It is not easy to throw a party at home, sometimes it is even a task to think of an evening snack that would be liked by everyone. Some may have a problem with the spice levels, others may not like the use of veggies etc. However, if there is something that is always a hit across the room, it has be to be cheese. A dash of cheese can give any simple snack a delish upgrade. Don't like your simple samosa, add a bit of cheese. Pizza seems too bland, maybe a little more cheese can help spruce up the affair. One of our all-time favourite 'cheesy' snack is the cheese balls. The simple snack bursting with liquid cheese can lighten up our day. Turns out, it is not that difficult to make at home either. Yes, you heard us! We found just the right recipe to make restaurant-style cheese balls at home. These balls are not only generous with cheese, but the outer crust is also just the right amount of crispy.
1. In a large mixing bowl, take the grated cheese. You can take processed cheese or mozzarella depending upon your choice.
2.Add bread crumbs, maida, chilli flakes, black pepper powder, salt, corn flour and parsley (you can use fresh coriander leaves as an alternative). Give everything a good mix using a spoon.
3. Now add milk , mix again.
4. Add water as required.
5. Using your hand to make a one dough.
6. Grease your palm and roll them into balls .
7. Sprinkle some maida on a plate, roll the cheese balls in the maida. Refrigerate the balls for 20 minutes.
8. Heat oil and fry the balls on low-medium flame.
9. Fry until crisp and golden brown. Do not overcook.
10. Serve hot with any dip of your choice.
You can find the detailed recipe with all ingredients on our YouTube Channel. You can subscribe to our channel. For more recipes, cooking hacks and tips.
About Sushmita SenguptaSharing a strong penchant for food, Sushmita loves all things good, cheesy and greasy. Her other favourite pastime activities other than discussing food includes, reading, watching movies and binge-watching TV shows.
COVID concerns have created a public appetite for health improvement; a fact that’s helped boost cereal bar sales in the UK at least. Despite on-the-go-sales taking a knock, snack bar sales at the end of January 2021 managed to grow 2% on the same period the year previously.
Those in the sector are confident however the current offer on the market is providing enough incentives for people to include healthy snacks in their diet.
Jean-Christophe Flatin, president of Mars Edge -- the segment of Mars Incorporated dedicated to supporting human health through nutrition -- told the event that consumers are increasingly interested in exploring new products in the health and wellness space. And while prices currently hover above conventional snacking products, he sees them moving more into the mainstream.
But John McManus, UK marketing director at KIND (a brand also owned by Mars) said more consumers now accept that healthier choices come with higher prices. “Because of the ingredients we use, we are inherently more expensive,” he said. “To be a viable option for us a business we need to charge a certain amount more and, I think particularly in the UK where we have retailer margins at an all-time high, this needs to be realistic.
“For example, on a normal shelf, we are 40% more expensive than what we sit next to. But over the last five years we are performing better than products that are not as nutritionally dense as KIND.”
Born and brought up in Kolkata, Rukmini Banerji (37) is a lawyer by qualification who after the birth of her son decided to turn to entrepreneurship. In June 2018, she launched The Growing Giraffe, a brand that focuses on making healthy snacks for infants, toddlers, and even adults. “Becoming an entrepreneur was a complete accident,” she says to The Better India.
Having completed her law degree from Pune, Rukmini decided to move back to Kolkata and spend time with her family. She was working with a law firm for a while and eventually decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from University College London (UCL). “Once I completed the course, I moved back to India, and this time made Mumbai my base,” she says.
Wanting to work in transactional law, she joined a boutique law firm in the city and continued her work. For almost a decade Rukmini worked at various law firms. “It was during my maternity leave in 2017 that the idea of catering healthy meals for children came to me,” she says.
But as a new mom, the thought of returning to full-time work seemed daunting to Rukmini.
Rukmini and Aarav
Asked why she chose to start a brand focusing on healthy snacks for kids, she says, “I keep seeing people fall sick around me all the time. I don’t remember falling sick too much when I was a kid, and that’s largely because of what I ate. So, I’m very particular about giving Aarav, my son, the right nutrients that will help him grow and build his immunity.”
She adds here that while she was looking for healthy snack options for her son, she found that the claims being made and the actual product had a lot of gaps. “Many of the products make claims of being healthy but are actually laden with sugar and processed refined flour. I didn’t find any product in the market that I would be comfortable giving my son,” she says. And thus, started The Growing Giraffe (TGG).
About the venture’s name, she says, “As mothers, we all wish our children grow tall, and the first image that popped into my head was that of a giraffe.”
Hiccups and challenges
The idea was to provide wholesome nutritious snacks and meals for kids and with that in mind, Rukmini started from her own home kitchen. “The idea was to have parents place their orders online, which we would deliver. I started off with purees and healthy meals like beetroot idli, etc. However, we found that the market for such meals was rather small. With the kind of support system [grandparents, nannies] Indian parents have, we did not have too many orders being placed for these meals,” she says. While being listed on Zomato and Swiggy did wonders for the brand, the turnaround time was very quick and Rukmini realised that this was not the segment in which she wanted to be.
In order to further refine the food products that she wished to retail, she enrolled for a course on cookie making as well.
Ragi cookies ready to get baked.
“I learnt how to bake the healthy cookies and nutrition bars and found that there were many more takers for this line of products. The products were so good that even I couldn’t stop myself from eating them,” she says. Rukmini, who is a one-woman army, says that she started TGG with an initial investment of Rs 2 lakhs. “A majority of that went into getting my company logo designed and to have a website created,” she says.
Rukmini had given herself one year with the business and it was around 2019 that she started seeing some sort of traction for her products. “I would have friends call and give me feedback – some wanted the cookies to be softer, while others suggested I use jaggery or honey as sweetening agents. In a sense that is how the business took off for me,” she adds.
Social media and pop-ups
The best sort of endorsement.
In this day and age of social media marketing, Rukmini has so far managed to stay away from spending money on marketing. “I have had customers leave feedback and testimonials on Instagram completely of their own volition and that has helped the business grow. Along with this, I also participated in a few pop-ups across the city and that helped gain more visibility,” she says.
It was at one of the flea markets where TGG was present that a PR professional approached Rukmini and invited her to attend a boot-camp. “That provided me with some great learnings. I was asked to work on my packaging and certain other tweaks to be able to become a commercially viable brand,” adds Rukmini. The feedback that Rukmini got early on in her entrepreneurial journey helped her learn and recover quickly from her mistakes.
“The feedback from mothers is what helped me grow the brand. I am catering to exactly what they want for their babies,” she says.
A look at some of the products at TGG
With all the actionable feedback in place, TGG relaunched on 24 December 2020 with two types of cookies and two health bars. In the last quarter, TGG made a revenue of close to Rs 1.35 lakhs from selling on Amazon. Every month, close to 150 units of products are shipped out.
Shouger Merchant, mother to a 5-year-old and a client of TGG says, “Healthy, rich in fiber, and extremely nutritious – that’s exactly how I would describe the products of TGG. I carry them in my bag given how well thought out the size of these products are. The best part is that they are not just for my son. Even I love them. They are the perfect substitutes for the sugar-laden snacks available in the market.”
With celebrity patrons like Soha Ali Khan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Sameera Reddy, Seema Khan and Mini Mathur – this brand is on its way to make a mark for itself.
During a pop-up.
“The greatest validation for me was when during the lockdown I had mothers message me about how much they were missing the snacks. For someone who became an entrepreneur by chance, this has been a great journey,” she adds.
“Our ragi cookies continue to be a bestseller and the cacao peanut butter bars are also gaining popularity. The cacao is sourced from Kerala and is filled with antioxidants and goodness. While the ragi cookies are for children 8 months and above, the other snacks that contain honey and nuts are suitable for kids above 2 years,” says Rukmini.
To order from The Growing Giraffe, you can log on to their website or order from Amazon.
A new study commissioned by Coca-Cola revealed that three quarters of people crave salty/sweet snacks, and at their ‘hangriest,’ nearly half (48%) of the nation would walk over a mile to fulfill this craving.
With March Madness snackers glued to their couches, Coca-Cola uncovered America’s favorite salty/sweet combinations to spice up snacking routines everywhere.
Gen Z is most dedicated to the snack search with 8% willing to trek over four miles to get a snack
America’s most craved combo is Coca-Cola Cherry and pizza (52%)
Generations universally admit to snacking more during the pandemic. Nearly three quarters (73%) of millennials and Gen Z have found themselves snacking more since March 2020.
Social media sensations The Merrell Twins (4.4MM TikTok followers; 1.6MM IG followers) were crowned Coca-Cola’s official flavor stewards — or “Coca-Cola Flavor Curators” — to spread the snacking word. Vanessa and Veronica will share their favorite combos via Instagram w/o March 29, encouraging fans to share their favs using #unbelievablydelicious.
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Flying can be unpredictable, so it's always a good idea to keep some healthy snacks on hand. Ward off hunger in a delicious fashion with these picks. Whether you're craving something crunchy or creamy, sweet or salty, we've got you covered.
Photo courtesy of Lil Bucks
Lil Bucks
Lil Bucks is the first dedicated sprouted buckwheat brand in the U.S., and the raw superfood is perfect for sprinkling on yogurt, oatmeal, toast and salads. Founder Emily Griffith fell in love with the crunchy plant-based protein while living in Australia.
Lil Bucks are available in original, cacao, cinnamon and matcha flavors. Try turmeric lemon myrtle or chocolate reishi Clusterbucks for snacking on the go. The adaptogenic grain-free granola clusters are lightly sweetened with maple syrup.
Photo courtesy of Recipe 33
Recipe 33 Infused Almonds
There are plenty of brands of roasted almonds out there, but only Recipe 33 is slow-roasting almonds and infusing them with bold flavors of Italian black truffle and smoky serrano peppers. The almonds are soaked in water overnight, then roasted at the low temperature of 100°F.
This sprouting process gives the nuts a light crunch and sweet flavor, making them easier to digest, and their nutrients are more readily absorbed. Lemon rosemary, garlic dill and cinnamon vanilla round out the gourmet lineup.
Photo courtesy of Blake Peterson
Dark chocolate bars
Chocolate is a popular comfort food, and a plain dark chocolate bar has plenty of healthy fats plus antioxidants, without too much sugar. Avoid big brands sourcing their cacao questionably in favor of independent craft chocolate makers, such as Ritual Chocolate, Nuance Chocolate, French Broad Chocolates and Dandelion Chocolate.
Their chocolate bars are made with just a couple of ingredients – cacao and sugar – so you know you're experiencing pure chocolate flavor sourced sustainably from unique origins all over the world. Look for bars with infusions like pine nuts, nibs, sea salt or scorpion pepper to keep things interesting.
Photo courtesy of Whirlaway Marketing
Black Jewell Popcorn
Starting in 1962, in a small Southern Illinois town, Black Jewell Popcorn has been growing an heirloom strain of black kernel popcorn as a high-fiber, heart-healthy snack. The black kernels pop to a pure white, but like many other naturally dark colored fruits and vegetables, these popcorn kernels are rich in both polyphenols and anthocyanins with 95mg of antioxidants per serving.
Ready-to-eat bags come in flavors like aged white cheddar and sea salt & cracked pepper.
Photo courtesy of Spread The Love
Spread The Love Nut Butter
Spread The Love makes the tastiest small-batch nut butters around, and the unsalted almond butter is available in single-serve packs for flights. Instead of using palm oil and adding salt and sugar, there's just one ingredient in these nut butters for a naturally creamy texture and subtly sweet flavor.
Each single-serve pack has less than 200 calories and 6 grams of protein. Don't forget to knead the packet before opening for a smooth consistency.
Photo courtesy of Saffron Road
Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas
These crunchy organic chickpea snacks come in nine different globally-inspired flavors, from Korean BBQ to Bombay spice. Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas have six grams of protein per serving and are available in both larger resealable bags and single serve packs for the sea salt and Bombay spice flavors.
These are a great alternative to chips or pretzels if you're craving something crunchy.
Photo courtesy of Perfect Snacks
Perfect Bars
These protein bars are so fresh that they're found in the refrigerator, and they're hearty enough to be considered a meal replacement. Each Perfect Bar is packed with 20 superfood powders, freshly ground nut butter and sweetened with honey, coming in a range of flavors from blueberry cashew to salted caramel.
They stay fresh for up to a week at room temperature too, so no need to worry about forgetting it in your backpack.
Photo courtesy of Good King Cacao / Kim Wilson
Snacking Cacao
Single-origin cacao beans sourced from cacao farmer cooperatives in Indonesia and Honduras are the foundation of this fun, crunchy snack that's chock full of antioxidants. Good King Snacking Cacao is certified organic and made in small batches in Seattle – caramelizing whole cacao beans with organic cane sugar, pure herbs and spices to accentuate the bean's natural flavor profile.
The lightly sweet and salty Harmony flavor made with cane sugar and pink Himalayan salt won a Good Food Award in 2018.
Photo courtesy of Quevos
Quevos
These protein-packed low-carb chips are made from crisp egg whites, essentially providing the nutrition of an omelette on the go. Quevos fulfill your crunchy cravings for a savory snack without any guilt.
Keto flavors sour cream & onion and quevos rancheros swap arrowroot starch for milk protein, resulting in fewer carbs and more protein.
Photo courtesy of Sunsweet
Dried fruit
Look to dried fruit with no added sugars for a sweet and healthy treat that's easy to transport. Unlike fresh fruit, it won't get confiscated at the border if you don't finish it in-flight. Sunsweet is the largest brand of dried tree fruits including prunes, dates and apricots, working with nearly 250 grower-members with orchards throughout California's central valley.
Are you all geared up to celebrate Holi in a traditional way at home? Here are dietician backed festive treats shared by Vidhi Chawla you can make at home on Holi. Find out more.
Holi or any other festival is incomplete without traditional foods. Delicious snacks such as gujiyas, thandai, malpua, malai kulfi, and others are an important part of the festival of colours, which has been embedded in our culture and traditions for centuries. Holi is a festival that is celebrated with much enthusiasm all over the country. People prepare festive treats at home and celebrate with family members, putting colours on each other and drinking thandai on a sunny afternoon.
This may not only cause you to gain weight, but it can also cause an upset stomach, acidity, and other health issues, all of which can be a nuisance during your favourite festival.
Here are some healthy snacks you can prepare at home this Holi as shared by dietician Vidhi Chawla.
Baked gujiya
Gujiyas are sweet dumplings traditionally made with a Maida and a khoya filling. Dry fruits are also used in the filling. To add a healthy twist to gujiya, you can change both the filling and the cover. Unrefined flour should be used instead of refined white flour. Choose a mixture of whole wheat and millets such as jawar, bajra, and ragi. Half whole wheat and half of each of these millets can be used. In terms of the filling, khoya can be swapped out for coconut. Grate the coconut and mix in some nutritious nuts like walnuts, pistachios, and other nuts. You can bake your gujiya on your Air fryer to make it more nutritious.
Ragi malpua
It reminds me of a fried pancake. Maida, sugar, rava, khoya, fennel seeds, cardamom powder, and milk are used to make this traditional sweet. Malpua, like gujiya, has a white flour base that can be quickly replaced with whole wheat, ragi flour and oats. You can add jaggery rather than sugar, which is certainly a better choice.
Low calorie thandai
When it comes to Holi, thandai is a must. To combat the summer, a Holi thandai provides the body with the goodness of dry fruits and nuts. Toned or soya milk, powdered jaggery (gud), and some millets like Ragi flour can be used to make a low-calorie thandai. This can be combined with crushed or powdered almonds. . When served chilled, it tastes better.
Steamed or baked pakoras
Pokodas are usually made from potatoes, particularly during festivities such as Holi, which is the most common. Replace potatoes with methi or bathua leaves. You can also add chopped onions, cumin seeds, and any other spices you want. Steam it to remove the stickiness before baking it at a high temperature for a short time until golden brown. Serve these pakoras with chilled yoghurt.
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Recipe: Crispy Coriander Bites, energy drink, 3 other Ayurvedic snacks for Holi(Dr. Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti)
Recipe: Crispy Coriander Bites, energy drink, 3 other Ayurvedic snacks for Holi
From Ragi laddoos to a healthy energy booster drink and other tasty snacks, here are 5 super easy and yummy Ayurvedic recipes to binge on Holi 2021 with absolutely no guilt
By Zarafshan Shiraz
UPDATED ON MAR 28, 2021 02:55 PM IST
They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach and while the festive week comes with a sense of Covid-19 lockdown gloom, there is nothing like a sweet and savoury dish that cannot pep up our Holi 2021 mood in a jiffy. From Ragi laddoos to healthy energy booster drink and tasty snacks like Crispy Coriander Bites and Spinach Moong Dal Pancake, here are some yummy Ayurvedic recipes to binge on Holi 2021 with absolutely no guilt.
Mix finely chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp rice flour, ⅛ tsp turmeric, ¾ tsp besan, ¾ cup water, ½ tsp grated ginger and salt to taste. Add 2 cups of water in a pot or a stove steamer and place a greased vessel on top of it.
Make sure that the plate doesn’t touch the water. Add ¼ tsp soda bicarb to the mixed ingredients before pouring the batter into the plate. Steam it for approximately 10 minutes and let it sit.
Cut it into small pieces and serve along with coriander chutney.
2. Healthy Energy Booster Drink
Healthy Energy Booster Drink(Dr. Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti)
Ingredients:
10-12 dates
2-3 figs
6 blanched almonds
1 tsp of fennel seeds
¾th glass of coconut milk
Method:
Deseed around 10-12 dates and mix them with small pieces of 2-3 figs. Grind them in a mixer and make a paste.
Add around 6 blanched almonds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds and ¾th glass of coconut milk. Blend them to make a smoothie and enjoy with family!
This natural energy booster will immediately uplift your body and mind without that caffeine overkill.
Heat a pan and add 4 tsp of ghee and ragi flour on a slow flame. Roast until golden brown. Keep mixing the batter till the ghee separates and an aromatic smell of the flavour is spread. To bind the jaggery, take a potting vessel and add 1 cup of water with ½ cup jaggery in it.
Mix till it is well caramelized. After that add a pinch of salt just for taste. Add the caramelized jaggery to the roasted ragi flour and mix it well. Simmer down the flame and take all the ingredients in a clean plate. Add dry grated coconut, almonds and mix them together.
Grease your palm with ghee and take a medium-dry proportion of the batter and make round shaped laddu's from it. Sprinkle some chopped almond or pistachio. And your gluten-sugar free laddu is ready to be served this festive season!
4. Spinach Moong Dal Pancake
Spinach Moong Dal Pancake(Dr. Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti)
Ingredients:
Moong flour
Salt
Garam masala
Asafoetida powder
Turmeric powder
Oil/ghee
Cumin seeds
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 tsp onion
¼ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp coriander powder
Method:
Take a bowl and add moong flour, salt, garam masala, a pinch of asafoetida and turmeric powder. Mix the batter well and add water to make the batter of a pouring consistency. Sprinkle some oil or ghee on a pan and pour the batter in the pan.
Flip it such that it cooks on both sides. For the spinach topping, add a pinch of cumin seeds, 1 tsp chopped garlic and a pinch of asafoetida to a non-stick pan with a little bit of oil. Further, add 2 tsp onion, ¼ tsp cumin powder, ¼ tsp coriander powder, salt and a pinch of turmeric and garam masala. Mix well and add blanched spinach to it.
In a pre-heated non-stick pan, add ghee or vegan butter Add dates syrup or maple syrup in the pan along with ghee. Be sure, you do not burn the dates syrup! Once melted, add almond butter (vegan butter) and mix it well on medium flame.
Continue mixing it for 4 to 5 minutes. Now, take a round or rectangular case, put a parchment paper. Sprinkle some chopped almond or pistachio and refrigerate it for at least one hour, before cutting it in the desired shape.
(All recipes: Dr. Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti)
The festival of colours, Holi, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in India but with Covid-19 lockdowns imposed in several states, the celebrations have been dampened this year. If you are one of those who monitor their health even as family members gorge on festive delicacies, these recipes are a must-try on Holi 2021 as they are packed with nutrition and promise the goodness of health benefits for you and your loved ones.
Bhubaneswar: When an Indian festival is on the calendar, grand celebration or not, a table full of scrumptious food and refreshing drinks is first priority. And when the festival is Holi, it’s all about colours, feast and fun.
Now, we are well aware that this year, there will be no Holi revelry as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has shown a rapid spike in the last few weeks. But we sure can prepare little treats in our kitchens and enjoy them with our families, seated inside the four walls of our houses, sanitized and safe.
So, as we celebrate a no colour, no party Holi this year, here are some sweets, snacks and drinks that you can prepare at home and enjoy with family:
A new study commissioned by Coca-Cola revealed that three quarters of people crave salty/sweet snacks, and at their ‘hangriest,’ nearly half (48%) of the nation would walk over a mile to fulfill this craving.
_1616922967011_1616922978098.jpg "Recipe: Crispy Coriander Bites, energy drink, 3 other Ayurvedic snacks for Holi(Dr. Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti)")
