Festivals and sweets are synonymous with each other in India. If we talk about Indian festivals, especially the upcoming festival of lights - Diwali, there are many varieties of sweets and snacks that are prepared by most Indian families.
Visiting friends, inviting them over to your place and exchanging sweets is a tradition seen in Indian houses. With so many temptations around us during this festive occasion most of us tend to forget everything about health and weight. If you are on a weight loss diet, it is suggested to keep your taste buds in some control else all your weight loss strategy will go for a dive.
Instead of buying high calorie snacks and other Indian sweets you can make healthy sweets at home. Team Medimanage offers some tips on adopting healthy ways of eating this Diwali
1. Anjeer Barfi:
50 gms anjeer (fig), 2 tbsp sugar, ¼ tsp cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
Procedure:
- Puree the figs / anjeer till they are soft and are broken down into very small pieces.
- In a pan, combine the sugar with 1 tbsp of water and prepare sugar syrup of 1 string consistency.
- Add the anjeer and cardamom powder and cook for 4-5 minutes stirring continuously.
- Remove from fire.
- Transfer to a slightly greased plates and cut diamond shape pieces.
Well Know Nutritionist, Vasudha Sainik says, “Anjeer is not only a good source of fiber but is also is very rich in calcium. Adding roasted almonds to this sweet would not only enrich its taste but also the nutrition value. Anjeer is nutritious but also energy dense, hence it would be ideal and apt to limit oneself to one piece at a time.”
Vasudha advices, “Anjeer barfi is any time more nutritious and safe on health, in comparison to kaju katli which is high in fats & also simple sugars.”
Vasudha Sainik adds, “No matter how healthy a sweet is, it should always be consumed as a snack by itself, than consuming it after a meal or post meal.”
2. 
Rose Barfi
¾ cup low fat paneer or cottage cheese, 3 tbsp crumbled low fat mava, 2 ½ tbsp powder, sugar and 1-2 drops of rose color.
Procedure:
- Mix paneer, mava and sugar and knead it into soft dough. Add a tbsp of water if required.
- Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions.
- Add rose color to one portion of the dough.
- Spread the white portion on a greased thali and flatten the surface with a spatula. Then spread the pink colored mixture over the white colored mixture and flatten the surface.
- Refrigerate the plate for at least 1 hour and cut into barfi sized pieces and serve.
Vasudha Sainik adds, “Rose Barfi is not only low in calories and fat but also rich in proteins and calcium. Addition of finely cut red rose petals to this dish would also help add some fiber content to this recipe, thus making it more appealing & complete on the health front.”
Vasudha adds, “Comparing Rose barfi to the sinful gulab jamun, 1 medium sized gulab jamun with stuffing has approximately 250kcals ,whereas Rose barfi would give as approximately 100-125 kcals & that too with the nutrients in it.”
