Here’s the answer to your Monsoon cravings with a Healthy Twist.
Monsoons are finally here! And when I say monsoon, the thing that pops into my mind instantly is – Chai-pakoda. My heart suddenly yearns for something hot, spicy to munch on. Pakoras or bhajiyas are hands down drooling food options even for the ones who are health conscious.Ā
Imagine it is a chilly evening with the sky pouring its love and you crave some delicious mouthwatering hot fritters seated by your window and sipping some hot tea or coffee.Ā
Nobody can resist having a bite or two in this appealing weather. That is how we enjoy monsoons.Ā
But⦠we cannot have fritters every second day during the rains, can we? Monsoon not only arrives with food cravings but also with health concerns. With the earth petrichor during monsoons comes along diseases such as flu, fever, cough, etc. It is advisable to eat healthily and stay safe. But who says eating homemade healthy food needs to taste bland? You surely need to check out these tempting recipes shared by these certified food nutritionists.Ā
To win against your evening monsoon cravings, we have come up with some really delicious and Healthy Monsoon Recipes. To make sure we provide you with some wholesome recipes, we have asked Nutritionists and Dieticians, to share their favourite monsoon recipes, with their health benefits.Ā
So sit down with a hot cup of tea and enjoy these delicious recipes.Ā
1. IMMUNITY BOOSTING HERBAL TEA
By AVANTI DESHPANDE. Avanti Deshpande is a Specialist in PCOS AND GUT HEALTH with a master’s degree in food science and nutrition. She works as a consultant nutritionist.Ā
Meet Avanti Deshpande. PCOS & Gut Health Specialist.
In this cold weather and the days of covid-19, your health comes first. Immunity-boosting herbal tea is a perfect blend of ingredients for the rainy season to keep away from cold and cough.
Ingredients-Ā
- Tulsi leaves (holy basil)- a handful
- lemongrass handful
- peppercorns-Ā 3-4 numbers
- ginger grated- 1 inchĀ
- honey- 1 tsp
- lemon juice of half a lemonĀ
MethodĀ
- boil 2 cups of waterĀ
- Ā add the ingredients as shownĀ
- Ā boil to make it up to 1 cup
- Ā filter it, add honey and squeeze lemon juice
And your tasteful, hot herbal tea is ready.Ā
Let the Ingredients come to a boil.
Health Benefits
- Tulsi Leaves are natural immunity boosters, reducing cold and cough.Ā
- Lemongrass has anti-bacterial properties and lowers cholesterol.
- Gingerās antibacterial powers help the body ward off germs and have powerful medicinal properties.
And your hot cup of Herbal Green Tea is ready to sip.
2. FAKE GUACAMOLEĀ
By NISHITA MEHTA. Mrs. Nishita Mehta is a certified Food Nutritionist as well as an Inter CA.
Meet Mrs. Nishita Mehta, a Certified Food Nutritionist.
Ingredients-
- Boiled Peas
- Coriander LeavesĀ
- Mint LeavesĀ
- Dill Leaves
- Olive Oil
- Lime JuiceĀ
- Ginger.
Method
- Transfer all the ingredients into a blenderĀ
- Add a pinch of salt,Ā
- black pepper powder,Ā
- and chili flakes.
And done.
Fake Guacamole is ready to hog into…
Enjoy it with nachos, slices of bread, or sautƩed veggies of your choice
When you have homemade dips or sauces ready,Ā the chances of eating junk are very negligible.
Homemade is always healthy since you cut down on hidden calories, improve your gut health, and make your meals more interesting.
3.Ā 5-INGREDIENT DOSA
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā By Nishita Mehta.
Ingredients-
- Rice Flour,Ā
- Sprouts,Ā
- Ragi flour,Ā
- a piece of ginger,
- Ā 2 green chili.
Method-
- Mix all this in a blender with salt and little water and blend into a smooth paste.
- Make dosa out of the batter prepared
and enjoy it with tomato chutney, sambar, and gunpowder.
An Instant 5-Ingredient Ragi Dosa. (Picture Courtesy – google images)
Wasnāt it easy? It is an instant recipe with multiple health benefits.
The benefits of the ingredients are-
- Rice Flour: good carbsĀ
- Sprouts: proteinĀ
- Ragi: Calcium and Iron
Why include Ragi in our diet?Ā
- Weight watchers, this is for you-
- Ragi and Sproutās dosa keeps you full for a long time.
- High in Dietary Fibre.
- Controls Diabetes, Cholesterol, Iron Deficiency.
- Keeps Skin Healthy.
- Bone development, Excellent during pregnancy & post-pregnancy
- Local and Pocket Friendly.
4. CORN CHAATĀ
By KRUSHI SHAH. Krushi Shah is a Qualified Clinical Nutritionist with B.Sc. in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics; ļøM.Sc. in Specialised Dietetics ’21 (Specialisation in Renal Nutrition), and a Certified Diabetes Educator.
I believe that: āYou don’t have to eat less; you just have to eat right and smart.ā
Meet Krushi Shah. She is into Nutrition & Dietetics.
Sweet corn or ‘bhutta’ with monsoon rains is the perfect blend of health and taste. Today we are sharing recipes of healthy, delicious, and spicy chaat made from boiled corn.
Ingredients-
- 3/4 cup Boiled Corn
- 1 cup – Chopped bell peppers, tomato, and onion
- 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
For Oil dressing-
- 1tsp Olive oil or any vegetable oil
- + 1tbsp lemon juice
- + Salt acc to taste
- + 1/2 tap red chilli powder
- + 1/4 tap cumin powder (jeera powder)
- + 1/2 tap chaat masala
Garnish-
- Coriander + Raw mango
Method-
- ļø Remove, rinse and then boil the corn. Boil them with little water until tender.Ā
- ļøSaute them in little ghee (this step is optional)
- Ā Make the oil dressing by mixing all the ingredients
- ļøPour the oil dressing into sautĆ©ed corn. Mix well
- ļø Add the chopped vegetables and green chilies
- ļø Transfer the corn chaat into the serving bowl and garnish it with coriander and raw mango.
How colourful and tempting is this Corn Chaat!
Benefits-
Corns are high in complex carbohydrates, which help to curb hunger and boost energy levels. Corns, being a good probiotic, help to enhance our gut bacteria while also aiding digestion and enhancing metabolism. It has essential nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants that support the immune system. And by adding colourful vegetables to this corn; the fibre, Vitamin C, and antioxidants content increases making it a perfect healthy and yummy evening snack.
We think spending the rainy days, cooking and eating together with your loved ones is the most exciting feeling. So this monsoon, while you have to take a leave from your work due to a heavy downpour, get up from your couch, head to your kitchen, and try these appetising recipes and share them with your family.Ā
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