recipe right here will help you have the healthiest of Diwali.
Ingredients
- 200 gmDried apricots chopped
- 100 gmDried grated coconut
- 1 gm Vanilla powder
- 50 gm Raisins chopped
Method
- Add all ingredients in the food processor and blend till it forms a "dough".
- Make gooseberry size balls and rolled it in dried grated coconut
Raw Chocolate Brownie
How many times have you wondered if there is the perfect guilt-free chocolate brownie? This recipe is your answer.
Ingredients for Brownie
- 260 gm Soft dates chopped
- 30 gm Peanut powder
- 100 gm Walnut coarsely powder
- 70 gm Almond powder
- 65 gm Cacao powder
- 05 gm Vanilla bean powder
- 2 gm Salt
Ingredients for Glazing
- 90 gm Honey
- 20 ml Water
- 50 gm Cacao powder
- 3 gm Vanilla powder
Preparation
Grind the all nuts separately in a coffee grinder (or food processor) until powder. De-seed and chop the soft dates
Method
- Blend all nut powder and walnut coarse in food processor add dates and mix well and make like dough and moulded in a tray.
- Combine the glaze ingredients in a blender and make in to a smooth sauce that can be poured over the brownie.
- Cut a square piece and garnished with tender coconut and cashew nuts sauce.
Coconut Walnut Bar
Walnut and coconut combine in this dish to make the perfect festive dessert. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients
- 60 gm Walnut
- 40 gm Almond powder
- 40 gm Raisins
- 10 gm Dehydrated coconut
- 20 gm Fresh grated coconut
- ¼ tsp Cardamom powder
Method
- Blend the raisins in blender in paste form
- Add walnut and blend again in to powder form
- Change to mixing bowl add rest of the ingredients and mix well
- Arrange on tray in to 1 cm height and cut in to diamond shape and serve