Move over Maggi — There are other 2-minute healthy snacks that you might checkout

A hot bowl of Maggi has surely been your comfort food and you can’t imagine doing without it. But probably you have to say bye to it after the MSG controversy that stirred the country. (Why is MSG bad for health?)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is carrying out a quality check, and, if necessary, will take it off the market. So what would you do without your favourite Maggi? Don’t lose heart; here are a few healthy and quick options to satiate you. And some of these take even less time to prepare than your Masala Maggi.

Vegetable poha:

Poha is easy-to-make, delicious and low in fat, making it a must-try. It is produced by passing rice through iron rollers, thereby absorbing iron in the process. It is a store-house of iron. Just a single serving of poha will give you 245 kcal of energy and 11 mg of iron. 

Here is how you can make the healthiest poha:

We Indians love our poha (or beaten rice pilaf). It can be prepared very easily and is highly nutritious as a lot of veggies can be added to it. In different states of India, poha is made in different ways and is a staple breakfast item in many households. Here’s why:

Packed with iron: Eating poha regularly can prevent iron deficiency oranaemia as it contains 20 mg of iron in every 100g raw rice flakes. Children as well as pregnant and lactating women can benefit greatly by consuming it. Softened poha is also a great way to add dietary iron when an infant is weaned from breastmilk. Sufficient iron helps the body to form haemoglobin that carries oxygen to body cells and also builds immunity. Squeeze a cut lemon on the poha as it helps improve iron absorption. 

A complete meal: Mixed vegetables can be added to rice flakes to make it rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Add sprouts, soya nuggets, peanuts and even boiled eggs to make a well-balanced and high-protein meal. Poha also makes a tasty and healthy packed lunch for toddlers as well as office goers. Opt for beaten rice made from brown rice for an extra health boost.

A good source of carbs: Carbohydrates are the major source of energy in a bowl of poha. This makes it a perfect breakfast option. It can be eaten for snack too in the place of unhealthy options such as chips and biscuits. Carbohydrates are needed to help our body store energy, and perform various other functions. But getting your carb intake from healthy sources is vital and poha is one healthy source. 

Very low on gluten: These days, many people are cutting down on food grains like wheat and barley even if they aren’t sensitive to gluten. These people can opt for poha as it has very low amounts of gluten. People who have celiac disease should consult their doctor if they can eat poha without causing bloating or stomach pain. They can eat khichdi too as it is very healthy.

Good for diabetics: Poha is considered to be a great meal option for diabetics as it promotes slow release of sugar into the bloodstream. It also keeps you full for longer time. A single serving is enough to keep you going without hunger pangs and reach for unhealthy sweets and junk food. Add chunks of soya to increase its nutritive value.

To avoid monotony, make it by incorporating many different ingredients. Each state in India has their own version of this dish. 

Given below is the calorie count in 1 katori of poha:

• Vegetable Poha- 244 Kcal
• Peanut Poha- 589 Kcal
• Huli Avalakki- 222 Kcal

Oats porridge:

You can make this in a jiffy, and is super nutritious too. Oats porridge combines the goodness of oats and milk. Add some cut fruit or dried fruits to this mixture, and you have taste and health in a bowl. Don’t like it sweet? Try masala oats poha with your favourite veggies. 

Healthy recipe: Oats upma

Ingredients:

• Rolled oats – ¾ cup
• Finely chopped onions – 1
• Chopped, cooked carrots (optional) – 1
• Cooked corn (optional) – ¼ cup
• Chopped ginger – ½ inch
• Chillies – 3
• Water – 1 ¾ cups
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

For seasoning

• Curry leaves
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Roasted peanuts

Method:

Step 1: Dry roast oats in a pan till their whiteness disappears and they turn golden brown. Take them out of the pan.

Step 2: Heat oil in the same pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies.

Step 3: Add onion and sauté till it turns golden brown, and then add ginger and sauté again.  

Step 4: Add water, salt and cooked veggies. Cover the pan with a lid, and bring water to boil.

Step 5: Add oats and mix well. Lower the flame and simmer till the water is absorbed.

Step 6: Add roasted peanuts and mix.

Plate it, and relish for breakfast or dinner.

Sandwiches:

When nothing comes to mind, the humble sandwich can save the day! Relatively easy to make, no cooking required and quite tasty too, sandwiches are a go-to snack item. Switch to multi-grain bread for extra nutrition and add all the veggies or minced chicken to make it healthy. 

Ingredients: 

• Multigrain bread – 2 
• Cooked chicken breast, sliced – 1/4 cup 
• Chopped apple – 2 tsp. 
• Hard-boiled egg, peeled and chopped to pieces – 1/4 
• Low-fat yoghurt – 2 tsp. 
• Black pepper for taste 
• Salt for taste 
• Lettuce – 1 (optional) 

Method: 

 

Step 1: In a bowl stir together chicken, apple, and egg. 

 

Step 2: Add yogurt ; stir to combine. 

 

Step 3: Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 4 hours.

Step 4: Spread chicken mixture on half of the bread slices. Top with lettuce, and the other slice of bread. 

 Cut out the edges, if desired, and serve.

 

Nutritive value  of chicken salad sandwich (serving 1)
Nutrient
Energy (kcal)	196
fat (g)	2.9
Carbohydrate(g)	32
Protein (g)	6.9
Dietary fiber(g)	6.1
Calcium(mg)	31

Healthy sprout salad sandwiches 

Ingredients: 

• Multigrain bread slices – 2
• Hungcurd – 2tsp.
• Moong dal sprouts (steamed)- ¼ cup
• Tomato, chopped – 1 tbsp
• Cucumber-chopped – 1 tbsp
• Bell pepper-chopped- 1 tbsp
• Pepper – ¼ tsp
• Mustard powder-pinch 
• Salt as per taste

Method:

Step 1: Mix all the raw ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 2: Mash the sprouts, lightly.

Step 3: Add sprouts to hung curd, and add pepper, mustard powder and salt. 

 

Step 4: Spread the mixture on to the bread.

 

You can bite right into it, or grill it and then eat! 

 

Nutritive value  of Sprout salad sandwich (serving 1)
Nutrient
Energy (kcal)	170
fat (g)	0.7
Carbohydrate(g)	33
Protein (g)	6.9
Dietary fiber(g)	5.8
Calcium(mg)	40

Scrambled eggs:

Love eggs? Try this incredibly delicious and easy dish. The sautéed vegetables with eggs not only enhance the flavour of the dish but also make it very healthy. You can pair it with a simple salad or have it with toasted bread. 

1) Vitamin-rich egg roll:

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4-5 tbsp beetroot puree
• 2 eggs
• 3-4 tbsp milk
• 1-2 tsp finely chopped parsley
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Salt to taste

For garnish:

Lettuce leaves
Finely chopped parsley

• 
  

Method:

1. In a pan, add butter and beetroot puree, salt and black pepper powder to prepare a mixture.
2. Now in a bowl, whisk egg and add milk, salt, black pepper powder, finely chopped parsley and lime juice.
3. Then in another pan heat butter and cook the whisked egg mixture on it to make an omelette.
4. Remove the omelette on aluminium foil and apply beetroot mixture on it. Now place one more omelette on top and fold it together.
5. Garnish the prepared roll with lettuce leaves and finely chopped parsley.

Boiled chana-chat:

A half-cup serving of chana is great to munch as a snack late afternoon or evening. Naturally fat-free and sodium-free, they lower your risk of heart disease and colon cancer. It has 360 calories. Want to make it yummier, add chopped onions and tomatoes to it and top it with some chat masala for taste.

Fruits:

Choose more seasonal and local fruits instead of expensive, imported ones. Locally grown fruits are better for your body as compared to fruits from other countries say, many nutritionists. Don’t like munching an apple, try a fruit salad with berries, banana, melons and you have a good plateful. 

Healthy recipe: Fruit custard

Ingredients:

• 250 ml skimmed milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla flavoured custard powder
• Sugar substiture as required
• ½ cup mix fruits (apple, banana, grapes)

Method:

1. Mix vanilla custard powder with 2 tbsp milk to make a custard paste.
2. Add this paste to the milk and keep stirring continuously till it becomes thick.
3. Cool it and refrigerate it.
4. In a bowl add the fruits and pour the custard over it.
5. Serve chilled.

Dried fruits:

Combining raw almonds, cranberries, raw cashews, sunflower seeds and raw pistachios is a great way to perk up your spirits, stay healthy and keep hunger pangs at bay.

Popcorns:

Homemade popcorn, made without oil or butter, is a voluminous and nutrient-dense snack. It’s whole grain and is filled with fibre to keep you full and give you the psychological satisfaction of eating a lot.