3 min readNew DelhiMar 2, 2018 07:48 AM IST
First published on: Feb 28, 2018 at 09:30 PM IST
Holi snacks with a healthy twist.
Besides the madness of colour smearing and water splashing, the festival of Holi is synonymous with delicious Indian sweets and snacks, specially prepared for the occasion. A great delight for the foodies, the menu revolves around both traditional and fusion desserts. While nothing can beat the versatility of a gujiya, the richness of thandai is also hard to compete with.
But amidst all the splurging, it is quite easy to overlook health and the festive celebrations can cost you a pound or two. However, there is a healthy alternative to the hearty sweets of Holi that will help you have the best of both worlds — health and taste. Find out what interesting twist you can give to your kachori, gujiya and ladoos from experts like Dr Partap Chauhan, director, Jiva Ayurveda and Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, senior consultant, nutritionist, Apollo Hospitals.
Gujiya
Gujiyas are a glorious addition to Holi and stuffing them with dry fruits can be a really healthy idea. Usually, gujiyas are loaded with khoya, which is really high in fat. Substituting it with nuts can help you let go of a lot of saturated fat.
Besan ke Ladoo
This Holi, prepare ladoos from roasted yellow chana. Not only does this add to the protein, it also requires less ghee. Another great alternative loaded with nutrition is the “nuts ka ladoo”. It is made of pumpkin, muskmelon and watermelon seeds, dried cranberries and dates. Heating it up a little also makes the cranberries and dates sticky enough to bind the ladoo and you don’t need to add any ghee to it.
Kachodi
If you love eating the spicy kachori, then this time around try making it from chana and peas green. To avoid excess oil, you can bake the kachori, instead of deep-frying it.
Tikki Chhole
Tikki chhole is one of the favourite snacking items but also loaded with the starch-rich potatoes. To make your stuffing healthier, use minimal potatoes and add lots of carrots, beetroot and paneer. Roll the stuffing in healthy oats and stir fry the tikki, instead of deep-frying it. You can serve it with yogurt and chhole.
Barfi
While we love kaju (cashew) barfis, they aren’t a great healthy option. Use pistachios in place of them. You can also go with almonds, figs and dates. Pista barfi and badaam barfi are much healthier.
Thandai
Thandai is one of the most loved drinks on Holi. But when mixed with bhaang, it can be bad for health. You can also try a low-calorie thandai that is made from toned milk, more of almond and sans bhaang.
Holi snacks with a healthy twist.
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