Recipe- 3 Healthy Monsoon Snacks To Try

The monsoon season holds a special significance for everyone but if there is something that unites them, it is their love for snacks. Items like pakoras, kulchas, aloo parathas, kachoris, samosas etc., are some of the common hot favourites for people. However, these snacks are often unhealthy for the body due to their calorie-intensive nature. This is why it is better to explore healthier rainy season snacks that are not only light on the body but also easy on the heart, as given below!

# Dates and Oats Cookies

It must be surprising to read about cookies here, right? However, contrary to popular belief, cookies made from certain ingredients are quite healthy. One of the types of these ingredients happens to be dates and oats.

Ingredients

1 cup Instant Oats (Oatmeal)
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Dates, chopped
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (Demerara Sugar)
1/2 cup Oil, or Ghee
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Method

- To begin making the Oats And Date Cookie recipe, preheat oven to 180° C. Grind instant oats coarsely in a blender and add it to mixing bowl.

- Add wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda to oats in the bowl and mix well.

- In separate bowl, mix together oil, sugar, chopped dates and vanilla essence until the sugar dissolves.

- Now add the flour into wet ingredients and mix to get crumbs like consistency.

- Add milk to it and mix well in hand to get soft and sticky dough.

- Make small balls in dough and press gently to make small circles. Make impressions using a fork and repeat with remaining dough.

- Arrange them in lined baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180° C in preheated oven.

- Once baked, let it completely cool and store in airtight container. Serve Oats And Date Cookie along with a hot cup of Masala Chai and Cheese Cucumber sandwich for your tea time break.

# Moong Dal Ka Chilla

Made from moong dal or yellow lentils, you can have this chilla with chutney, sauces, etc. Chillas have some of the best health benefits.

Ingredients

1 cup moong dal
1 chilli
1 inch ginger
1 tsp cumin / jeera
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp coriander
pinch hing / asafoetida
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp water
oil for roasting

Method

- Firstly, in a large bowl soak 1 cup moong dal for 3 hours.

- drain off the water and transfer to the mixi jar.

- also add 1 chilli, 1 inch ginger and 1 tsp cumin.

- blend to smooth paste adding water if required.

- transfer the batter to the bowl.

- also add ¼ tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp coriander, pinch hing and ½ tsp salt.

- mix well adding 3 tbsp of water forming thick flowing consistency chilla batter.

- further, pour a ladleful of batter onto a hot tawa and spread gently.

- pour ½ tsp of olive oil over chilla.

- cover and allow cooking on a medium flame for a minute.

- now flip the chilla and cook both sides pressing gently.

- finally, moong dal chilla is ready to serve with green chutney.

# Spicy Corn Chaat/Bhel

Corn kernels have always been considered a healthy product. When they are combined with other items like freshly sliced vegetables such as capsicum, carrots, etc. and other spicy condiments, the mixture forms one of India’s favourite snacks, the bhel. Apart from being light on the body, and a popular favourite, consuming bhel, especially during the monsoon season.

Ingredients

2 cups corn kernels
1 onion finely chopped, big
1 tomato small, finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
1/8 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup cucumber chopped, optional
2 green chilies
1/4 teaspoon chaat masala powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper cracked
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

Boiling Sweet Corn

- Add 2.5 cups corn to a pressure cooker and add 3 cups water to it. Add a pinch of salt and mix.

- Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles or until the corn kernels cook well.

- Drain in a colander.

Preparing The Vegetables

- For chopping onion, tomatoes I prefer to use a food processor. Do use it if you have one. Add 1 halved onion, 1 halved small tomato, 2 green chillies & 1/4 cup coriander leaves to a food processor jar. Process for a minute.

- Also dice one 1 small cucumber if you are using.

Making Sweet Corn Chaat

- Add the boiled corn kernels to a large mixing bowl.

- Add the prepared vegetables.

- Next add diced cucumber and pomegranate arils. Also add bell peppers now if using.

- Now add rock salt or black salt to taste, 1/4 teaspoon chaat masala powder and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper & 1/2 teaspoon sugar. You can also ad 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder if you prefer.

- Divide the masala corn chaat among serving bowls. Top with namkeen of choice and serve immediately.