Healthy snacks Archives - Page 2 of 3

October 9, 2018 By Navnee Garg 2 Comments

Navratri : Keep it Healthy!!

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India with its varied cultures, festivities abound. We just completed lord Ganesha’s festival and now Navratri, where we welcome Goddess Durga, starts from tomorrow, the 10th of October. With festivities come the problem of eating plenty and eating sweets. This Navratri let’s focus on eating healthy as it will help you detoxify your body and also cleanse your mind, leaving you with a great feeling.

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Here are some healthy tips to relish this season:

Prefer small meals and do not starve yourself. Binge on fruits, nuts and juices whenever you are hungry and try to stay away from the sweets, this will help you maintain the glucose levels in the blood.
Hydration is the key to Detoxification. Drink lots of water and fluids like coconut water, lemon water, juices, green tea and buttermilk.
Indulging in fibrous meals helps to reduce the carbohydrate intake. Combine carbohydrate-rich foods like potato, sabudana (Tapioca Sago) with fibre-rich vegetables such as spinach, capsicum, cabbage, tomato, bottle gourd etc. Also, prefer healthy cooking methods like roasting, grilling or baking over deep frying, this helps in avoiding excess fat/oil consumption.
Protein need not be missed, when Amaranth (Daliya) is in the Navratri Include milk porridge or Namkeen daliya (Salted oats) along with the meals to add protein to your plate.
Kuttu (Buckwheat flour) is an excellent combination of carbohydrates (70-75%) and protein (20-25%). Preferring chapattis over pooris will help to avoid acidity or indigestion.
Samak rice (Barnyard millet) is another energy dense option which can be included in any quantity.
Defeating sugar craving with fruit raita (yoghurt), apple kheer, dates, porridge or Samak rice kheer will keep you guilt free.
Healthy snacking can help you get the required vitamins and minerals. Binging on roasted makhanas (fox nut), mixed roasted nuts, baked chips, and roasted peanuts is always better than consuming the fried Navratri Namkeens which are available in the market.
Substituting sugar with jaggery or honey is also a great option.
Opting for skimmed milk over full crème milk will help keep calories in check.

HEALTHY OPTIONS FOR NAVRATRI:

BREAKFAST	MIDMEAL	LUNCH	TEA BREAK	DINNER
Dalia porridge	Coconut water	Grilled vadas with chutney	Green tea with mixed nuts	Paneer (cheese) tikka with vegetables
Fruits kheer	Lemon water	Kuttu roti, sabzi, raita and salad	Tea with roasted makhanas	Milk and fruits
Fruit shake with nuts	Fruit infused water	Baked sabudana Tikki, raita and veggies	Jasmine Tea	A bowl of vegetable and salad
Samak Rice Kheer	Fruit bowl	Samak rice with curd and veggies	Baked chips/ namkeen	Pumpkin and bottle gourd soup

Always prefer homemade meals and avoid “Vrat Special Thalis” (fasting food plates). It is a good way to avoid unnecessary oil and fatty foods. Have a healthy and fruitful Navratri this season and don’t forget to enjoy Garbha, as this dance form is an excellent cardio session.

We at GOQii wish you all a Happy Navratri.

September 24, 2017 By Shraddha Shetty 6 Comments

SNACK Your Way to Great HEALTH!!

I have decided I am going to eat right, I am going to exercise everyday and I am going to continue like this forever and get fit. And so I thought!!

I was very comfortable eating right with my main meals namely, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. But what I realized was actually an eye-opener. The problem was not these meals but what happens between these meals, the Snack time!!

I used to get these hunger pangs surely around 4-5pm and sometimes around 11.30am, because of which I used to grab the first thing I saw in front of me be it biscuits, unhealthy oily snacks or bread, which completely threw my efforts out the window.

That’s when I decided that this needs to be sorted out and started planning a Snack Menu which included things like roasted chanas, khakras, diet snacks but soon I realized that these were not enough.

Evening snack should be considered as the 4^th main meal of the day. By having the right food at this time, you reduce your hunger even at dinner time which helps you eat better.

I’ve tried these 4 recipes myself and believe me they are a snack time Delight!!

They not only fill you up but also taste delicious, satisfying your every taste bud.

Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets (riced) – 2 cups

Parmesan cheese or Mozarella cheese – 1cup

Egg – 1

Salt

Mixed herbs

For Topings:

Tomato sauce (Tomato puree, fresh garlic, mixed herbs, black pepper powder, salt)

Any vegetables of your choice

Little cheese

Method:

Wash and dry the cauliflower well
Cut it into florets
Pulse the florets in a food processor or grate it to form rice like granular consistency
Take 2 cups of riced cauliflower and transfer to a non-stick pan to remove the moisture
Keep stirring on low heat till most of the moisture is gone
Do not brown it
Let it cool
Beat one egg in a bowl
Add the cheese and mix well
Add the riced cauliflower
Mix well with salt and herbs
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer this mixture onto it to make a pizza base
Gently pat the mixture to make a base of your desired shape with a thickness of quarter of an inch
Keep the edges slightly thick so that it doesn’t burn
Now place it in a pre-heated oven at 200 c for 20mins
Remove and let it cool
Topping:

Spread the tomato sauce and add any topping of your choice with little cheese (if required)

Bake it again at 200c for 10mins

Your pizza is ready!!

Black Gram (Chana) Kebabs

Ingredients:

Black (gram) chana – ½ cup

Potato – 1 medium

Ginger (chopped) – 1 tsp

Garlic (chopped) – 1 tsp

Onion (chopped) – 1

Green Chillies (chopped) – 1 to 2

Chaat masala – 1 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Cumin (jeera) powder – 1 tsp

Red Chili powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Coriander leaves – ¼ cup

Method:

Soak the ( black Gram) kalachana overnight

Pressure cook it till soft and cooked through

Boil and peel the potato

For the masala:

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add in onions, salt, ginger, garlic and chilies
Let them cook through and soften
Add chaat masala, cumin powder, red chilli powder and garam masala
Mix well and take off the heat
Mash the boiled chana well in a mixie or use a masher
Mix the boiled potato
To this add the prepared masala and chopped coriander
Divide into small sized balls and flatten to form shammi kebabs or cutlets
Serve them hot with chutney or sauce and a cup of steaming hot tea or coffee

Bajra, Carrot and Onion Mini Uthappa

Ingredients:

¼ cup whole Bajra, soaked for 8 hours and drained

1 ¼ cups Bajra flour

Salt to taste

½ cup grated carrot

½ cup finely chopped onions

1 ½ tsp finely chopped green chillies

1 tsp garlic paste

¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves

1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 ½ tspchilli powder

Oil for cooking

Method:

Combine the whole bajra, ½ cup of water and salt in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 5 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Drain the water and keep the cooked whole bajra aside.
Combine all the ingredients, along with whole bajra and 1 ½ cup of water in a deep bowl and mix well.
Heat a non-stick tava and grease it lightly with oil.
Pour ¼ cup of batter over it and tilt the tava lightly to spread the batter evenly. Cook on medium flame till it turns golden brown in colour from both the sides.
Repeat step 5 to make more uthappas.
Serve immediately.

Jackfruit Seed Roast

Ingredients:

Jackfruit seeds – 1 cup

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Onion (small) – 1

Garlic cloves – 4

Green chilies – 3

Red chili powder – 2 tsp

Kashmiri chili powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Fennel seed powder – ½ tsp

Amchur – ¼ tsp

Chaat masala – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Steam the jackfruit seeds
Slice them
Heat oil in a non-stick pan
Add mustard seeds
When they splutter, add finely chopped onions, garlic and slit green chilies
Sauté for a few minutes on medium heat till the onions become soft
Add all the masalas and salt
Sauté for some more time
Add the jackfruit seed slices
Mix well and stir-fry for five minutes
Add few drops of water, cover the pan and let it cook over low heat for five minutes.

I hope you will try these out right away, so that I can share many such finger licking good healthy recipes soon.

July 14, 2016 By Azra Faizan 4 Comments

Skip the Chips …..But not the CRISPS ….

We all have an inner child in us, which chooses to surface every time there are chips or other oily fried snacks in the vicinity.

Many of us indulge in these chips/crunchy cravings of ours while we are around our kids. And this is true from my own personal experience.

So why give up our crunchy snacks, and why make are kids give it up too. Kids don’t know the difference between healthy and junk, all they want is tasty snacks – and as my son adorably describes all crispy snacks – “Food that makes noise”.

All we need to do is change our perception, and put in a little effort, and I can assure you or your child would never want to pick up that packet of potato chips again.

I’ve put together a list of healthy snacks to satisfy our crispy cravings. Always remember any snack should be served in a small or medium sized bowl, as moderation is a key to good health.

I understand the time constraints that many of you face, and would want the easiest and quickest possible recipes available, so I’ve styled by list starting with the easiest and ending with recipes that require a bit more effort to make. I assure you all the recipes are extremely satisfying with the added bonus of being packed with healthy nutrients.

Roasted Fox nuts : Popularly called Makhana in India, it’s the easiest of the lot and packed with health benefits. Why open a packet of cheese puffs, if you have Fox nuts at hand. Just heat a teaspoon of ghee or oil, add a hand full of fox nuts and roast for 2 – 3 minutes. And Enjoy.

Shelf life –Fox nuts lose their crunch if stored too long and are best eaten on the same day. But they are so easy to make, that it’s not even a bother to make daily if required.

Popcorn – Popcorn is an all-time favourite and can go both ways on your health balance. Buy a pack of pre-seasoned, ready to pop, packet of microwave popcorn and you are loading yourself with excessive salt and preservatives and most probably even trans fats. Whereas pop a cup of natural popcorn on your stove with a teaspoon of butter or oil and you have a wonderful, light and healthy snack which you can season any way you want.

Shelf life – can be kept in an airtight container for 1 – 2 days.

Chapati (Roasted wheat bread) crisps – An alternate to your packet of air filled, trans fats laden packet of potato chips.

Just cut up some day old chapattis (whole wheat breads) into triangles or squares or however you like. Toss it with 2 teaspoons of oil and any spice or seasoning you want – I prefer mine with garlic powder, a pinch of salt, pepper and oregano. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 10 – 12 minutes, toss once check for crunchiness and bake for another 6 – 8 minutes. And Enjoy.

This recipe can also be made with whole wheat pita bread.

Shelf life – can be kept in an airtight container for up to two days – that is if they last that long.

Baked Sweet potato or banana chips –

Yes chips, I know I initially said skip the chips, but I meant the fried kind. There is nothing wrong in baking your chips. And trust me the sweet potato ones are the best. Because of their mildly sweet flavor, they hardly require any salt.

Turn the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with foil.

Thinly slice your sweet potato and put in a bowl of chilled water. Pat the sweet potato slices dry with some kitchen paper or a clean towel and arrange on the tray.
Mix with 2 tsp of oil and lightly stir to coat all sides.
Spread them out again so they are mainly in contact with the foil.
Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until golden brown, turning once half way through. Keep an eye on them towards the end as they can quickly turn from done to burnt.

Shelf life – 2 – 3 days in an airtight container.

Puffed Rice Mixture (Kurmura chivda) – This is a favorite with my son, and he actually prefers these over a packet of store bought snacks or banana chips. And I am not kidding. The best part of this recipe is you can add whatever you like.

1 – 2 cups of Mouri or Puffed Rice (As much as you want)

Hand full of Roasted Chickpea/Roasted peanuts/Roasted Foxnuts

2 tsp oil
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Curry leaves
Flax seeds & sesame seeds
Turmeric powder
Chilli powder and salt

Heat oil in a pan, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, flax seeds and sesame seeds (you can even add chopped green chilies if you prefer it spicier). Add all the dry spices and then add the puffed rice or Kurmura and roast thoroughly till is gives of a nice aroma and is well coated with the spices. Turn of the heat and add the whole grams/peanuts/foxnuts or a bit of everything.

Shelf life – 4 -5 days in an air tight container

Roasted chickpeas – This is a more recent addition to my list, tried it after I read a bit about it on the net, and wasn’t really convinced how chickpeas would taste in a crunchy form, or if they would even turn crunchy. But all my doubts were put to rest after I actually tried and tasted it. It’s the best protein packed snack I can recommend to anyone be it someone looking for weight loss, weight gain, muscle gain or just for plain munching. The recipe is also pretty simple to follow.

1 cup boiled chickpeas – not made very soft, or you could say semi – boiled.
2 tbsp oil

Seasonings of your choice.

Boil your chickpeas after soaking them overnight and boil either in a sauce pan with sufficient water. Or in a pressure cooker for a 1 -2 whistles. Drain and dry the boiled chick peas thoroughly, the lesser the moisture the quicker it takes to roast. Mix with oil and salt. Roast in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 15 minutes, toss and roast for another 10 minutes or until crunchy. Mix with other seasonings of spices.

After the success of the recipe I thought to myself why stick with only chickpeas and tried the same recipe with some other pulses as well. Like whole green gram (moong), White peas (Vatanas) and green peas. All of these turn crunchy and are tasty the same way.

You could also make a crunchy pulse mix to munch in the evenings.

Shelf Life – 1 – 2 days in an airtight container – though mine didn’t last that long.

Baked crispy Okra – this one is actually more of a lunch side than a snack, but still falls in the crispy category. And again usually made to special requests from my little one.

It’s actually a traditional recipe in Gujarat in Western India. This is normally deep fried. All I’ve done is just baked it instead of frying it with the same results.

Okra (Bhindi) sliced into thin strips

1 tbsp Chickpea Flour
1 tsp oil
Salt
Red chilli powder
Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
Cumin seed (Jeera) powder

Mix all the ingredient with the Okra and keep for 30 minutes, spread out on a greased oven dish and bake at 160 °c in a pre – heated oven for 10 minutes. Stir once and bake again for 10 minutes or until crispy.

Shelf life – Eat on the same day prepared as it doesn’t keep

Multigrain / sweet potato / pumpkin crackers.

Last but not the least, homemade crackers, with the added goodness of pumkin or sweet potato. I love these, they are extremely healthy, but yes they are also a bit tedious.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ragi/nachni flour (or any flour blend you chose to use)
2 tbsp toasted flaxseed (ground or whole)
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup of sweet potato puree (two small boiled sweet potatoes mashed with 1/4 cup milk)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
2 tsp mixed herbs (optional)
pepper or paprika (optional)
sesame seed to top
kalonji (nigella) seeds to top

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together into a large bowl. Place sifted flour mixture, butter, flax seeds and herbs and spices in the bowl of your food processor and pulse for a few times, until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Add the sweet potato puree and pulse a few more times.

The dough should blend together.If you find that it has dried a little you could add a bit of milk but, be careful not to make it too soft. Knead the dough with your hand and divide it into 4 – 5 large portions.

Roll each portion as thin as you can, an easy tip for rolling thin portions is to roll them in between wax paper or cling wrap. If you want to top them with sesame seeds, sprinkle sesame seeds on top and roll once with your rolling pin to seal the seeds. Cut into any desired shape and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

You can also store half the dough in the freezer for later use.

Shelf – life – keeps easily for a week in an airtight container.

NOTE: All recipes are a regular in my kitchen and have passed quality and taste tests by my 3 year old son.

April 6, 2016 By Tasneem Jawadwala Leave a Comment

All about Snacking

It’s a very common suggestion from most nutritionists to eat “small frequent meals”. Well, however most of the people get confused about what should be eaten in-between breakfast –lunch and lunch-dinner.

Ideally, we should keep eating every 2-3 hours so that our metabolism stays high throughout the day but, the question is, ‘IS IT OK TO EAT ANYTHING’?

I am sharing a few points that could help us make right choices to munch on in-between meals.

Avoid consuming cereal based products in-between meals – This is the most common mistake which I have observed in a lot of people that they snack on cereal items like Sandwich, biscuits, noodles, poha (Puffed Rice) , idli etc. Some of them may not be unhealthy but they add on to our servings of cereals per day. If we are looking towards weight reduction we should avoid such a mistake. However, adding cereals in-between meals would be a good option for healthy weight gain.

Add on fruits and vegetables as snacks before meals– Snacking on fruits and salads before meals help us keep our belly full and prevent overeating during main meals.

Snacks should not always be a solid– Yes we can snack on healthy drinks like coconut water, barley water, lemon water or even vegetable juices like cucumber &tomato juice or radish& lemon juice etc. They make great snacks. These liquids hydrate us; therefore they are especially good for people who are not much fond of drinking water.

Pulses – like Roasted Chana, Peas, Kidney beans, Whole moong or green gram can be a good protein rich evening snack, if we are looking forward to have light dinners.

Dried Fruits – serve as filling and nutritious snacks too. However, we should limit its quantity. For example if we are having almonds then 4-5 almonds would be enough. 7 raisins would make a serving or just 1-2 dates would be a good dose of energy.

Curd – Homemade curd, I would always say is the best option if you are going through any digestion problems. It also adds to our protein intake and at the same time increases our gut micro flora. Fruit yogurt or buttermilk are other options that could be considered.

This is my favourite snacking option. It looks filling and tasty but gives minimum calories. I am sure many people opt for them. These are Popcorn, Puffed rice, dried lotus seeds (makhana) or Roasted grains. Having 1 fistful of them may not give us much calories but it satisfies our gut. They fall in the cereal group however the quantity of cereal is so less that if may not even make ½ a serving when weighed.

Snacking has a lot of benefits, but all we need to do is, keep these points in mind while selecting our snacks. So, next time, when we plan a 6 meal pattern, this is what we shall, consider for best results.