Lower temperature and abundance of festivities makes winter a foodie season. From the crispy food munchies to the fried bonanza on the streets, the tastebuds crave for more than just three regular meals. It has been scientifically proven that one craves for food more during the cold winter days. As they say, planning is key to eating healthy, experts say that snacks are no different.
Dieticians chalk out your game plan to keep you on track when hunger strikes. “Winter is the time for chaats. So anything from a bhelpuri (homemade) to daal chaat makes for a perfect snack. If you really want to avoid the fried stuff, try and gorge on multigrain breads stuffed with raw veggies. To add more flavour to your snacks, try out the amla chutneys,” says nutritionist Binu Bhatia.
And diet-conscious mommies at home cook some great snacks for their figure-conscious kids around this time. “When my son’s back from the gym, he needs a quick snack and also something that’s tasty. So a Gujarati friend told me about this recipe which is usually cooked in oil, but I use coconut oil instead. It’s called oondhiya. The methi muthias added to this recipe are baked to wonderful rich golden brown that cuts down on the calories,” says Poonam Chaudhary, who works with the Indian Railways.
So, whether you’re juggling work or have hectic social commitments, keep in hand these quick recipe ideas to help you stay lean and healthy.
There are ways to make the most of what’s available in the kitchen, without worrying about the calorie count.
“If you’re not too fond of soups, you can try this recipe. We usually use yellow split peas combined with fresh vegetables and make a stewlike curry — perfect for a cold winter night. You can anyday combine it with a loaf of crusty bread. You can use a combination of various vegetables like sweet potatoes, spinach for a sweeter taste,” says Asha Dhingra, who works with an insurance company.
Dr Ishi Khosla, clinical nutritionist, director, Whole Foods India, suggests one should try roasted nuts and dry fruits, sprouts, carrot, radish and cucumber sticks (with or without dips), fresh soups (broccoli, spinach, lentil and celery, green pea, chicken soup) in winters. There’s a lot that you can do with these options.
“Dark green leafy vegetables like mustard greens, amaranth greens (bathua) are a good source of iron and folate and help maintain hemoglobin levels and protect us from infection and cold,” she says.