Navratri 2022: Treat Yourself To A Vrat-Friendly Fruit Snack

The beautiful celebration of Navrati is well underway and with it, many people of India have been observing a fast for the occasion. But just because you’re fasting, it doesn’t mean that you should neglect nutrition and the joy of food. There are hundreds of amazing sweet and savoury dishes that can be enjoyed which align with the guidelines and plenty of ways to snack in a more healthy way.

If you have a sweet tooth, you might be missing some indulgences right about now, but nature (as always) has the solution. All fruit has natural sugars that will help slake any of your cravings and honey can help turn them into a delicious treat that you can take wherever you go. 

Fruit roll-ups were a huge part of many people’s childhoods, but they’re full of added chemicals and preservatives, but they don’t need to be. This recipe helps you create any flavour you like and it can be done with a few simple ingredients. The key to this success is a home version of dehydrating which can be achieved with any oven on its lowest setting.

And the best part is that it works on almost any fruit. We’d recommend staying away from fruits with a high water content such as watermelon, oranges or melons, simply because it takes them a lot longer to dehydrate, but if you have the time, go for it!

Fair warning, this recipe takes some time to make, but very little participation, so if you’re around the house for a day you can set it and forget it. So pick out your fruits and follow the recipe to get your own homemade fruit treats started.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 cups fruit (of your choice)
  • 2-3 tbsp honey 
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Method:

  • Blend up the fruits in a processor until completely smooth.
  • Start drizzling in the honey as lemon juice.
  • Pour the mixture out into a pan lined with parchment paper then spread out as thinly as possible (about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick)
  • Now comes the long part, the dehydrating. Place it in an oven at the lowest setting – usually around 80-100°C – for about 4-6 hours, or longer if it is still sticky in the centre.
  • Once it’s completely dry, take it out and allow it to cool to room temperature.
  • Roll the entire sheet up and cut it into strips with a sharp knife.
  • You can store these in an airtight box in the fridge for up to two weeks. Enjoy!