Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Replace sugar with honey, churma for sattu, and other sweet hacks

It's impossible to ignore modaks and other delicious treats during Ganesh Chaturthi. The festive season demands everybody to celebrate and enjoy to the fullest by gorging on different kinds of dishes and drinks. Interestingly, they are now tweaked while retaining the essence of the festivities. As the years pass and more people are mindful of their eating habits and their diet, more people want to also adopt the practice of eating healthy sweets for Ganeshotsav apart from other festivals during the year.

With a focus on healthy sweets, mid-day.com spoke to Suman Agarwal, nutritionist and founder of SelfcarebySuman, and nutritionist Anupama Menon to not only know the benefits of eating healthy sweets but also find out which ingredients can be replaced in sweets so that people can still enjoy them but by just tweaking the recipe a little.

How can festive sweets for Ganesh Chaturthi be made healthy?
Agarwal: To make festive sweets for Ganesh Chaturthi healthier, the most important thing is to reduce your serving size to not more than 10-15 grams per mithai. Consider opting for desserts lower in calories. Another option is dry fruit-based modaks, which offer a nutritious alternative since it is high in fibre. Additionally, replace traditional Churma Modak with healthier options like Besan Laddoo or Sattu Modak, which are higher in protein and fibre and lower in calories. By making these simple swaps, you can enjoy the sweetness of the festival without compromising on health.



Menon: Sweets can be made healthy by using jaggery or fresh date syrup made at home without white sugar. Another method is to mix coconut sugar and jaggery in a ratio of 1:1, crush and use as the sugar base for sweets. Add pure ghee to make sweets instead of oil, and add dry fruits and nuts which will further enhance taste and health. Use Amaranth/Ragi/millet flours instead of maida. However, finally remember, sugar in the form of jaggery and honey is finally sugar and sweets will always have more sugar than your usual healthy diet. The best way is to always moderate the consumption of sweets.

What are the benefits of eating healthy sweets?
Agarwal: The benefits of indulging in healthy sweets are numerous. Contrary to popular belief, healthy sweets don't eliminate sugar or jaggery, but rather combine them with wholesome ingredients to create a balanced treat. These sweets boast added benefits like increased fibre, protein, and reduced calories. The natural sweeteners used, such as dates, sugar, and jaggery, are paired with dry fruits rich in fibre, ensuring a gradual sugar release and minimising sudden spikes. Furthermore, healthy sweets incorporate good fats and proteins, essential for a well-rounded diet. With recommended serving sizes of 10-15 gm, you can satisfy your sweet tooth while maintaining a healthy balance.



Menon: There are no real benefits of eating healthy sweets, except to make your heart happy and enjoy the festival.

SEE PHOTOS: How these Mumbaikars are making Ganpati idols with millets, chocolate and paper this Ganeshotsav

Why is it important to eat healthy sweets during Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals?

Agarwal: Eating healthy sweets during Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals is crucial in today's context. Traditionally, Indian festivals were celebrated with small bites of desserts on special occasions, but the modern era has seen a shift towards increased chocolate consumption due to its longer shelf life. It's essential to recognise that mithai is meant to be an occasional treat, consumed as prasad during festivals like Ganpati, Navratri, and Diwali, rather than a daily habit. By maintaining this sanctity, we can control weight gain and preserve overall health.

Menon: Sweets are made and consumed in the spirit of the festival. India has a host of festivals where hearts, families and friendships come together and hence a significant part of the year will see you consuming a larger degree of sweets. Keeping sweets healthier than traditional will cut down calories from fats and simple carbohydrates by 20 per cent. In the larger picture, that is significant.

What are some of the ingredients that people can replace to make sweets healthy?
Agarwal: To give your sweets a healthy twist, consider replacing traditional ingredients with nutritious alternatives. Swap refined sugar with organic jaggery, a natural sweetener rich in minerals. Increase the use of dry fruits, packed with fibre and antioxidants. Instead of using Churma, opt for Besan or Sattu, which not only adds texture but also boosts the protein and fibre content of your sweets. And remember, portion control is key - keep your serving size under 15 grams to maintain a calorie check.

Menon: If you want to give your sweets a healthy twist then you can simply use jaggery, honey or coconut sugar instead of white sugar. You can also use besan and whole wheat instead of maida or white flour, ghee instead of oil, dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate, monk sugar instead of white sugar, and almonds instead of cashew nuts.

While nutritionists like Agarwal and Menon highlight the importance of healthy sweets, even chefs and sweets and mithai brands have made the gradual shift of catering to the mindful and healthy eater.

SEE PHOTOS: Why these Mumbaikars have chosen to make eco-friendly, homemade idols

Chef Varun Inamdar scours the Godrej Vikhroli Cucina Millets Cookbook 2024 to share one of his favourite recipes for the festive season. It not only lets you enjoy gujiya but also gives you a healthy version without making you feel too guilty.

Saeb Bajre ka Gujiya
Preparation time: 60 minutes (15 Pieces)

Ingredients:

For filling:
Paneer, crumbled 1 cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
Bajra, pressure cooked till soft 1/4 cup
Semolina 1/2 cup
Apple, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts, chopped 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar 1 cup
Cardamom powder 1/2 tbsp
Sunflower Oil for deep frying

For dough:
All-purpose flour 2 cup
Raagi flour 2 tbsp
Ghee 3 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tbsp
Water as required

Method:

For filling:
1. In a kadhai, add crumbled Godrej Jersey paneer, semolina and Godrej Jersey ghee and roast on medium flame well till light brown in colour.
2. Add chopped nuts, cooked bajra and apples and mix well.
3. Transfer the mixture into the bowl to cool.
4. When it cools down, add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.
5. Mix well and keep aside.

For dough:
1. In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, ragi flour, Godrej Jersey ghee, salt and water.
2. Knead it into a stiff dough.
3. Cover it with a damp cloth and leave it to rest for half an hour.

For shaping:
1. Pinch lemon-sized balls and roll into a thin disc
2. Add the filling and fold into a half-moon-shaped dumplings.
3. Pinch fold or crimp the sides to seal.
4. Prepare the remaining gujiyas in the same way.
5. Heat sunflower oil in a kadhai on medium flame.
6. Fry till golden brown.
7. Transfer on absorbent paper.

Chef Aditi Handa, co-founder of The Bakers Dozen shares a delicious recipe for Bread Rasmalai, which is her innovative take on the classic sweet treat.

Bread Rasmalai

Ingredients:
Ragi Loaf 1 pack
Full cream cow milk 4 cups
Condensed milk/Milkmaid 1 cup
Saffron 15-20 strands
Whole milk 3 cups
Sugar 3 tsp
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
Chopped dry fruits 5 tbsp

Method:
1. Make saffron milk: Boil 3 cups whole milk, add 3 teaspoons of sugar, and 15 saffron strands to it and mix well. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and rest it aside.
2. Heat the full cream cow milk in a large nonstick pan
3. Stir occasionally making sure the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the vessel and bring it to a boil.
4. Add 1 cup of condensed milk to it
5. Stir well and get the milk to boil
6. Now, lower the flame to medium and once a layer of cream is formed over the milk, stick it to the sides of the pan.
7. Bring the milk to boil again.
8. Repeat the gathering of cream to the sides of the pan till the milk reduces to one-third.
9. Add cardamom powder and saffron milk.
10. Mix it well and get the milk again to boil. Scrape off the collected cream from the sides and stir.
11. Simmer for 2 minutes.
12. Allow it to cool at room temperature and refrigerate it for 2 hours.
13. Slice 2-3 Ragi loaves in the desired shape
14. Dip both sides of the bread into the prepared rabdi. Put it on a plate and pour 2-3 tbsp of rabdi over it.
15. Top it with desired dry fruits and relish.