My man, who is a self-admitted sugar addict, committed to being absolutely sugar-free for the next 30 days.
That’s a big deal!
If you ever met him, you know that if it has sugar, he already loves it by default. I am not joking!
He could pump sugar into his veins all day long and swear that it does not hurt him (but we all know the truth ;)), while I could take a bite of a sugary dessert and have a headache in a matter of minutes. I am not joking about this either. In fact, my college roommate used to tease me that I could eat steak for breakfast. And, while I never had steak, for breakfast or dinner, she was right in the sense that I tend to reach for the salt shaker, rather than a cube of sugar. My perfect breakfast is: soups, salads, sandwiches, grains, and anything that’s salty and savory. Salt to me (in a healthy measure) is what sugar is to Hubby (in not a so healthy measure).
However, I do like an occasional treat that won’t give me a headache, especially if it comes in a shade of dark chocolate.
So, between Hubby giving up sugar and me wanting my occasional, headache-free dessert, I came up with the perfect solution–making a dessert that is processed sugar free, and that’s just the perfect shade of dark chocolate! And, of course, it is not only healthy, it is SO GOOD FOR YOU, YOU GOTTA EAT IT! Like…for real!
Meet my perfect, sugarless, but oh so sweet, dark chocolate, good for your bod, friend–Energy Truffles!
YUM!
I handpicked every single ingredient on purpose–there are no accidental ingredients in these truffles!
Nuts for those smart-brain promoting, healthy fats.
Pumpkin seeds for their amazing mineral content: manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron.
Dates for their sweetness.
Cranberries for tart, tangy flavor to balance the sweetness of dates.
Apricots for their antioxidant content, and their amazing and unique ability to encourage good elimination.
And, of course, cacao, for pure pleasure.
Combine all seven of these together and you have pure magic.
Magic so boundless that it crosses age and gender barriers–girls and boys (big and small), kids and adults alike LOVE these super-healthy, super-good-for-you, anyone-can-eat-’em (vegans, omnivores, and even Paleo lovers) truffles.
I made a batch on Sunday. By Monday evening we had less than 1/4 of the batch left. Hubby, myself, Sprout, my sister and her seven year old daughter just couldn’t get enough.
The truffles are perfect not only as a treat, but also as a on-the-go meal, especially if you are in a pinch for time. Check out the nutrition facts for this recipe at the bottom of the post to see for yourself–it’s a meal and a treat in one!
But, without further ado, here is your next favorite, guilt-free dessert recipe. (Did I mention that it’s vegan?)
Your step-by-step, very shareable video 🙂
- 1 cup raw walnuts (pre-soaked and dehydrated, if possible, for better digestion)
- 1 cup cashew nuts
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 1 cup (~5 oz.) pitted dates
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅛ cup dark cacao powder
- place nuts, seeds, dried fruit and cranberries into a food processor and run for a couple of minutes, or until all ingredients are finely chopped into tiniest possible pieces (see video for detail)
- if the ingredients get pushed up and stuck on the side of the food processor, stop the food processor, and push them down with a spatula
- when you are done, you should be able to press the ingredients together with your fingers and make them stick (see the video)
- line a plate with wax or parchment paper
- place cacao powder on a plate
- grab a tablespoon and measure 1-1.5 T of the truffles mixture into your hands, press it together, then roll into a ball
- roll the ball in cacao powder to cover and place on the lined plate
- repeat until all mixture is used
- freeze truffles for 1 hour before enjoying
- refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to one week, or freeze for later enjoyment
Make ’em. Love ’em. Share ’em!
Now there is no excuse for you not to quit sugar, if you are a sugar addict like someone I know ;).
Have ideas or requests for more health promoting, plant based (vegan that is) recipes? Leave a comment, and I will see if I can make magic happen!
