Sugar free sweets you can indulge in during this festive season

There is no denying that in India festival time is purely mithai-centric and traditional mithais still rule the roost. The mind-boggling variety available at stores today is simply irresistible, but they do come with their share of ‘sweet’ woes – pun intended! Laden with calories and plenty of sugar, these mithais aren’t doing your health any good. The best way to overcome any guilt about gorging on sweet treats during the festivities is to make them at home. So here are 12 all-time favourite recipes made much healthier, at least as far as the sugar goes and that your taste buds will definitely love. From a yummy sandesh mishti to a healthy beetroot halwa, here are 11 healthy, tasty mithais that will double up the festive fun –that too guilt free!   1.  Khajoor Chocolate 2.  Honey Kaju Katli 3.  Sandesh Mishti Ingredients Full cream milk - 1 liter Lemon - 2 Grated Jaggery - 1/3 cup (50 grams) Cardamom powder Saffron - 20 to 25 threads Pistachios - 10 to 12, finely chopped Method First step is to make chena. For that, boil milk in a heavy bottom vessel. Once milk starts boiling, take it off flame and let it cool a bit. Squeeze lemons and add juice into cooled milk, little by little and keep stirring. Stop adding lemon juice once milk coagulates. Strain this chena with cloth and pour cold water over it; this will remove the lemon flavor from chena. Press it gently so that excess water drains out. Mash the chena for 3-4 minutes until its smooth. Mix saffron and jaggery in chena. Roast the chena in a non-stick panfor about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Once off the flame, allow the chena to cool and then mix cardamom powder. Take small lump from the mixture, roll and then flatten gently, making oval shaped pedas. Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve. 4. Puran Poli   5. Kheer 6. Til Gajak   7. Beetroot Halwa 8. Modak For The Dough 2 cups rice flour For The Filling 1 1/4 cups grated jaggery 2 cups freshly grated coconut 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus-khus) 1/2 tsp elaichi powder 1 tsp ghee for kneading and greasing Method For the dough Boil 1¾ cups of water in a deep non-stick pan.Place the rice flour in a deep bowl and add the boiled water gradually. Mix well using a spoon in the beginning and then knead into a soft and smooth dough. Cover with a lid and keep aside for 10 minutes. For the filling Heat a deep non-stick pan, add the jaggery and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the jaggery melts, while stirring continuously. Add the coconut, poppy seeds and cardamom powder, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till all the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens. Keep aside to cool slightly. Divide the filling into 21 equal portions and keep aside. How to proceed Knead the dough once again using ½ tsp of ghee and keep aside. Grease a modak mould using very little ghee and close it. Take a portion of the dough, press it into the cavity of the modak mould till it is evenly lined on all the sides. Fill the dough cavity with a portion of the filling. Take a smaller portion of the dough and spread it evenly at the base of the modak mould so as to seal the filling. Demould the modak from the modak mould. Repeat steps 2 to 7 to make the remaining 20 modaks. Place a steamer plate in a steamer and place a banana leaf on it. Moisten all the modaks with little water using your finger tips. Place 10 modaks on the banana leaf and steam on a medium flame for 10 minutes.   9. Healthy Pongal Ingredients ½ cup rice ½ cup moong dal ½ cup grated jaggery ? tsp green cardamom powder 1/3 tsp edible camphor 2 tbsp Ghee 1 tbsp raisins 1 to 2 tbsp Cashews broken 1 to 2 cloves Few coconut pieces sliced or chopped Method Add moong dal to a heavy bottom pan or pressure cooker and roast it till they turn fragrant Add rice to the same pan and wash them at least twice. Pour 2 ¼ cups of water. Cook till soft either in the pressure cooker for 2 whistles or in the pot. Pour ¼ cup water to grated jaggery. On a low flame stir and melt it. Keep this aside. When the pressure from the cooker is down, remove the lid and mash the rice. Filter jaggery syrup to the cooked rice dal Add green cardamom powder. Mix and cook on a medium flame till the jaggery syrup blends well with rice. It should begin to bubble up well. Off the stove. Heat a pan with ghee, add coconut pieces and fry them till they turn aromatic. Add them to the rice. To the pan, add cashews, clove and fry till golden, off the stove and add raisins, camphor. Mix this with the rice. 10. Payasam Ingredients 1 cup rice 3 cups thin coconut milk 2 cups thick coconut milk ½ tsp cardamom powder 1.5 to 2 grated jaggery a pinch of grated nutmeg 2 tbsp coconut oil 10-12 cashews Method Rinse the rice and add in a pressure cooker or a pot with 3 cups thin coconut milk. Make a knot of the turmeric leaves and add to the rice-coconut milk mixture. Pressure cook the rice till soft and done. Add the crumbled jaggery to the cooked rice. Add in the thick coconut milk. simmer for 2-3 minutes on a low flame Heat oil in a pan and fry the cashews till golden brown. Add the cardamom powder and grated nutmeg . Pour the entire content in to the kheer. 11. Chana Dal Halwa Ingredients 1 cup chana dal 3/4 cup ghee 1 cup hot milk ½ cup Jaggery 100 gm Honey a few saffron strands 1 tsp elaichi powder For The Garnish 2 tbsp almonds slivers Method Clean, wash and soak the chana dal in enough water in a bowl for at least 2 hours. Drain well and blend the chana dal in a mixer to a coarse mixture. Keep aside. Heat the ghee in a non-stick kadhai, add the chana dal mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 14 minutes or till the mixture turns brown in colour, while stirring continuously. Add the hot milk and 1 cup of hot water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for another 2 to 3 minutes or till the mixture thickens, while stirring continuously. Add the honey and jaggery, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 more minutes, while stirring continuously. Add the cardamom powder and saffron mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously. Serve hot garnished with almond slivers.