Keep your child's energy levels high with these nutritious sweets. Try these recipes for pineapple halwa, ragi til laddoo, oats walnut chikki, apple coconut barfi and panchratna fudge.
By Prachi Mandholia
With the drop in temperature, energy levels can take a big dip along with the mood. Cold, winter months are the best time to try your hands on nutrient dense sweets for the kids. This will boost their energy levels and immune system as well.
What better way to soothe your child’s cold than a warm halwa? Adding ingredients like sesame seeds, peanuts, dry fruits and nuts, edible gum (gond) to their sweets, will keep kids warm during winter. These recipes are not only delicious, but a powerhouse of nutrients suitable for the weather.
Pineapple Halwa
Ingredients
Grated Pineapple – 1/2 cup
Semolina (sooji) – 1 cup
Jaggery – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 1 tsp
Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Slivered almonds for garnish
Method
-Heat ghee in a pan, add sooji and roast it.
-Pour in milk and cook until the sooji absorbs all the milk.
-Add the jaggery and stir till it melts.
-Add the grated pineapple, cardamom powder and cook for few minutes.
-Allow to cool.
-Garnish with almonds and serve.
Also Read: Masala chai carrot cake to chocolate barfi: 4 dessert recipes to try at home
Ragi Til Laddoo
Ingredients
Ragi flour – 1 cup
White Sesame seeds – 1/2 cup
Dates – 1 cup
Ghee – 1 tsp
Method
-Roast the ragi flour in ghee and keep aside in a bowl.
-Roast the sesame seeds and keep aside.
-Blend the dates in a food processor.
-Add the ragi flour to the dates mixture in the processor and blend.
-Remove the mixture in a bowl, add the roasted sesame seeds and mix well.
-Take small portions of the mixture and shape them into balls.
-The laddoo is ready to serve.
Oats Walnut Chikki
Ingredients
Rolled oats – 1 cup
Chopped walnuts – 1/4 cup
Jaggery – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 1 tsp
Method
-Heat a pan, add oats and dry roast on medium flame for a few minutes.
-Remove and keep aside.
-In a pan, heat ghee, add jaggery and cook till it melts.
-Remove the pan from the flame.
-Add oats and walnuts in jaggery and mix well.
-Transfer the mixture immediately to a greased plate.
-Roll it using a rolling pin to smoothen it.
-Once set, cut into equal square pieces and serve.
Apple Coconut Barfi
Ingredients
Fresh Coconut, grated – 1½ cup
Ghee – 2 tsp
Grated Red apples – 3 no
Jaggery – 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
Saffron – a pinch (soaked in water)
Pistachios, chopped – 2 tbsp
Almonds, chopped – 2tbsp
Dried rose petals – 1 tbsp
Method
-In a pan, toast the coconut on medium heat. Remove from heat and transfer in a bowl.
-Heat the pan, add ghee, grated apples and cook, stirring often.
-Add all the ingredients except nuts and rose petals. Mix well and cook till the mixture is fairly dry.
-Pour the mixture on a greased tray and smooth the top.
-Sprinkle the chopped nuts and rose petals.
-Allow it to cool and then cover the tray with a cling wrap film.
-Let it stay for a few hours.
-Once set, cut the barfi and serve.
Panchratna Fudge
Ingredients
Almonds – 1/2 cup
Walnuts – 1/4 cup
Dates – 1/4 cup
Raisins – 1/4 cup
Sunflower seeds – 2 tsp
Jaggery – 3 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Method
Deseed the dates.
In a vessel, add dates, raisins and little water and cook till soft and mushy.
In a blender, add almonds and walnuts and make a coarse mixture.
Add the dates and raisins to the blender and grind to a fine mixture.
In a pan, add ghee and jaggery and cook till jaggery melts.
Add the dates and raisins mixture and mix well.
Blend in the almond walnut mixture and sunflower seeds.
Transfer to a greased tray and let it cool.
Cut into square pieces and serve.
(The writer is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. She is a practicing Clinical Nutritionist, based out of Mumbai. For more ideas, email at [email protected].)
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