Fruit and Nut Truffles

Lately, whenever I’ve wanted something sweet, I’d whip up a batch of these.  They’re quick to make and just as good with the substitutions in parentheses.  To minimize messy hands, I now shape them into perfect little mounds using a small cookie scoop.  The batter could also be pressed into a small pan, chilled, and cut into small squares. 

I love the combination of orange with the chocolate and fruit but it can easily be left out or swapped for almond or maybe some cinnamon.  Try them as an after school snack for the kids, or as a sweet treat after lunch or dinner.  They also travel well; I took them on a plane trip and they made it wonderfully.

Fruit and Nut Truffles

1 c raisins or dates

1 c walnuts

¼ c chopped good quality dark chocolate (or 2 T cocoa powder)

2 T unsweetened coconut

1 t vanilla

few drops orange extract (or 1 t orange zest)

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor until mixture gets crumbly.  Form teaspoon sized portions into tight balls or pack the mixture into a small cookie scoop to form more uniform mounds.  Chill to set and store in an airtight container in fridge.

Carmelized Vidalia Onions with Coconut

Why I decided to combine these two foods, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I had coconut on the brain from my last post for Powerballs, or because dinner last night was pecan and coconut-crusted salmon, or because I just bought Vidalia onions today for The Daily Detox. Or maybe it’s a combination of all three.

For tonight’s dinner, I planned on making a simple salad with organic baby greens, sautéed asparagus that I picked up at the farmer’s market this morning, and eggs from a local farm that I would soft-boil (although they came out semi-soft). And that’s exactly what I made.

Then, as I was lying on my mat during yoga class, the idea of carmelized sweet onions came to mind and “sounded” so good on top of that salad, that I decided to add them in too.

Later, as I was watching the onions soften up and become translucent in the pan, and the sweet smell was wafting through the air, I thought, “what would coconut taste like on top of those onions? “ Well, it’s delicious. To me, it is a perfect combination.

1 large Vidalia onion

1 T grapeseed or coconut oil

sea or Himalayan salt

shredded, unsweetened coconut

Peel the onion then slice thin: I like to cut the onion length-wise, then place each half with its flat side faced down on the cutting board. I then cut thin slices length-wise again, but either way is fine.

Heat the oil to medium in a large frying pan or dutch oven, then add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook over medium heat until the onions become soft and begin to lightly brown. Try not to cook them too quickly with heat that is too high or they will burn.

Sprinkle with coconut and serve.

What to do with these… I added them to my salad. Try them on top of broiled salmon, or with scrambled eggs. They’d go well in a veggie wrap or on top of sautéed, mixed vegetables, or as a side dish with just about anything. Toasted coconut would also add a nice texture and flavor to the soft, sweet onions. You won’t need dessert after eating these, that’s how much I enjoyed them anyway. In fact, I ate the entire onion : )