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All About Raisins

What happens to a grape when it is put out in the sun and dried to reduce all its juice and moisture? It becomes a raisin of course. These shrivelled yellow, brown, or purple bites of goodness known as raisins are actually just your regular grapes that have been dried in the sun or then commercially in a food dehydrator

Raisins are commonly eaten in baked goods such as delicious cookies, breads, and muffins. Despite their small size, raisins or kishmish as we more commonly call them in India, are packed with energy and rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Raisins are also naturally sweet and high in sugar and calories, but they’re beneficial to our health when eaten in moderation like almost everything else that is natural. In fact, raisins can aid digestion, boost iron levels, and keep your bones strong. So, the next time you’re something sweet, consider replacing candies and chocolates with munching on some raisins to satisfy your sweet cravings. Your body will reap the healthy benefits of resins which there are many.

Raisins Nutritional Value

There are several health benefits of eating raisins for the human body. Raisins are known to be a good source of soluble fibre, and this aids digestion and reduces stomach issues. Raisins also contain tartaric acid which has anti-inflammatory properties, and improves intestinal function, and also helps to regulate the balance of bacteria in your gut.

Specifically, raisins are also a good source of antioxidants called flavonol glycosides and phenolic acids, and they have an ORAC value of about 3,400. ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity and reflects the antioxidant value of a food.

40-to-50-gram portions of raisins include Calories – 129, Protein – 1.42 g, Fats – 0.11 g, Carbohydrates – 34.11 g, Sugars – 28.03 g, Dietary fibre – 1.9 g

The same serving size also contains some valuable vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C – 1 milligram (mg), Calcium – 27 mg, Iron – 0.77 mg, Magnesium – 15 mg, Potassium – 320 mg, Phosphorous – 42 mg, Sodium – 11 mg.

Recipes with Raisins

Here is a quick look at some easy and handy recipes that are centred around raisins that you can try to include into your daily diet. These raisin recipes means that you will be consuming this incredible dry fruit in its most natural form and in a way where the entire family can benefit from its health benefits and nutritional value.

Kishmish ka Halwa

Ingredients

Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoons.
Corn starch – 1/2 cup.
Sugar – 1&1/2 cup.
Cashew nuts – 20 grams.
Ghee – 1&1/2 cup.
Raisins – 200 grams.
Water – 150 ml.

Instructions

Soak raisins in water over night then drain the water and put it in the blender, make a coarsely paste.
Take corn starch in a bowl, add water to make it into a slurry.
Heat ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts, till slightly color is changed.
To it, even add sugar, water cook this till sugar is dissolved.
Add raisins paste, cook it and once this comes to boil.
In the same pan, add corn starch slurry, keep mixing continuously. Later, add ghee in small quantities, when the ladle will become heavy at one point of the time getting to a thick consistency and the ghee will ooze out.
At last, add cardamom powder, transfer the halwa into a tray. Let it cool down then cut them into pieces.

Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (205 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk
1 cup (125 grams) dark raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter or line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the sugar and beat until soft and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until incorporated.
Add enough milk to make a soft batter. Then add the raisins and beat until combined.
For each cookie, drop about one tablespoon of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake the cookies for about 12 – 14 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are still soft with just a touch of color, yet the edges are golden brown.
Remove from oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Sautéed Spinach with Golden Raisins

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. trimmed spinach
1/4 c. golden raisins
Coarse salt
ground pepper

Instructions

In a large (12-inch) skillet, warm olive oil.
Cook spinach in three additions, letting the first batch wilt before adding the next and tossing often, until completely wilted, 3 to 4 minutes total.
Stir in raisins. Season with salt and pepper.

Carrot Raisin Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 cups)
3/4 c. golden raisins
3/4 c. peanuts
1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. harissa
1 tbsp. honey
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large bowl, toss together carrots, raisins, peanuts, cilantro, and green onions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, harissa, honey, lime juice and zest, garlic, ginger, and cumin.
Pour dressing over carrots and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Banana Raisin Bread Pudding

Ingredients

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. mashed banana
1 (3.4-oz.) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 packets Wafers, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well-combined.
In another medium bowl, mix bananas, pudding, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until well-combined. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just mixed.
Line the bottom of a loaf pan with wafers. Pour 1/3 of the batter on top of cookies, then cover the batter with another layer of wafers. Pour another 1/3 of the batter on top, then add another layer of wafers. Top with the rest of the batter. Crush the remaining wafers and sprinkle on top.
Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out and let cool completely.

Well, there you go. Some easy and quick facts on the nutritional benefits of raisins and some healthy and quick raisin recipes to ensure that you get these small bites of goodness into your daily diet in the most fun way possible. Enjoy.