Diwali in Delhi-
The big Diyas are Diwali decoration- Outside Select City Mall – Saket, New Delhi.
Decorations of God Ganesh at Ambiance Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
Diwali Decoration inside the Select City Mall. The hanging golden leaves in the center of the Mall and the white Beaded hangings with diyas in the rest of the mall.
Red hanging
decoration in DT Mega Mall in Gurgoan.
Diwali decorations for home are being sold like hot cakes.
They are so irresistible that one has to buy them when sees the display.
Hand-made Jute hanging lamps & Crackers Crackers shown above are hydro bombs, popular crackles ladri (String ), Flower pots with golden sparkle, Chakri having a flower pot on top.
Diwali is a time for celebration, and Indian celebrations are incomplete without sweets.
The fragrance of sweets already fills the air. Very soon pretty boxes packed with ladoos, barfis and the choicest delicacies will start piling up at home. Diwali, after all is in complete without sweets. But, a big but at that, the after-effects of bingeing can be disastrous, more so if you are on the heavier side. And if you are vulnerable to heart disease or have diabetes, you must exercise caution.
But this doesn’t mean refraining from all sweets. Dieticians and doctors suggest that craving for sweets can be satisfied with healthier, low-calorie alternatives like fruit, yogurts, dry fruits and dark chocolates.
The smell and look of sweets weakens your resolve. So it’s best not to store them but to distribute them to people who need them more. Healthier alternatives are dates, bitter chocolates or nuts.
Here are some homemade healthy sweets out of dates and decorated with almond pieces.
Fresh Sandesh or fruit yogurt is healthier than gulab jamuns.
Honey or jiggery –coated nuts are also healthy option.
People can share sweets with kids as they burn calories easily.
Diwali Delicacies-
Some hints on safe Mathai and how to make healthy Indian Sweets for weight Some hints on safe Mathai and how to make healthy Indian Sweets for weight concious and diabetics.
Diwali is a time for celebration, and Indian celebrations are incomplete without sweets.
The fragrance of sweets already fills the air. Very soon pretty boxes packed with ladoos, barfis and the choicest delicacies will start piling up at home. Diwali, after all is in complete without sweets.
But, a big but at that, the after-effects of bingeing can be disastrous, more so if you are on the heavier side. And if you are vulnerable to heart disease or
have diabetes, you must exercise caution.
But this doesn’t mean refraining from all sweets. Dieticians and doctors suggest that craving for sweets can be satisfied with healthier, low-calorie alternatives like fuit, yogurts, dry fruits and dark chocolates.
The smell and look of sweets weakens your resolve. So it’s best not to store them but to distribute them to people who need them more. Healthier alternatives are dates, bitter chocolates or nuts.
Fresh Sandesh or fruit yogurt is healthier than gulab jamuns.
Honey or jiggery –coated nuts are also healthy option.
People can share sweets with kids as they burn calories easily.
Be aware of adulterated sweets. Artificial colors, which are toxic, as well as adulterated milk and khoya are widely used.
For the weight- conscious, indulging in the tons of fat loaded mithai can be too much to digest.
Now chefs and nutritionists have worked on different ways to make healthy sweets, just to make your festival season a whole lot sweeter.
The healthy oil-
The amount and type of oil you use determines how healthy your sweets are.
“Prepare sweets using olive oil or coconut oil, as saturated fats in cooking clogs your veins and eventually causes harm,” says, Chef Isahaque Mondal
“Even pure ghee can be used as it does not turn into fat once consumed,” says Chef Amit Chakraborti.
The right kind of milk-
Experts suggest using milk made from almonds, rice or oats, or skimmed milk instead of the regular kind for making sweets. “The better alternative is raw yogurt, as it has acidophilus bacteria which help in digestion,” says Mondal.
“Use skimmed milk powder to prepare rice puddings, kheer or fruit custards,” says nutritionists Nupur Krishnan.
In addition to these, the use of cow’s milk or soya milk also helps in lessening calories.
“You can also use cow’s milk to cut down on the fat content and calories. Soya milk, which is rich in proteins, high in fiber and low in calories, is a better option compared to cow’s milk,” explains Mondal.
Consultant dietician Cheenu Prashar, suggest s that making sweets at home are safer. At least you can ingredients you use will be safe.
A Sweet Spin by leading Hotels' bakery for Diwali.
Traditional Sweets with a Twist-
Chocolate has become th new 'mithai' in the past few years in India. So, a new trend 'fusion mithai' has come up now- traditional mithai with exciting new global flavors.
Vishal Atreya, chef with the 'Imperial Hotel, New Delhi, says, 'Traditional desserts and their unique flavors will never lose their luster. Even though one is attracted to the new direction of mixing them with western ingredients thus making a nice change.
A Cheese cake with gulab- jamun,
A blend of phirni and chocolate
A Rangoli cake filled with gulkand- exotic sounding concoctions aren't fantancy, you can make yourself.
Healthy Sweets for Diwali - Lasooni Kheer this Diwali.
Ingredients:
½C lasoon (Garlic)
2C milk
3tbsp honey
2tbsp mawa
5 pods crushed cardamom
A pinch of saffron
Method:
1. Cut garlic in fine slices. Boil half a liter of water in a saucepan.
2. Add garlic flakes when the water is boiling and cook the mix for 5mts. Remove from flame and drain.
3. Boil milk in a thick-bottomed pan. When the milk begins to boil, add honey and cook for 5mts. over low flame, stirring continuously.
4. Add mawa to thicken milk and then add garlic flakes. Remove from flame.
5. Add dissolved saffron and crushed cardamom.
Serve hot.
Health benefits-
1. Garlic compounds like allicin, which is supposed to suppress the appetite and help in weight loss.
2. Since the recipe also contains honey, it is naturally healthier.
Diwali Chart for Home Diwali Puja
The fragrance of sweets already fills the air. Very soon pretty boxes packed with ladoos, barfis and the choicest delicacies will start piling up at home. Diwali, after all is in complete without sweets.
But, a big but at that, the after-effects of bingeing can be disastrous, more so if you are on the heavier side. And if you are vulnerable to heart disease or
have diabetes, you must exercise caution.
But this doesn’t mean refraining from all sweets. Dieticians and doctors suggest that craving for sweets can be satisfied with healthier, low-calorie alternatives like fuit, yogurts, dry fruits and dark chocolates.
The smell and look of sweets weakens your resolve. So it’s best not to store them but to distribute them to people who need them more. Healthier alternatives are dates, bitter chocolates or nuts.
Fresh Sandesh or fruit yogurt is healthier than gulab jamuns.
Honey or jiggery –coated nuts are also healthy option.
People can share sweets with kids as they burn calories easily.
Be aware of adulterated sweets. Artificial colors, which are toxic, as well as adulterated milk and khoya are widely used.
For the weight- conscious, indulging in the tons of fat loaded mithai can be too much to digest.
Now chefs and nutritionists have worked on different ways to make healthy sweets, just to make your festival season a whole lot sweeter.
The healthy oil-
The amount and type of oil you use determines how healthy your sweets are.
“Prepare sweets using olive oil or coconut oil, as saturated fats in cooking clogs your veins and eventually causes harm,” says, Chef Isahaque Mondal
“Even pure ghee can be used as it does not turn into fat once consumed,” says Chef Amit Chakraborti.
The right kind of milk-
Experts suggest using milk made from almonds, rice or oats, or skimmed milk instead of the regular kind for making sweets. “The better alternative is raw yogurt, as it has acidophilus bacteria which help in digestion,” says Mondal.
“Use skimmed milk powder to prepare rice puddings, kheer or fruit custards,” says nutritionists Nupur Krishnan.
In addition to these, the use of cow’s milk or soya milk also helps in lessening calories.
“You can also use cow’s milk to cut down on the fat content and calories. Soya milk, which is rich in proteins, high in fiber and low in calories, is a better option compared to cow’s milk,” explains Mondal.
Consultant dietician Cheenu Prashar, suggest s that making sweets at home are safer. At least you can ingredients you use will be safe.
A Sweet Spin by leading Hotels' bakery for Diwali.
Traditional Sweets with a Twist-
Chocolate has become th new 'mithai' in the past few years in India. So, a new trend 'fusion mithai' has come up now- traditional mithai with exciting new global flavors.
Vishal Atreya, chef with the 'Imperial Hotel, New Delhi, says, 'Traditional desserts and their unique flavors will never lose their luster. Even though one is attracted to the new direction of mixing them with western ingredients thus making a nice change.
A Cheese cake with gulab- jamun,
A blend of phirni and chocolate
A Rangoli cake filled with gulkand- exotic sounding concoctions aren't fantancy, you can make yourself.
Healthy Sweets for Diwali - Lasooni Kheer this Diwali.
Ingredients:
½C lasoon (Garlic)
2C milk
3tbsp honey
2tbsp mawa
5 pods crushed cardamom
A pinch of saffron
Method:
1. Cut garlic in fine slices. Boil half a liter of water in a saucepan.
2. Add garlic flakes when the water is boiling and cook the mix for 5mts. Remove from flame and drain.
3. Boil milk in a thick-bottomed pan. When the milk begins to boil, add honey and cook for 5mts. over low flame, stirring continuously.
4. Add mawa to thicken milk and then add garlic flakes. Remove from flame.
5. Add dissolved saffron and crushed cardamom.
Serve hot.
Health benefits-
1. Garlic compounds like allicin, which is supposed to suppress the appetite and help in weight loss.
2. Since the recipe also contains honey, it is naturally healthier.
Diwali Chart for Home Diwali Puja
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Diwali Chart for home Puja with names of the family.
Crackers shown above are hydro bombs, popular crackles ladri (String ), Flower pots with golden sparkle, Chakri having a flower pot on top.
Crackers for diwali
Hand-made Jute hanging lamps