Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Almond & Besan Laddoos | Refined Sugarfree | Healthy Recipe

And Diwali treats continue. In the series of refined sugar free desserts here is one more-Almond & Besan Laddoos. They are made with chickpea flour (besan) and almond flour and loosely inspired by the Gujarati delicacy Magaj Na Laddoo.

Same-Same But Different

Magaj laddoos and these laddoos are similar yet different. Similar because both use besan and almond flour. Different because these laddoos use more ghee and no milk at all. However, if you do decide to use castor sugar then ghee used is reduced as castor sugar also acts as a binder. You would not need to use the two tablespoons in the end. But between sugar and ghee, you know which is a better option 😉

Magaj Na Laddoos & Sweet Memories

Food is delicious more so because of the love associated with it. No matter how average a cook one’s mother is but “Ma ke haath ka chana (food cooked by mum)” is always specialWhy else but because of all the love she puts in while she cooks for her child. And I think that is the reason why Magaj Na Laddoos are so special to me. Not because my mum made it. But because my lovely roommate’s mum (back in undergrads) would make it and send along after each summer break.

Every evening after the unpalatable mess (cafeteria) dinner all of us friends would gather in Room 311 (the room I shared with three other girls) and open our snack boxes to share. Each box would hold love from home, some homemade some store bought but packed with utmost love and care by our respective mothers. The best part? Each one of us would rejoice in sharing the goodies and savouring the speciality treats from others’ snack boxes. And Magaj na laddoos from P’s snack box would be claimed almost entirely by me. And also the sukhdi and kopra paak. Have I convinced you enough how big a fan of Gujarati sweets I am?!

Then let us proceed to the recipe of the Almond & Besan Laddoos.

Helpful tips to make Almond-Besan Laddoos

  1. Good quality ghee, especially grass-fed cow’s ghee makes all the difference
  2. Roasting the besan-This requires some elbow grease but not to be cut short. A good 15-20 minutes on a low flame till nutty aroma arises and colour of besan starts to change
  3. Blanched almond flour- Almond flour comes in two varieties- raw and blanched. The latter version is recommended for this recipe. If you are unable to find it in stores then worry not! It can be easily made at home.
  4. I used raw cane sugar in the recipe but you can use any kind of brown sugar but make sure to add sugar into the besan after taking it off heat. You do not want sugar to melt and make the mixture runny and unbindable
  5. Once sugar is added, add approximately 2-3 tbsp of melted ghee. Add one tablespoon, give it a nice mix and then the add the remaining ghee gradually, testing as you go if the mixture binds. Depending on the kind of almond flour you use, you would need anywhere between 2-3 tablespoon ghee. Just enough to bind the laddoos
  6. Make sure to wet your palms with water before you start binding the laddoos. This make the binding process easier and also ensures you do not burn your hands
  7. I garnished with rose petals but you could also use chopped almonds and pistachios to garnish

Ingredients to make Almond-Besan Laddoos

  1. Ghee, melted- 1/2 cup+ 2 tbsp
  2. Besan (chickpea flour)-2 cups
  3. Blanched almond flour- 2 tbsp
  4. Raw Sugar/Brown Sugar- 1/2 cup or as per taste
  5. Cardamom powder, freshly ground- 1 tsp
  6. Slivered almonds- 1 tbsp and some extra for garnish
  7. Chopped raisins- 1 tbsp
  8. Dried rose petals for garnish
  9. One cup water

Method to make Almond-Besan Laddoos

  1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, once the ghee is hot, reduce the flame to low and add besan
  2. On a very low flame with continuous stirring cook the besan till it starts to change colour to a dark muddy yellow and a nutty aroma arises; this will take approximately 20-25 minutes from start to finish
  3. Once besan is well roasted take it off the flame and add almond flour, brown/raw sugar, chopped raisins and slivered almonds and give it a nice mix
  4. Take the mixture back to the flame and add 2 tbsp ghee and mix again and continue to stir for another 2-3 minutes
  5. Turn off heat, and let the mixture cool down for 5 minutes, then wet your palms and start to roll the mixture into laddoos/balls of desired size ; be careful to wet your palms well to avoid burning
  6. At this stage if you feel the laddoos are not coming together , add some more ghee and bind
  7. Garnish with slivered almonds or rose petals or both

See video below for a step by step:

Almond & Besan Laddoos- Refined Sugarfree Healthy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12-14 medium sized laddoos

Ingredients

  • Ghee, melted- 1/2 cup+ 2 tbsp
  • Besan (chickpea flour)-2 cups
  • Blanched almond flour- 2 tbsp
  • Raw Sugar/Brown Sugar- 1/2 cup or as per taste
  • Cardamom powder, freshly ground- 1 tsp
  • Slivered almonds- 1 tbsp and some extra for garnish
  • Chopped raisins- 1 tbsp
  • Dried rose petals for garnish
  • One cup water

Instructions

  1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, once the ghee is hot, reduce the flame to low and add besan
  2. On a very low flame with continuous stirring cook the besan till it starts to change colour to a dark muddy yellow and a nutty aroma arises; this will take approximately 20-25 minutes from start to finish
  3. Once besan is well roasted take it off the flame and add almond flour, brown/raw sugar, chopped raisins and slivered almonds and give it a nice mix
  4. Take the mixture back to the flame and add 2 tbsp ghee and mix again and continue to stir for another 2-3 minutes
  5. Turn off heat, and let the mixture cool down for 5 minutes, then wet your palms and start to roll the mixture into laddoos/balls of desired size ; be careful to wet your palms well to avoid burning
  6. At this stage if you feel the laddoos are not coming together, add some more ghee and bind
  7. ogether , add some more ghee and bind
  8. Garnish with slivered almonds or rose petals or both
https://onewholesomemeal.com/almond-besan-laddoos-refined-sugarfree-healthy-recipe/

Almond & Besan Laddoos- Refined Sugarfree Healthy Recipe

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Almond and Flaxseed Bliss Balls

Bliss balls or energy balls are not a novelty. There are all types and kinds, and yet there are so many new and variety of options possible.

Whenever I am rushed and want to fix a quick dessert which will keep well for a week, I make one or the other kind of energy balls. Some of our family favourites are coconut-dates, apricot-pistachio, and almond turmeric bliss balls. They are the perfect take-along quick snack and super filling and healthy too!

This time however I had some flaxseed meal at hand. Hard as it is to find it on the grocery aisle these days, I wanted to use them asap. The key ingredients that I used where:

  1. Almond Meal – I used the store-bought blanched almond meal but you can also make it at home in advance.
  2. Flaxseed Meal – Just blend a few cups of flaxseed in a blender to make this or just buy off the shelf.
  3. Pitted Medjool Dates- These are the soft variety of dates available easily in any supermarket. If for some reason you are unable to lay your hands on these, you can sue regular dates; soak the regular dates in some warm water for 20-30 minutes until they are soft. Then drain and blend.
  4. Pistachios – These again, I dry roasted them to bring out the nuttiness, then cooled and blended them to a powder.Almond-Pistachio-Flaxseed Bliss balls

I also added some freshly pounded black pepper and sea salt along with a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract for flavour.

Most bliss ball recipes involve throwing all the ingredients together into a high-speed blender and blending them all together. However, for this recipe, I blended each ingredient (apart from the already blended ones of course) separately and then brought them all together one last time before shaping them into desired sized balls.


Almond-Flaxseed Bliss Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: Makes 10-12 medium sized bliss balls

Ingredients

  • Almond Meal- 1 cup
  • Flaxseed Meal- 1/4 cup
  • Pistachios, toasted and powdered- 3/4 cup and some extra for coating the bliss balls
  • Pitted Medjool Dates, coarsely chopped- 12-15
  • Coarsely pounded black pepper- 1/2 tbsp
  • Sea salt- 1 tsp
  • Pure Vanilla Extract- 1tbsp
  • Coconut oil to grease hands

Instructions

  1. Dry roast the pistachios in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high flame for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously , then cool down and keep aside; blend to a fine powder once cool
  2. Blend the dates till they are smooth and clumpy
  3. To the above blender jar add almond, pistachio, flaxseed meals, black pepper, pure vanilla extract and blend one final time till combined; you would need to scrape the sides of the jar a few times
  4. Invert the contents into a bowl and using your clean hands give it one final mix , pressing the mixture between your fingers as you go
  5. Grease your hands with some coconut oil and form the mixture into desired sized balls
  6. Coat the balls with pistachio powder if desired
  7. Store in an airtight container in a cool and dry place and consume within a week
https://onewholesomemeal.com/almond-and-flaxseed-bliss-balls/
 Almond-Flaxseed Bliss Balls

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Til Mawa Ke Ladoo | Sesame Energy Balls

This sweet is best enjoyed in winter. I know I am a little late, but this til mawa ke ladoo recipe had to be shared. It’s spring now and still a good time to try these little bites of heaven. I kid you not. Once you taste these, you would know what I am talking about.

If you are daunted by getting mawa for these ladoos, don’t be as most Indian provision stores will have it. For some reason, if you are unable to buy it from the store, I promise it is extremely easy to make at home using this method. However, for best results, although it would require some elbow grease, please do make it from scratch using this method. Trust me, it will be worth all the effort. Plus you can always make a little extra and freeze it to save you effort in the future.

Here is an easy to follow video, or scroll down for the recipe.

Quick Tips Before You Get Cooking

The most important ingredient is til or sesame itself. I cannot begin to stress the benefits of sesame, especially for women. These days most of the store-bought sesame is relatively clean but its always better to wash them once and air dry overnight on a flat surface before using them in this recipe. Another little hack to elevate the taste of these ladoos is blending the fennel seeds with the sugar. Powdered sugar mixes quick and easy with the ladoo mixture while the fennel gets homogeneously incorporated bringing out a beautiful flavour in the finished product.

Finally, it is the turn of my beloved coconut. I have to say, I look for excuses to include coconut in my desserts. This isn’t due to the current fads. I genuinely love how it adds a lovely dimension to a recipe without actually overpowering the taste completely. And who can resist its subtle crunch? Roasting the coconut for a minute or two on a low flame brings out the nutty flavour of the coconut but you could also use it as is.

So, without further ado, here is the Til Mawa Ke Ladoo recipe for you to try. You can also try my coconut ladoo recipe here and let me know which one you liked more.

Til Mawa Ke Ladoo by OneWholesomeMeal


 

Til-Mawa Laddoos

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12-14 medium sized balls

Calories per serving: 134

Ingredients

  • White sesame-3/4 cup
  • Khoya/Mawa (reduced and thickened milk)-3/4 cup
  • Freshly desiccated coconut- 1/4 cup
  • Sugar-1/2 cup
  • Fennel seeds-1/2 teaspoon
  • Green Cardamom-3-4 pods
  • Chopped nuts-1.5 tbsp (optional)
  • Ghee-1 tsp

Instructions

  1. Blend the sugar with fennel seeds to get a powder like texture and keep aside
  2. In a thick bottomed skillet roast the sesame seeds on a medium-low flame with continuous stirring till the seeds just about start to turn light brown. Keep aside and let cool to room temperature
  3. Once the seeds have cooled off, blitz in a blender for a few seconds to get a coarse powder. Please be careful to not blend it too long and get smooth texture.
  4. Powder the cardamom seeds and keep aside
  5. In the same skillet add ghee followed by khoya (mawa) and on a low flame mix them well gently breaking the khoya lumps as you go. Make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the skillet. Continue this process for a minute or so. If the khoya you are using is too moist, then cook it on a low flame for approximately two minutes or until it reaches a semisolid consistency and starts to clump together.If the khoya is fairly dry you would need to "cook" it for a shorter duration and might need to add another teaspoon of ghee
  6. Turn off heat and add the reaming ingredients to the khoya and working quickly, mix well
  7. When the mixture cools down slightly, grease your palms with some ghee and form into tennis ball sized laddoos
  8. The laddoos need to be made when the mixture is fairly warm, a completely cold mixture would not come together well
  9. You could also wet your palms with some water and form the laddoos
https://onewholesomemeal.com/til-mawa-ke-ladoo-sesame-energy-balls/

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Healthy Energy Balls With Apricot and Pistachio

Healthy energy balls are the best, aren’t they? Not only are they raw and full of health goodness but extremely easy to put together too. And their petite size makes them perfect for lunch boxes too.

We love to eat all kinds of fruits and dry fruits. Come winters, the dry fruits start to make a more regular appearance in our daily menus. And energy balls are the best way to combine more than one kind of dry fruit in a single serving. The inspiration for these healthy energy balls came from the 5-year-old who loves apricots and pistachios. Dried apricots have a somewhat sour taste which is complimented superbly by the nutty smoothness of pistachios. And since freshly desiccated coconut is always a great option in desserts and I happened to have some on hand, I added that too. You could also use packaged dried desiccated coconut.

I originally thought of flavouring the laddoos with rose, since pistachios and rose go so well together. But the citrusy flavours of apricots and freshness of orange zest seemed like a better idea. This is just a personal preference and you can go with your desired flavours – rose, lemon rind, coconut, or just plain vanilla would all work perfectly well. Add a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness. I skipped this as the apricots were quite sweet. Store in a cool place in an airtight container and consume within a week.

For my other energy balls’ recipes do have a look at click here. Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite.

Healthy Energy Balls with Apricots and Pistachios by OneWholesomeMeal Blog

My Maiden YouTube Video Tutorial

This recipe is also super special as it is my maiden attempt to create a quick video tutorial. Nothing to be super proud of but you know how special maiden attempts are! I am so glad I finally overcame my inhibitions and created this video. Making it single-handedly with no assistance and just one camera and changing lenses intermittently to capture different angles took my patience to another level. It made me respect bloggers who churn out absolutely professional tutorials on a regular basis like a pro. Loads of lessons learned and all well worth the effort.


Apricot-Pistachio Energy Bites

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: Makes approximately 10-12 medium sized laddoos

Calories per serving: 75 per medium sized laddoo

Ingredients

  • Apricots, softened-2 cups (Soften the apricots by soaking in warm water for 30 mts and then draining them on a kitchen towel so as to absorb all the moisture)
  • Unsalted pistachios-3/4 cup
  • Shredded Coconut- 1 cup
  • Orange Zest (or lemon zest)-1 tbsp
  • Pure Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
  • Honey or Maple Syrup-1 tbsp or as per taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender (I used my nutribullet blend all ingredients till smooth. It is okay if the pistachios do not get completely powdered as it only adds texture and crunch to the balls
  2. Transfer to a plate and form into desired sized balls by rolling between your palms
  3. Store in an air tight container in a cool place and consume within a week
  4. If using dried shredded coconut , they will last slightly longer
https://onewholesomemeal.com/apricot-pistachio-healthy-energy-balls/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Coconut, Dates and Almond Energy Balls

I did not get the memo 📝 ! I should have known that being a food blogger on Instagram gets especially injurious to health come festivities. Every second picture on my feed is a mithai! How on earth is someone with a major sweet tooth try and stay off sugar?

But it is festival time. And the pictures weren’t helping. So, I decided to be a bit kind to myself. My husband had a work trip to India. Perfect timing, right?  I got my husband to get 5 boxes of mithai on his way back from India. Now, while I was waiting for the precious parcel to be delivered, I thought of treating myself (and the kids of course ;)) to some healthy desserts. Hence these coconut, dates, and almond energy balls.

They are extremely easy to whip up and even easier to gulp down, as these energy balls are refined sugar-free and therefore guilt-free too. I made two versions – one with raw cacao and one without. Both were equally delicious. Apart from being great energy boosters, they also make great lunch box snacks for kids. Here is the recipe which was inspired by Natasha Minocha’s Coconut Almond Rose Bliss Balls recipe.

Energy Balls

Energy Balls

Coconut-Dates-Almond Energy Balls

Ingredients

  • Dates- 12
  • Desiccated coconut- ½ cup
  • Almond meal (see here for an easy almond meal recipe - http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-diy-almo-14350)- ½ cup
  • Pistachio and Almonds (chopped fine)- 6-8 each kind
  • White Sesame seeds (dry roasted)- 2 tablespoons
  • Vanilla or Rose essence (as per preferred flavor preference)- 1 teaspoon
  • Raw cacao- 2 tablespoons
  • Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Soak the pitted dates in lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes to soften them for ease of blending
  2. Drain the water and reserve.Combine all ingredients in a high power blender to form a smooth paste. If chocolate flavor is not preferred, exclude the raw cacao
  3. To the blended mixture, add 1-tablespoon coconut oil and mix well. If the mixture seems too wet add more almond meal/desiccated coconut or if it is too dry add a teaspoon or two of the water reserved in step 2
  4. Form into small balls and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. These yummy delights keep well for 10-15 days in the refrigerator

Notes

Calories (per ball)- 20
Nutrition-Calcium/ Iron/Manganese/ Magnesium/Phosphorous/Copper/Vitamin B Complex
It does wonders for your- Energy/Hair/Skin/Immunity/ Cardiovascular health/Sleep/Gut/Anemia
This is “My 10am/3pm Meal

https://onewholesomemeal.com/coconut-dates-almond-energy-balls/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Jackfruit Seed Laddoos (Energy Balls)

So, it is all about the balls these days.

I meant the edible kind you dirty one-track mind! Raw balls, energy balls, no-bake balls, and so on. This time, the jackfruit seed inspired me to make my own version of the energy ball or healthy laddoos. As I have mentioned in my previous post, jackfruit can most easily be termed as a superfood with its immense health benefits and versatility. Each part of the fruit has a distinct taste, flavour, and nutritional value.

The Versatile Jackfruit Seed

While traditionally the jackfruit seed is used to make stir-fries and curries, I thought a sweet energy ball version would be great for adults and kids alike. Mixed with yummy cacao, almond flour, coconut milk and palm sugar, the kids polished half of it during the preparation itself! And when the young connoisseurs say yes, I do feel a wee bit flattered and want to pat my back 😉

You will need an oven and a blender for this recipe with a prep time of about 20-30 minutes. I used coconut oil, but you may choose an oil that you prefer.

Storage tip

Store them in an air-tight glass jar at room temperature and consume within a week.

 

Jackfruit Seed Laddoos

Ingredients

  • Jackfruit seeds- 1 cup
  • Cacao powder- 2 tablespoons
  • Almond flour-2 tablespoons
  • Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
  • Coconut milk (I used Kara brand)- 1 tablespoon
  • Palm sugar-1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and dry roast the jackfruit seeds on a baking tray lined with foil for 15-20 minutes or until you get a sweet aroma of roasted seeds
  2. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Remove the skin. The roasting process dries the outer skin making it easy to peel off
  3. Once the seeds have cooled off completely place them along with all the other ingredients in a high power blender (the seeds are dry and hard so you would need a real high power blender like a Nutribullet and blend until a smooth consistency is achieved. You would need to scrape the sides intermittently to ensure uniform blending.
  4. Grease your hands with some coconut oil and shape them into small balls of desired size
  5. You could also add some finely chopped nuts to the powder mix before shaping it into balls

Notes

Calories (per laddoo)- 45
Nutrition- Protein/Vitamin A/Fiber/Phenethylamine/Flavanols/Antioxidants/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Hair/Gut/Eyes/Mood/Muscle strength and stamina/Skin/Blood pressure/Cholesterol
This is “My 3pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/jackfruit-seed-laddoos/

[kkstarratings]