They announce their presence with their heady aroma and make your rumbling stomach growl some more. Their enticing sight can make you salivate and break your steeliest resolve within moments. They’re your best bet at resilience and most formidable enemy to defend. Why am I going in circles without pronouncing the obvious? While I (and everyone else, for that matter) cannot be untouched by their magic, snacks are foods that have the potential to make or break your health goals.

Untimely hunger is difficult to control and hard to satiate. Also, breakfast and snack options are often unhealthy and laden with excessive calories. I’ve always maintained that healthy snacking is one of the trickiest habits to form. Why would anyone want to bake and season a potato when a jar of Pringles is lying around? Isn’t it easier to open a readymade juice pack than peeling an orange? Let’s discuss some common but healthy foods that are filling yet light on your tummy.

Upma

From toddlers who haven’t yet developed milk tooth to octogenarians wearing dentures, Upma is the perfect breakfast and snack option for everyone. Its soft and semi-solid consistency makes it easy to eat and digest. Upma is made from semolina and is loaded with iron, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It is low in calories and cholesterol and the go-to choice for fitness lovers and weight-watchers.

Upma is extremely versatile to make. You can add loads of vegetables like green peas, carrots, capsicum or tomatoes to it and consume enough nutrients for an active day ahead. Roast and store semolina beforehand to toss it up within minutes. If you’re up for experimenting, seviyan (semolina, wheat, rice), oats, quinoa upma are other healthy options as well.

Uttapam

South-Indian recipes like uttapam and dosa are hugely popular worldwide for their wonderful taste and health quotient. Traditionally, uttapam is made with fermented rice and urad dal. Fermented foods play an important role in digestion, releasing bad toxins and maintaining blood pressure. With its blend of crisp and varied toppings like onion, tomato or capsicum and a soft base, uttapam is a burst of flavours in your mouth. It is easy to make and fortunately doesn’t require the skills of a dosa.

Uttapam batter can be prepared with semolina, oats, sago and even sticky rice. A healthy Indian pizza if you may, it is colourful, savoury and filling. You can make and store Uttapam batter in the refrigerator and remove it an hour before cooking to get the perfect texture.

Undhiyu

Undhiyu is a traditional Gujrati delicacy made with seasonal vegetables primarily available during winters. It is customarily made in earthen pots that are sealed and placed upside down or ‘undhu’ in a fire pot. Surti papdi, purple yam, sweet potatoes, etc are some of its main ingredients while Methi muthiya is additionally tossed into the mix while cooking. Although it consists of all healthy foods it uses a good amount of oil and can pile up calories, winter comfort food after all!

You can give a healthy spin to Undhiyu by pressure cooking vegetables, cutting down on excess oil and steaming Methi muthiya instead of frying them. Pair it with rice, bajra no rotlo, regular wheat chapatis or nachni bhakri and enjoy a delightful and warm meal.

Home food is the best but these awesome dishes are often a hop, skip and jump (or nowadays just a call) away. A visit to the Udupi restaurant for South-Indian fare and filter coffee can set your foulest mood right! Dosa Plaza has branches across the world and brings out home nostalgia in visiting Indians and NRIs. Authentic Gujrati restaurants like Surti in Kalbadevi are perfect places to explore the rich Gujrati cuisine. Am I missing something here?

This post is part of the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge by Blogchatter

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