Pune Cookout Session displays importance of almonds

16/2/2019

PUNE: A unique cookout session was conducted in Pune where almonds were the main ingredient involving unique snacking and festive recipes demonstrated by homemakers of the city. The session was conducted by Chef Nitin Shitole and Nutritionist Avanti Deshpande as three homemakers from the city led the way in showcasing how almonds could be made a part of our daily diets through snacking and festival food preparations.

Supriya Anansane who prepared lip smacking Almond Granula bar stood first in the snacking session, while Sonal Chaudhari who prepared Almond Choco Balls triumphed in the festive session. Both the cook out rounds saw innovative ideas displayed by participants to make snacking more healthier.

The interactive afternoon kick started with the three homemakers displaying their culinary skills by demonstrating a recipe each which featured almonds as the hero ingredient in snacking and festive recipes. While the homemakers prepared their dishes, Nutritionist Avanti Deshpande and Chef Nitin Shitole shared insights into why almonds make for a healthy snack.

Nutritionist Avanti Deshpande highlighted that “almonds are a powerhouse of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, Magnesium dietary fibre, protein, and more.” Often referred to as the king of nuts, almonds are versatile nuts that form a delicious part of our daily lives and offer natural goodness in every bite. Owing to their crunchy, scrumptious and nutritious nature, almonds can be made a part of our daily diet in various ways.

Nutritionist Avanti Deshpande said, “For Indian families, food comes first and we don’t usually plan our meals especially during midafternoon or early evening snacking time. Snacking smart with almonds is a great way to lead a healthy lifestyle. Almonds have been shown to lower total and LDL cholesterol when included in a healthy diet and might help in reducing levels of heart-damaging inflammation. Not just this, a handful of almonds promotes the feeling of fullness, helping you keep hunger at bay. They are naturally high in dietary fibre and low in sugars.”

Chef Nitin Shitole added, “With all of us becoming health conscious, we are always on the lookout for recipes with a healthy twist. Nuts like almonds are a healthy option, are also traditionally considered festive and hence can be used to prepare various snacks that you can serve during festivals. Almonds are easy and quick to flavour and go with just about any masala/spices. Whip up some flavoured almonds to give your family as a healthy and tasty snack, in addition to plain almonds.” The cookout session was followed by the best snacking and festive recipes being awarded with an attractive gift hamper.