This is my go to recipe for bliss balls. It never fails me, always satisfies me and on occasion impresses others. It is free of refined sugar, it is vegan (but doesn’t have to be), contains superfoods and is generally full of all the good stuff. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cups shredded coconut (can use desiccated)
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pitted and chopped dates
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 cup pepitas
1 tea spoon cinnanom
1 teaspoon lumuca powder
1 teaspoon maca powder
1 teaspoon mesquite powder
2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
1/4 cup melted coconut butter
1/4 cup rice malt syrup or (honey if you prefer)
few swirls of coconut nectar
Plateful of desiccated coconut to roll in.
Method:
Get out your food processor, and start with the dates. Then add the seeds. Then it doesn’t matter what order you wack in the rest of the ingredients.
Once all combined, roll into balls about a teaspoon size of mixture, then roll in the coconut.
If you are feeling lazy or don’t have much time, you can line a shallow slice tray with baking paper, and press the mixture into it, and sprinkle the coconut on top.
Put in the fridge to set. These are really nice if you let them come up to room temp when serving, that way the coconut butter is nice and soft and it makes the cacao taste so yum.
Enjoy
Al xx
This cold wet and windy afternoon I went into the kitchen armed with a recipe. About a third of the way through I soon realised that I didn’t actually have all the ingredients I needed! So I decided to continue on and intuitively follow my own ideas and came up with these little gems! They actually taste amazing and a lot like biscuit batter, but without all the refined crap and sugar. A bit like peanut butter. So these are vegan, gluten free, raw, free of refined sugar and delicious!
I am calling them my Accidental Bliss Balls!
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup macadamias
2 TB tahini
1 TB maple syrup
1 TB chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon Lucuma
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 date
sesame seeds to roll in
Start by combining the nuts and tahini in your food processor.
Once all combined and chopped up well, add the rest of your ingredients.
You can roll them into little balls and coat with sesame seeds, or leave as is.
These would also be a bit awesome with some raw cacao nibs and raw cacao powder if you wanted.
Enjoy
Al xx
Tonight I enjoyed a beautiful meal with like minded vegos/vegans at a local restaurant. The restaurant even created a special Vegan Menu for us! Talk about feeling the veggie love! They did such a great job, as vegan food is not something they specialise in. They were not able to offer a vegan dessert (which is ok) so I whipped up this little beauty when I got home, I’m calling it my Raw Vegan Choc Orange Mousse. I hesitate to call it Jaffa flavoured as it just doesn’t quite cut it!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups almond milk
1/2 cup hazelnuts, lightly crushed
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly crushed
1 avocado
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon of raw cacao
1/2 teaspoon mesquite powder
1/2 teaspoon maca powder
1 teaspoon lumica powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon of orange rind
Few tablespoons of activated bukinis and raw cacao nibs to top
Method
Whack everything in the blender, starting with the milk and avocado so your blender doesn’t clog up. If you find you would like it a little sweeter add some more syrup.
I decided to be a bit fancy and layer some bukinis and choc nibs, to add some crunch, as I was craving some crunch, but you don’t have to.
This will make about a litre of mousse. Keep in the fridge. I reckon I’ll have some more for breaky! 🙂
Al xx
Today at work again I had a lovely chat with my workmates about my diet, (which I love to do by the way) and what I eat and what I don’t eat. And it really got me thinking about why I eat the way I do, and how that has changed so much over the past couple of years. I am a vegan and intolerant to gluten, dairy and soy.
As an introduction, I will tell you what I eat now:
Fruit and vegies, and plenty of them, and yes that includes potatoes. I try to limit my garlic and onion as it doesn’t agree with me.
At this time of year, soup is king. I have it at least once a day. And I throw everything in. If you follow me on Instagram (alsone765) you will see the sort of stuff I throw in. Everything but the kitchen sink (except for onions, garlic and oil.) And I use Vegetta gluten free, vegan stock.
Herbs and spices – when was the last time you had Cardamom? Rediscover it, its a beauty.
Herbamare is a great seasoning and I put it on just about everything. Even salads.
For butter I use Nuttalex.
I don’t eat bread currently as I am yet to find a gluten free one that doesn’t contain soy or dairy.
Quinoa, brown rice, legumes and beans (chickpeas don’t tend to agree with me)
Nuts and seeds – these make up the bulk of my diet. Nut butters too, except for peanut and only the organic stuff.
My cheese alternative is cashew cheese! It is amazing, you can make it yourself or try the Botanicals Cuisine brand, which is made in Melbourne.
For sweet treats, the above brand also makes ‘icecream’ made out of cashews – so delish but beware it is sweetened with Agave and this does not agree with everyone.
Coconut butter, milk, water, oil, cream etc etc!
My milk alternatives are Almond milk and rice milk.
Instead of Cabury’s or sugar laden chocolate, I make my own or enjoy coconut mylk chocolate made by ‘Loving Earth’. Great brand with a lot of amazing products.
Panty staples include Raw Cacao, Maca and Mesquite powders, ready to pop into a smoothie or Bliss Balls at any given moment.
I don’t eat traditional pasta as it is so highly refined and full of gluten.. (not because I am scared of carbs). I have Mung Bean pasta or make my own ‘pasta’ out of zucchini.
I stay away from anything that is highly processed or full of preservatives. If it is in a box, it was probably made in a science lab. If you can’t recognise the ingredients on the box, then your body won’t either. I buy my fruit and veg from my local green grocer or farmer’s market. Organic first where ever possible. I know this means my shopping bill is high and things are expensive, but If i ever get cancer then the cost will be much higher and on so many other levels.
A wise woman once told me, ‘If it has a barcode, it doesn’t belong in your body” and that’s the way I try to eat. As close to nature as possible, buying my own ingredients to make my own creations.
Sugar causes cancer. It stuffs around with your metabolism and your hormones, so I don’t eat it. And because by body is free from candida, I don’t crave it either.
Part 2 – coming soon
Al xx
Sunshine and Green Tea 