Are you counting calories but also counting days before you can cheat? This Healthy Quinoa Apple Kheer is the perfect dessert for you! Indulge without feeling any regret because this light take on the widely loved Indian dessert is here to win your heart over! You now know what to kick the festivities in with!
For me today officially marks the start of the big Indian festival season. And anybody who's grown up in an Indian family will agree that it's also the beginning of incredibly delicious, but rich, high calorie food. My family - unless they stuff you with food, they haven't pampered you properly. Obviously I've got those genes. While kheer is one of my favorites, I can never finish an entire bowl, but this Healthy Quinoa Apple Kheer - I'm guilty of stealing a few spoonfuls at breakfast today.
This healthy quinoa apple kheer is a result of War and Cheese prodding me to come up with a Dussehra recipe. I was stumped. I wasn't willing to make a dessert that we wouldn't be able to finish because it's loaded with ghee! A major brainstorming session with mum resulted in some great options, which I'm hoping to recreate soon enough but as usual, I was rushed for time! So when War and Cheese suggested I do something with Quinoa, I was totally game! I'm probably the last food blogger to be experimenting with this super food, but what a great idea this was.
To me it's very similar to bulgur, in taste and texture, but the internet tells me that it's a food superstar and here's why. Rich in antioxidants, fiber and minerals, it can absorb copious amounts of water, which makes it perfect for making kheer.
Plus, it's 'healthier' than traditional Indian sweets, which is really saying something! So if you are a little like me, and dying to join in on all the festival fun, but wary of eating the ghee laden desserts, this healthy quinoa apple kheer is what weeeee need! Find me on facebook and twitter and tell me you love this idea as much as I do. Or give me a holler on Instagram, so that we can be insta friends.
Try my Festive Chocolate Rice Kheer or the simple Rice Kheer
Healthy Quinoa Apple Kheer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Quinoa cooked
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 Apple finely chopped
- 750 ml Milk Skim
- 8-10 Saffron strands
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom crushed
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Pistachios Chopped
- Apples Sliced for topping
Instructions
- In a pot, heat ghee and add the finely chopped apples. Saute for 3-4 minutes till slightly soft and add quinoa, milk, saffron and cardamom to it.
- Bring it to a boil and simmer for 35-40 minutes till milk reduces by about one thirds and the kheer thickens up. You can simmer for longer if you like your kheer really thick.
- Add sugar and stir till combined. Cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for an hour or so.
- Serve chilled, topped with chopped pistachios and apple slices.
Aadila says
Thanks for sharing such a valuable information. Keep bringing more
Anita Pandit says
I made this tonight. I reduced the sugar and increased the apples . Added some sultanas and dried cranberries. Tastes great with hot milk and I will eat it like a breakfast cereal .
Thanks a lot for posting this . I tried quinoa with pumpkin and pumpkin spice and that works out well too.
Richa says
So glad you liked it! And I agree - you can do so much with this.
Richa Gupta says
Parvathy everyone who's tried this recipe has commented on how light this is. I hope you like it. I've been looking for more ideas like this, and will post them soon!
Parvathy Nair says
I was looking for a "healthier" version of kheer! think i found it :0)
Richa Gupta says
Thanks Ramz 🙂
Richa Gupta says
Thanks, looking forward to it Nandita 🙂
Ramya Menon says
This looks deeeeeelicious!
nandita says
Looks good, and I do have a bag of quinoa on hand 🙂 I'm going healthier, with a savoury recipe for the Dussera round up 🙂