Diwali, Ganesha Chaturthi 2022: Here's the Perfect Food Plan For These Festive Occasions
Diwali Sweets
Diwali is a festival of lights, celebrated with great joy and fervor. People decorate their homes with lights, diyas, and rangolis, and exchange gifts and sweets. Traditional Diwali sweets include laddu, jalebi, gulab jamun, and kaju katli. These sweets are made with ghee, sugar, and flour, and are often flavored with nuts and spices.
Rasmalai is a popular Bengali sweet made with flattened balls of chhena soaked in a creamy, saffron-flavored milk sauce. It is often garnished with chopped pistachios or almonds. Gujiya is a fried pastry filled with a sweet mixture of nuts, spices, and coconut. Sohan halwa is a brittle sweet made with gram flour, sugar, and ghee.
Healthy Diwali Sweets
If you are looking for a healthier option, there are many healthy Diwali sweets that you can make at home. These sweets are made with whole grains, nuts, and fruits, and are sweetened with natural sweeteners such as honey or jaggery.
Some healthy Diwali sweet options include:
- Oatmeal laddu made with oats, jaggery, and nuts
- Quinoa kheer made with quinoa, milk, and jaggery
- Apple halwa made with apples, jaggery, and ghee
- Dates and nuts laddu made with dates, nuts, and jaggery
- Besan laddu made with besan, jaggery, and ghee
Diwali Snacks
Diwali is a time for family and friends to gather and enjoy delicious food. In addition to sweets, there are many savory snacks that are popular during this festival. These snacks include samosas, pakoras, and chaat.
Samosas are fried pastries filled with a savory mixture of vegetables, paneer, or meat. Pakoras are fritters made with gram flour, vegetables, and spices. Chaat is a street food made with a variety of ingredients, including chickpeas, potatoes, onions, and spices.
Healthy Diwali Snacks
If you are looking for a healthier option, there are many healthy Diwali snacks that you can make at home. These snacks are made with whole grains, vegetables, and nuts, and are low in fat and calories.
Some healthy Diwali snacks include:
- Baked samosas made with whole wheat flour and filled with vegetables
- Zucchini pakoras made with zucchini, gram flour, and spices
- Quinoa chaat made with quinoa, chickpeas, vegetables, and spices
- Roasted chana made with chickpeas, spices, and oil
- Makhana made with popped lotus seeds and spices
Diwali Drinks
Diwali is also a time to enjoy delicious drinks. Traditional Diwali drinks include lassi, sherbet, and thandai. Lassi is a yogurt-based drink that is often flavored with fruits or spices. Sherbet is a sweet, syrupy drink made with fruits, sugar, and water. Thandai is a cold, refreshing drink made with milk, almonds, pistachios, and spices.
Here are some healthy Diwali drink options:
- Lassi made with non-fat yogurt and flavored with fruits or spices
- Sherbet made with fresh fruits, sugar, and water
- Thandai made with skim milk, almonds, pistachios, and spices
- Coconut water
- Fruit juice