BLISS BALLS
As promised here are a few of the recipes I have used this week for our bliss balls. Just a few notes on how I make them. I am very rough and ready with all my cooking – very imprecise and slap happy so things rarely ever turn out the same twice. If that stresses you out just use the website links I have provided below. The pics are previous ones I have made and photographed – not necessarily the ones in the recipes I have listed.
There are two reasons I am like this. One is that they last approximately one hour so why bother and secondly I have better things to do.
Also, as I only have a Nutri bullet which doesn’t handle throwing everything in and turning it on –last time I nearly killed the poor thing – I prepare mine ingredient by ingredient and then mix with a spoon – same result and still only takes about 5 minutes. Once you have your pantry sorted with raw foods it’s just so quick.
So, I usually soak the dates in boiling water for 20 minutes to an hour first – but not always. And although I love Medjool dates and often use them, I can’t always afford them, or don’t always have them so I use whatever I have on hand but never home brand. With the nuts – even if the recipe says cashews I might use walnuts, peanuts, macadamias, hazelnuts or stick to the recipe for once and use cashews – again, whatever I have on hand. This is another reason they always taste different. The same with recipes that call for liquid eg syrup/honey etc – I adore rice malt syrup so I usually use that or you could use Agave Syrup – I haven’t used it but it’s a similar consistency.
However, one thing you must always do is use raw real natural peanut or almond butter. There is no point being healthy then throwing in a commercial peanut butter – it’s sweet and salty and just wrong. Use 100% raw natural products in all your food and it will taste better .Mix it up with pistachios, or I often put in Chia seeds, Goji berries, fresh frozen strawberries or raspberries, dried cranberries etc. Actually a bit of raw fresh ginger grated would be yummy too and the boys wouldn’t like them….
So with all of the following recipes, I crush the nuts using the nut crusher blade first, and put in a bowl. Then blitz the dates and add to the bowl, then I add all the other ingredients and mix and then roll into balls and put in the fridge where I store them. Simple! If they feel too dry so they won’t stick just add a little water.
One basic recipe is:
12 pitted dates
2 tbs peanut butter
1 tbs cacao
¾ cup nuts
1-2 tbs rice malt syrup.
or this one:
12 pitted dates
1 cup almond meal
½ cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao.
or:
1 cup nuts
12 dates
½ cup sultanas and chopped apricots mixed
1/3 cup cacao
2 tbls coconut oil.
The recipe below I got from wholefoodsimply.com which is another go-to website for my new eating habits. They have got loads of bliss ball recipes there. I used the rice malt syrup instead of honey, and instead of the chocolate I used Cacao nibs. I have also tried a lot of their recipes and they all worked out.
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup dry roasted almonds
1 cup dry roasted cashews
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon concentrated natural vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
50 grams 90% dark chocolate, finely chopped
This one is from losebabyweight.com – a site I which I wish I had known about post babies! They have so many great ones and I have made several which again have all been great.
1/2 cup sultanas
1 large tablespoon on natural crunchy peanut butter
3tbsp desiccated coconut and extra for rolling
1tbsp coconut oil
2 weetbix
2tbsp cocoa or cacao
2tbsp honey or rice malt syrup
Little water if needed to make it wetter.
And this one is delish from wholefoodsimply.com
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup dessicated coconut
zest of one large lemon
juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon concentrated natural vanilla extract (I just use normal vanilla)
pinch of salt (I never do)
2 tbls maple syrup (I use rice malt)
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Some other websites for you:
And lastly the ones in the photo below – do not copy this one – but they had cacao nibs, oats, rice malt syrup, slivered almonds, peanuts, cacao, peanut butter, and dried cranberries – they are nice and different but the boys didn’t actually like them so they are still there – one whole day later. Enjoy x
