Being mindful in the kitchen making my raw chocolate treats:
It’s been a long time since I’ve made any raw treats. My last batch ran out a few weeks ago, and I’ve been dipping into the biscuit tin and chocolate box way too much.
Not good.
I need to replenish my treat stash quickly in order to have them on hand for when I have a sweet craving.
It’s time to say Bye Bye biscuit tin and beloved Galaxy Minstrels, and Hello Helen’s Raw Chocolate Bliss Balls.
Bliss Balls were actually my first step into the wonderful world of home-made raw treats. After realising that sugar was not my friend, I’ve been making variations of these for a few years now to satisfy my sweet tooth. And it works. And they’re delicious. And nutritious.
How fabulous is that!
My fave recipe combines mixed nuts and seeds, raw cacao, vanilla powder, cinnamon, chia seeds, super-greens powder, dates, and rice syrup, with coconut oil for binding, and desiccated coconut for rolling in.
Did I mention they are absolutely yummy?
I enjoy spreading the no-sugar love too by making them for dinner parties, and giving as gifts for friends and family. I’m often asked for the recipe which is brilliant; changing the world one bliss ball at a time!
Variety is always welcome so today I wanted to make two flavours. I decided to try out a new recipe I’ve found for Sesame Power Balls. With tahini, ground almonds, almond butter, coconut, seeds, vanilla powder and rice syrup, it sounded like a recipe made in raw food heaven. And it was.
Heavenly yummy indeed.
I wanted to practice mindfulness as I made my treats. So I focused on being present, mindful and aware, as opposed to stressed, distracted and overwhelmed.
I stayed alert to my senses: the texture and smell of my yummy ingredients; watching how they bind together in my food processor; taste testing for sweetness; and the feel of rolling the mixture into balls in the palm of my hand.
I was also mindful of my breath, keeping it slow and steady throughout. And if my mind wandered off, I gently invited it back to the task at hand.
Now I have 20 little balls of deliciousness packed away in the freezer to enjoy over the next few weeks. I usually find that one is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, although I have been known to sneak another one or two. But they’re actually quite filling and one is usually enough. Honest.
So with this in mind, my happy for today is being mindful in the kitchen when making my raw chocolate treats.
Could I please have one of Helen’s Raw Chocolate Bliss Balls with my Nana milkshake???
All ready and waiting for you my lovely 🙂
These sound great! I love the idea of making them mindfully. I’d love to get into the habit of doing more things mindfully. Xx
Mindful baking rocks 🙂
Helen – can you post your recipe for the bliss balls? I love chocolate!!
Of course lovely Melissa, my pleasure:
Helen’s Chocolate Bliss Balls
Ingredients
3 handfuls nuts (I use almonds, cashews, mixed – whatever you fancy)
2 handfuls seeds (I use sunflower & pumpkin)
2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
2 tbsp milled chia seeds (optional)
1 tbsp spiralina/barley greens/super greens (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
10 dates (soak in water for about an hour)
3 tbsp melted coconut oil (or enough to make mixture nice & moist)
1 tsp rice syrup/active raw manuka honey/other sugar alternative – add more to taste
Few drops vanilla essence/1 tsp vanilla powder
Desiccated coconut (to roll balls in)
Method 1
If you’ve a super fancy food processor, simply process dry ingredients then add in wet ingredients & go to step 6
Method 2
1. Roughtly chop nuts
2. Put in bowl & add rest of dry ingredients
3. Chop dates into small pieces and add to mixture, making sure they don’t clump together
4. Gently heat coconut oil so it becomes a liquid
5. Add to dry mixture with honey and vanilla essence and stir well
6. Roll into small balls and roll in coconut, put on greaseproof paper
7. Pop in fridge to set. They also keep well in freezer!
8. Enjoy 🙂