Rajgira (Amaranth) flour ladoo:

Amaranth is a gluten-free food and a source of complete protein. High in fiber and a good source of magnesium and iron, Amaranth is a spectacular addition to your diet. This little powerhouse is perfect for gluten free and vegan diets. 

Usually, we eat rajgira or amaranth ladoos for fasts in India. They are usually made out of puffed grain, but since we get good organic flour in the U.S, I thought I should just make ladoos out of this wonderful flour.

Ingredients:

2 ½ katoris amaranth flour

½ katori almond powder

7/8 seedless dates

¼ katori jaggery powder

¼ katori clarified butter (ghee)

1 pinch of cardamom powder

Dry roast the amaranth flour in a pan till it slightly changes color. Wait till it slightly cools down.

Add the almond powder, jaggery powder and cardamom powder to the flour. Chop the dates and put them in a blender to mash it. Add it to the flour mixture. Now add clarified butter and mix well with your hands. Check and try forming small balls with your hands. If the mixture is still not binding well, you might need to add little more ghee. Bind the ladoos well. This recipe will make about 14 ladoos.

Healthy black bean truffle:

If you crave for something sweet after meals, then you got to try this one. This is an easy dessert snack which can be made in a jiffy and can be stored easily too.

Ingredients:

§                  2/3 cup cooked or canned black beans

§                  2 1/2 tsp low fat and low sodium peanut butter

§                  2 tbsp cocoa powder

§                  1/2 tbsp raw honey

§                  1/16 tsp salt

§                  1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

§                  Melted Dark chocolate for coating

Adapted from: chocolate covered Katie (black bean chocolate fudge balls)

I used whole black beans (not the canned ones) for this recipe. Cook the beans till they are soft and drain and rinse them well. Then combine all ingredients in a blender (I used magic bullet) and blend until smooth. Refrigerate so that the mix hardens and the mixture is firm enough to roll into balls with your hands. Once rolled, return to the fridge.

For the Chocolate Coating: Melt dark chocolate chips/bar in a double boiler or melt in the microwave. Line a plate with parchment, dip chilled balls into the chocolate, then place on the parchment and immediately return to the refrigerator to allow the coating to set. Store in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Use chopped almonds to decorate.