Hi Everyone,

Today, I am sharing a few healthy, yummy and especially iron-rich snacks ideas which can be packed in your kids’ tiffin box or you can also carry them at your workplace for your evening snacks. As these are packed with iron, you need not worry about the health factor and can munch on guilt-free.

Carrot and Beetroot crackers:

Take 1.5 cup of whole wheat flour in a bowl, add 2 tsp oil, 1/4 cup washed and grated carrots, 1/4 cup washed and grated beetroots, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional), 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain), 1/4 cup grated cheese and make a dough. You can use a little water if needed but I generally don’t use it as cheese, carrots and beetroot help in binding. Cut them into the shape of your choice using a cookie cutter and bake them in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until they turn golden. You can also deep fry these. I prefer baked ones. Serve /pack them with ketchup or dips of your choice.

Gur ki (Jaggery) matthi:

Jaggery is a powerhouse of iron and I love this ingredient as its quite versatile and can be used in various ways. Soak jaggery in water for 4-5 hours. Strain it well and keep aside. Take 1 cup whole wheat flour in a bowl and add jaggery water in it, a pinch of salt and make a dough. You can roll them using a belan (rolling pin) and give shapes using a cookie cutter. Keep their thickness to 1-2 cm and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees or deep fry. This comes out the best when deep-fried.

To read another interesting and iron-rich recipe of Caramelized Makhane (fox nuts) click here

Puffed rice laddoo:

In a pan, heat ghee and roast puffed rice or murmure, don’t let them become brown. You can also microwave them without or with very little ghee. Roast just to make them crisp and keep aside. In the same pan, add ghee and jaggery powder or jaggery pieces and stir well continuously on a medium flame else it will burn. Once the jaggery melts well, add the roasted murmure and give it a mix. Take it out from the pan and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Now apply water on your palms and take a little mixture in your hands and give them the shape of laddoo.

Sesame seeds laddoo:

In a pan, roast sesame seeds (white or black or you can even mix both together) and keep aside. Melt jaggery in a pan with ghee and when it is melted well, add sesame seeds and mix well. Make sure the flame is on medium throughout the process. Apply water on your palms and give them a shape of laddoo. You can make these laddoos using brown sugar as well but I prefer jaggery because of its iron content.

Veggie Suji (Semolina) Toast:

This is one of my favorite evening iron-rich snacks. Sometimes, I prepare this for weekend breakfast too. Take suji in a bowl and add an equal quantity of water to it, leave for 15 minutes. In the meantime, chop the vegetables of your choice. As we are making it iron-rich, I use finely chopped or grated beetroots, carrots, onion, tomato, capsicum, and mushrooms. Add salt to taste, oregano or any other Italian seasoning and black pepper and mix them well. Now add all the veggies in suji and spread the mixture on a slice of brown bread. Top it with cheese (optional) and bake it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. You can even cook it on a griddle too. Heat a griddle, add butter, keep bread over and cover it with the lid on medium flame. Once it turns golden brown, turn it and cook both the sides well. Serve with ketchup or green chutney (sauce).

So, these were a few iron-rich snacks. I hope you liked them all. Do let me know if you have any suggestions or any more ideas.

Happy Cooking.

Until next time!