Navratri can be a testing time for many as a variety of delicious fast food available during this season, and especially for weight watchers it is the time to make aware food choices. Most diets turn the fast in to feast and to escape this you need to be aware of the varieties and choices of foods available and choose the diet which suits you and gives health and vitality.
- PANEER: Paneer is a favorite delicacy for many, not just in navratras, but otherwise as well. Paneer has high protein content and is also high on fat.
Fried paneer curry: made by using cumin, sendha namak and chilli powder is tasty and healthy too. This is not a dish for dieters or fast keepers and the weight conscious.
The alternate paneer dish for the fast keeps and health conscious is:
Grilled paneer with veggies: A paneer dish for the health conscious which is tasty too. No oil is needed, just grill the paneer cubes In the griller and add veggies like tomatoes and spinach.
- SAGO/SABUDANA: Sabudana is a low fat dish which can be consumed all around the year. It is usually prepared as khichdi, kheer and tikkis. Let’s look at the heavy dish and its alternative for Navratra diet
Sabudana tikki: High Fat but Tasty, this is not a dish for the weight conscious. It is usually packed with trans-fat and is savored with chutney or chai.
A healthy Alternative, which is tasty too is:
Sabudana Khichdi: Here we cook the sabudana without fat and without frying. We can also add veggies to improve on the nutritional value of the dish. This dish is low on calories and is tasty too.
3. Chai: During fasts it is safe to have our indian chai but the additions to it to fill our hunger are extremy heavy and loaded with calories, we supplement chai with sugar and gur and that adds to the calories. Moreover people start taking larger servings of tea, which adds to the calories. People start taking biscuits which add about 700 calories in one go.
A healthy Alternative is Green Herb tea:
Herb Tea: Add cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, along with tulsi leaves in your chai and try keeping the quantity of milk limited. Add gur and you can supplement it with makhaane or kuttu balls. This makes it a great combo which is delicious and fat free too.
