Festival celebration is incomplete without sweets. However, excessive consumption of refined sugar can adversely impact your health, especially if you suffer from diabetes or heart disease. Therefore, celebrating festivals while being conscious of your health is extremely important. Ayurveda mentions many foods and recipes that can help you enjoy your festivals without negatively impacting your health.
Ayurvedic Recipes for Healthy Sweets
Chandrashoor Ladoos
Chandrashoor Ladoos are one of the healthiest sweets for your family. This Ayurvedic recipe is full of nutrients as Chandrashoor helps regulate blood pressure levels, reduce cholesterol levels, strengthen lung tissues and boost immunity.
How to Make Chandrashoor Ladoos?
- Take 25 gms of Chandrashoor seeds and soak them in 100 gms of coconut water for 3-4 days.
- Now, grind some cashews and almonds to make a smooth paste.
- Next, add 1-2 teaspoons of ghee to a pan and heat it.
- Add 300 gms of jaggery to the ghee and let it dissolve completely.
- Now, add the soaked Chandrashoor seeds to the pan and mix it well.
- Add about 100 gms of grated coconut to the Ladoo mixture and let it cook till the water evaporates.
- Now, add one teaspoon of Jaiphal powder, cashew paste and almond paste to the pan and sauté the mixture well for a few minutes.
- Let the mixture cool down, and then roll it into small round balls.
Ginger and Amla Barfi
Ginger Amla Barfi is another healthy sweet that is packed with nutrition. Amla and ginger are extremely important Ayurvedic herbs and are vastly used in Ayurvedic medicines. Ginger is good for improving digestive fire, it is referred to as ‘Vishwabeshaja’ meaning best for any kind of disease, it also helps in avoiding nausea and vomiting. Rich in antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, this sweet helps to reduce excess weight, improve digestion and boost immunity.
How to Make Ginger and Amla Barfi?
- Boil 250 gms of Amla or Indian gooseberries and remove seeds from them. Also, boil 50 gms of peeled ginger.
- Now, grind Amla and ginger separately to make a fine paste.
- Take a hot bowl and add 300 gms of sugar to it. Mix it with adequate water to get a sticky one string consistency.
- Now, add Amla paste, ginger paste and ¾ cup of ghee to the sugar syrup. Mix all the ingredients well.
- Add ½ cup of all-purpose flour, one tablespoon of cornflour, and one tablespoon of cinnamon powder to the mixture.
- Keep blending it until the ghee starts floating. Then, switch off the flames.
- Take another plate and grease it with some ghee. Take the mixture out on this plate and cut it into small pieces.
- You may add some cashew nuts to garnish the Barfi.
Til Ladoo
Sesame or Til is probably the most used Ayurvedic herb. Ayurveda mentions that Til is highly effective in boosting immunity, preventing diseases, reducing excess weight, delaying ageing and improving digestion. Til is rich in calcium and vitamin D, and is good for those with irregular menstrual cycles. Therefore, Til Ladoos serve as a very healthy sweet during festivals.
How to Make Til Ladoo?
- Take ½ cup of both white and black sesame seeds and roast them well.
- Now, take 1 cup of jaggery and ¼ cup of water in a pan. Heat them till the jaggery completely dissolves.
- Turn off the flame and add the sesame seeds to the pan.
- Now, add two tablespoons of peanuts, two tablespoons of cashews, and ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder to the pan and mix all the ingredients well.
- Let the mixture cool down, and then make it into round balls.
Adhirasam
Adhirasam is an Ayurvedic sweet that is perfect for this festive season. The ingredients used in making the sweet helps in balancing Pitta Dosha and improving digestion while also increasing Kapha for better strength and nourishment during festivals.
How to Make Adhirasam?
- Take ½ kg of rice and soak them in water for 30 minutes. Then, spread the rice on a cloth to dry.
- Once dried, grind the rice to form a fine powder.
- Now, take 300 gm of jaggery and heat it with some water to form a thick syrup.
- Mix the rice powder into the syrup and let the mixture cool down for 8-12 hours.
- Next, make small round patties from the mixture on a smooth plantain leaf.
- Heat some ghee in a pan and fry these patties till they are golden brown.
Pumpkin Halwa
Pumpkin Halwa is another very healthy festival sweet. Pumpkin helps to provide essential antioxidants and vitamins to your body, thereby improving the functioning of your immune system. It also helps to promote weight loss and boost heart health in the body.
How to Make Pumpkin Halwa?
- Take 3 cups of grated pumpkin and steam them well. Remove the excess liquid and mash the pumpkin.
- Now, take two tablespoons of ghee and heat it in a pan. Add the mashed pumpkin to the pan and mix it well with the ghee.
- Next, add 1 cup of powdered palm sugar to the mixture and allow it to cook for 5 minutes on low flame, while you keep stirring it.
- Add another two tablespoons of ghee to the mixture and let it cook till ghee starts floating on the surface.
- Now roast ten cashew nuts in some ghee and add them to the mixture.
- Mix the cashew nuts well and turn off the flames.
- Once the mixture is cooled, add five tablespoons of honey to it and serve it fresh.
Panchamirtham
Panchamirtham is a healthy sweet recipe that helps to naturally detoxify your body. Made from various fruits, it provides adequate nutrition to the body and promotes digestion.
How to Make Panchamirtham?
- Take one banana, one bunch of grapes, four dates, one apple and one pomegranate.
- Cut all the fruits and add 150 gms of jaggery and 25 gms of honey to them.
- Mix everything well and serve fresh.
Takeaway
These healthy recipes are perfect to celebrate festivals without worrying about your health. Make these sweets to enjoy a healthy festive season.
This article is reviewed by Dr. Ashwini
