4-6 pm Snack Ideas and Recipes

Looking for snacks, but your pantry appears to be empty. Disappointing Right? The mere mention of “snacks” causes our eyes to light up excitedly. 

However, snacks are an essential part of your diet. They may help improve energy levels, nourish your body, and facilitate better activity. Healthy snacking may also help prevent overeating during mealtimes if you choose items that will keep you full for an extended period.

We’ve got you covered with do-it-yourself alternatives, many of which use everyday items you probably already have in your cupboard.

These simple snacks are perfect for making at home, so you’ll always have something to eat.

Snack Recipes

4-6 pm Snack Recipe 1: Spinach Triangles Cheese Crackers

Being a green leafy vegetable, Spinach is an important source of nutrients including vitamins, micronutrients, essential trace elements and minerals, promoting healthy vision, supporting a strong immune system, and maintaining overall health.

Spinach triangle cheese crackers might be a nutritious snack since they contain fibre from the spinach, protein from the cheese, and, depending on the type of cheese, some beneficial fats too. You can even store spinach chips for weeks in airtight containers.

Fact: Casein, the main protein in cheese is nutritionally rich due to the high supply of essential amino acids, phosphate, and calcium. They may also act as a good source of energy in the human diet.

• Total cooking time: 30-35 minutes.
• Serving size: Approximately 16 chips (serves 2-3 people).

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (ragi, plain flour)
• ½ cup Aashirvaad Bansi Rawa
• Aashirvaad Himalayan Pink Salt to taste
• ¼ tablespoon of baking soda
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• ½ tablespoon of cumin seeds
• ½ tablespoon of chili flakes
• ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup of spinach purée
• Oil for brushing

Instructions

• Combine the baking soda, chilli flakes, cumin seeds, salt, Bansi, and all-purpose flour in a bowl.
• Thoroughly mix in the butter and parmesan cheese. The consistency should be like that of bread crumbs.
• Make a hard dough and add the spinach puree.
• Cover the dough with a moist towel and set aside. Give the dough 10 minutes or more to rest.
• Form the dough into balls by dividing it into 16 equal halves.
• Make a 5-inch round out of the dough.
• Cut each roll of dough into four triangle-shaped pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 10 minutes.
• In the oven, place the chips in a tray and brush oil over them. Add just enough chips so you can flip them over with ease. The chips should be baked for 20mins until they are light golden on both sides.
• After chips come to room temperature, they should become crisp.

Snack Recipe 2: Besan ka Chilla

Besan chilla is made from chickpea flour, which is high in protein and fiber. This promotes feelings of fullness and satisfaction and may aid in weight loss as well. It goes well with spicy tomato chutney, or mint coriander chutney.

• Total cooking time: 20-25 minutes.
• Serving size: 4-5 besan chillas (serves two people).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• ¼ cup finely chopped onions
• ¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped green chillies
• 2 to 3 pinches of Aashirvaad Turmeric
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• ¼ teaspoon Aashirvaad Red Chilli Powder
• Aashirvaad Iodized Salt to taste.
• Water (½ cup initially, then 1 to 3 tablespoons more if needed)
• Aashirvaad SVASTI PURE COW GHEE  (for greasing)

Instructions

• First, measure 1 cup of gram flour (besan) and pour it into a mixing container.
• Add all cut vegetables and herbs after that. All of these components must be finely chopped for the chilla to spread well in the pan.
• Next, add the spices, including ½ teaspoon of carom seeds (ajwain), ¼ teaspoon of red chilli powder, and two or three pinches of turmeric powder. At this stage, you can also add salt to taste.
• Add half a cup of water to the besan cheela mixture, stirring or mixing correctly. Then, depending on the texture and quality of the besan, add another 1 to 3 tablespoons of water.
• Whisk the batter continuously until it becomes smooth and flows. As you stir the batter, be careful to break up any lumps that might be present.
• You may now start preparing your besan chilla!
• Though you may use any well-seasoned frying pan, cast iron skillet, or non-stick pan, you prefer to cook your besan cheela in a tawa, which is a flat, circular pan.
• Next, carefully split the batter using the back of the measuring cup or ladle, if you have one. Be careful not to break the chilla by spreading the batter too evenly.
• Next, keep cooking the chilla over low to medium-low heat until it looks done on top, or you start to see air pockets.
• To prevent the chilla from sticking to the pan during cooking, sprinkle ghee (about ½ to 1 teaspoon) over the chilla’s edges and all over it.
• You should grease the pan or skillet with more ghee before adding the batter if you want your chilla to be crispy.
• After that, keep cooking until the base is light golden.
• Next, turn your besan cheela over and cook the other side.
• After that, keep cooking until the besan chilla has golden spots. Cook the besan chilla well and uniformly. For even cooking, you can turn the chilla over once or twice.
• Lastly, serve your besan chilla hot, folded!
• Keep making chilla in this manner. If you want to cook the chilla in a bigger amount, use two pans or skillets.

Snack Recipe 3: Rava Dhokla | Suji ka Dhokla

Made with rava (suji, semolina, or cream of wheat) and herbs, spices, and white sesame seeds, Suji ka Dhokla is a light, fluffy, savoury cake that is steamed and garnished with coconut and coriander leaves.

Rava has a high fiber content. (9.72g/100g). Fibre, as we all know, is beneficial for us and has various positive effects on our health. They are also a source of micronutrients like zinc, magnesium, and calcium. 

You can make rava dhokla also by adding some chopped veggies, this way not only will the snack become filling but will also contain the goodness of veggies in it.

• Total cooking time: 35-40 minutes.
• Serving size: Serves 3-4 people.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Aashirvaad Double Roasted Suji Rava
• ½ inch ginger + 1 green chilli (crushed into a paste)
• 1 to 1.25 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• Aashirvaad Salt Active  as required
• ½ cup water (or as needed)
• 1 teaspoon eno (fruit salt)
• Oil for greasing
• Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, white sesame seeds, and curry leaves for tempering.
• Chopped coriander or grated coconut for garnish.

Instructions

• Put the rawa, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and ginger chilli in a bowl and use a spoon to stir everything together.
• At this stage, do not add the fruit salt (eno). Set aside for fifteen to twenty minutes. The batter must be just a bit thicker than the batter for the idlis.
• Avoid making the batter too thick or thin because doing so will alter the suji dhokla’s texture.
• Prepare your pans for steaming while the batter is sitting, and for that grease a small pan.
• Next, put two cups of water in a saucepan or pot. Put a little trivet inside the water-filled pot. Over medium heat, bring this water to a slow boil.
• Next, add one teaspoon of fruit salt or eno. Eno offers the suji dhokla a delicate, fluffy texture and aids in leavening the batter.
• Mix quickly and stir vigorously. Ensure that the batter has an equal distribution of fruit salt. Don’t mix the batter too much, though, since this will cause the air bubbles to escape.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan.
• Using a spoon, distribute the batter in the pan. After that, shake the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Put the pan on the saucepan’s trivet.
• Place a cover on the saucepan, skillet, or steamer and let it steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Use a toothpick to check the doneness; if it comes out clean and the batter isn’t sticky, the rava dhokla has been steam-cooked properly. After removing it, let it cool for five to six minutes.
• Carefully remove the rava dhokla from the mould onto a serving platter, then cut and temper the pieces.
• Heat the oil in a small pan to make the tempering for the dhokla.
• Add the mustard seeds first. Allow them to crackle.
• After that, add the cumin seeds and let them sputter. After that, add the curry leaves, white sesame seeds, and asafoetida (hing) and cook for a few seconds.
• Turn off the heat. To the tempering, add two to three teaspoons of water. Cautiously add the water while keeping a safe distance.
• Evenly distribute the tempering mixture on top of the sooji dhokla.
• Garnish with freshly grated coconut or chopped coriander leaves. Serve warm or cold, sliced, with a side chutney.

The Last Say

Nowadays, everyone knows what food does to the body and how it affects it. It becomes challenging to wait for meals (lunch and dinner) without eating something in between.

However, eating healthily doesn’t have to be that difficult. With these easy snack options, one may get through the day without continually reaching for the snack jars and munching mindlessly. 

Selecting nutritious snacks and preparing them at home would be a crucial dietary change for a higher quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions