With ideas for delicious snacks, this monsoon season should be a celebration without compromising on health or taste
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Monsoon season is here in all its glory and the rain gods have been pouring the joyful showers all through the monsoon season. The change in season also brings in a lot of natural cravings for hot sips and crunchy snacks. Piping-hot pakodas, chaat, samosas, bhajjiyas and much more are food items that we love munching during the monsoon season. Although it is tough to resist the spellbinding aromas of deep-fried treats and other food cravings, healthy foods can certainly be relishing if you cook them in interesting ways and consume them.
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So, we bring you to pick ten lip-smacking ideas to satisfy your monsoon cravings sans the calories:
Sea Salt Popcorn with Super Seeds: Well, who doesn't loves popcorn? Monsoon is the best season to munch on some popcorns as you binge-watch movies when indoor with your loved ones. Toss 2 cups of air-popped popcorn with 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1 tablespoon toasted sunflower seeds and toss them all again. Your super delicious and crunchy popcorn with super seeds is ready to be eaten. This wholesome snack is great for those who are always on the go and won’t get worse after being in your bag all day.
Roasted Soy Almonds: The crunchy, brown-skinned nuts are a great source of protein. Toss 1 cup of raw almonds with 2 and a half teaspoons of tamari. Roast the almonds on an oiled baking sheet at 180 degree Celsius. Stir it occasionally until golden brown for 10-15 minutes. Not only these snacks are easy to make and keep handy but they are super high in proteins and healthy fats. More so, almond is a great snack to munch on if you are on your weight loss regimen making sure that you are at the pink of your health.
Sweet Potato Strips: Sweet potatoes pack a powerful nutritional punch. In one medium spud, there is over 400 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement. Now, isn't that good news? So to make this vitamin-packed snack item slice 1 sweet potato lengthwise into thin strips. Toss the sliced sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Roast them for 20 minutes on an oiled, nonstick baking sheet at 150-degree celsius until crisp and golden brown. Season them with sea salt. Your tasty snack is ready to munch on, Tip: store the leftovers in an airtight container and much whenever you crave some healthy snacks.
Fiery Pumpkin Seeds: The tiny little Pumpkin seeds may be small, but they're packed full of valuable nutrients. Eating only a small amount of pumpkin seeds every day can provide you with a substantial quantity of healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc. They help to improve the heart's health, prostate health and protects against certain cancers. So to make the most of it toss 1 cup of pumpkin seeds with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Toast them at 180-degree celsius and stir them until crisp and crunchy, for about 8-10 minutes. This popular late-night munchy is a rich source of tryptophan, an amino acid that your body converts into serotonin which in turn is converted into melatonin – the sleep hormone.
Tomato Pizzas: Not everyone loves tomatoes. But they are a major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Not many would like to eat tomatoes for snacks but how about a Tomato Pizza. Well, to make this pizzalicious snack cut into half 3 mid-sized tomatoes and sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese. Once done, bake the grated tomato cheese until golden, for 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle them with a half teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar and scatter 1 teaspoon of sliced basil on top. Skip your regular cheese loaded pizzas with this healthy Tomatoes Pizzas option because the right amount of small bites can slim you down and power you up.
Grilled Fruit Salad: Fruit salads are not only healthy but they also pack a nutritional punch. Fruit are very important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, fiber, vitamin C and folate (folic acid). It is said that people who eat fruit as part of an overall healthy diet generally have a reduced risk of chronic diseases. So how about a twister with the fruits? To prepare this fruitful and nutritional packed fruit salad snacks, take fruits such as plums, peaches, apples, and pineapples. Cut them into cubes, and toss them with a squeeze of lemon. Once done, insert the pieces on skewers, and grill them for about 10 minutes. Serve hot and get your daily dose of nutrients. Remember, not all treats need to be deep fried or sugar dipped to taste good.
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