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.

Purple (and Green) Smoothie

The holidays are not quite over yet, but maybe you wish they were so that you could get back to eating normally.  Thankfully, there’s a week between Christmas and New Year’s where we can slow down with the food, and if you’re on vacation, where you can slow down with the body.  Often, if I want to take a break from food, I’ll turn to one of the smoothies below.  Maybe I shouldn’t refer to it as something other than food though.  There’s plenty in there to keep your blood sugar from plummeting after a couple of hours and heading to the leftovers. 

You can play around with the amounts and try different spices.  I love the warmth of cardamom this time of year and sometimes I’ll add ginger too.  Even a pumpkin pie spice would work well.  It tastes more like a treat that way! 

Happy holidays!

Purple (and Green) Smoothie

1 c water or almond milk

½ c frozen blueberries

½ frozen banana, cut into chunks

1 T chia or hemp seeds, or

1 scoop protein powder, or

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ avocado

handful of greens (baby lettuces, spinach, or kale)

sprinkle of spices (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc.)

1 t real maple syrup or honey (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  For a thinner drink, add more water or milk.