This Diwali Do Away With the Sugar, Not The Mithai

Here’s how to have your cake and not eat it too

When it comes to Diwali, the deal is not sealed unless there’s sweets. I totally love meetha and one of the hardest things to do around festivals is to control my sweet tooth cravings.

But now that we know that ‘death by sugar’ is not an overstatement, avoid the dreaded ‘sugar crash’ with mithais drenched in ghee and refined sugar, and pack in the fun with some nutrient-rich, low-calorie sweets.

Dazzle this Diwali with Discretion

Sorry to burst your bubble, there’s no such thing as a sugar-free mithai.

To me sugar-free mithai is like a 10,000 laddi stack that never goes off. These versions of sweets replace the sugar with at least double the amount of fat to retain the taste. So stay away from this trap and opt for sweets which have a more natural sweetener.

Coconut Date Rolls

The good news is that dates provide us with incredible nutrition and taste. They are loaded with iron, balance out the sugar levels, reduce blood pressure and are even great for the skin. The added nuts and poppy seeds give a protein and calcium boost to your body and are super easy to make even at home.

Scan through tons of recipes on the net or use the one I swear-by. Heat some ghee, cook 10-12 finely grated dates, mix nuts and take it off the stove. Once it cools, roll into a laddoo and coat with grated coconut. It’s seriously that easy to make.

Apple Date Kheer

Kheer doesn’t always have to be ultra luxurious with condensed milk, excessive sugar and the works. Instead of adding a heavy dose of sugar to your regular kheer, spruce it up with a blend of coconut milk, apples and rose petals. We assure you, this classy twist will be hard to resist.

Murmura Laddoo

Nostalgic aromas, rustic goodness. Growing up in Lucknow, these were sold in every nook and corner of the city around Diwali. The charm of this incredibly light, jaggery-coated goodness is hard to find in the sophisticated uber-expensive sweets.

Murmura or rice puffs are light on the tummy and jaggery makes these laddoos healthy. The crunch and the rustle of peanuts will bring back the cloudy memories of yesteryears.

Anjeer Ki Katli

Indulge yourself in this low calorie delight. The sweetness in this mithai  comes from dried figs (anjeer) and dates. Some recipes call for condensed milk but you can make the healthier, nutty version using jaggery.

Custard Apple Kalakand

This traditional delight has stood the test of time! If made in the elaborate way, this mithai is loaded with mawa and milk powder. To give a healthy twist instead of sugar, add the pulp of custard apples, fresh paneer and lots of pistachios.

Happy Diwali and bon appetit!

Earlier this week, we told you the sweet stuff is wrecking your health! But when it comes to Diwali, the deal is not sealed unless there’s sweets. I totally love meetha and one of the hardest things to do around festivals is to control my sweet tooth cravings. But now that we know that ‘death by sugar’ is not an overstatement, avoid the dreaded ‘sugar crash’ with mithais drenched in ghee and refined sugar, and pack in the fun with some nutrient-rich, low-calorie sweets.

Dazzle this Diwali with Discretion

Sorry to burst your bubble, there’s no such thing as a sugar-free mithai.

To me sugar-free mithai is like a 10,000 laddi stack that never goes off. These versions of sweets replace the sugar with at least double the amount of fat to retain the taste. So stay away from this trap and opt for sweets which have a more natural sweetener.

Coconut Date Rolls

The good news is that dates provide us with incredible nutrition and taste. They are loaded with iron, balance out the sugar levels, reduce blood pressure and are even great for the skin. The added nuts and poppy seeds give a protein and calcium boost to your body and are super easy to make even at home.

Scan through tons of recipes on the net or use the one I swear-by. Heat some ghee, cook 10-12 finely grated dates, mix nuts and take it off the stove. Once it cools, roll into a laddoo and coat with grated coconut. It’s seriously that easy to make.

Apple Date Kheer

Kheer doesn’t always have to be ultra luxurious with condensed milk, excessive sugar and the works. Instead of adding a heavy dose of sugar to your regular kheer, spruce it up with a blend of coconut milk, apples and rose petals. We assure you, this classy twist will be hard to resist.

Murmura Laddoo

Nostalgic aromas, rustic goodness. Growing up in Lucknow, these were sold in every nook and corner of the city around Diwali. The charm of this incredibly light, jaggery-coated goodness is hard to find in the sophisticated uber-expensive sweets.

Murmura or rice puffs are light on the tummy and jaggery makes these laddoos healthy. The crunch and the rustle of peanuts will bring back the cloudy memories of yesteryears.

Anjeer Ki Katli

Indulge yourself in this low calorie delight. The sweetness in this mithai  comes from dried figs (anjeer) and dates. Some recipes call for condensed milk but you can make the healthier, nutty version using jaggery.

Custard Apple Kalakand

This traditional delight has stood the test of time! If made in the elaborate way, this mithai is loaded with mawa and milk powder. To give a healthy twist instead of sugar, add the pulp of custard apples, fresh paneer and lots of pistachios.

Happy Diwali and bon appetit!