Snacking, when mindful and healthy, can be a creative meal for weekday lunches and dinners
High fibre oats and peas chilla keeps acid reflux in check
For Indians, the 4 PM hunger pang is real, and snack time is sacred. The India Snacking Report states that almost 80 per cent of those living in metros said they preferred heavy snacks instead of a meal as dinner. It is also seen that 80 per cent of those surveyed say that nachos and chips are their go-to snack. Comparatively 70 per cent preferred Indian snacks such as namkeens, pakoras, sandwiches, biscuits and cakes.
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Jowar dosa
A smart choice we think would be to get hooked on snacking healthy, this festive season. “Most people want to step away from deep-fried and high-calorie snacking, but just don’t know how to do it,” says Karishma Chawla, nutritionist and lifestyle educator. Most of us are stuck in patterns because either we don’t have the time or feel homemade snacks mean healthy. “Sev puri,” she adds, “might be great to taste and you might feel the extra pride of assembling it at your home, but it cannot be denied that it is high in starch, and carbohydrates and does not do anything for your digestion.”
Egg idli served with air-fried zucchini chips is the perfect high protein and fibre snack meal
Chawla recommends alternatives that have the same cooking or assembly time as chat or bhel, and make a healthy and heavy snack. “We are experimenting with jowar dosa, not letting it sit after mixing the flour and water to avoid fermentation—we do not want that for your gut so late in the day,” adds Chawla.
Another snack is egg idli. “Take the tadka ladle, saute tomato and onion, add masalas and salt, and plop an egg. When the egg starts resembling an idli, remove it and eat with zucchini chips,” says Shah, who recommends it for the gut. “It will take you less time than frying samosas,” she smiles. Another dish Shah swears by is peas and oat chila. Add some jowar flour or brown rice for binding and shallow fry for a great savoury pancake. “Best for winters, as peas are in season and so, the gut would welcome it without any challenges,” she adds.
A vegetable hot-pot meal an all-alkaline snack meal that helps you get a good night’s rest
Sheela Tanna, dietician and fitness consultant at KLS Memorial Hospital in Vile Parle, recommends one-pot snack meals. A vegetable hot pot made by sauteing spring onions and garlic in olive oil or ghee with asparagus, broccoli, leek, bok choy, yellow, red, green bell pepper and mushrooms. A tablespoon of cooked quinoa, potatoes, brown rice and seasonings of salt, pepper, fresh rosemary or basil works best. “Garlic serves as a pre-biotic and prepares your stomach for more food. The whole preparation is alkaline,” informs Tanna. “A great late evening meal, it flushes out the system, puts you to sound sleep and cures acidity and heartburn.”
Sheela Tanna and Karishma Chawla
While these snacks may sound intimidating to make, both Tanna and Chawla emphasise practising healthy eating habits. “People spend hours making elaborate breakfasts, lunches and dinners but have qualms about making these quick snacks. Bad snacking affects your digestion, sleep and overall metabolism—it’s no joke. So train your mind and indulge in some serious snacking,” says Chawla.
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