3 Diabetes-friendly savouries to try this festive season

 

The festival season is almost here! The best time of the year when we want to dress up, meet folks, and eat delicious delicacies. But when your blood sugar level is not under control, snacking up can elevate the blood sugar level.[1] In my family both my father and father-in-law are diabetic and deciding on diabetes-friendly savouries is a tough task. The savouries should be high in fibre, loaded with protein and healthy fats. Only the nutrient-dense savouries keep the blood sugar under control and you can enjoy festivals without any guilt.[2] I am going to share

 

3 Diabetes-friendly savouries to try this festive season

 

1. Adai Dosa

Being from South India, dosa is a staple in our home. I try to keep it healthy by replacing the idli rice with broken whole wheat. The broken wheat is high on fibre and helps in managing blood sugar levels. The high amount of fibre controls cholesterol and is the healthiest option as compared to refined carbohydrates.[3]

 

Ingredients 

• 1 Cup broken wheat
• 1/4 Cup Chana Dal
• 1/4 Cup Urad Dal
• 1/4 Cup Green Moong Dal
• 1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
• 1 Spoon Fennel Seeds
• 1 Pinch Asafoetida
• 4 Dry Red Chilli
• 8 Curry leaves
• 10 Cloves of Garlic
• Gingelly Oil
• Salt to taste

 

Method to prepare 

 

1. Soak broken wheat, chana dal, urad dal, green moong dal, fenugreek seeds for 2 hours.
2. Drain out the excess water and blend them into a fine batter.
3. Coarsely grind dry red chilies, garlic clove, fennel seeds, and add it to the adai dosa batter.
4. To the batter add salt, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Mix well.
5. Heat an iron tava and pour a ladleful of adai dosa batter and spread it as a medium thick dosa. Smear 1/2 spoon of gingelly oil over the dosa.
6. Allow both the side of adai dosa to cook evenly and serve with tomato chutney.

 

2. Chili-Lime Roasted Chickpeas

If you are craving a crunchy, spicy, and flavourful savoury dish, try out Chili-Lime Roasted Chickpeas. This dish is loaded with fibre and power-packed with protein and an easy to make and diabetes-friendly savoury in India.[4] The best part about this yummy recipe is that it is free from cholesterol!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup boiled chickpeas
• 1 Teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 Teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin powder
• 2 Spoon lemons juice
• Salt to taste

Method to prepare

 

1. Take a large mixing bowl, add chickpea, olive oil, red chili powder, black pepper, cumin powder, lemon juice, and salt. Mix everything well.
2. Transfer the seasoned chickpeas to a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.
3. Relish the piping hot chili Lime Roasted Chickpeas

 

3. Foxtail Millet Upma

The foxtail millet is recognized as one of the best diabetic foods.[5] It controls the blood sugar level, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It is one of the best substitutes of rice which releases glucose steadily and body metabolism is also not triggered. The foxtail millet upma can be relished as breakfast or even as an evening snack. If you are running out of time and want to indulge in something super healthy, foxtail millet upma is the best choice.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup foxtail millets
• 1 Medium-sized finely chopped onion
• 1/4 Cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/4 Cup finely chopped green beans
• 1 Spring curry leaves
• 1 Green chili
• 1 Inch finely chopped ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 Teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 Spoon finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 spoon gingelly oil
• Salt to taste

 

 

Method to prepare

 

1. Heat gingelly oil in the pressure cooker, add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter. Add ginger, green chili, and chopped onion. Sauté until the onion is softer and turns golden.
2. Add foxtail millet, beans, carrots, turmeric powder, and sauté for 1-2 minutes on low flame or until the foxtail millet turns aromatic.
3. Add 3 cups of water and salt as per the taste.
4. Cover the pressure cooker, cook the foxtail millet upma for 3 high whistles and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Once the pressure is gone, mix everything well and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
6. Server foxtail millet upma with peanut chutney.

 

 

Apart from these above-mentioned yummy savoury recipes, it is always advisable to include a reliable health supplement to control blood sugar levels. is a well-balanced and complete nutrition supplement which is high in protein and consists of 31 essential nutrients that help in controlling the blood sugar levels. In fact you can even add Ensure Diabetes Care to any of the above recipes to give it a nutritional boost.

 

Tell me, how do you ensure a diabetic under your care gets the best of nutrition?

[1] https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/health-and-illness/glycemic-index/glucose-level/#:~:text=Blood%20sugar%20level%20rises%20every%20time%20you%20eat&text=Your%20blood%20sugar%20level%20rises,level%202%20hours%20after%20eating.

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213109/

[3] https://diabetesaction.org/article-fiber#:~:text=All%20fibers%20can%20slow%20the,the%20inflammatory%20response%20to%20food.

[4] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chickpeas-nutrition-benefits

[5] https://www.ndtv.com/food/daliya-for-diabetes-how-eating-daliya-or-bulgar-wheat-may-help-you-manage-blood-sugar-levels-1948453