Enjoy festivities by replacing unhealthy snacks with Almond:Ritika Samad
Prominent Punjabi artist Satinder Satti and Ritika Samaddar,Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, shared important tips and healthy recipes during the session
As people acrossnorthern India begin preparations for the upcoming auspicious festivals of Navratri, Karwa Chauth, Dussehra and Diwali, a sessionaround ‘Staying healthy this festive season’ was concluded. For many,the month of September marks the onset of the festive season, and is the most anticipated time of the year. This is partly true because it’s a great opportunity for many to connect with relatives and friends, enjoy some of our favourite festival food and binge eat on yummy mithaai’s. As the festivals approach, it’s easy to get carried away with the revelry, and lose sight of one’s health.
Keeping in mind these nuances, and in an effort to promote a healthier festive season, the session, which was hosted by prominent Punjabi artist, Satinder Satti along with Ritika Samaddar,Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, centred on minorlifestyle, and diet changes or additions that families can adopt to stay healthy during the festivities. Whether it’s by making tweaks and adjustments to daily habits such as following your morning ritual of consuming almonds, or making more conscious and healthy choices, or even serving healthy and tasty snacks such as almonds while entertaining friends and family, the session addressed and offered solutions to a melange of challenges that many of us face these days especially during festivals.
Speaking at the event, prominent Punjabi artist, Satinder Satti said, “While festivals are a great time to connect with the family, get together and share love, it’s also a time when we tend to be less conscious of our eating habits and snacking. For me, almonds have always been my go-to snack and I ensure I keep a handful handy, for any sudden hunger pangs. During festivals, I also make it a point to include delicious variants like roasted, caramelized or flavoured almonds, as a part of the snacks menu during parties or family get-togethers, to ensure weeat healthy while we enjoy the festivities.”
Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi, said, “A lot of people usually over-indulge in unhealthy foods during the festive season, and this tends to have a bigger impact in the long run. A simple way to avoid going overboard during festivals, and yet enjoy the festivities is by replacing our unhealthy snacks with something that is nutritious and helps you feel full in between meals. Nuts such as almonds are a good alternative. Almonds are a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, dietary fibre, protein, riboflavin, calcium etc., and also have satiating properties that promote feelings of fullness, which can help keep hunger pangs at bay, and keep you from reaching for the tempting empty calories that surround you this time of the year.
Chef Karthikeyan, said “For many of us, festivals are a time, when we pay less heed to what we eat, and tend to feast on sweets, fried snacks, and so much more. However, festivals are also a great opportunity, to experiment with new variants and dishes. So whether it’s while entertaining guests at a taash party, or as an evening snack while breaking one’s fast or even something to satiate a sweet craving – these almond based recipes will be a tasty treat, perfect for any and every occasion.”
Enjoy festivities by replacing unhealthy snacks with Almond : Ritika Samaddar
Ring in the festivities on a healthy note, with two nutritious and healthy recipe’s that will are ideal for your next festive party or get together:
- Almond, Sweet Potato and Pomegranate Chaat, White Pea Ragda
Serves: 1 person
Preparation time: 10 – 12 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Almonds (peeled) – 15 g
Boiled sweet potato dices – 30 g
Pomegranate pearls – 5 g
White pea – 20 g
Onions chopped – 5 g
Tomatoes chopped and deseeded – 5 g
Chaat masala – 2 g
Green chillies – 1 g
Lemon juice – 3 ml
Coriander, fresh – 1 g
Mint chutney – 10 ml
Saunth chutney – 15 ml
Red chilli powder – 1 g
Method:
Boil white pea till cooked properly, for making white pea ragda. Mix chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, green chillies, fresh coriander, lemon juice, redchilli powder and chaat masala. Adjust the seasoning.
In a separate bowl, take almonds, pomegranate pearls and sweet potato. Drizzle with saunth chutney, lemon juice, chaat masala and chopped coriander. Toss it lightly.
Then, on a serving plate, mould the white pea ragda and arrange the almond chaat on top of it. Serve garnished with a coriander sprig.
Nutrient Analysis
| Calories | 174 | Protein | 7.3 g |
| Total fat | 9 g | Saturated | 0.5 g |
| Monounsaturated | 4.6 g | Polyunsaturated | 1.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g | Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | Sodium | 5.4 mg |
| Calcium | 59 mg | Magnesium | 63 mg |
| Potassium | 305 mg | Vitamin E | 3.9 mg |
- Caramelized Sesame Smoked Almonds
Serves: 4 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Almonds whole – 400 g
White and black Sesame – 100 g
Sugar – 150 g
Rosemary – 10 g
Chilli powder – 10 g
Sea salt or rocks salt (optional) – 10 g
Method:
In a pan, dry roast almonds and keep it to cool down so that it becomes crunchy.In a separate pan, take sugar and let it caramelize then add roasted almonds in it.When almonds are coated with syrup, add the chili powder which will give glaze and binding.
Remove on a clean tray and coat it with white sesame seeds and rock salt (crushed).Take a charcoal, burn it on a fire and keep it on bowl, add some rosemary and smoke the almonds which are coated with sesame. Store it in an airtight container.
Tip: You could flavor the smoke with any spice, cloves, cinnamon, cumin etc it will go really well
