As we all know, Holi is considered the festival of colors and love. Usually occurring in March, the festival denotes the beginning of spring after a long and cold winter. In symbolic terms, this basically means the triumph of good over evil. The festival calls for a lot of people coming together to enjoy themselves as well as bringing in a lot of happy feelings, be it between families or even just spouses.
One of the main attractions of the festival is the wide variety of food available for people to choose from, be it vegetarians or non-vegetarians. Each person has a choice based on their food habits. Newly added, veganism has also begun to creep into the culture and is considered to cover about 2.7% of the world’s population.
Veganism is similar to vegetarianism. However, the difference is that vegans do not eat anything related to or taken from animals like dairy products or even eggs. Over the years, the vegan diet has expanded and currently has over 14,262 products. To make things interesting, here are some vegan recipes that couples can enjoy during Holi.
Best Romantic Vegan Recipes During Holi
- Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun
A well-known Bengali dessert, this scrumptious sweet is basically a doughnut made from sweet potato and sometimes stuffed with coconut. It is fried and then soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with cardamom. Delicious and bright in color, this is a dish perfect for couples to enjoy during a Holi date.
- Pocket Bite-Sized Tofu Parathas
Made perfectly to eat while on the move, these parathas can be had either as a meal or simply as a snack that goes perfectly well with raita (dairy-free). The parathas are filled with crumbled tofu spiced up Indian-style along with some mashed kidney beans (as we like to call it, rajma). Just a taste brings forth a homely feeling.
- Dabeli
Famous street food that originated from Gujarat, dabeli is a delicious sandwich made from a variety of flavors. As we know, sandwiches are one of the ideal dishes to have, especially when celebrating the love you and your partner share. What better way to spice things up than with a sweet and spicy mixture containing potatoes paired perfectly with garlic chutney?
- No-bake Almond Cookies
Cookies are always the best and easiest dessert a person can bake, especially when they hold a special meaning. To make things more interesting this Holi, it is a good idea to try making a batch of no-bake almond cookies; quick and easy, these cookies can easily be molded into a shape special to you and your partner.
Considering Holi is such a bright festival, it only makes sense to enjoy dishes that stand out and capture your attention. An even better idea would be to try something at home that holds a special meaning for you and your partner, adding a little twist to live up to the festival of colors. Whether your celebration is grand or just a private affair between friends and family, these dishes will make your Holi special.
Learn How the Raw Vegan Diet Works
The raw vegan diet intertwines the raw diet with veganism. It is a clean way to eat, and avoids processed foods and animal products.
What is a raw vegan diet?
A raw vegan diet involves having a vegan diet with food that isn’t entirely cooked. While some prefer not having anything cooked at all (i.e. eating it raw), food can be cooked at 116° to 118°C. Other cooking options, including soaking, sauté, purée or sprouting the edible item in the diet, can be tried.
What you can eat:
- Raw nuts or seeds
- Raw dehydrated vegetables
- Fruit Juice or Vegetable Juice
- Soaked or sprouted beans or legumes
- Nut milk
- Nut butter
- Fermented food like miso
- Vinegar and soy sauce
- Seaweed
- Cold-pressed oils
What you cannot eat:
- Cooked vegetables, grains, beans, or legumes
- Baked food items
- Roasted nuts
- Pasta
- Salt
- Refined or processed food
- Alcohol
- Pasteurized juice
- Tea and Coffee
Is the diet healthy?
For various health reasons, people prefer to adopt this diet. Raw food has several different advantages over its cooked counterparts. People who follow this diet believe it gives the human body all the nutrients it requires, and so they don’t need any supplements. It is also recommended to restrict the intake of supplements and vitamins when following this diet.
To determine whether the diet is really healthy, we have to understand how it works.
How the diet helps the body
- Protection of Enzymes
Enzymes are chemical compounds in food that aid growth and nutrient absorption. The human body needs to produce more enzymes to aid digestion. It is believed that when food is cooked and enzymes in it are destroyed. The raw vegan diet was designed on the premise that heat destroys some of the enzymes in the food.
- Improved Digestion
Whole plant foods are a high source of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Both are beneficial for improved digestion. Insoluble fibres allow food to move through your gut quickly, reducing constipation risks. On the other hand, soluble fibres are beneficial to the good bacteria in our intestines that promote good gut health. The raw vegan diet includes food rich in both these types of fibres, thereby promoting better gut health and digestion.
- Reduces Risk of Health Issues
Raw Vegan Diet can also help better your health and reduce the risk of health issues like diabetes. Due to its focus on fruits, vegetables and legumes, it can help you control your weight and improve digestion. Regular following of this diet can also help you reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure levels which are risk factors for heart diseases. Additionally, the diet also discourages sugar intake, which can help reduce the risk of type II Diabetes.
The raw vegan diet helps you consume a lot of nutritious foods, prevent processed ingredients, and reduce weight. However, it is always advised to talk to a doctor before opting for the diet to ensure that you don’t lose too much weight or have vitamins deficiencies. Following a healthy diet according to your body’s needs is always the smart thing to do.
