Super Easy Holiday Spice Balls

Last night I hosted my very first ever, holiday themed wellness seminar. I had such a blast sharing my favourite holiday goodies - all gluten free and vegan and as healthy as can be. I couldn't wait to share this recipe for these easy-peasy holiday spice bites.

The recipe is super flexible, and you can basically use whatever dried fruit and nuts you have on hand. Be warned, however, that different nuts will provide different results due to their fat content.

Holiday Spice Balls

Makes 12-14 tbsp sized balls

Ingredients

1 cup raw almonds, cashews or walnuts
1 cup pitted dates or dried apricots
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
½ tsp peppermint, vanilla, or other extract (optional)
Toppings: raw cacao powder, ground almonds, cinnamon, etc. (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except toppings (if using) in a food processor or high speed blender
2. Roll into tablespoon sized balls between clean hands
3. Lightly roll balls in topping of your choice, if using

Notes

This recipe is very flexible. Feel free to experiment with different nuts, spices, and toppings!

Use caution if using nuts with a high fat content (e.g cashews, pecans). The longer the ingredients mix, the more oil is released, and the result may be softer than desired.

Wet hands before rolling into balls to prevent sticking.

Raw cacao powder can be found in most health food stores and is an amazing superfood packed with antioxidants.

Regular cocoa powder will work fine for this recipe if you don’t have raw cacao on hand. Carob powder would also substitute well for those sensitive to chocolate.


This recipe was inspired by fellow holistic health coach Kasey J. Smith.

This All Natural Hot Chocolate Will Blow You Away!

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I love chocolate. Remember my post a while back about raw chocolate?

Well - things just got real.

Now that the winter months are upon us - at least here in Calgary - I've been craving all sorts of warm, delicious (yet healthy) treats. Once I discovered this decadent hot chocolate, I knew I'd hit the jackpot. The best part is that all of the ingredients are REAL! That's usually enough for me right there, but it's also super easy to make, and so deliciously creamy and delicious.

All you'll need to make this are a few simple ingredients that you may already have, and a blender! I used my vitamix, but any high speed blender would work.

All Natural Hot Chocolate

serves 2

Ingredients

3 cups hot water
6 dates, pitted
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 tbsp raw cacao powder (see notes)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cayenne (optional)

Directions

Combine ingredients into high speed blender, mix on high for 30-40 seconds.
Serve warm in your best mugs and enjoy with someone special.

Notes

If you don't have raw cacao powder on hand, I highly recommend you head out to the closest natural foods store and get some. It's unbelievably high in antioxidants, and is the purest form of chocolate - what all the candy bar chocolate originally came from. If this is not an option for you, for whatever reason, regular cocoa powder that you would use to bake with would work just fine.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was going to wait until next week to share this recipe with you, but I couldn't keep these cookies a secret so I just had to post it tonight. That and I'm procrastinating packing and cleaning my house before people come to see it in a couple days (we're moving to another part of the city).

These were a bit of an experiment to start, taking inspiration from this recipe and making them completely vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free. I wasn't sure right from the get-go how these would turn out, and it didn't help matters that I forgot to set a timer and thought I'd for sure burned them when I realized they'd been in for half an hour. But in the end, these turned out SO well. I'm even going to be bold and say that they might be the best (vegan, gluten free) cookies I've ever made! They're crunchy on the outside, and oh so delicious and chewy on the inside.


Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp hot water)
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional, but delicious)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Start by making the flax egg, by combining freshly ground flax with hot water. Allow this to sit for a few minutes while you combine the dry ingredients. I made the "egg" in the large mixing bowl to avoid dirtying an extra bowl.
3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the coconut oil and flax egg. My coconut oil wasn't melted so it doesn't matter if yours is or not.
5. Mix in remaining wet ingredients.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, and beat until a smooth texture is reached.
7. Fold in oats and chocolate chips.
8. Spoon dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They won't spread too much, so they only need to be an inch or so apart. 
9. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. The longer you leave them the crunchier they will be, so cooking time is up to your personal taste.

Notes

This was my first time baking with brown rice syrup, and I loved how crunchy it turned the cookies on the outside while keeping them moist and chewy on the inside. Brown rice syrup can be found at a health food store near the other sweeteners. If you're not worried about these being vegan, feel free to use honey instead.

My batch probably would have made 13 or 14 cookies, but I ended up eating the remaining batter once I had 12 cookies on my sheet. You could of course do the same (it was delicious, and egg-free so ok to eat raw), or if you have a large baking sheet you might be able to make your cookies a bit bigger.


I hope you are enjoying this pumpkin season as much as I am! Let me know how these turn out for you in the comments below, or over on Facebook!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Warning: These are highly addictive

I made these beauties the other day and they definitely didn’t last very long. Once you get the basic recipe down, try experimenting with other nut butters or find a way to add your own special touch by adding a creative topping like coconut or cacao nibs.

Chocolate

2 tbsp raw cacao
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1-2 tsp natural sweetener (maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.)

Peanut Butter

2 tbsp peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp natural sweetener
small pinch of Himalayan salt (optional)

1. Combine the chocolate and peanut butter filling ingredients in two separate bowls.
2. Using either silicone baking cups or half of a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners, pour the peanut butter mixture first, followed by the chocolate, into 6 baking cups. 
3. Place in the freezer to set for about an hour.
4. Unwrap and enjoy!

Give these bad boys a shot and let me know what you think!

Raw Chocolate Love

I have a new love - raw chocolate. Over the past year or so I've been hearing more and more about raw chocolate and it's health benefits. I discovered raw cacao nibs and raw cacao powder and have experimented with them in recipes like smoothies, homemade power bars (or balls), and other delicious raw recipes, but I hadn't yet put together how raw cacao could be used to make the sweet, melty, fabulously decadent chocolate that I knew and loved.

As I progressed on my health journey I started to learn about the health benefits of this wonderful superfood. If you haven't heard much about it yet, it's definitely worth looking into, and making raw cacao a part of your life. Did you know this superfood is the highest antioxidant food in the world? It is said to be the top source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron, manganese, and chromium. It has also been found to improve cardiovascular health, build strong, healthy bones, increase longevity and elevate your mood and energy. How amazing is that!

Many of us crave chocolate, although we usually get our fix in the sugary candy bars found at the supermarket. Our bodies are on to something here. A craving for chocolate is not a bad thing, and it's not proof of a lack of will power. It makes sense that our bodies (which are much smarter than many of us give them credit for) would crave something that is so beneficial for our health! It's a shame, though, that the chocolate that is readily available to us is processed, laden with sugar, and lacking the beneficial properties that the cacao nut possesses in it's natural state.

That's where raw chocolate comes into the picture.

If you look for it, you might start to see raw chocolate bars and products on the shelves of your nearest health food store. My favourite brand is Giddy Yoyo, a Canadian company that sells a variety of health food products, most notably their wide variety of flavoured raw chocolate bars. Check our their website in the link above, or on Facebook. I'm in no way affiliated with this company, I just really love their product and what to share it with you! Keep your eyes open and you might find it sold in the most unexpected places. I was definitely surprised to see it in the impulse buy section leading up to the check outs at Winners.

Leave a comment and let me know of any other brands of raw chocolate worth trying! I'd love to hear your thoughts, or your favourite flavour combinations. Also, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming recipes on how to make your own raw chocolate at home.

As always, thanks for reading!
Much love and light.

Two-Bite Black Bean Brownies

The other day I was in the mood for a tasty – but healthy – chocolaty treat, and with some recently cooked black beans on hand, I decided to whip up a batch of these black bean brownies. It was a few years ago that I first became aware of the concept of black bean brownies, and back then it didn’t bother me to bake with a bunch of vegetable oil and eggs. There are quite a few recipes online for these tasty treats, but many of them call for eggs and quite a bit of oil. I was on a mission to find a healthy, vegan option to bring to work for my last team meeting before I leave. This is what I came up with – and they were a hit!

If you’re in a pinch, canned black beans will work, but let me just tell you why I’m so in love with home-cooked beans lately.

1. It's much more cost-effective to buy dry beans in bulk vs their canned counterparts
2. Many cans have been found to contain bisphenol-A (BPA) in their lining, although some brands such as Eden Organic do state on their label that their cans are BPA free
3. Just about everyone has experienced the gas, bloating, or even stomach pains associated with eating this magical fruit. Cooking beans at home allows you to intervene before the canning process to help eliminate the discomfort-causing culprits through the process of soaking. Here's how it works:

Long Soak

This is (in my opinion) the most beneficial soaking method, however it does require some planning. Sift through dry beans to remove any rocks or shrivelled beans, and cover with filtered water until beans are covered by at least a few inches of water. The beans will expand a lot as they soak. 1 cup dry beans = 2-3 cooked beans. Soak for 2-8 hours depending on the beans. The larger the bean the longer the time they'll need to soak (6 hours to overnight for large beans like chickpeas, about four hours for medium beans like black beans). It's totally fine to leave the beans soaking for longer than the recommended times, just make sure to replace the water every 8 hours or so.

Short Soak

If you're short on time or forgot to soak your beans overnight, you can bring a pot of water to a boil, add the dry beans, and allow them to boil for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for at least at least an hour. Thoroughly drain and rinse, and cover with fresh water prior to cooking.

No Soak

Some smaller beans and legumes such as lentils and split peas don't necessarily require soaking, however I still like to soak them for at least an hour just to be on the safe side. As with anything, the choice is yours. If you're short on time, these are usually fine to cook without soaking.



Once soaked to your liking, drain (very important), rinse, and bring to a boil with fresh water. Skim off any foam, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and follow the suggested cooking time in the table below.  If adding salt or any other seasoning, it's best to add near the end of cooking to ensure you don't disrupt the cooking process. However, a sea vegetable called kombu is a great addition to the beans during cooking as it adds numerous minerals and vitamins, as well as aids in digestibility. Check beans about half an hour prior to the end of cooking. You'll know they're done when they squeeze easily between your fingers.

1 cup dry beans	Cooking time
Adzuki	45-60 minutes
Anasazi	60-90 minutes
Black (turtle)	60-90 minutes
Black-eyed peas	60 minutes
Cannellini	90-120 minutes
Chickpeas (garbanzo)	120-180 minutes
Cranberry	60-90 minutes
Fava	60-90 minutes
Great northern	90-120 minutes
Kidney	60-90 minutes
Lentils	30-45 minutes
Lima beans	60-90 minutes
Mung	60 minutes
Navy	60-90 minutes
Pinto	90 minutes
Split peas	45-60 minutes

Now for the recipe!

Two-Bite Black Bean Brownies

gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free

Makes 12 two-bite brownies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup black beans (cooked or a 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed)
2 flax eggs (2 1/2 tbsp freshly ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp hot water)
3 tbsp melted coconut oil + 1 tsp to grease muffin tin
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a food processor, combine freshly ground flax seeds with 6 tbsp hot water. Pulse to combine, and let sit for a few minutes (about 5-10) until an egg-like consistency is reached
3. While waiting, grease a regular sized muffin tin with coconut oil
4. Add remaining ingredients and process until mixture is well combined
5. Distribute into muffin tins, and top with chocolate chips (if using)
6. Bake for about 20-25 mins, until edges are dry
7. Remove from oven and let sit in muffin tin for 30 mins before serving (always the true test of willpower)
8. Enjoy, and try not to eat the whole batch by yourself!

Inspired by Culinary Couture