Diabetes-Friendly and Healthy Recipes for Holi

This festival of colors also gives us a reason to relish our favorite delicacies. You might want to gorge on everything sweet, but you have to curb your cravings for gujiya, being a diabetic. We’ve curated a list of mouth-watering, diabetes-friendly healthy recipes for Holi. Just for you!

Coconut Thandai Panna Cotta

Coconut Thandai can be best enjoyed during this festive season. This Panna Cotta is low in carbohydrates which makes it diabetic friendly. It is also suitable for weight- loss.

Recommended Serving Size– 1 small Chinese cup (75 gm)

Ingredients

30 gm Dates ( Dry Dates can also be used )
5 gm Fennel seeds/ saunf
300 gm Coconut milk
4 Cardamom pods
15 gm Gelatin
20 gm Almonds
20 gm Cashew
10 gm Stevia
5 Dried Rose Petals

How to make it

Blend coconut milk and all the other ingredients (except gelatin) with the hep of a blender.
Add Stevia as per your taste and liking.
Take a heavy bottom pan and bring this mixture to a boil.
Add the Gelatin and stir till it is dissolved.
Put this mixture in ramekins/ moulds and allow it to set in the refrigerator. Relish it with a chilled Citrus Strawberry Sauce.

Black Wheat Chaat Tartlets

These black wheat tartlets are gluten-free and rich in antioxidants. They are rich in fibre and have a moderate glycemic index. They are also loaded with minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc and vitamins such as Vitamin B, folic acid, etc.

Recommended Serving Size – 4 small tartlets

Ingredients

180 gm Black Wheat Flour
50 ml Olive Oil/ Coconut Oil
Salt – to taste
2 gm Ajwain
60 gm Onion
10 gm Green Chillies
100 gm Sweet Potato/Pumpkin/Squash
5 gm Cumin Seeds
80 gm Low Fat Yoghurt
10 gm Coriander
20 gm Ginger
3 Lemons

How to make it

For the tartlest, take buckwheat flour and rub the oil, add salt, cumin seeds (ajwain) and a little bit of water for the dough to come together. Wrap the dough and keep it aside to rest.
For the Chaat filling, roast or boil the potatoes. Add bhuna jeera powder, salt and lemon juice to it.
Sautee the onions until they’re golden brown.
For the green coriander chutney, add coriander leaves, salt, lemon juice and green chillies in a blender and make a smooth paste.

Smash & Mash

This dish is low in carbs and is a delicious way to satiate your cravings. It adds a twist to the traditional way of eating Litti Chokha.

Recommended Serving Size– 1 small bowl ( 150 gm )

Ingredients

80 gm Sattu
100 gm Yam / Arbi (Pumpkin,Sweet potato & Squashes)
180 gm Almond Flour
Salt – to taste
15 ml Lemon Juice
50 ml Mustard Oil
2 gm Ajwain
10 gm Coriander Leaves
10 gm Tomatoes
5 gm Bhuna jeera powder
10 gm Ginger
10 gm Garlic
10 gm Green chillies

How to make it

For the filling, combine sattu, salt, half of ajwain, lemon juice, chopped green chillies, crushed garlic, chopped ginger and mustard oil.
For the dough, add almond flour, salt and ajwain and make a smooth dough.
For the sauce, blend the tomatoes and cook it with salt, bhuna jeera, ginger and garlic in a heavy bottom pan. Stir till the rawness of the tomatoes goes away with the salt.
For the mash, boil and mash the yam. Add salt, green chillies, ginger and a touch of mustard oil.
Make small roundels of dough and fill it with the sattu mixture. Flatten it into 2-3 inch diameter circles and cook them on a flat pan/ tawa.
Finally, assemble the cooked roundels on a plate. Scoop out nice quennels of the mash. Top them up with tomato sauce.
Garnish and serve.

Crispy Besan and Spinach Chilla/ Hey Roller

These chillas are high in both protein and fibre, making them diabetes-friendly. They make an ideal breakfast dish and can be relished on Holi too.

Recommended Serving Size – 2 Rolls

Ingredients

250 gm Spinach Leaves
180 gm Besan
Salt
5 gm Garlic
100 gm Onion
5 gm Ginger
100 gm Hung Low Fat Curd
100 gm Cucumber
5 gm Green Chilli
10 gm Coriander Leaves
10 gm Dessicated Coconut
100 gm Capsicum
5 gm Lemon Juice
10 gm Red Chilli Powder/ Degi Mirch

How to make it

Finely chop the garlic, green chillies and some fresh coriander leaves.
For the Chilla batter, add besan, salt, chopped vegetables and 140 ml of water. Combine it into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Lightly oil the spinach leaves and air fry them at 180 degree celsius for 7 minutes. Season them with salt and degi mirch while they’re hot.
Caramelise the onions and capsicum and keep them aside.
Season the hung curd with lemon juice, degi mirch and salt.
Take a non-stick pan and lightly oil it. Heat it up and pour a ladle of the batter and spread it thinly.
Cook on both sides and keep it aside.
Finally, spread a very thin layer of our Strawberry Citrus sauce. Spread the hund curd mixture on the chilla.
Add the caramelised onion and capsicum, desiccated coconut, thinly sliced cucumber and crispy spinach leaves. Roll it tightly in a spiral.

Strawberry Citrus Sauce

This Strawberry Citrus Sauce is a great alternative to sweet chutneys. It has the goodness of antioxidants and Vitamin C and is also suitable for diabetics.

Recommended Serving Size – 2 tbsp ( 30 gm)

Ingredients

150 gm Strawberry
100 gm Fresh Orange juice
5 gm Lemon Juice
5 gm Fresh Ginger
5 Cloves
5 gm Stevia ( if required )

How to make it

Finely chop the strawberries.
Put the strawberries in a heavy bottom pan. Add some water and cook them on a medium high heat.
Add the finely chopped ginger, cloves, orange juice and let it cook.
When the sauce is thickened to a jammy consistency, check for its sweetness and add stevia, if required.
Let it cool and serve as a replacement for your Tamarind chutney.

Kacchi Haldi & Lemon Juice Shake Shots

This drink is highly nutritious and helps in reducing insulin resistance. It has the goodness of probiotics and also boosts metabolism.

Recommended Serving Size – 1 shot ( 75 ml )

Ingredients

40 gm Fresh Kacchi Haldi
1 Lemon
150 gm Low Fat Yoghurt
10 gm Fresh Ginger
20 ml Raw Wild Honey (can be replaced or used in small quantity 1 tsp=5-8ml)
5 gm Stevia (if required)

How to make it

Peel and roughly chop the fresh haldi and ginger and put it in a blender.
Put the yoghurt, honey, a few ice cubes and juice of two lemons. Blend till smooth.
Chill and put it in short glasses and enjoy.

Strawberry and Chia Seeds Shake Shots

This drink is rich in antioxidants and loaded with protein and Vitamin C. It is diabetes-friendly and can be enjoyed this festive season.

Recommended Serving Size – 1 shot ( 75 ml )

Ingredients

100 gm Fresh Strawberries
1 Lemon
150 gm Low Fat Yoghurt
10 gm Chia Seeds
20 gm Raw Wild Honey (can be replaced or used in small quantity 1 tsp=5-8ml)
5 gm Stevia ( if required )

Here’s how to make it

Chop the strawberries and put everything in the blender ( except chia seeds ). Blend until it’s smooth.
Mix the soaked Chia Seeds.
Chill and put it in short glasses and enjoy.

Dates and Nuts Thandai Shake Shots

Thandai is a traditional Indian drink without which the festival of Holi is incomplete. Here is a diabetes-friendly version of it which is low in carbs and loaded with vitamins and minerals. It also helps in improving your digestion.

Recommended Portion Size – 1 shot ( 75 ml )

Ingredients

5 Soaked dry Dates
10 gm Soaked Almonds
10 gm Soaked Pistachios ( Pista )
150 gm Low Fat Yoghurt
5 gm Fennel Seeds Powder
3 gm Stevia ( if required )

How to make it

De-seed the dates and roughly chop them. Put them in the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
Blend until they’re smooth and homogenised.
Chill and put it in short glasses and enjoy.

If you feel doubtful after having any of these above-listed delicacies, do not forget to do a quick sugar check. It will help you in understanding the effects of a particular food item on your sugar levels. If you further feel sceptical about having something, do not forget to ask your health coach regarding the same.

Courtesy: Healthshots.com