Must-Try Diabetes-Friendly Recipes for Sugar Patients

Wait, Diabetes and Indian sweets recipes can get along? Yes, they can. Making a few minor changes to traditional dessert recipes can make them suitable for sugar patients. Here are a few Indian sweets recipes with a healthy twist that you can try this festive season:

1.Apple & Oats Rabdi

“Apple & oats rabdi” is a great dish for diabetics as it is filled with the goodness of apples (a fruit low on the glycaemic index scale), oats (which is loaded with fibre) and low-fat milk. You can find the modified recipe for sugar patients below:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup grated apples
• 2 cups low-fat or non-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon stevia
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ½ cup chopped almonds or pistachios (optional)

Servings: Two

Method of Preparation:

• Add the ghee to a non-stick pan, and sauté the oats on a medium flame for about 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, and cook on a medium flame while stirring for about 10 to 15 minutes or till the mixture thickens slightly.
• Add the grated apples and stevia, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
• Mix in the cardamom powder and chopped nuts.
• Remove from the flame and let it cool down completely. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve chilled. Garnish with chopped nuts and saffron if desired.

2.Dry Fruit Ladoos

If you are looking for a healthy fruits and nuts recipe for diabetes patients, this dish is the one for you. This recipe is sugar-free, and most dry fruits and nuts are low on the glycaemic index (GI) scale, which makes them suitable for diabetics.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup almonds
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup pistachios
• 4 to 5 dried figs
• 6 to 8 dried apricots
• 8 to 10 dates
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds/ poppy seeds/ sesame seeds (optional)

Servings: 6

Method of Preparation:

• Toast cashews, almonds, walnuts and pistachios in a dry pan for about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the dried figs, apricots and dates to the pan to soften them. Turn the dried fruits over to warm on both sides.
• If adding seeds to the ladoos, toast them on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Let the ingredients cool, then coarsely grind figs, apricots, dates and pistachios in a blender.
• Remove the mixture to a plate, add cashews, walnuts and almonds to the blender and grind coarsely.
• Move the mixture to the plate, and add the toasted seeds.
• Knead the mixture well to ensure the nuts are evenly distributed.
• Divide the mixture into 10 or 12 equal portions, and form into balls.
• Garnish with pistachios or sesame seeds. Store in an airtight container to keep fresh.

3.Baked or Air-fried Ragi Shakarpara

“Ragi shakarpara” is a diabetic-friendly variation of the traditional recipe. Ragi or finger millets have more essential nutrients and fibre than refined flour. Baking or air-frying consumes much less fat or oil than frying, which makes this recipe healthier and more nutritious than the traditional variant.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ragi flour
• 2 tablespoons wheat flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon stevia
• 1 ½ tablespoon ghee or butter
• 2 teaspoons cardamom powder
• Water or non-fat milk, as needed
• A pinch of salt

Servings: 4

Method of Preparation:

• Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl along with ghee or butter.
• Add water or milk as needed and knead to make a firm dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough till it is ¼” thick. Cut the dough in the desired shape and size for shakarpara.
• Place the shakarpara dough pieces on parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes. Flip midway to ensure an even bake.
• Alternatively, air fry the cut pieces at 150°C for 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container when cool.

4.Low-fat Shrikhand Parfait

“Shrikhand parfait” is a healthy and delicious substitute for ice cream and other frozen desserts and is a must-try this festive season. With the healthful additions of curd, fresh fruits, and nuts, this dessert is a great option for diabetics.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups thick non-fat yoghurt
• 1 cup granola
• ¼ teaspoon stevia
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
• ½ teaspoon saffron
• ½ tablespoon warm milk
• 1 cup diced fruits (preferably low GI fruits like berries, kiwi, plums, apricots, peaches, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons chopped nuts

Servings: 2

Method of Preparation:

• Place a strainer over a bowl and cover it with 2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth.
• Pour the yoghurt over the cheesecloth, pull up all the corners of the cloth to create a pouch and twist tightly. Place a weight on this pouch and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the drained yoghurt or hung curd from the cheesecloth the following day or after 8 hours in the fridge.
• Add saffron to warm milk and let it bloom for a few minutes. Add this mixture to the yoghurt along with the cardamom powder and stevia and mix well.
• Cover the yoghurt and refrigerate for a few hours and your shrikhand is ready.
• Toast the chopped nuts over a low flame for a few minutes or until fragrant.
• Assemble the parfait in a glass by layering the granola at the bottom, adding the shrikhand over it and topping it off with diced fruits and chopped nuts. Serve chilled.

5.Badam Barfi

Most nuts are low in carbohydrates, which places them low on the GI scale. However, some nuts have a fat profile unsuitable for diabetics, as the saturated fats in them can raise your cholesterol levels. Cashews are one such nut that are high in saturated fats, so replacing them with almonds, which have a healthier fat content, is a better choice for diabetics.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• ¼ cup almond milk or regular low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 5 tablespoons erythritol
• ¼ teaspoon saffron

Servings: 2

Method of Preparation:

• Soak the almonds in hot water for about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the skins from the almonds and soak up excess dampness with tissues.
• Coarsely grind the almonds to a thick paste-like consistency.
• Add saffron to the milk and let it bloom.
• Add ghee to the non-stick pan, and on medium flame, add the almond paste to the pan. Stir till the paste stops sticking to the pan.
• Add in the erythritol, cardamom powder, saffron, and milk mixture. Mix well till the paste obtains a thick consistency.
• Take the pan off the flame and transfer the mixture onto a greased plate. Spread evenly and allow to cool in the fridge.
• Cut into the desired shape and size before serving.