Navratri high-protein recipes 2022: 4 tasty vrat-friendly protein-rich dishes

Navratri high-protein recipes 2022: Keeping a fast during Navratri but troubled by hunger-pangs all day? Your diet may be lacking protein sources. Protein controls unhealthy cravings, boosts metabolism, aids in weight loss, keeps blood sugar levels in control apart from many other health benefits. Especially, when you are fasting for an extended period of nine days, it is important to feel energetic and satiated by eating the right diet. So, if you are feeling sleepy, have low energy levels during the day and not able to manage your blood sugar levels during fasting, you must try these vrat-friendly protein recipes. (Also read: Navratri special aloo recipes: Vrat-friendly potato snacks you must try)

“Navaratri is the festival of energy since everyone likes to play garba and fast etc, so one should consume protein rich recipe as protein takes longer time to digest,” says Shivani Bavalekar, Senior Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, Vashi.

Here are some healthy protein-rich recipes to try during Navratri by Bavalekar.

1. DATES ROLL

Ingredients:

· Deseeded fresh Dates: 10 nos

· Peanut butter – 4 tbsp

· Desiccated coconut – 2 tbsp

· Peanut butter

To make peanut butter, here’s what you need

· 2 cups (300 grams) peanuts

· Pinch to 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1 to 2 teaspoons honey

· 1 to 3 teaspoons peanut oil, if needed

METHOD:

For peanut butter:

Grind the peanut with peanut oil, sea salt and honey till it forms a smooth paste.

For Dates roll:

1. Deseed the dates and stuff that with peanut butter.

2. Roll it in a desiccated coconut.

Health benefits:

1. Peanut butter will provide good amount of protein.

2. Dates will help to maintain the energy and iron level.

2. KHOA PARATHA

Ingredients:

· Rajgeera flour – 1 cup

· Khoa – 1 cup

· Water as required

· Ghee – 1 tbsp

· Salt as per taste

Method:

– Take a bowl of Rajgeera flour, add salt for taste, mix it properly, and add water to form a soft dough.

– Roast khoa till it turns slightly golden.

– Make small size balls, roll it to form roti, repeat the same process with another ball.

– Then on one roti, spread the roasted Khoa and place another roti on it.

– Roast the roti on medium gas flame, apply ghee and flip it.

– Cook for 2 minutes and serve the parathas with ghee.

Health benefits

· The presence of khoa makes this recipe protein rich.

· Rajgeera flour is enriched with good amount of calcium, phosphorous and magnesium.

3. VARAI DAHI WADA

Ingredients:

· Varai /samu rice – 1 cup

· Singhada/chestnut flour – 1/3 cup

· Green chilies – 1 tsp

· Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

· Curd – ¾ cup

· Dry dates powdered – 1 tbsp.

· Jaggery and dates chutney – 1 tbsp.

· Salt as per taste.

· Water as required

Method:

– Add Varai in a grinder and grind it to coarse powder. Then add Singhada flour with Varai flour.

– Take a bowl and transfer the powder to it.

– Add green chilies, cumin seeds, salt, and curd and mix well.

– Add ½ cup of water and mix well.

– Cover the bowl and keep it aside for 15 minutes.

– Add some more water and make a thick idly-like batter.

– Heat a ball in Appe Patra on medium heat.

– Add ¼ teaspoon of oil to each mould and fill the molds with the batter.

– Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the ball are turned brown nicely from the bottom.

– Flip the ball. Cook for another 2-3 minutes from other side.

– Then take a bowl, add the curd mix, add dry dates powder for taste.

– Mix the curd thoroughly and then add the balls to it.

– Enjoy the healthy non-oily vrat dahi wada.

Health benefits:

– The presence of singhada flour and varai flour makes this recipe rich in protein.

– Curd is extremely good source of protein and probiotic.

– Dates and jaggery will help to maintain iron level in the body.

4. DRY FRUIT PIYUSH

Ingredients:

· Curd – 1 bowl

· Milk – 1 glass

· Almond – 4-5 nos

· Pistachios – 4-5 nos

· Walnut – 2 whole

· Cashewnut – 5 nos

· Cardamom powder – 4 nos

· Dates – 4 nos

Method:

1. Take a bowl, mix curd and milk together and blend it with either hand mixer or in grinder to form a thick creamy texture.

2. Add the dry fruit powder, cardamom powder and date to the above mixture.

3. Keep the piyush in freezer for 2 hours.

4. Serve it cold.

Health benefits:

· This recipe is rich in protein, calcium, zinc, selenium, magnesium.

· Curd provides us with good amount of probiotic.

· Pregnant women will be also benefited with recipe as it contains good amount of omega 3 fatty acids and calcium.

Tip: You can add shrikhand to the piyush to make it thicker.

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