How to eat sweets and stay fit this Navratri

Let's be honest; it is hard to completely eschew sweets during the festive season, however disciplined you are as a person. While a few spoonfuls of sugar won't harm you, the amount present in most sweets can make it harder for you to reach your goals if you are on a strict, calorie-deficit diet.

Also read: 3 healthy one-pot meals for busy weeknights

Enter sweets made with better ingredients and sweetened with stevia, a way to indulge without going too overboard. Admittedly, these are calorie-dense, too, so do not overdo them. But it could be a better alternative for you than the usual maida-and-sugar-based Navratri fare. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor offers two healthier mithai options that you can try out this festive season.

Vrat ka halwa

Vrat ka halwa (Courtesy Sugar Free)

Ingredients

1½ cups water chestnut flour (singhade kaatta)

4 tbsps ghee

¼ cup almond flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup milk

6 tbsps stevia powder

½ tsp green cardamom powder

Slivered almonds to sprinkle

Preparation time

5-10 minutes

Cooking time

15-20 minutes

Serves

4

Method

1. Heat ghee in a nonstick pan. Add water chestnut flour and sauté on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or till it turns golden brown in colour.
2. Add almond flour and desiccated coconut and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes
3. Add milk and mix well. Add stevia powder and cook till it dissolves and the mixture becomes thick.
4. Add green cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle almonds and serve.

Sweet Potato Kheer

Sweet potato kheer (Courtesy Sugar Free)

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated  

3 tsp ghee                                          

2 tbsps stevia powder                

3½ cups milk                                      

¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder 

10-12 cashew nuts, broken into pieces

10-12 almonds, thinly sliced

10-12 pistachios, thinly sliced

Preparation Time

 25-30 minutes

Cooking Time

10-15 minutes

Serves

4

Also read: 3 things to do for better health and wellbeing

Method 

1. Heat ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add sweet potato and sauté on low heat, stirring continuously, till lightly browned.
2. Add stevia powder and cook till it melts, stirring continuously.
3. Add milk gradually, and stir continuously so that there are no lumps.  Let the kheer come to a boil. Simmer till it thickens.
4. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
5. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with cashews, almonds and pistachios and serve hot or cold.