Dry fruits and nuts are not just delectable but a rich lode of proteins, good fats, and other vital nutrients. Adding healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc. to your diet can reap enormous health benefits, control various chronic ailments like diabetes, and reduce the risk of heart diseases. If consumed sensibly, the high fibre content can keep cholesterol in check and aid weight loss. And? They are super tasty!
Get the finest quality of dry fruits and nuts from Nature App.
You can consume nuts in various possible ways. Read on for some super-easy and healthful recipes to include nuts in your daily meal plan.
- Dates and Nuts Ladoo
This sugarless, salubrious, and savoury nuts recipe is a must-try. Even for a slacker chef, this is an easy undertaking! With dates as the key-ingredient, these laddoos can be made from the readily available dry fruits and nuts in your kitchen cabinet. Dates are a powerhouse of iron, proteins, and vitamins, which makes these nutritious homemade ladoos a bursting source of energy.
Ingredients: (Servings- 6 to 8 laddoos)
- 30 dates, pitted
- ½ cup -mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts – peeled and slightly roasted
- 2 tbsp- desiccated coconut
Instructions:
- Dry roast the mixed nuts on a stovetop for a couple of minutes or microwave them for about 3 minutes by stirring them continuously for one minute. Set them aside to cool
- To the same pan/ microwave bowl, add pitted dates and heat them till they turn soft
- Blend the dates in a blender and keep aside
Pro-tip: You can add desiccated coconut for added flavour
- Now chop the mixed nuts or blend them coarsely in a blender as per your choice
- Mix the dates with the chopped or coarsely ground nuts properly and roll them to balls.
2. Peanuts and Jaggery Chikki
Peanut jaggery chikki is one of the most popular and traditional Indian sweet recipes. While peanuts are a rich source of proteins, vitamins, and essential plant compounds, jaggery has an abundance of iron. The peanut jaggery chikki is an excellent natural supplement for anaemic people. High in calories, it can beat the market’s energy bars to give your body enormous stamina.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups- peanuts
- 2 cups- jaggery
- 3 tbsp- water
Instructions:
- Place a thick-bottomed pan on a stovetop and dry roast the peanuts on a low flame
- Stir the peanuts continuously till you get a nutty aroma, but ensure that you don’t burn them (If you choose to microwave, make sure that you stir the peanuts once every minute)
- Turn off the flame and allow the peanuts to cool completely. After that, peel off their skin
- In a large pan, add two cups of jaggery and 3 tbsp of water. Allow the jaggery to melt on a low flame
- Stir well till the jaggery melts completely. Boil the syrup till it turns thick and glossy
Pro-tip: Check the consistency of syrup by dropping a bit in a bowl of water; it should solidify immediately.
- Now, turn off the flame and add the dry roasted peanuts. Stir well and immediately add the mixture in a tray lined with butter paper. Use a greased cup-bottom to level the top
- While the mixture is still warm, cut into small square pieces and allow them to cool completely
- Store the completely cooled squares/ chikkis in an airtight jar and pop one in your mouth for an instant kick of energy.
3. Healthy Nuts Muesli
This is yet another power-packed and fibre-rich dry fruits and nuts recipe. Healthy nuts muesli, when mixed with cut fruits and milk, makes a fantastic breakfast option. Or, you can munch on the nuts muesli without milk or fruits just like an anytime snack.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup- chopped walnuts
- 1 cup- chopped almonds
- 1 cup- raisins
- 2 cups- rolled oats
- 1 cup- wheat bran
- ½ tsp- vanilla essence
Instructions:
- In a non-stick pan, add 2 cups of rolled oats and wheat bran. Dry roast the mixture for a minute or two on a low flame
- Add chopped walnuts and almonds to the mixture. Continue to dry roast till the mixture begins to turn slightly brown. Turn off the flame
- Next, microwave honey for 30 seconds or heat it slightly on a low flame for 20-30 seconds
- Add honey to the mixture and allow it to cool completely
- After the mixture has cooled, add raisins and a few drops of vanilla essence. Mix well and store in an airtight container.
The dry fruits used in all these recipes are readily available. You can buy nuts online from the comfort of your couch at Nature App.