Healthy homemade desserts for the festive season

The excitement of festivals can be felt everywhere around us, and preparations are in full swing: Markets are being decorated, food stalls are ready, shopping has started, fairy lights are being untangled. In addition to this, festivals are incomplete without something sweet. The aroma of delicious delicacies completes the celebration.

Diwali is around the corner and you would surely love to serve your guests something unique. As people are moving towards fitness, we have brought some delicious healthy dessert ideas that are not just tasty but come with health benefits. Try these healthy homemade recipes now

1. Fig fruit dessert

This dessert is made from a combination of fig (anjeer) and cardamom (elaichi). Both are beneficial for health and provide a unique taste. Figs are rich in potassium and calcium. The authentic flavour of cardamom will clean your breath and have bacteria-fighting properties. To prepare anjeer and cardamom delight, you require the following written ingredients for one serving:

• 2-4 Dried figs
• 1tsp cardamom powder
• ½ glass milk
• Chopped china grass

Steps to prepare Fig fruit dessert:

• Soak the dried figs in half cup of water for an hour.
• Now blend the figs in a mixer with water to make a puree. Keep aside.
• Now mix half cup of water and chopped china grass in a deep non-stick pan and mix it well. Cook it on a slow flame until it melts.
• Once the china grass starts to melt, add the milk, cardamom powder, and fig puree into the mixture and cook on a slow flame for 5 minutes.
• Once everything is cooked, keep the mixture aside to cool down. You can also keep it in the fridge once the mixture has room temperature.
• Now serve the chilled mixture and garnish it with saffron strands and almonds on top.

Read | Delhi markets for Diwali shopping

 2. Strawberry shrikhand

This yummy dessert will win the heart of your loved one. You can enjoy this dessert after a meal, this will not only treat your taste buds but also help in digestion. Strawberry shrikhand is made from hung curd which has good bacteria and supports gut health. Strawberries providing this dish unique taste are also packed with vitamins and fiber. You need the following mentioned ingredients to prepare strawberry shrikhand for one serving :

• 1 cup hung curd
• Half cup mashed strawberries- ½ cup
• Raw honey- ¼ tsp.
• 4-5 slices of strawberry for garnishing.

Follow the below-mentioned steps to prepare yummy strawberry shrikhand:

• Pour 1 cup of hung curd in the bowl and mix the mashed strawberries in it properly.
• Now add honey to the mixture and blend it well. Once it is done, keep aside the mixture and let it set in the bowl.
• After 2 minutes now, keep the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
• Serve chilled and garnish with strawberries.

3. Fresh berry phirni

It is a perfect dish made from rice and berries to complete your day with a happy smile. This dish is rich in vitamin A and calcium which promotes hair growth. You can also consume it to get rid of the burning sensation in your stomach. Here is what you need to prepare fresh berry phirni for one serving:

• Rice- ¼ cup
• 1 cup milk
• 4-5 pieces of almonds
• 4-5 pieces pistachios
• Saffron- Few strands
• Cardamom powder 1 tsp.
• 3-4 pieces strawberries
• Sugar 1 tsp.

Here is the method to follow for making berry phirni:

• Firstly wash and soak rice properly in water for approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Once the rice is soaked properly in water, grind it in the mixi.
• Now take a deep pan and heat milk in it. Then add sugar in the milk and keep the milk on low flame.
• Now add cardamom powder followed by rice and continue the stirring slowly.
• When the milk starts to thicken and the rice is cooked, add saffron and mix it well.
• Now pour the phirni into a serving bowl and add almonds, pistachios, and any seasonal berries upon it.
• Let the mixture cool down in the refrigerator for an hour and serve it cool.

4. Ragi barfi

Ragi barfi is the best choice to enjoy something light and healthy after a meal. It is a healthy calcium-rich bar providing a good amount of carbohydrates and fiber. Arrange the following written ingredients to make ragi barfi for one serving:

• Ragi flour ½ cup
• 1 tbsp jaggery.
• 2 ghee tsp
• Assorted nuts- 2 tbsp.
• 3 tbsp peanut butter.
• Crushed almonds

Follow these steps to make ragi barfi:

• Heat desi ghee in a kadhai and add chopped nuts in ghee once it starts getting warmer. Now saute for one minute.
• Now add the ragi flour and roast it for 8-10 minutes until cooked.
• Now add pieces of jaggery and stir the mixture well till the jaggery takes its liquid form.
• Next, add peanut butter and keep stirring.
• Once everything is mixed properly pour the mixture on a plate and evenly spread it.
• Once the mixture reaches room temperature, refrigerate it.
• After 2-3 hours, remove the plate from the refrigerator and garnish with almonds.
• Now cut into the mixture in the desired shape and serve

Try out these healthy, delicious recipes and write your experience in the comment box. Happy Diwali!