By Sneha Sadhwani,
Clinical Nutritionist
After the hot summer days, we eagerly wait for the monsoons to arrive. People are often tempted by some mouth-watering snacks during this awesome season. A hot cup of tea and some lip-smacking crunchies is what your taste buds crave for during rainy days. It is really difficult to resist these deep-fried food preparations, but healthy food preparations can be relishing too!
Let’s have a look at how you can celebrate rainy days with some delicious as well as healthy food stuffs! But, before that let’s learn about what happens to our gut during the monsoon:
During the moist days, human gut becomes weak and sluggish. If you consume deep-fried or high fat foods, during this phase, it becomes difficult for the gut to digest such heavy foods. This results in stomach ache, abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. Therefore, it is advised that one should eat light foods that do not contain high amount of fat and spices in it.
Let’s proceed to some scrumptious snack recipes:
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Name Of The Recipe: Roasted Paneer
Ingredients:
- Paneer cubes: 10-12
- Black pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: 1 tablespoon
Method Of Preparation:
- In a mixing bowl, add paneer cubes, black pepper powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix them well till the paneer cubes are coated with the pepper-cumin mixture
- Heat a tawa and spread 1 tablespoon oil on it
- Place the paneer cubes on the tawa and cook till the bottom side turns golden brown in color
- Flip all the sides till they turn golden brown
- Enjoy roasted paneer with coriander-mint chutney
Healthy alternative to: Deep-fried paneer pakoda, paneer chilly
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Name Of The Recipe: Baked Potato Wedges
Ingredients:
- Potatoes: 2 large, unpeeled
- Garlic: 1 teaspoon, minced
- Black pepper powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Mixed herbs: 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: 2 tablespoons
Method Of Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius
- Wash the potatoes properly and cut them into long wedges
- Toss all the ingredients together, till the potato wedges are coated with herbs and oil
- Spread the potato wedges on the baking tray and bake them for 15 minutes
- After 15 minutes, turn the potatoes to other side and bake them for another 15 minutes or bake until they are light brown in color and crisp
- Serve them hot
Healthy Alternative To: Chips, French Fries, Potato Pakoda
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Name Of The Recipe: Makhana Or Fox Nut Chaat
Ingredients:
- Makhana: 1 bowl
- Onion: 1/2, finely chopped
- Tomatoes: 1 small, finely chopped
- Cucumber: 1/2, finely chopped
- Green chili: 1-2, finely chopped
- Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
- Coriander: 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Oil: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Chaat masala: 1/4 teaspoon
Method Of Preparation:
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and roast makhana for 5-10 minutes or till they turn golden brown in color
- In a bowl, toss all the ingredients together
- Mix well and enjoy the makhana chaat
Healthy Alternative To: Deep-Fried Puri And Papdi Chaat
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Name Of The Recipe: Green Kebabs
Ingredients:
- Spinach: 1 cup, finely chopped
- Potato: 1, boiled
- Paneer: 100 grams, grated
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
- Green chili: 3-4, finely chopped
- Salt: to taste
- Oil: 2 tablespoons
Method Of Preparation:
- Blanch the spinach and other place it in cold water for 2-3 minutes. Strain it and chop it finely
- In a mixing bowl add finely chopped spinach, mashed potato, grated paneer, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies and salt. Mix all the ingredients properly, until it forms a uniform mixture
- Divide this mixture into equal balls and give them a shape of kebabs
- In a pan heat oil, place the kebabs and roast them on both sides till they turn golden brown
- Your delicious greens kebabs are ready
Healthy Alternative To: Deep-Fried Cutlets And Patties