Diwali is here, and we couldn’t be more excited. New outfits, cheerful decor, and tons of food — is there anything better? But one thing that becomes a tad bit challenging during this festive season is healthy eating. So if you are someone who struggles with this or feels guilty after having a ton of mithai, here are five healthy Diwali treats for you.
1. Dry fruit laddoo
Rich in dry fruits and tree nuts, this laddoo is perfect for a quick Diwali treat. You can also prepare this in batches for your upcoming Diwali party.
Related: How To Host A Diwali Party Virtually
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Ingredients:
1 cup seedless dates
1/4 cup cashews, pistachios, and almonds
1 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Method:
Blend the dates and keep them aside. Finely chop the cashews, pistachios, and almonds. Heat a pan on medium flame and add 1 tbsp of ghee. Roast the cashews, pistachios, almonds, and raisins for about 3 minutes. Add dates, give it a good stir, and then add cardamom powder. Saute till the dates start releasing oil. Lastly, turn off the flame and let the mixture rest for 1-2 minutes. Make the laddoos while the mixture is still hot.
Watch the recipe video by Hebbars Kitchen here.
2. Puffed rice bars
Since puffed rice bars tend to be light and healthy, they work perfectly as a Diwali treat. You can make them in various flavours as well. Here’s the recipe for peanut butter puffed rice bars.
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Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups puffed rice
2 tbsp honey
Method:
Heat the pan on medium flame. Add butter and sesame seeds, saute for a minute. Then, add peanut butter, 2 cups of puffed rice, and saute it for 2 minutes. Add honey and mix well. Lastly, transfer the mixture into a container and refrigerate for 2 hours. Once it sets, cut it into bars. It’s super easy to make and really tasty. Enjoy!
3. Dark chocolate bites
Who doesn’t love dark chocolate? It’s like a warm hug on cold winter evenings. And now it’s going to be part of our guilt-free Diwali treats. Here’s that you will need to make these dark chocolate bites.
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Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry fruits for garnishing
Method:
Heat a saucepan on medium-low heat. Add coconut oil and turn the heat off. Then, add cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla extract to the oil. Mix it properly and let it cool for some time. Transfer the mixture into a mould. Garnish it with some dry fruits and refrigerate for 2 hours. Your mini dark chocolate treats are ready!
4. Whole wheat nankhatai
Nankhatai is traditionally made with all-purpose flour (maida) but, to make it healthy, we are going to substitute the maida with whole wheat flour.
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Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp semolina
1/2 cup ghee
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 cup refined sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
A pinch of salt
Almond and pistachio for garnishing
Method:
Take a mixing bowl and add whole wheat flour, chickpea flour, semolina, sugar, a pinch of salt, baking soda, cardamom powder, and 1/2 cup of ghee. Start kneading to make a dough. Make small balls out of the dough and place it on butter paper. Lastly, garnish it with some dry fruits. After the first batch is ready, bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. After that, let it cool for half an hour before serving.
5. Baked gujiya
Obsessed with gujiya but don’t want to sacrifice your diet? Well, here’s a healthier alternative to this delicious snack.
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Ingredients for dough:
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/3 butter or ghee
A pinch of salt
1/3 cup water
Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, add butter and water, and knead to make a dough. Wrap it in a plastic sheet and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Ingredients for filling:
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 wheat flour
2 tbsp almonds, cashews, raisins
4 tbsp coconut powder
1 tbsp pistachio
3-4 cardamom pods
2 tbsp dates (optional)
1/4 cup ghee
1 cup jaggery (grated)
2 tbsp milk powder (optional)
Method:
Heat a pan on medium flame. Add ghee and fry the raisins. Keep it aside. Add semolina and wheat flour to the preheated ghee. Roast on medium flame. Add coconut and dry fruits. Switch off the flame. Add milk powder, dates, raisins, and jaggery. Mix it properly. Lastly, add crushed cardamom on top.
How to make gujiyas:
Take the dough and roll it out a bit. Cut it into small portions and roll thin. Place the filling in the rolled out dough. To make the shape, apply water on the edges and seal. Use a fork to make a classic gujiya design. After the first batch is ready, place it on a baking tray and bake it at 175 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Let it cool. Enjoy!
Watch the recipe video by Easy here.
Now, you can have as many Diwali treats as you want because we just made your Diwali guilt-free.
Related: Easy Rangoli Styles To Make Your Festive Game Strong
