Winters have arrived with soups, one-pot meals, and comfort food recipes. From Panjiri and Ginger to Saag and Beetroot Thoran, here are 5 recipes by Ridhima Batra, Certified Diabetic Educator, Sports Nutritionist and Founder of Nutrition Defined, that are perfect to make your winter tasty and healthy.

1.) Panjiri

Panjiri is a dry and sweet snack prepared during winters. The nutritional supplement is made from whole-wheat flour, fried in sugar and ghee and packed with dried fruits, nuts and at times edible gum or gond.

Panjiri is a wonderful snack that is full of energy, highly nutritional snack. It is also good for postpartum healing and lactation food that is perfect for providing nourishment and energy to new moms.

• Panjiri induces heat in the body and aids in aches and pains that are typically caused during winters.
• It helps in lubricating the joints and reduces back pain along with other joints pain.
• It’s rich in fat & fibre and can be given to lactating mothers in order to build their immunity and strengthen them from within.
• This nutrition supplement strengthens and nourishes the bone tissues as it is rich in calcium, magnesium and also delivers some protein.
• As they are usually made with very nutrient dense ingredients like gond, whole wheat flour, ghee and nuts; they are a perfect energy giving food for children. And of course, they help maintain and promote stamina, strength and stability of the body for adults too.
• It is often treated as a nutritional supplement during winters to ward off the cold and seasonal viruses and keep us safe from winter illnesses. Thus building immunity.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup khapli/emmer wheat flour
• 1 cup sattu flour
• ½ cup almonds (badam)
• ¼ cup unsalted pistachios
• ½ cup edible gum (gond)
• ¼ cup mix of pumpkin and melon seeds (pre-soaked, dried and powdered)
• 1 cup powdered jaggery (gud)
• ½ tbsp ginger (saunth) powder
• 1 tsp fennel (saunf) powder (fennel seeds powder)
• 1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• Few strands of saffron (kesar)
• 1/2 cup A2 ghee
• 1/4 cup roasted foxnut (makhana) powder

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 – 3 tbsp of ghee and roast the gond (edible gum). As it swells up, remove and keep it aside.
2. Once it cools down to room temperature, blend it to make a coarse mixture.
3. Now, in ½ cup ghee, roast whole wheat flour and sattu flour on low flame, stirring in between.
4. Once it is golden in colour and aromatic, turn off the flame.
5. Add jaggery powder, nut powder, ginger powder, elaichi powder, saunf powder, makhana powder, and saffron.
6. Mix well. Your Panjiri is ready!

Pro Tip: It can be made more interesting by rolling it into laddoos as well.

2.) Carrot Ginger Soup

Since root vegetables are at peak of their flavour and nutrient profile in winters so adding them in the diet is one’s best bet. They are not fattening, so we need not fear them.

• They help in producing serotonin which is a happy hormone, reduce free radical damage to the brain cells and also prevent oxidative stress, thereby helping the cells to be happy and healthy.
• Soups when consumed warm, help soothe inflamed tracts and scratchy throat. Hot fluids are also known to ease nasal congestion. The ingredients you use also go a long way in determining how healthy your soup is.
• Common spices used in soups like black pepper, ginger red chilli powder, cloves and cinnamon are also very effective in revving up the metabolism
• Gingerol present in ginger has powerful medicinal properties, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It aids digestion, reduces oxidative stress and helps fight the flu and common cold.
• Ginger works excellent against nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy or during chemotherapy.
• Ginger can help in drastically reducing blood sugar and improving heart disease risk factors.
• Carrots are rich in beta-carotene which helps keep your eyes healthy. They are rich in antioxidants. The presence of Vitamin C can boost your immunity and fiber content helps with constipation.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 heaping cups chopped carrots
• 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt and fresh black pepper
• coconut milk, for garnish, optional

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally about 8 minutes. Add the smashed garlic cloves (they’ll get blended later) and chopped carrots to the pot and cook about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the ginger, then add the apple cider vinegar, and then add 3 to 4 cups of broth, depending on your desired consistency. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Let cool slightly and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
4. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired.

3.) Sarson ka saag

• Mustard green is a powerhouse of antioxidants, which include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Vitamin E, along with phytonutrients such as phenols.
• Antioxidants are substances which help in preventing cell damage caused by oxidative stress. The antioxidants present in mustard greens help in providing protection against such damages and clearing free radicals.
• The vitamin C content in sarson ka saag has immunity-boosting properties which prevent seasonal and viral infections, such as cold and flu too.
• It also helps neutralise chemicals and heavy metals in the body.
• With amazing fiber profile, this dish helps improve the digestion and aids constipation.
• Mustard greens have proved to be good at decreasing bad cholesterol level in the body. Regular intake can help you in keeping a check. Also, it possess anti-cancer nutrient properties

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 500 grams Mustard greens , washed and roughly chopped
• 250 grams Spinach Leaves (Palak) , washed and roughly chopped
• 250 grams Bathua leaves , washed and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon Makki Ka Atta (Yellow Corn Meal Flour)
• 2 inch Ginger , finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic , finely chopped
• 1 Onion , thinly sliced
• 3 Green Chillies , slit into half
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• Salt , to taste
• 4 tablespoons Ghee

Instructions:

1. Steam the leaves together along with a little salt until soft and yet green.
2. Place all the leaves in the pressure cooker, add a little salt and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pressure cooker and cook until you hear one whistle. After the first whistle turn off the heat.
3. Place the cooker under running water and release the pressure immediately and add the Makki ka atta. This process of releasing the pressure immediately will help keep the greens green.
4. Allow it to cool. You can either puree the saag or use a masher and mish mash the greens to make it soft and mushy. The way you like to present it is purely your choice.
5. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan; add the ginger, garlic, onions and green chillies. Saute all the ingredients together on low heat until the onions are completely tender and soft and lightly browned.
6. You can optionally cover the pan partly to create steam to cook the onions. This process of cooking consumes less oil.
7. Once the onions are well softened, stir in the steamed sarson ka saag, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder.
8. Turn the heat to high and give the mixture a quick boil for a couple of minutes, so that the greens get the flavours from the spices and onions. Turn off the heat, check the salt and adjust to taste accordingly.
9. Transfer the Sarson Ka Saag to a serving bowl and serve hot.

4.) Raab

• Raab is a natural home remedy to build immunity and is often made in Gujarati and Rajasthani households along with their meals in winter.
• Pearl Millet commonly known as Bajra in India is rich in essential compounds like protein, fibre, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Due to its rich composition of minerals and proteins, Pearl Millet has many health benefits. Bajra Raab is a traditional Gujarati warm soup prepared from bajra flour.
• Ajwain, cloves, pepper powder and dry ginger powder are added to make the soup healthy and are recommended for lactating mothers.
• The high phosphorus content in raab helps in muscle recovery after an extensive workout session.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Bajra Flour ( Pearl Millet)
• 1 tablespoons Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Dry ginger powder , or freshly ground ginger
• 1/4 cup Jaggery , crumbled
• 2 teaspoons ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds) , or cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns , pounded

Instructions:

1. Combine the bajra, wheat flour and 3 cups of water in a saucepan and place it on medium heat. Stir to make sure there are no lumps.
2. Stir in the jaggery, ginger powder and allow the mixture to come to a boil stirring constantly. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken slightly for about 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Heat the ghee in another small pan; add the ajwain (or cumin), black pepper and allow it to roast for a few seconds.
4. Pour the ghee into the hot Raab Mixture. Check the taste and add more jaggery or ginger to suit your taste. You can adjust the consistency by adding water if required.

5.) Beetroot Thoran

• Packed with potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6, A, C, nitrate, beets is also one of the healthiest winter food.
• Betroot being rich in skin enhancing nutrients is simply a perfect recipe for maintaining a glowing skin in winter.
• Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, drinking beetroot juice regularly can help prevent acne and pimples from popping up on the face. Beetroot also has powerful detoxifying properties.
• Beetroots also contain sufficient amounts of vitamin C- nature’s immunity boosters.
• Beetroots can lower blood pressure, which may lead to reduced risk of heart disease and other ailments.
• This root veggie can also improve oxygen use, stamina, and exercise performance.

Recipe:

To grind

• 1/4 cup coconut
• 2 no shallots
• 1 no garlic optional
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 no green chilli
• 1 dry red chilli

For making thoran

1. 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
2. 1 tsp mustard seeds
3. 1 spring curry leaves
4. 2 medium sized beetroot chopped finely
5. 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
6. salt to taste

Instructions:

1. 1. Grind together coconut, cumin, shallots, garlic, red chilli and green chilli together to a coarse paste without adding water.
2. 2. Heat coconut oil in a pan and crackle mustard seeds, curry leaves and add chopped beetroot, turmeric powder, salt, water to get it cooked and then mix well.
3. 3. Close and cook until beetroot is cooked.
4. 4. Open and add the coconut mixture. Mix well and fry until all the moisture leaves and it gets dried.
5. 5. Switch off and serve with rice and curry.