Confused about healthy snacks….why not go for some scrumptious yogurt recipes

In my earlier blog I talked about the importance of yoghurt, which prompted me to write this second blog on recipes made from yogurt that can be healthy snacks. Many times we are in dilemma to have the right kind of healthy snacks as mid-meal snacks. I too get confused at times. To ease this dilemma, I have here some good and quick recipes for healthy snacks to suffice your hunger.

1. Strawberry yogurt ice-cream:

Ingredients:

1 cup- Plain unflavoured low-fat yoghurt

3 pieces medium sized -Fresh Strawberry

1 tablespoon -Organic honey

Chopped Nuts- to taste (optional)

Preparation

• Chop strawberries into 4 pieces
• Grind plain yogurt and strawberries in mixer or juicer.
• Add honey while mixing in the juicer.
• Keep it to freeze in deep freezer for 2 hours and again grind it once in the juicer. You can again freeze it or store it till 2 days.
• Top with chopped nuts to taste.
• Enjoy your tempting ice-cream

Tip: you can use any fruit from your list of favourites….to enjoy different antioxidants and multivitamins….like blueberries, pomegranate, banana, papaya etc. Any flavour you like to add….

2. Yogurt veggie bread spread

Ingredients:

Plain unflavoured low-fat yogurt -1 cup

Carrot, cucumber, beetroot chopped- ¼ cup

Black pepper powder- to taste

Cold pressed coconut oil- 1 teaspoon for taste (optional)

Salt to taste

Honey 1 teaspoon

Preparation

• Beat the yogurt till it becomes creamy.
• Add honey salt and pepper powder to it and beat again
• Little strain chopped veggies to remove extra water
• Add chopped veggies and mix it well …
• Enjoy your bread spread with brown bread for quick breakfast.

Tips- you can add any flavours seasonings to make it tangy and tasty.

3. Anti-inflammatory Garlic-spinach Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon any vegetable cooking oil
• 8-10 baby spinach
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
• Sea salt and black pepper powder to taste/ one green chilli paste

Preparation

• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan. Add spinach to toss it to remove excess water, then coarsely chop.
• Mix chopped spinach, garlic, yogurt, coriander, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl; season it with salt and pepper or chilli. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Tip- you can store it for two days.

4.     Yogurt veggies soupy delight

 

Ingredients

• Low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoons sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 whole black peppercorns
• 1 clove
• 1 carrot, 4 medium tomatoes, 1-inch ginger
• 1 tablespoon butter or homemade butter
• Rock salt to taste

Preparation

• Toast cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, sesame seeds and chopped garlic in ½ teaspoon ghee or butter in a pan.
• Boil carrot, tomato, clove, ginger, peppercorns into pressure cooker, let it cool down
• After cooling grind all boiled mix veggies and tossed spices into a fine paste add water to make a thin soup.
• Once again boil the ground mixture till one boils and add rock salt. Remove from flame.
• Serve hot topped with desi ghee and add a scoop of low-fat plain yoghurt middle of the soup bowl. Enjoy the delight.

5. Chickpea-Yogurt Dip

Chickpea-Yogurt Dip- with wheat nachos do you want a tasty dip. Here you go –

Ingredients

• 2 small garlic cloves
• Half cup chickpeas, rinsed
• ½ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• A large pinch of ground cumin
• 3 tablespoon olive oil plus more for serving
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pomegranate seeds (for serving)
• Coarsely chopped fresh mint (for serving)

Preparation

• The first step to puree garlic, chickpeas, yogurt, cumin and 2 Tbsp. Oil into a thick paste.
• Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with 1tbsp oil, pomegranate seeds, and mint.
• Enjoy the treat with wheat nachos.

6.     Rose delight with Beet Yogurt

Ingredients

• 3 medium red beets, trimmed or grated
• Sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 8-10 fresh or dried rose petals for aroma and flavour
• 1 teaspoon rose water

Preparation

• Just parboil the whole beetroot and grate them coarsely.
• Beat yoghurt and add rose water, sea salt, mix well.
• Add grated beetroot in yoghurt.
• Garnish with rose petals.
• Rose delight is ready to delight your day.

Health benefits of these recipes:

1. Boon for improving Gut Microflora.
2. Acts as anti-inflammatory food,
3. Loaded with antioxidants.
4. Veggies provide dietary fibre for better digestion and best for fat loss.
5. Helps to improve HDL (good cholesterol) and reduces bad cholesterol
   (LDL, VLDL, Triglycerides)
6. Improves glow of skin
7. Loaded with multivitamins and nutrients for better health.

CAUTION: Choose the low fat and unflavoured yogurt to get all these mentioned benefits, as flavoured yogurt have more sugars.