9 wholesome recipes to mild up your toddler’s Diwali this 12 months

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Toddlers are often picky eaters, which makes it a job for parents to feed them nutritious foods. However, try to understand that this is a perfectly normal phase and that your child is eating enough to keep them going. So don’t worry unless your child isn’t gaining weight or is obviously unwell. Children need a healthy, balanced diet that includes foods from each food group so that they receive a wide range of nutrients to help them stay healthy.

What better time than this holiday season to feed your toddlers creative and healthy recipes that will not only please the eyes and taste buds, but also meet their nutritional needs. Check out these 9 healthy Diwali recipes to make the festival of lights a real treat for your toddlers the smacking way!

Ragi dates laddoo

A healthy and tasty variant. (Source: Harshita Dilawri)

Millet is the best functional food of its kind. What could be better than fueling sweet cravings with a nutritious laddoo?

Ingredients and method

* Soak 1 cup of dates in lukewarm water for a few minutes.
* Drain the dates and chop them in a blender.
* Roast 1 tablespoon each of chopped almonds, pistachios and sesame seeds in a pan. Hold aside.
* Then heat a tablespoon of ghee and roast ½ cup of raga flour on a low flame.
* Add the dates and sesame seeds and cook for two minutes.
* Add roasted almonds and pistachios and mix well. Turn off the flame.
* Grease palms, take small portions of the mixture and roll into balls.

Coconut Cookies

Easy to prepare, but packed with nutrients. (Source: Harshita Dilawri)

The favorite food for children at any time of the day is a biscuit. Let’s wrap it up with the goodness of electrolytes and the many nutrients in coconut.

Ingredients and method

* Sieve a cup of whole wheat flour and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder in a bowl.
* Add 3 teaspoons of coconut oil and mix well. To this, add ½ cup of ground jaggery, ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder and mix well.
* Add a cup of water to the mixture and knead the dough.
* Shape the dough into small balls and place on a greased tray.
* Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
* Cool the cookies at room temperature and store them in an airtight jar.

Multigrain Vegetable Cheela

If it’s not rotis, cheelas never lose the game of being kids’ favorite food. Here’s a delicious recipe to make it more nutritious.

Ingredients and method

* Heat a frying pan and add a little oil.
* Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion, 2 teaspoons finely chopped green bell pepper and 2 teaspoons grated carrot and fry for a while.
* Now salt to taste and mix well. Remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cool down.
* Add 3 teaspoons of grated paneer to the mixture at room temperature and mix well.
* Mix 2 teaspoons of wheat flour, ¼ cup gram of flour and 2 teaspoons of oat flour in a bowl.
* Add turmeric powder, ajwain and salt to the bowl and mix well. Keep adding water until it becomes thick, dough-like consistency.
* Mix all ingredients well to prepare a batter. There must be no lumps in the dough. Make sure the consistency of the dough is thick.
* Once the dough is formed, cover with a lid and set aside for about 10-15 minutes.
* Heat a pan over a medium flame, brush on 1 teaspoon of oil and pour in 2 tablespoons of batter. Spread the dough in a circular motion until a thin layer is formed.
* Now pour some oil on this pancake and turn it over to another side. Cook the cheela on both sides, being careful not to burn it.
* After cooking, put a spoonful of filling on top and turn side to side to close. Take it out of the pan when it is crispy and appears brown.

Follow this method to make more cheelas. Serve the cheela hot with a mint and coriander chutney or tomato chutney.

Dried fruits Ladoos

Proteins are the bodybuilding nutrient everyone needs, and dried fruits are a major source of it. Feed your toddlers with it for an energetic day.

Ingredients and method

* Grind 1 cup of chopped dates in a blender for 4-5 pulses and set aside.
* Now finely chop ¼ cup each of cashews, almonds, figs, pistachios and raisins.
* Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a wok over a low flame, then add the chopped dried fruits and fry for 4-5 minutes.
* Add the roughly mixed dates to the above mixture and stir well, mashing the dates well.
* Add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and mix well. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool down for 2 minutes.
* Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make the laddoos. Keep them in an airtight container.

Badam Halwa

Try this delicious recipe this Diwali. (Source: Harshita Dilawri)

Ingredients and method

* Mix 1.5 cups of almonds with 2 cups of water to make a smooth paste.
* In a heavy-bottomed pan, cook the almond paste until it thickens. Now add sugar and mix well.
* Add water or milk and keep stirring. Then add ¼ cup of coconut oil and stir until mixture becomes thick and lumpy.
* Finally add 4 strands of saffron and 5-6 crushed cardamom and stir again.

You can serve the halwa straight away or let it cool and cut into a diamond shape.

Moong dal ladoo in coconut sugar

Ingredients and method

* In a pan, add 1 cup of Moong Dal and roast over medium heat until the color turns golden brown. Spread the roasted Moong Dal on a wide plate and let cool.
* Powder the toasted moong dal with a blender to a smooth texture. In a bowl, add powdered moong dal, ½ cup coconut sugar, 2 crushed cardamom powder and mix well.
* Lightly heat the ghee in a microwave or small pan, but make sure it’s not hot. Now add it to the powdered moong dal mixture and mix well.
* Shape into small balls and serve.

It can be kept for 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Banana hala

Method and ingredients

* Put 6 long overripe bananas in a blender and puree to a smooth paste. Mixing it gives your halwa a smoother consistency.
* You can also mash the bananas instead of mixing them if you want a chunky halva.
* Put the ghee and mashed banana in a pan and stir continuously for about 15 minutes over a medium to low flame. The banana will cook during this process and the mixture will slowly begin to change color.
* At this point, add sugar based on the sweetness of the banana, then add ¼ cup of chopped cashew nuts and keep stirring. The color and texture of Halwa change during this process.
* After about 25 minutes, ie after adding sugar, the mass becomes thick, sticky and leaves the edge of the pot. Then turn off the flame.
* Transfer this to a greased plate or a plate lined with parchment paper and spread the halwa to the desired thickness. Once it’s completely cooled, cut them into the size and shape you want. Serve and enjoy.

Chocolate appe

Try this appe recipe with a twist. (Source: Harshita Dilawri)

Method and ingredients

* Wash cup of rice and soak in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then drain completely.
* Grind the soaked rice and 3 tablespoons of desiccated coconut while adding water to a medium-thick batter. The consistency of the batter would be similar to any dosa / pancake batter.
* Transfer this to a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, a pinch of salt and mix well.
* Set this dough aside for 20 to 30 minutes. Then add baking powder to the dough and mix well.
* Heat the appe pan and pour the butter / ghee into all forms. Pour a teaspoon of batter into each mold, add 3 to 4 chocolate chips, then pour another teaspoon of batter on top.
* Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
* When the edges are done, turn the apples, add a little butter and fry on the other side for another 2 minutes. Repeat the process for the remaining dough.

Ragi Nan Khatai

Enjoy these crispy treats. (Source: Harshita Dilawri)

Method and ingredients

* In a bowl, combine ¾ cup of raga flour, all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup of vegetable fat, ¾ teaspoon of baking powder, ¾ cup of sugar, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt to form a batter. Do not knead.
* Note that no water was added when preparing the dough. Vegetable shortening binds everything together.
* Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F / 148 degrees C.
* Shape the dough into golf-sized balls and gently press them flat.
* Place an almond in the middle of each nankhatai. Store on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or on a silicone mat.
* Bake these cookies for about 20 to 25 minutes or until cracks form at the top or bottom that turn a golden brown color.
* Let it cool down for about 10-15 minutes. Cookies get crispy as they cool.

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